NHTSA Complaint #10373729 — 2004 KIA SORENTO

I WAS DRIVING ALONG THE INTERSTATE AT APROX. 70 MPH. I HEARD A TICKING NOISE AND LOOKED AT THE DASH. NO WARNING LIGHTS. I ROLLED THE WINDOW UP, COULD NOT HEAR THE NOISE ANY LONGER AND CONTINUED DOWN THE ROAD. I ROLLED THE WINDOW BACK DOWN, THE TICKING GOT LOUDER, ALL LIGHTS ON THE DASH LIGHT UP, ENGINE STALLS, AND AS I'M MOVING TO THE EMERGENCY LANE, THE TEMP. GAUGE MOVES TO THE RED. THE VEHICLE HAS 155,000 MILES ON IT SO THE WARRANTY IS UP. HOWEVER, THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED BECAUSE OF THE FLUID LEAKING OUT OF THE WATER RESERVOIR. IF KIA WAS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND DID NOT ISSUE A RECALL, KNOWING THAT THIS COULD CAUSE SERIOUS ENGINE PROBLEMS, WHY ARE THEY NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS MOTOR? THE REPAIRS ARE GOING TO COST MORE THAN 5000 DOLLARS AND THAT IS IF I CAN FIND A REPLACEMENT MOTOR FROM A SECONDARY DEALER. I HAVE CONSIDERED TRYING TO FIND A USED MOTOR BUT I AM NOW HEARING THAT THIS PARTICULAR MOTOR HAS HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE #6 CYLINDER WALL FAILING, AND I DO NOT WANT TO SINK THAT KIND OF MONEY INTO THIS VEHICLE WITHOUT THE ASSURANCE THAT I WILL NOT HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS AGAIN IN 6 MONTHS. HAS ANYONE ELSE HEARD OF THIS? ARE THERE ANY CLASS ACTION SUITS AGAINST KIA? THIS SHOULD NOT BE TOLERATED. IF YOU SPEND 28,000 DOLLARS ON A VEHICLE, CHANGE THE OIL EVERY 3 TO 5 THOUSAND MILES, YOU SHOULD EXPECT MORE THAN 155,000 MILES OUT OF IT. KIA SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE! *TR