NHTSA Complaint #10971251 — 2012 KIA FORTE

MY 2012 KIA FORTE STARTED PRODUCING A TAPPING NOISE WHEN IDLING WHICH BECAME MORE RAPID AND A BIT LOUDER WHEN ACCELERATING. RESEMBLING A "STICKY LIFTERS" SOUND, I DECIDED TO WAIT 2-3 WEEKS FOR MY NEXT OIL CHANGE TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT. MY MECHANICS HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS CAUSING THE NOISE, WHICH WAS MUCH LOUDER AFTER 2-3 WEEKS, AND ADVISED I TAKE MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP. I IMMEDIATELY SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT AND GOT THE CAR TO THE DEALER THE FOLLOWING WEEK. THE DEALERSHIP REP FIRST TRIED TO INSIST, WITHOUT HAVING LOOKED AT THE CAR, THAT IT WAS MY MECHANIC'S FAULT IN MY ROUTINE OIL CHANGES. I CALLED MY MECHANIC, DISCUSSED THEIR FILTERS OIL ETC (THEY ARE A REPUTABLE COMPANY), AND CONCLUDED THAT THE DEALERSHIP'S RESPONSE WOULD NOT DO. THE DEALERSHIP FINALLY LISTENED TO THE SOUND AND IMMEDIATELY ADMITTED IT WAS NOT THE OIL/FILTER. THEY TOLD ME THEY NEEDED TO KEEP THE CAR FOR 2+ WEEKS TO INVESTIGATE. I ASKED IF I COULD BRING IT BACK SATURDAY TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR WORK. THE REP SAID YES AND THEN THE MECHANIC CAME OUT AND SAID IT WOULD BE ABSOLUTELY DANGEROUS TO TAKE THE CAR AND THEN WAS THE FIRST TO TELL ME THAT THE WHOLE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. REGARDLESS, THEY EVENTUALLY DISCOVERED METAL SHAVINGS IN THE OIL THROUGHOUT THE ENGINE FROM MANUFACTURING DEBRIS. TODAY (4/8/17), AN OFFICIAL HYUNDAI AND KIA RECALL WAS ANNOUNCED ON VARIOUS MODEL ENGINES - THE FORTE WAS NOT ON THE LIST. I IMMEDIATELY FELT THIS REPORT NEEDED TO BE FILED TO LET OTHER FORTE OWNERS KNOW THAT 1) SOME DEALERSHIPS ARE NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY AND 2) THE FORTE IS NOT IMMUNE TO THIS PROBLEM. IT IS RIDICULOUS THAT KIA WOULD NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE FULL EXTENT OF THE ISSUE EVEN IF FORTES ARE NOT AS COMMONLY AFFECTED. THIS IS CLEARLY A DANGEROUS ISSUE AND LACK OF FULL RESPONSIBILITY TAKEN BY KIA COULD HAVE MAJOR REPERCUSSIONS.