NHTSA Complaint #10894262 — 2012 KIA SPORTAGE

WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH ON INTERSTATE 15 IN CALIFORNIA ON A FRIDAY AFTERNOON, THE CAR BEGAN JERKING AND LOSING POWER WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS NORMAL, NO LIGHTS OF ANY KIND CAME ON. WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE CENTER MEDIAN AND WAITED 1-1/2 HRS FOR A TOW FROM AAA TO THE NEAREST KIA DEALER IN VICTORVILLE, CA. THEY DID NOT LOOK AT IT UNTIL MONDAY AND IT TOOK A COUPLE OF DAYS TO GET A STRAIGHT ANSWER FROM THEM AS TO WHEN THE CAR WOULD BE FIXED. THEY FINALLY TOLD US THE CAR NEEDED A NEW ENGINE! THEY HAVE NOW HAD THE CAR 2 WEEKS AND THEY SAY THEY NEED A PART CALLED A CAMSHAFT ASSY (P/N 242002G700) WHICH THEY WILL NOT HAVE FOR ANOTHER 3 WEEKS! IN RESEARCHING THIS SITUATION, I SEE THAT OTHER KIA OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SAME FAILURE. IT SEEMS AS THOUGH A RECALL AND SAFETY WARNING IS NEEDED! THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT. THE CAR ONLY HAS 27,000 MILES AND WAS PURCHASED USED FROM A KIA DEALER AS A "CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED VEHICLE". AT THIS TIME, WE DO NOT KNOW HOW MUCH THIS IS GOING TO COST. WE HAD TO PAY FOR THE TOW, STAY IN A HOTEL, RENT A CAR TO GET HOME AS WE LIVE IN UTAH. WE WERE TOLD WE WILL HAVE TO GO BACK THERE TO PICK UP THE CAR! WE ARE THANKFUL WE WEREN'T INJURED BUT SOMEONE ELSE MAY BE IF KIA DOESN'T DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS SITUATION.