NHTSA Complaint #11082583 — 2011 KIA SORENTO

CAR STALLS IN TRAFFIC WITHOUT WARNING. RPMS DIMINISH AND POWER IS LOST. WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, TURN OFF ENGINE, WAIT FOR A SHORT TIME, AND RESTART IT. THERE ARE TWO LIGHTS THAT COME ON IN THE PANEL. ONE IS A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, THE OTHER IS LIT UP NEXT TO THE 4WD INDICATOR. IN REQUESTING SERVICE FROM ONE LOCAL DEALERSHIP, WE WERE TOLD THEY COULDN'T MAKE THE CAR ACT IN THIS WAY. FINALLY, AFTER SEVERAL RETURNS TO THE DEALER, WE WERE TOLD THE COMPUTER (PCM) WAS BAD AND IT WOULD BE $1500 TO REPLACE IT THEY TOLD US SOME DAY THE ENGINE WOULD STOP IN THIS MANNER AND WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO RESTART IT. AFTER CALLING KIA CORPORATE ABOUT RECALLS, WE WERE TOLD THE RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM DID NOT INCLUDE OUR MANUFACTURING DATE. THIS DEFECT RECALL BEGAN WITH CARS MANUFACTURED STARTING JULY, 2010, OURS WAS MANUFACTURED IN MAY, 2010. IT WAS SUGGESTED WE REQUEST A SECOND OPINION FROM THE OTHER DEALERSHIP IN TOWN. AND WERE TOLD THAT ANY PROBLEM WOULD SHOW UP WITH A CODE ON THE COMPUTER, THEY DID DIAGNOSTICS AND REPORTED THERE WAS NO CODE ON THE COMPUTER THAT WOULD INDICATE THIS PROBLEM. WE PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE RPMS AND DO NOT TRUST THIS CAR TO TAKE IT OUT OF TOWN. THIS SITUATION HAS OCCURRED AT LEAST 8-10 TIMES, FORTUNATELY NOT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.