NHTSA Complaint #11015830 — 2012 KIA SORENTO

ON 08/10/12017 WHILE DRIVING MY 2012 KIA SORENTO ON I-40. I HEARD A "RATTLING NOISE" FROM THE ENGINE. AS I SLOWED DOWN THE SOUND GOT LOUDER. I TURNED ON A SIDE STREET INTO A SAFE AREA AND PARKED MY VEHICLE. THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER MY HOOD. I OPENED THE HOOD AND SAW 2 SMALL PATCHES OF FIRE. I WAS ABLE TO PUT THEM OUT, THEN RAN TO A BEST WESTERN HOTEL AND ASKED FOR A FIRE EXTINGUISHER IN CASE A FIRE WOULD ERUPT AGAIN. I RESEARCHED AND DISCOVERED THAT ON 03/17/2017 KIA ANNOUNCED A RECALL FOR 2012 SORENTOS. KIA'S RECALL: SC147: " BEARING WEAR MAY RESULT IN ENGINE SEIZURE" THIS IS ON KIA'S, NHTSA'S , PBS AND FORBES WEBSITES. [ NHTSA CAMPAIGN # 17V224000 "MACHINING ERRORS DURING THE ENGINE MANUFACTURING PROCESS MAY CAUSE PREMATURE BEARING WEAR WITHIN THE ENGINE"] I CONTACTED KIA'S CONSUMER AFFAIRS # AND THE PERSON TOLD THAT MY 2012 KIA SORENTO WAS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE RECALL. HE SAID MY VIN # WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. I HAD JUST RETURNED WITH MY FAMILY 1 DAY PRIOR FROM A TRIP TO MOBILE, AL. (1500 MILES ROUND TRIP). ON 08/12/17 I HAD MY VEHICLE TOWED TO BATTLEGROUND KIA WHERE THE ADVISOR & TECHNICIAN SHOWED ME THE PROBLEM A "THROWN ROD".THIS HOLE IS 3" TO 4" DIAMETER. (PICTURES ATTACHED). I ASKED WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THE ROD TO BE THROWN? I HAD MY OIL CHANGED ON SCHEDULE THE LATEST WAS 07/26/2017. THIS VEHICLE HAS 123,937 MILES ON IT. HE REPLIED HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT CAUSED IT. ON 08/15/2017 I WAS INFORMED THAT TO REPLACE THE ENGINE WITH A USED ONE WITH 99,000 MILES WAS $6400 PLUS LABOR. [THAT IS ABOUT 24,000 MILES LESS THAN MINE CURRENT MILEAGE WITH THE SAME POTENTIAL PROBLEM LINGERING TO HAPPEN AGAIN] IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE PROBLEMS WITH THE RECALL ENGINES ARE IDENTICAL WITH MINE. I WOULD LIKE KIA MANUFACTURING TO REPLACE MY DEFECTIVE ENGINE WITH A NEW ENGINE AND RENTAL VEHICLE AT NO COST TO ME. I'LL LIKE TO PARTNER WITH THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP TO RECTIFY THIS. UPDATED 08/31/2017*JS