NHTSA Complaint #10871949 — 2011 KIA OPTIMA

I WAS DRIVING MY 2011 KIA OPTIMA HOME FROM MY COLLEGE GRADUATION. WITHOUT ANY WARNING THE CAR STALLED AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN MY DRIVEWAY AND IT WOULD NOT RESTART. NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON, THE OIL WAS FINE, NOTHING TO INDICATE ANY PROBLEMS. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A KIA DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY SAID THE ENGINE HAD SEIZED. THE CAR HAD 76,000 MILES ON IT AND WAS ALWAYS BROUGHT IN FOR ITS REGULAR SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. THE ONLY OPTION WAS TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR A NEW MOTOR, THE DEALERSHIP WOULD OFFER NO ASSISTANCE BECAUSE IT WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. I HAVE NEVER HAD PREVIOUS ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE AND HAVE A HARD TIME BELIEVING THAT IT IS CONSIDERED "NORMAL" FOR AN ENGINE TO SEIZE AT 76,000 MILES. I WAS VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE THIS INCIDENT OCCUR IN MY DRIVEWAY BECAUSE IT COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY BEEN VERY DANGEROUS TO MYSELF AND OTHER DRIVERS IF IT HAD HAPPENED ON A ROADWAY. STILL IN CONTACT WITH KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE BUT HAVE NOT MADE IT VERY FAR AT THIS POINT. VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE 2011 OPTIMA, I EXPECTED IT TO LAST ME MORE THEN A YEAR AND A HALF, AND THE KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE.