NHTSA Complaint #10993259 — 2014 KIA SORENTO

ON APRIL 1ST, THE ENGINE ON MY VEHICLE FAILED. I HAD IT TOWED TO MIDAS FOR REPAIR. THE MECHANICS INFORMED ME OF EXCESSIVE SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE THAT RESULTING IN THE TIMING GEAR AND TIMING SOLENOIDS FAILING. ON APRIL 7TH, I LEARNED THAT KIA WAS RECALLING SPECIFIC MAKES AND MODELS FOR ENGINE FAILURE THROUGH A FRIEND. UPON INVESTIGATION ONLINE, I SAW SEVERAL STORIES PUBLISHED ABOUT THE INFORMATION. SUBSEQUENTLY, I CONTACTED THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. SINCE PURCHASE, I MOVED OUT OF STATE. I WAS TOLD TO CONTACT THE NEAREST DEALER, WHICH I DID. I HAD EXPECTED A RETURN CALL, BUT NEVER RECEIVED ONE. I ALSO CONTACTED KIA DIRECTLY. THEY INFORMED ME THAT A RECALL NOTICE WOULD BE SENT TO MY HOME THE WEEK OF MAY 19TH (KEEP IN MIND IT IS APRIL 7TH). NONETHELESS, MIDAS REPLACED THE TIMING GEAR AT APPROXIMATE $1,500 AND ANOTHER MECHANIC REPLACED THE SOLENOIDS AT $175 PLUS PARTS. HE ALSO NOTED THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR AND CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. I CONTACTED THE LOCAL KIA DEALER TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE VEHICLE LOOKED AT. WHEN I EXPLAINED TO THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE THAT THERE WAS AN RECALL ON THE VEHICLE FOR POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE, SHE ADVISED ME THAT IT WAS ONLY A BULLETIN AND TO BRING THE CAR IN TO BE INSPECTED. THE NEXT WEEK, WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PASS A CAR WITH AN 18-WHEELER COMING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, THE ENGINE FAILED. I HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE IT HAS BEEN EVER SINCE. I WAS INFORMED BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT THEY WERE WORKING WITH KIA BECAUSE I NEEDED A NEW MOTOR, AND THEY ASKED FOR SERVICE RECORDS. I DID EXPLAIN THAT I DID NOT HAVE A COMPLETE RECORD OF OIL CHANGES. SEE ATTACHED EMAIL. I WAS INFORMED TODAY THAT KIA HAS DENIED MY CLAIM. THE DEALER IS ATTEMPTING TO GET THE DISTRICT MANAGER TO PUSH FOR APPROVAL.