NHTSA Complaint #11257819 — 2012 KIA OPTIMA

UNTIL NOW (ONLY 84K MILES), MY 2012 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID HAS BEEN A GREAT CAR. WHEN LEAVING A DRIVEWAY GOING ABOUT 15MPH, A LIGHT TAPPING BEGAN WHEN THE GAS ENGINE STARTED. A SOUND IT WAS NOT MAKING WHEN DRIVING UNDER ELECTRIC POWER (BEFORE THE ENGINE STARTED). THE SOUND QUICKLY GREW TO A LOUD KNOCKING, ACCOMPANIED BY A NOTICEABLE LOSS OF POWER AND THROTTLE RESPONSE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT NEVER TURNED ON, EVEN AFTER THE ENGINE BLEW UP. ALL SIGNS ARE POINTING TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT, SIMILAR, IF NOT THE SAME AS THE ONE REGARDING METAL FILINGS BEING LEFT ON THE BLOCK. THIS IS THE SAME ENGINE MODEL AND YEAR THAT TRIGGERED OVER .5M CARS BEING RECALLED. NOW THE SAME ISSUES ARE HAPPENING WITH THIS MODEL, WHICH FOR SOME REASON WASN'T INCLUDED. A MODERN AND WELL-SERVICED CAR SHOULD LAST MORE THAN 84K MILES. THIS WILL BE A SAFETY HAZARD UNTIL ALL MODELS CONTAINING THESE ENGINES ARE REPAIRED.