NHTSA Complaint #11280433 — 2012 KIA SPORTAGE

TRAVELING HOME ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT 75 MPH WHEN I SUDDENLY HEARD AN UNFAMILIAR NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. A FEW SECONDS LATER, SOME LOUDER NOISES CAME FROM THE ENGINE AREA AND I LOST ALL POWER AND LOTS OF LIGHTS LIT UP ON THE DASH. I COULD IMMEDIATELY SMELL BURNING OIL AND NOTICED BLUE SMOKE IN MY REAR VIEW MIRROR AND WHAT LOOKED LIKE A CIRCULAR PART SLIDING ON THE PAVEMENT BEHIND ME WHICH I KNEW WAS SOME PART FROM THE CAR. I PULLED OVER ONTO THE SHOULDER AND LIFTED THE HOOD AND SAW FLAMES ON THE REAR OF THE ENGINE ON THE EXHAUST AREA. I USED 10 OR 12 HANDFULS OF SNOW FROM THE DITCH TO THROW ON THE FIRE TO GET IT OUT. HAD IT TOWED TO THE NEAREST CITY AND HAD TO RENT A CAR TO GET HOME. I KNOW THAT THE ENGINE BLEW UP. I SAW OIL FROM THE ENGINE ON THE SHOULDER RIGHT UP TO WHERE IT CAME TO REST.