NHTSA Complaint #10821350 — 2006 KIA SORENTO

6/2015 VEHICLE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. LOCAL MECHANIC DISCOVERED CRANKCASE BOLT HAD SNAPPED AND THE PULLEY AND BALANCER MOUNTING SCREW HAD SHEARED OFF. SHOP CONFIRMED A KIA KIT TO FIX THE ISSUE ($1200.00 + 1007.00 FOR TIMING GEAR KIT AND WATER PUMP) 1/15/2016 WHILE DRIVING INTO THE ROUNDABOUT ON PORTAL WAY (15 MPH) THERE WAS A LOUD CLUNK FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING, ASB BRAKING AND VOLTMETER WARNING LIGHTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MECHANICS SHOP WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE NEW CRANKCASE BOLT HAS BROKEN AGAIN DAMAGING THE NEW PULLEY AND BALANCER ALSO. THE SHOP CONTACTED THE LOCAL KIA DEALER AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT THE 2003-2006 V6 3.5L MISABISHI ENGINES USED HAVE A LONG RECORD OF THIS PROBLEM WITH NO PERMANENT FIX. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION WAS EMAILED TO ME FROM THE OWNER OF AXTON AUTOMOTIVE, FERNDALE WA AN ASE CERTIFIED SHOP, "ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2016, AXTON AUTOMOTIVE <[email protected]> WROTE: HELLO, ON YOU KIA. IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE ANY FIX IS PERMANENT ON THE VEHICLE. EVEN THEIR OWN RECALL/FIX IS FAILING. I RECOMMEND FILING A COMPLAINT AT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION.. I WILL COME UP WITH SOME OPTIONS TOMORROW AND GET BACK TO YOU. BUT WHATEVER WE DECIDE I RECOMMEND NOT USING THIS VEHICLE. JIM" THE VEHICLE IS DISABLED AT THIS TIME WITH NO RESPONSE FROM KIA.