NHTSA Complaint #11156653 — 2011 KIA FORTE

AT 120,000 MILES A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE BEGAN COMING FROM THE ENGINE AT ENGINE START. IT PERSISTS AND SOUNDS ALMOST LIKE AN ELECTRIC SEWING MACHINE - TAKA TAKA TAKA TAKA. THE SOUND GETS LOUDER WHEN I ACCELERATE AND DECREASES WHEN I DON'T PRESS THE GAS PEDAL. THE NOISE DECREASES SLIGHTLY WHEN THE ENGINE IS FULLY WARMED UP BUT IT IS STILL AUDIBLE. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHO SPECIALIZES IN ENGINES, HIS DIAGNOSIS WAS "ROD BEARINGS NEED REPLACEMENT" I HAVE STARTED SEARCHING FOR THIS ISSUE ONLINE AND BECAME AWARE OF SAFETY RECALL SC147. UNFORTUNATELY THIS RECALL DOESN'T INCLUDE THE KIA FORTE MODEL. I SAW IN MY RESEARCH ONLINE THAT MANY OTHER FORTE OWNERS WERE HAVING SIMILAR ISSUES. IN ADDITION, MY CAR'S ENGINE "THETA II" 2.0 LITER APPEARS TO BE THE SAME ENGINE THAT IS INCLUDED AMONG THE RECALLED MODELS INCLUDED IN SC147. I AM WONDERING WHY THE KIA FORTE IS NOT INCLUDED AS IT SEEMS TO BE SUFFERING FROM THE SAME ISSUE. IS THIS A QUESTION OF ACCOUNTABILITY, OR LACK THEREOF ON KIA/HYUNDAI'S SIDE.