NHTSA Complaint #10427834 — 2006 KIA SORENTO

UNDER NORMAL OPERATION AT HIGHWAY SPEED, THE CRANKSHAFT BOLT BROKE AND ALLOWED THE HARMONIC BALANCER/CRANKSHAFT PULLEY ASSEMBLY TO COME FREE OF THE CRANKSHAFT. THIS RESULTED IN A BROKEN CRANKSHAFT SPROCKET, CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR AND TIMING BELT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTEE BECAUSE IT IS NOT CONSIDERED PART OF KIA'S DRIVETRAIN BECAUSE IT IS NOT A LUBRICATED PART. THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF SERVICE FOR 14 DAYS. ON SEPTEMBER 22, 2011 THE SAME BOLT CAME LOOSE AND SNAPPED THE SPRING PIN ALIGNING THE BALANCER WITH THE CRANKSHAFT SPROCKET. THIS RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND CHARGING SYSTEM WHILE MY WIFE AND DAUGHTERS WERE TRAVELING IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UP TO SPEED YET SO THE DAMAGE WAS MINIMAL. THE BOLT HAD TO BE REMOVED AS WELL AS THE BALANCER. THE SPRING PIN HAD TO BE DRILLED OUT OF THE CRANK SPROCKET AND REPLACED.THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF SERVICE FOR 7 DAYS. *TT