NHTSA Complaint #11185087 — 2012 KIA FORTE

THIS ENGINE HAS ALWAYS HAD LOUD VALVES. DEALER SAYS NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT WHEN WE BOUGHT IT IN 2012. AT 121,000 MILES, THE ENGINE HAS SUDDENLY DEVELOPED A SOLID KNOCKING FROM DEEP WITHIN THE ENGINE - MUCH LIKE THE SAME CONDITIONS THAT RESULTED IN THE OPTIMA, SPORTAGE, AND SORRENTO ENGINES BEING RECALLED. KIA CLAIMS THERE IS NO ISSUE WITH FORTE ENGINES YET THEY EXHIBIT THE SAME KNOCKING THAT ENDS WITH CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO PREMATURE BEARING WEAR. WHEN COLD, MY 2.0L GAS ENGINE CLATTERS MORE THAN A DIESEL TRUCK. IS IT POSSIBLE THEY ARE RESISTING ADDING THE FORTE DUE TO THE SHEER NUMBER OF THOSE VEHICLES SOLD? DEALER WANTS $109 PER HOUR FOR DIAGNOSTICS WITH NO CAP ON HOURS SPENT. ON THE KIA FORUM I FOLLOW, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE WAITED 3 MONTHS FOR A REPLACEMENT ENGINE. I'M NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO SPENDING MORE FOR A REPLACEMENT ENGINE THAN THE VEHICLE IS WORTH. UP UNTIL NOW, THIS HAS BEEN A GREAT VEHICLE. SOLID, RELIABLE, ONE I WOULD JUMP INTO AND DRIVE 1200 MILES ON A TRIP WITHOUT HESITATION. WE AVERAGED 38 MPG MAKING TRIPS FROM NY TO FL AND BACK. NOW I'M SCARED TO EVEN MOVE IT IN THE DRIVEWAY. IT'S JUST SAD THAT KIA APPEARS TO HAVE DROPPED THE BALL LIKE THIS.