NHTSA Complaint #11163763 — 2012 KIA SPORTAGE

2102 KIA SPORTAGE 2.4L WITH THE THETA II ENGINE; ENGINE FAILURE WITH 74,000 MILES. ON MARCH 10, 2018 DRIVING FROM ATHENS, GEORGIA TO ORLANDO, FLORIDA ON I-95 SOUTH. AT APPROXIMATELY 2 PM IN THE AFTERNOON, ON A CLEAR DAY, GOING 70 MPH IN THE LEFT MOST LANE OF THE INTERSTATE, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STARTED SHAKING AND KNOCKING THEN SEIZED AND SLOWED TO A CRAWL. VERY CAREFULLY HAD TO GET OVER THREE LANES TO THE SHOULDER IN HEAVY TRAFFIC.WE HAD NEVER SEEN AN ENGINE LIGHT, OR ANY OTHER WARNING COME ON IN THE CAR PRIOR TO THAT TIME. REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND OIL CHANGES HAD BEEN PERFORMED. THIS IS THE SAME ENGINE THAT IS UNDER RECALL, BUT THE VIN DOES NOT FALL UNDER THE RECALL. 'IN DOING MORE RESEARCH WE HAVE SEEN THAT THERE ARE A HUGE NUMBER OF 2012 OF KIA SPORTAGE AND OTHER KIA AND HYUNDAI CARS WITH THE THETA II 2.4L ENGINE THAT HAVE FAILED WHICH DO NOT FALL WITHIN THE RECALL SC147 SERVICE CAMPAIGN. THE OVERALL ISSUE IS THAT OUR CAR'S ENGINE FAILED IN THE EXACT SAME WAY THAT THOSE IN THE SERVICE CAMPAIGN FAILED AND WITH ONLY 74,000 MILES. 'ON CARCOMPLAINTS.COM ALONE OUT OF THE OVER 100 MOST CURRENT COMPLAINTS FOR THE KIA SPORTAGE, INDICATED THEY HAD ENGINE FAILURE. BECAUSE THEIR VIN DID NOT MATCH THE MANUFACTURING PLANT THEY WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE MOST DISTURBING PART OF THIS IS THAT MOST OF THE FAILURES OCCURRED AT HIGHER SPEEDS AND COULD HAVE RESULTED IN LOSS OF LIFE. 'HOW MANY OF THESE CARS WITH THESE ENGINES WERE INVOLVED IN CAR WRECKS, WERE TOTALED AND IT WAS NEVER DISCOVERED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE WRECK WAS ENGINE FAILURE? COULD ANY OF THOSE RESULTED IN DEATHS?