NHTSA Complaint #10980556 — 2015 KIA SORENTO

WE STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS AT ABOUT 20,000 MILES.THE CAR WAS PULLING AS WE TRIED TO ACCELERATE AND SMOKE WOULD BLOW OUT OF THE TAILPIPE. WE TOOK IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP IN WHICH THEY STATED WE HAD SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE. THEY STATED TO MAINTAIN REGULAR OIL CHANGES, BUT WE WOULD NEED A NEW ENGINE. 4 MONTHS LATER THEY DID AN OIL CHANGE AND STATED THE OIL WAS CLEAR OF SLUDGE. WITHIN 2 WEEKS, WE HEARD A LOUD BANGING SOUND FROM THE ENGINE, IT GOT LOUDER AND WAS BARELY GOING 5 MILES/HR. WE WERE ON A MAJOR ROAD AND WERE ABLE TO PULL INTO A PARKING LOT. WE HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP (CENTRAL KIA OF PLANO). WITHOUT EVEN LOOKING AT IT, THEY SAID IT WAS THE SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE AND WE NEEDED OUR ENGINE REPLACED ($7000). THEY WOULD NOT EVEN LOOK UNDER THE HOOD UNTIL WE PAID THEM $400 TO OPEN IT UP. THEY STATED THE WORK WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER OUR WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH WE ARE ONLY 2 YEARS INTO IT AND AROUND 30,000 MILES. I CALLED KIA CONSUMER AFFAIRS (800-333-4542) AND THEY CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND THAT'S WHEN THEY FINALLY OPENED THE HOOD AND FOUND SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE. THEY TOOK PICTURES AND SENT IT TO KIA "TECH" IN WHICH OUR CLAIM WAS DECLINED DUE TO "LACK OF MAINTENANCE". WE PROVIDED RECEIPTS FOR OUR OIL CHANGES. THEY DID NOT ACCEPT 3 OF THEM BECAUSE THEY DID NOT HAVE A "PO#" AND THEY DID NOT ACCEPT 2 OF MY CREDIT CARD RECEIPTS. I TOLD KIA CONSUMER AFFAIRS THE 2015'S ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUES AS THE RECALLS 2011-2014. SHE STATED THE DMV IS COLLECTING INFORMATION ON THE 2015'S. EVERYONE CALL CONSUMER AFFAIRS!! THERE IS AN ENGINE PROBLEM WITH THE 2015'S AND KIA IS NOT STANDING BY THEIR WARRANTY. WE HAVE NOT BEEN PROVIDED A RENTAL CAR. I HAVE ALSO ESCALATED THIS ISSUE TO KIA'S "ESCALATION DEPT" IN WHICH THEY STATED TO GET THEM MORE RECEIPTS AND "TECH" CAN REVIEW THE CASE AGAIN! I HAVE GATHERED MORE RECEIPTS INCLUDING HOW OFTEN WE WERE PUTTING OIL IN BETWEEN OIL CHANGES.