NHTSA Complaint #11115161 — 2013 KIA SORENTO

MY 2013 KIA SORENTO WITH A THETA 2.4 LITER ENGINE EXPERIENCED COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE AT 63,000 MILES; ON TUESDAY 3/21/17. WHEN MY ENGINE FAILED/HEARD LOUD ENGINE NOISES I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY I-10 NORTH IN TUCSON AZ RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, I HAD TO COAST OVER IMMEDIATELY TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY, VERY DANGEROUS LUCKY NO ACCIDENT. I UNCOVERED IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT KIA THETA 2.4 LITER ENGINE PROBLEMS. SPOKE TO KIA CERTIFIED MASTER TECHNICIAN; MORGAN THAT TOOK APART MY ENGINE FOR WARRANTY EVALUATION. HE SAID THEY HAVE BEEN SEEING THIS ENGINE PROBLEM; IT'S FAILURE OF THE #3 CYLINDER CONNECTING ROD, FEELS IT'S AN ENGINEERING MISTAKE, THE PORT SIZES FOR THE OIL FLOW ARE NOT SIZED PROPERLY, CAUSING INSUFFICIENT OIL FLOW OVERTIME AND COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE. MY ENGINE LOOKED BRAND NEW, THERE WAS NO SLUDGE BUILD UP, AND THE OIL PUMP LOOKED BRAND NEW AS WELL. I HAVE ATTACHED PICTURES FOR PROOF. THERE WERE VERY SMALL BRONZE COLORED METAL FLAKES IN THE OIL PAN; HE SAID IT WAS LIKE PANNING FOR GOLD IN THE OIL PAN. THE METAL FLAKE EROSION DIDN'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT THIS WAS SLOWLY HAPPENING WITH EVERY MILE BEING DRIVEN; THE METAL FROM THE CONNECTING ROD BEARINGS ERODED OVERTIME IN SMALL METAL FLAKES AND COLLECTED IN THE OIL PAN. I HAD PEORIA KIA IN PEORIA, AZ DO MY LAST WARRANTY INSPECTION & MAINTENANCE SERVICE/OIL CHANGE ON MY 2013 KIA SORENTO IN DECEMBER 2016. I ESPECIALLY ASKED THE SERVICE ADVISOR TO CHECK OUT EVERYTHING INCLUDING THE ENGINE BEFORE THE 60,000 MILE SECOND OWNER POWERTRAIN WARRANTY WAS ABOUT TO EXPIRED. KIA KNEW ABOUT THE NUMEROUS PAST WARRANTY CLAIMS ON THIS 2.4 LITER ENGINE, A QUICK OIL ANALYSIS WOULD HAVE SHOWN METAL DEBRIS PARTICULATES IN THE OIL, INDICATING A SERIOUS ENGINE PROBLEM DEVELOPING. THE METAL SHAVINGS COLLECTING IN THE OIL PAN THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DETECTED BEFOREHAND.