NHTSA Complaint #10897135 — 2013 KIA FORTE

WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 50 MPH WHEN AN UNKNOWN NOISE BEGAN COMING FROM THE ENGINE. I WAS ABOUT 3 MILES FROM HOME, BY THE TIME I GOT HOME THE NOISE WAS MUCH LOUDER. I SHUT IT OFF AND IMMEDIATELY HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO MY CLOSEST KIA DEALERSHIP. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY 2,200 MILES UNDER THE 100,000 MILE WARRANTY (ORIGINAL OWNER). THE DEALERSHIP CALLED ME ABOUT 2 HOURS LATER AND TOLD ME THAT THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED A "CATASTROPHIC FAILURE" (LATER I LEARNED A ROD HAD GONE BAD) AND MY WARRANTY WAS VOIDED DUE TO "OIL SLUDGE" IN THE ENGINE. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TALKING ABOUT SELLING ME A NEW CAR, WHICH I DECLINED. I ALSO DECLINED ANY MAINTENANCE TO BE PERFORMED. I THEN HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A PRIVATE CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO SENT A CAMERA INSIDE THE ENGINE AND DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS NO "SLUDGE" TO BE FOUND. THE MECHANIC ALSO DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS NO WAY FOR KIA TO KNOW THIS SINCE HE COULD TELL THAT NEITHER THE VALVE COVER, NOR ANY OTHER ENGINE PART, HAD BEEN REMOVED TO FACILITATE SUCH INSPECTION. NOW I AM FACED WITH $3,700 IN ENGINE REPLACEMENT COSTS SINCE KIA REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM. KIA SEEMS TO HAVE SOMEHOW DETERMINED ENGINE "SLUDGE" WITHOUT EVEN LOOKING INSIDE THE ENGINE. I HAVE A FEW EXTERNAL PHOTOS AS PROOF THAT THE ENGINE HAD NOT BEEN TOUCHED BY KIA BUT I AM UNABLE TO UPLOAD THEM HERE.