NHTSA Complaint #11318714 — 2015 KIA SORENTO

ENGINE STARTED MAKING A KNOCKING NOISE UPON ACCELERATION AND AT INITIAL STARTUP. ENGINE HAS ONLY 53,000 MILES ON IT. I DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME, PARKED IT AND IMMEDIATELY MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE LOCAL DEALER TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER (LESS THAN 5 MILES). AFTER MUCH RUNAROUND AND LITTLE EXPLANATION, KIA IS TELLING ME THAT THE ENGINE NEEDS REPLACED DUE TO SLUDGE (SOMETHING I HAVE VERIFIED WITH INDEPENDENT MECHANICS IS VERY UNLIKELY WITH A 5 YEAR OLD VEHICLE AND REASONABLY LOW MILEAGE). THE OIL AT TIME OF DROP OFF WAS VERIFIED TO BE CLEAN AND FULL PER THE KIA TECHNICIAN. I PROVIDED KIA WITH RECORDS PER THE WARRANTY AGREEMENT AND THEY ARE DENYING MY CLAIM FOR REPLACEMENT. EVERY EXCUSE FOR DENIAL HAS INCLUDED ADDITIONAL TERMS NOT OUTLINED IN THE WRITTEN WARRANTY AGREEMENT (RECEIPTS THAT INCLUDE MINUTE DETAILS OR THE EXCUSE THAT 'DATES DON'T MATCH' WHEN I HAVEN'T PROVIDED ANY DATES NOR IS ANY REQUIRED SERVICE BASED ON TIME (ONLY MILEAGE)). THE VEHICLE IS STILL UNDER THE BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY (5 YEARS/60,000 MILE) AND POWERTRAIN WARRANTY (10 YEARS/100,000 MILE). MANY OTHER VEHICLES OF THE SAME YEAR HAVE HAD SIMILAR ISSUES, YET KIA IS REFUSING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM OR EXPAND PREVIOUS RECALLS FOR THE SAME MODEL AND ISSUE.