NHTSA Complaint #10511798 — 2013 KIA OPTIMA

DRIVING DOWN INTERSTATE, ENGINE MADE LOUD, CLANKING NOISE. PUSHED ON GAS AND NOISE GOT LOUDER AND THE CAR SLOWED DOWN. CAR DID NOT RESPOND WHEN GAS PEDAL APPLIED. TURNED ON HAZARD LIGHTS AND WORKED WAY OVER TO OUTER LANE AND FINALLY TO SIDE OF ROAD. WAS ALMOST REAR-ENDED WHEN HAPPENED; CAR SLOWED WAY DOWN. TOWED TO DEALERSHIP WHERE PURCHASED. REPLACED FUEL PUMP BUT NOISE STILL OCCURRING. A WEEK LATER, INFORMED HAD TO REPLACE ENGINE. WEEK LATER ENGINE, AND NOW PARTS, WERE ON BACK ORDER. FOLLOWING WEEK, INFORMED BY DEALERSHIP, KIA WOULD NOT PUT NEW ENGINE IN CAR BECAUSE OVER 5,000 MILES (ONLY 6600). A REMANUFACTURED WOULD BE USED. ASKED TO SEE CAR AND ASKED IF THEY DISCOVERED WHAT WAS WRONG. ENGINE OUT OF CAR AND COMPLETELY APART. INFORMED THE "END" PISTON BROKE. LOOKED AT PISTON, AND PORTION APPEARED TO HAVE BROKEN OFF. THEY SAID THE BROKEN PART HAD FALLEN INSIDE AND WAS CAUSING NOISE. NOT HAPPY WITH KIA. DOESN'T SEEM LIKE THEY STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT... *TR