NHTSA Complaint #11092557 — 2012 KIA SORENTO

MY MECHANIC SAID MY ENGINE SEIZED ON ME. I WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY WHICH TURNS INTO A CITY STREET AND THE CAR STOPPED ON ME AND WHEN I TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL RIGHT TO GET OFF OF THE BUSY STREET IT WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN. I THEN TRIED TO START THE ENGINE, ALL THE LIGHTS CAME ON BUT THERE WAS NO NOISE WHEN I TURNED THE KEY. SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT OF THE ENGINE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. I HAD TO GET THE CAR TOWED AND THE MECHANIC SAID THE ENGINE SEIZED ON ME. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS. I CALLED KIA BUT THEY SAID MY CAR DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR A RECALL BECAUSE IT IS NOT A GDI MODEL, EVEN THOUGH IT FALLS INTO THE SAME YEAR FOR THE ENGINE RECALL. I CALLED KIA TO SEE HOW MUCH IT WOULD COST TO GET THE ENGINE REPLACED AND WAS TOLD THEY DISCONTINUED MY ENGINE MODEL. SO THEY TOLD ME MY BEST BET WOULD BE TO SEARCH FOR A USED ENGINE IN A JUNK YARD.