NHTSA Complaint #10908038 — 2012 KIA OPTIMA

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, I HEARD AN ABNORMAL ENGINE NOISE AND WITH NO WARNING, MY 2012 OPTIMA STALLED WHILE BEING OPERATED AT A HIGH SPEED. THE ENTIRE INDICATOR PANEL LIT UP. THIS ALL OCCURRED IN LESS THAN ONE MINUTE. I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OVER ON THE SHOULDER, BUT I COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY CAUSED A SERIOUS CAR ACCIDENT. MY 2 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS IN THE VEHICLE WITH ME. THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART, AND WAS TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALER IN WENATCHEE, WA. THE DIAGNOSIS WAS COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE AS A RESULT OF FRACTURED ROD BEARINGS. I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED IN 2014 AND CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE WAS UNEXPECTED. RECORDS SHOW ROUTINE MAINTENANCE EVERY 3,000 MILES. I BELIEVE THIS INCIDENT IS A DIRECT RESULT OF AN ENGINE OIL DEFECT THAT HAS BEEN CONCEALED BY KIA.