NHTSA Complaint #11311312 — 2013 KIA FORTE

I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON A SINGLE LANE HIGHWAY, AND HEARD FAINT TICKING/KNOCKING SOUNDS FROM THE ENGINE. THE HIGHWAY SPEED WAS 65MPH. AFTER A COUPLE MINUTES, THE FAINT TICKS GREW INTO HARD KNOCKS AND HARSH RATTLES AS I CLEARED THE TOP OF A HILL. I ENDED UP COASTING TO THE SHOULDER BECAUSE MY ENGINE ABRUPTLY LOST POWER AND TRIED STALLING. SINCE I KNEW MY BRAKE SYSTEM OPERATED WITH VACUUM ASSIST, I TAPPED THE GAS PEDAL TO KEEP THE ENGINE RUNNING AND HAD TO DOUBLE FOOT THE PEDALS TO BRAKE AND KEEP THE ENGINE FROM STALLING. AFTER I STOPPED ON THE SHOULDER, THE ENGINE FINALLY DIED WHILE RATTLING EVEN HARDER. I TRIED STARTING THE ENGINE AGAIN, AND IT DID START, STILL RATTLING AND KNOCKING, SO I SHUT IT OFF. THE ENGINE HADN'T YET SEIZED UP. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER I BOUGHT IT FROM, PER MY EXTENDED WARRANTY (NON-KIA DEALER). THEY WERE HAPPY TO HELP, BUT RECOMMENDED TALKING TO KIA AS A FIRST STEP. I DID SO, AND THEY DID OFFER TO TOW MY CAR TO THEIR OWN DEALERSHIP, NO CHARGE TO ME, SO THEY COULD INSPECT THE DAMAGE. I WAS TOLD THEY WOULD SEE WHAT COULD BE DONE ABOUT POTENTIALLY GETTING KIA MOTORS TO REPLACE THE ENGINE IF NEEDED, ON THEM, FREE TO ME. THIS DEALERSHIP IS ONE OF TWO IN MY CITY, AND THEY ARE THE NICER OF THE TWO IN TERMS OF CUSTOMER RELATIONS. I HAVE DEALT WITH EACH DEALER FOR VARIOUS REASONS OVER THE YEARS, AND THAT HAS BEEN MY CONSENSUS. I WILL BE WAITING TO SEE WHAT COMES OF THIS ISSUE, BUT THESE CARS THAT CAME WITH THE 2.4 ENGINE NEED TO BE ADDED TO HYUNDAI/KIA'S 2.4 ENGINE RECALL INSTEAD OF IGNORED.