NHTSA Complaint #10993062 — 2012 KIA SPORTAGE

WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY, THE ENGINE OF THE CAR BEGAN TO MAKE A LOUD KNOCKING SOUND. AFTER THE NOISE STARTED, THE ENGINE POWER WAS SEVERELY REDUCED. THE CAR FAILED TO ACCELERATE AS NORMAL. AT THE FIRST STOPLIGHT AFTER EXITING THE HIGHWAY, THE ENGINE STALLED. IT STARTED AGAIN, AND STALLED AGAIN AT THE NEXT LIGHT BUT WE WERE ABLE TO GET IT SAFELY TO A PARKING LOT AT AN AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE CENTER. AT NO TIME, DID THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT EVER ILLUMINATE INDICATING THAT THERE MAY BE A PROBLEM BEFORE OR DURING THIS ISSUE. THE CAR WAS INSPECTED THE NEXT DAY AND THE SHOP RECOMMENDED ENGINE REPLACEMENT. CAR WAS TOWED TO A KIA DEALERSHIP AND UPON THEIR INSPECTION, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE KNOCKING NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE CRANKSHAFT WHICH CAUSED "EXCESSIVE METAL THROUGHOUT THE ENGINE". TOTAL ENGINE REPLACEMENT WAS NECESSARY. THE CAR HAD APPROXIMATELY 103,000 MILES AT THE TIME. KIA CORPORATE OFFERED NO FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE SINCE CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED WARRANTY EXPIRED AT 100,000 MILES. THE TOTAL COST OF THE ENGINE REPLACEMENT WAS $5,037.93 WHICH HAD TO BE PAID OUT OF POCKET.