NHTSA Complaint #11175885 — 2012 KIA SORENTO

MY 20 YEAR OLD SON WAS DRIVING HIS 2012 KIA SORENTO ON THE HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH WHEN THE ENGINE STARTED TO MAKE A KNOCKING NOISE AND LOST ACCELERATION (HE WAS PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL, BUT IT FELT LIKE IT WASN'T DOING ANYTHING.) THE KNOCKING NOISE CONTINUED AND GREW LOUDER. WE TOOK THE CAR TO A NEARBY GARAGE, AND THE MECHANIC WHO LOOKED AT IT SAID THE CRANK BEARING WAS BAD AND THE ENGINE WAS SHOT. HE SAID REPLACING IT WOULD $5,000 OR MORE. HE SAID REPAIRING LIKELY WOULDN'T BE AN OPTION BECAUSE HE HAS SEEN OTHER KIAS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, AND THE ENGINES WERE FULL OF METAL PIECES. AFTER RESEARCHING, I LEARNED OF THE RECALL FOR 2012 KIA SORENTOS FOR THIS VERY REASON, BUT MY SON'S VIN ISN'T LISTED, AND IT OBVIOUSLY SHOULD BE. THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAS 86,000 MILES AND HAS BEEN SERVICED REGULARLY. IT WAS MY HUSBAND'S VEHICLE BEFORE, SO WE KNOW IT HAS HAD REGULAR MAINTENANCE SINCE THE BEGINNING. EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE HAS STAYED IN THE SAME HOUSEHOLD, IT IS NOW IN MY SON'S NAME SO THE WARRANTY DOESN'T APPLY. PLEASE ADD THIS VEHICLE TO THE RECALL! I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING IN WRITING FROM THE MECHANIC, BUT THE VEHICLE IS STILL THERE AND I CAN GET THAT IF NEEDED.