NHTSA Complaint #11011658 — 2014 KIA SORENTO

KIA SAFETY RECALL (#17V224) I HAD PREVIOUSLY FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE NHTSA REGARDING AN ENGINE FAILURE. PLEASE SEE COMPLAINT #10993259. THE PURPOSE OF THIS COMPLAINT IS A FOLLOW-UP TO THE PREVIOUSLY FILED COMPLIANT. AS YOU ARE AWARE, KIA FAILED TO TIMELY NOTIFY ITS CUSTOMERS THAT THEIR VEHICLE MAY HAVE AN ENGINE DEFECT. AS YOU WILL SEE FROM MY PREVIOUSLY FILED COMPLAINT, I EXPERIENCED MY FIRST ENGINE FAILURE ON APRIL 1, 2017. BETWEEN APRIL 1ST AND MAY 31ST, I HAD EXPERIENCED THREE TOTAL FAILURES. HOWEVER, AS A RESULT OF THE APRIL 1ST FAILURE, I HAD THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AT MIDAS. I WAS NOT AWARE OF THE POTENTIAL RECALL AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME. THE REPAIR SHOP REPLACED THE TIMING GEAR AND CLEANED THE ENGINE, BUT INFORMED ME THAT THEY COULD NOT GUARANTEE THE WORK. THE COST FOR THESE SERVICES WAS $1,488.50. I ALSO NEEDED TO REPLACE THE TIMING SOLENOIDS (I DID NOT HAVE THIS DONE AT MIDAS AT THE TIME BECAUSE I DID NOT HAVE THE MONEY). I PURCHASED THESE AT AUTO ZONE FOR $123.42. THEY WERE INSTALLED BY A DIFFERENT MECHANIC AT THE COST OF $125. ONCE THE INTERIM RECALL INFORMATION WAS DISSEMINATED, IN JUNE, AND ONCE I RECEIVED MY VEHICLE BACK, WHICH WAS JUNE 25TH, AFTER HAVING THE ENGINE REPLACED, I FILED A CLAIM FOR REIMBURSEMENT. KIA HAS DENIED PAYMENT BECAUSE THEY STATE THE ENGINE WAS NOT REPLACED AS PER THEIR "LIMITED WARRANTY EXTENTION." I LATER APPEALED AND THE REPRESENTATIVE LEFT ME A VOICE MESSAGE (THAT I STILL POSSESS) WHICH STATES THAT IT WAS DENIED BECAUSE THE ENGINE WAS NOT REPLACED AND THE WORK WAS NOT DONE BY KIA. PROBLEM: IF I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THE RECALL AT THE TIME OF FAILURE, WHY AM I BEING PENALIZED FOR THEIR FAULTY ENGINE? ADDITIONALLY, THE REIMBURSEMENT IS NOT UNDER A WARRANTY PROGRAM BUT IT IS FOR A SAFETY RECALL. WHY AM I BEING PENALIZED. KIA NEEDS TO PUT FORTH A GOOD FAITH EFFORT AND MAKE ITS CUSTOMERS WHOLE.