NHTSA Complaint #11255893 — 2013 KIA SORENTO

THE ENGINE OF MY 2013 KIA SORENTO, WITH LESS THAN 58K MILES, SEIZED AND SHUT OFF COMPLETELY, CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO LOCK WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON A BUSY SUBURBAN STREET. THANKFULLY, I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, WHERE I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE AND DRIVE HOME, NOTING A KNOCKING NOISE IN THE ENGINE THE WHOLE WAY. THE CAR REMAINED IN OUR GARAGE FOR THE NEXT COUPLE WEEKS WHILE WE WERE ON VACATION. ONCE HOME, I DROVE THE CAR (KNOCKING ALL THE WAY) TO FIRESTONE WHERE THEY DIAGNOSED THE ISSUE AS A PROBABLE BOTTOM END ENGINE CONNECTING ROD FAILURE, NOTING THEY HAD SEEN AT LEAST FIVE OR MORE KIA SORENTOS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, THEN PROCEEDED TO PULL UP THE NHTSA RECALL FOR 2011-2013 SORENTOS WITH ENGINE FAILURE RELATING TO BOTTOM END CONNECTING RODS. THE CAR HAD BARELY MADE IT TO FIRESTONE (WHERE THE ENGINE DIED COMPLETELY) AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE JIM SIPALA KIA DEALERSHIP IN WEST CHESTER, PA, WHERE THE CAR HAD BEEN PURCHASED, USED, IN 2014, WITH ABOUT 16,000 MILES. SIPALA KIA DIAGNOSED WHAT FIRESTONE HAD SUSPECTED BUT REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING B/C THE VIN # OF MY CAR DID NOT MATCH THOSE IN THE RECALL, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS THE EXACT SAME ISSUE, WHICH THEY DID NOT DENY. THE ISSUE MY CAR HAS FALLS UNDER THE NHTSA SAFETY RECALL #17V224000, RECALL DATE 3/31/17, WHEREIN THE CONSEQUENCE OF THIS ISSUE IS NOTED AS 'BEARING WEAR MAY RESULT IN THE ENGINE SEIZING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.', WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO ME.