NHTSA Complaint #11259073 — 2012 KIA SPORTAGE

ENGINE BEGAN MAKING NOISE AND SHOOK VIOLENTLY FOR A BRIEF PERIOD, DEVELOPED A KNOCK IN THE MID OR LOWER PART OF THE ENGINE, STOPPED DRIVING CAR. TOOK TO LOCAL MECHANIC (WHERE MY 18 YEAR OLD STEP DAUGHTER IS GOING TO COLLEGE). LOCAL MECHANIC FOUND THE RECALL NOTICE FOR 2012 KIA SPORTAGES FOR ENGINE FAILURES AND WANTED THE VEHICLE TAKEN TO A KIA DEALER FOR REPAIR. I TRAILERED THE CAR FOR ALMOST 200 MILES TO GET TO THE KIA DEALERSHIP WHERE WE LIVE IN WYOMING, BUT DEALER TOLD US THAT OUR CAR WASN'T EFFECTED BY THE SC147 RECALL, EVEN THOUGH EVERY SYMPTOM FROM THAT RECALL IS PRESENT IN THE CAR. KNOWING THAT KIA WASN'T GOING TO COVER, TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MY PREFERRED MECHANIC, WHO FOUND A LARGE AMOUNT OF METAL SHAVINGS IN THE OIL FILTER, RECOMMENDED A REPLACEMENT ENGINE. THE ONLY ENGINE AVAILABLE IS NOT THE SAME CONFIGURATION AS THE ORIGINAL, UNLESS BUYING A USED ENGINE WHICH WOULD PROBABLY HAVE THE SAME ISSUE, AND THEY ARE NOT COMFORTABLE PUTTING THAT DIFFERENT ENGINE IN THE CAR. MY ONLY OPTION NOW IS TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A KIA DEALER, WHO WON'T HONOR ANY WARRANTY OR REPAIR UNDER A RECALL THAT THIS CAR "DOESN'T APPLY TO". IT IS LITERALLY THE EXACT SAME ENGINE THAT THEY RECALLED IN OTHER KIA MODELS, THE 2.4L DOHC THETA 2, WHICH WAS CONFIRMED BY MY MECHANIC AND KIA CUSTOMER CAR. SEEING THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT OUT THERE FOR THIS EXACT REASON, I GUESS THAT IS MY ONLY OPTION. BEING THE THIRD KIA MY IMMEDIATE FAMILY HAS OWNED, I CAN ALSO PROMISE THIS WILL BE THE LAST, AS 90,000 MILES ON A CAR IN THIS CENTURY IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE, AND KIA SHOULD HAVE TO COVER PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THIS LOSS.