NHTSA Complaint #11183904 — 2015 KIA OPTIMA

TOOK MY CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP ( ATLANTA WEST KIA, DOUGLASVILLE, GA) FOR AN OIL CHANGE, TIRE ROTATION, ETC. I WAS NOTIFIED WHEN I CHECKED IN THAT THERE WAS A COMPUTER RECALL FOR AN UPGRADE OF THE COMPUTER/ELECTRONIC SYSTEM. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY WOULD DO THAT WHILE PERFORMING THE OTHER SERVICE WORK. 3 WEEKS AFTER THE OIL CHANGE I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE THE CAR SUDDDENLY LOST POWER AFTER A BIG PUFF OF WHITE SMOKE AND LOUD NOISE. I WORKED MY WAY OVER TO THE NEST EXIT AND PROCEEDED TO TURN AROUND TO GO BACK HOME. NO WARNING/ENGINE/OIL LIGHTS CAME ON DURING THIS TIME. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND NEVER RETURNED MY CALL, WITH NO RESULTS. WE CHECKED THE OIL THE CAR WAS 3 QUARTS LOW. CONTINUE TO NOTIFY THE DEALER TO NO AVAIL. THE CAR NEEDED 3 QUARTS OF OIL EVERYTIME I CHECKED IT WEEKLY. LET ME REINTERATE THAT THE CAR WAS RUNNING FINE BEFORE I TOOK IT IN FOR SERVICE IN NOV 2018. I CALLED KIA CORP. THEY INFOMED ME THAT MY CAR WAS NOT UNDER RECALL AND THAT THERE'S NOTHING THEY CAN DO BECASUE I HAD 68K ON THE CAR. THEY ASKED ME TO HAVE IT TOWED IN FOR DIAGNOSTIC TEST. NOW THEY WANT ME TO PROVIDE ALL THE SERVICE RECORDS. THE SERVICE RECORDS WAS IN THE KIA DEALERSHIP SYSTEM AS I HAVE USED THAT DEALER (PRIOR OWNER) FOR MOST OF MY WORK. I AM NOT SURE WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SERVICE RECORDS. AT THIS POINT THEY REFUSE TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. KIA HAS RECALLED EVERY YEAR BUT 2015 - APPARENTLY THEY THINK THEY GOT IT RIGHT IN 2015 SINCE THE MOTOR WAS BUILT IN A DIFFERENT LOCATION. THE ENGINE I S PRACICALLY GONE AND I HAVE HAD THE CAR LESS THAN 4 YEARS. I PURCHASED BAND NEW OFF THE LOT 9/2015. I FEEL LIKE THEY SHOULD BE MADE TO ADD THE 2015 KIA OPTIMA TO THE ENGINE RECALL LIST BEFORE SOMEONE GET SERIOUSLY HURT EITHER BY THE CAR STOPPING IN HIGHWAY TRAFFIC OR CATCHING ON FIRE. DOOR HANDLE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE CONTIUES TO STICK AND THE DORR WILL NOT OPEN FROM OUTSIDE OR INSIDE.