NHTSA Complaint #11111135 — 2012 KIA SPORTAGE

MY 17YR OLD SON WAS DRIVING THE CAR WHEN IT STARTED MAKING A NOISE AND WOULDN'T ACCELERATE.HE SLOWED DOWN TO PULL OVER AND THE STEERING WHEEL DIDN'T WANT TO TURN. HE SAID IT WAS HEAVY. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED HOME AND CHECKED OUT BY A MECHANIC WHO STATED IT WAS ROD BEARINGS. I REMEMBERED A COUPLE YEARS AGO GETTING A LETTER FROM NHTSA AND KIA MENTIONING THEY WERE INVESTIGATING A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE. I LOOKED UP AND IT SAID NO RECALLS ON MY CAR. THE CAR HAS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AS THE RECALL SAME YEAR AND EVERYTHING. THE CAR ONLY HAS 106 THOUSAND ON IT AND HAS ALWAYS RECEIVED ALL SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. THE MECHANIC SAID HAD MY SON KEPT DRIVING THE CAR THE ENGINE WOULD HAVE SEIZED WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. MY SON WAS DRIVING ON A BUSY RURAL ROAD WITH A LOT OF CURVES. WE HAVE A LOT OF OILFIELD TRUCKS AND TRAFFIC WITH VEHICLES THAT CAN'T STOP FAST AND HAD MY SON BROKE DOWN ON A CURVE OR BOTTOM OF A HILL HE COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR WORSE. I THINK THE RECALL NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED MORE. KIA SAID MY VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL BECAUSE MY ENGINE WAS MANUFACTURED IN A DIFFERENT FACILITY. MY CAR HAS THE EXACT PROBLEM AS THE RECALL SAME YEAR MODEL EVERYTHING.