NHTSA Complaint #11194244 — 2012 KIA SPORTAGE

WHILE DRIVING ALONG THE INTERSTATE, THE ENGINE SEIZED IN THE VEHICLE. WE FIRST HAD IT TOWED TO OUR NEIGHBORHOOD MECHANIC WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE ENGINE HAD SEIZED, AND THAT THERE WERE METAL SHAVINGS FOUND IN THE OIL. WE CONTACTED GRAND KIA IN CO AND WERE ADVISED TO TOW THE VEHICLE IN FOR DIAGNOSTIC, WHICH WE DID. THEY ULTIMATELY AGREED THAT THE ENGINE HAD SEIZED DUE TO A FAULTY ROD BEARING, AND AGREED THAT OIL IN VEHICLE WAS RECENTLY REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND WE WERE ADVISED THAT OUR ONLY OPTION WAS TO REPLACE WITH A SHORT BLOCK ENGINE FOR OVER $6,000. WE WENT AHEAD WITH THE REPLACEMENT AND WERE ADVISED TO CONTACT KIA CORPORATE CONSUMER RELATIONS TO SEE IF THE REPAIR COULD BE REIMBURSED UPON THE REGIONAL MANAGER'S DISCRETION, WHICH WAS ULTIMATELY NOT APPROVED. UPON RECEIPT OF REPAIRED VEHICLE, WE WERE TOLD THERE WAS A 12 MONTH OR 12,000 MILE WARRANTY ON THE WORK. APPROXIMATELY 3 MONTHS LATER, WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STALLED AGAIN AND WAS TOWED TO DAYTONA KIA SINCE WE ASSUMED THE WARRANTY WOULD COVER ANY ISSUES. THE TECHNICIAN AT DAYTONA KIA REPLACED AN AXEL THAT PER THEIR PROFESSIONAL OPINION, WAS NOT RE-ASSEMBLED CORRECTLY WHEN GRAND KIA REPLACED OUR ENGINE. NEITHER GRAND KIA NOR CORPORATE KIA TOOK RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS ISSUE SO WE PAID OUT OF POCKED FOR ANOTHER REPAIR SO THAT WE COULD DRIVE HOME. SHORTLY AFTER, THE ENGINE STARTED TO MAKE A NEW NOISE, GIVEN GRAND KIA'S LACK OF HONORING THE ENGINE'S WARRANTY TO DATE WE DECIDED TO SELL THE CAR TO CUT OUR LOSSES AND AVOID ANY FURTHER OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES.