NHTSA Complaint #11053652 — 2013 KIA SORENTO

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED MECHANICAL ENGINE FAILURE AND IMMEDIATE REDUCTION IN POWER WHILE DRIVING AROUND 30 MPH UP HILL. FAILURE AT A HIGHER SPEED OF TRAVEL, COULD HAVE RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANT DANGER TO OCCUPANTS. THIS VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH THE 2.4L MPI ENGINE, WHICH FAILED IN A WAY CONSISTENT WITH THE RECALLED FAILURE OF THE 2.4L GDI VERSION. BELIEVE KIA IS UNDER-REPRESENTING THE SCOPE OF ENGINE PROBLEMS IN THE CURRENT RECALL CAMPAIGN. THE ENGINES ARE FAILING IN THE REGION OF CONNECTION ROD BEARINGS AND LOWER BLOCK, WHILE THE MAIN DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE MPI AND GDI VERSIONS OF THE ENGINE ARE IN THE UPPER PORTION OF THE ENGINE INVOLVING FUEL INJECTION. BELIEVE THE MPI VERSION SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED FOR CONTAINING IDENTICAL OR VERY SIMILAR FAILURE MODES AND MANUFACTURING DEFECTS, AS THEY ARE INDEED THE SAME ENGINE FAMILY WITH MANY SHARED COMPONENTS.