NHTSA Complaint #11090857 — 2012 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID

2012 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID. VEHICLE HAS 69,000 MILES. VEHICLE WAS SERVICED EVERY 3,000 MILES. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON 04/26/18. SHE WAS DRIVING ON THE 143 FREEWAY IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA. SHE CALLED ME AT HOME AND SAID THE ENGINE WAS MAKING A KNOCKING/CLANGING NOISE. I COULD HEAR THE NOISE ON THE PHONE. I TOLD HER TO PULL OVER. I DROVE TO MEET HER AND INVESTIGATE. I OPENED THE HOOD AND CHECKED ALL FLUIDS. ALL WERE FULL AND CLEAN. I ASKED HER TO START THE ENGINE. THERE WAS A LOUD CLANGING OR SCRAPING NOISE COMING FROM THE LOWER PART OF THE ENGINE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. I HAD HER TURN THE CAR OFF AND WE CALLED A TOW TRUCK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO CAMELBACK KIA IN PHOENIX, AZ. AS SOON AS THE CAR WAS TAKEN OFF THE TOW TRUCK, A SERVICE ADVISER STARTED IT FOR A FEW SECONDS. HE IMMEDIATELY SAID THE ENGINE FAILED AND HAD TO BE COMPLETELY REPLACED. WELL OVER $8,000 TO REPLACE! HE SAID THE WARRANTY WOULD NOT COVER THE ENGINE. HE SAID THAT THIS HAPPENS ALL OF THE TIME. THERE IS NO REASON AN ENGINE SHOULD FAIL AT 69,000 MILES WHEN IT WAS PERFECTLY CARED FOR. KIA HAS RECALLED THE OTHER 2012 KIA OPTIMAS. WHERE WAS OUR KIA PRODUCED. MOST LIKELY THE SAME FACTORY. KIA SHOULD RECALL THESE AND REPLACE THE ENGINES.