NHTSA Complaint #11171381 — 2013 KIA SORENTO

ENGINE ABRUPTLY SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH DOWN THE EXIT RAMP OF A HIGHWAY. NO ENGINE KNOCKS, SOUNDS OR ABNORMAL SIGNS OF CONCERN. LUCKILY, THE CAR WAS ABLE TO ROLL TO A STOP ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD TO CALL ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP WHO DIAGNOSED ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO A PROBLEM WITH THE "BEARINGS" . ENTIRE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. WE ARE THE ORIGINAL OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE AND HAVE HAD ALL OF ITS SERVICING DONE AT THE DEALERSHIP INCLUDING THE LAST ONE 2 MONTHS AGO. WE HAVE NEVER HAD A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COME ON OR HAD ANY NOTIFICATION FROM THE MAINTENANCE CHECKS THAT THIS MAY BE A PROBLEM. WE HAVE FOUND OUT THAT KIA SORENTOS OF 2013 WITH A 2.4L GDI ENGINE HAS BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS SAME REASON AND I STRONGLY SUSPECT THAT OUR MOTOR HAS THE SAME DEFECT. AFTER A SUPERFICIAL ONLINE SEARCH, THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF SUDDEN ENGINE FAILURE IN THIS MODEL OF KIA SORENTOS THAT WERE NOT COVERED UNDER THIS RECALL (SC147. I BELIEVE AN INVESTIGATION SHOULD BE IN ORDER. SHOULD WE HAVE NOT TAKEN THIS EXIT, THIS MOST CERTAINLY COULD HAVE CAUSED A HIGH SPEED MVA INVOLVING MULTIPLE VEHICLES IF THE CAR ABRUPTLY SHUTS OFF WHILE CRUISING AT A HIGHWAY SPEED. NOTE: APPROX. MILEAGE OF THE CAR IS 107,000.