NHTSA Complaint #10548594 — 2013 KIA SORENTO

WE PURCHASED THE 2013 KIA SORENTO AWD 2/2013 W/300 MILES ON IT. AT THE END OF APRIL, WE WENT TO DEATH VALLEY (ROUND TRIP WAS APPROX 350 MILES.). WHEN WE RETURNED TO TOWN, WE STOPPED AT THE GROCERY STORE TO PICK UP SUPPER SUPPLIES. AFTER SHUTTING THE VEHICLE OFF, BEING IN THE STORE FOR APPROX. 30 MINUTES, & THEN CAME BACK OUT, WHEN WE TURNED THE VEHICLE ON, IT SOUNDED AS THOUGH IT WAS ONLY HITTING ON HALF THE CYLINDERS. WE IMMEDIATELY CUT THE VEHICLE OFF, WAITED A COUPLE OF MINUTES, AND THEN TURNED IT BACK ON. IT SEEMED FINE. WE FIGURED IT WAS PROBABLY A FLUKE. RIGHT AFTER THIS HAPPENED THOUGH, I NOTICE A HUGE DECREASE IN MY FUEL MILEAGE. BEFORE THIS HAPPENED, I WAS GETTING 18/19 MPG/CITY AND 24-34 MPG/HWY (DEPENDING ON HOW FAR I WENT, OUT TO DEATH VALLEY W/NO STOPS, WE GOT 34). NOW I WAS LUCKY TO GET 13/14 MPG/CITY AND 16-18 MPG/HWY. WE TOOK IT TO THE KIA GARAGE, BUT THERE WASN'T MUCH THEY COULD DO BECAUSE IT WASN'T THROWING ANY CODES. WE SUFFERED WITH PAYING MORE FOR GAS FOR 6 MONTHS UNTIL WE WENT FOR AN OIL CHANGE IN OCT AND THE DEALERSHIP TOLD US THERE WAS AN "ECM" UPDATE. AFTER THEY SHARED WITH US THAT IT COULD POTENTIALLY HELP W/THE FUEL MILEAGE, I WAS ECSTATIC! IT WENT RIGHT BACK UP TO WHERE IT HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY! THEN, THE THING WITH THE IGNITION HAPPENED AGAIN! ONLY WORSE THIS TIME, JUST A FEW DAYS AGO! MY FUEL MILEAGE WENT BACK DOWN TO WHAT I SHARED ABOVE. WE TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND AFTER THEM TRYING ALL DAY TO REPLICATE WHAT HAPPENED (WHICH TOOK MONTHS FOR IT TO HAPPEN W/US), THEY FINALLY DID THE UPDATE, AGAIN. MY FUEL MILEAGE IS BACK UP TO WHERE IT SHOULD BE. I WANT TO BE HAPPY, BUT I AM CONCERNED THIS WILL HAPPEN YET AGAIN. THERE HAVE BEEN TO OTHER NOTICEABLE ISSUES THAT I HAVE SHARED IN OTHER SECTIONS. ONE ABOUT VIBRATION WHILE IN NEUTRAL/PARK & ONE ABOUT THE VEHICLE NOT STARTING AFTER PRESSING THE IGNITION BUTTON. *TR