NHTSA Complaint #10379443 — 2004 KIA SEDONA

I OWN A 2004 KIA SEDONA 3.5L THAT I PURCHASED ON 08-31-2010 WITH 53638 MILES ON IT. ON 01-25-2011 AS I WAS DRIVING I HEARD A RATTLING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I STOPPED TO OPEN THE HOOD AND CONFIRM THAT IT WAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE, IT WAS. I DROVE TO THE NEAREST AUTO MECHANIC AND HAD IT DIAGNOSED TO BE TOLD THAT I HAD A BLOWN ENGINE AND IT WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. I HAD IT TOWED TO HE LOCAL KIA DEALERSHIP TO BE LOOKED AT FURTHER. THE ENGINE WAS OPENED UP TO BE INSPECTED. I WAS TOLD THAT THE #6 CYLINDER WAS COMING APART AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. THE VAN CURRENTLY HA ONLY 59430 MILES ON IT. IT IS UNDER THE 60000 MILE WARRANTY MARK BUT OVER THE 5 YEAR PORTION. I HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE THAT THERE WAS A KIA SERVICE BULLETIN THAT MENTIONED THAT THE 2004 KIA SEDONA 3.5L ENGINE HAD SCORING ON THE #6 CYLINDER FROM THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS WHICH ALSO RESULTED IN A GASKET DEFECT OR MALFUNCTION. THIS CLEARLY SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY SERVICE. THIS IS NOT THE ONLY CASE OF THIS SPECIFIC PROBLEM WITH THE #6 CYLINDER. *TR