NHTSA Complaint #11321047 — 2013 KIA SORENTO

2/11/20: DRIVING NORTH ON I-55 WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY STARTED HESITATING AS IF IT WASN'T GETTING FUEL, I PULLED OVER & HEARD A CRACK NOISE, CAR STALLS, SMOKE COMING FROM INSIDE THE HOOD, ENGINE, OIL, BATTERY & TRANS DASH LIGHTS LIT UP AFTER THE NOISE & SMOKE, BUT OIL GAUGE NEVER EVER GOT HOT (EVEN BEFORE THIS) I OPENED HOOD & SAW LIQUID HAD EXPLODED UNDER THE HOOD. I TRIED TO START THE CAR & IT WOULDN'T. THE NEXT DAY, HAD IT TOWED TO A SHOP, THE MECHANIC SAID: 'ENGINE IS BLOWN & NO CLUE WHY, THERE'S A HOLE IN THE ENGINE BLOCK & NOTHING YOU COULD'VE DONE TO PREVENT IT, IT DEFINITELY SEEMS LIKE A MECHANICAL DEFECT & IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE IT BLEW.' SO IMAGINE MY CONFUSION WHEN MY 2013 VEHICLE'S ENGINE (MAINTAINED PERFECTLY AS I HAD FREE OIL CHANGES THROUGH KIA SO I GOT THEM DONE REGULARLY & IT'S ALL IN THEIR SYSTEM) RANDOMLY BLOWS & MECHANIC HAS NO IDEA WHY. I RESEARCHED & 0 OPEN RECALLS, KIA HEADQUARTERS SAID IT'S MY RESPONSIBILITY AS MY VIN NOT INCLUDED ON RECALL DETAILING MY EXACT COMPLAINT BECAUSE IT DIDN'T HAVE A GFI ENGINE. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A MECHANICAL DEFECT AND KIA SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE AND RESPONSIBLE FOR REPLACING THE DEFECTIVE ENGINE ON MY CAR!! I'M NOW WITHOUT INCOME DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC HAPPENING, SO I CAN'T AFFORD THE CAR PMT THAT I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR A VEHICLE I JUST PURCHASED 12/2018!! THIS IS HORRIFYING THAT KIA REFUSES TO REPLACE MY ENGINE. I'M A SINGLE MOM WITH 2 KIDS (8 & 9) TRYING TO SURVIVE & THEY REFUSED TO EVEN GIVE A LOANER WHILE I TRY TO RAISE THE MONEY TO PAY FOR A USED ENGINE TO BE PUT IN. THIS HAS PUT ME IN A HORRIBLE FINANCIAL SITUATION AS I RENTED A CAR FOR A MONTH BEFORE THE LOCKDOWN & COULD HAVE USED THE $ TOWARDS REPAIRS BUT I HAD TO WORK SO I HAD NO CHOICE, BUT NOW CAN'T AFFORD ANYTHING SO I'M JUST STUCK WITH NO HELP AT ALL FOR SOMETHING THAT IS NOT MY FAULT. KIA IS RESPONSIBLE & I'M OUT OF OPTIONS & HELP.*DT*JB