NHTSA Complaint #11330963 — 2016 KIA SORENTO

OUR 2016 KIA SORENTO HAS 35K MILES AND IT STOPPED RECENTLY, THE ENGINE SEIZED. THE DEALER CLAIMED IT WAS DUE TO INADEQUATE OIL CHANGES (THEY HAD RECORDS OF 2-3 PERFORMED BY KIA DEALERS, THE MOST RECENT UNDER TWO YEARS AND 10K MILES AGO). WE NEVER EXPERIENCED ANY WARNING LIGHTS OR OTHER NOTIFICATIONS TO FORETELL THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER RECOMMENDED WE REPLACE THE ENGINE AND ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING SO NOW. THE DEALER DENIED ANY WARRANTY COVERAGE, CLAIMING ABUSE DUE TO INADEQUATE OIL CHANGES ON OUR PART VOIDED THEIR 10-YEAR WARRANTY. DESPITE THE LARGE UNEXPECTED COST (DEALER ESTIMATES ~$6K AND HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE OVER A MONTH), WE ARE MYSTIFIED THIS COULD HAVE OCCURRED AND ARE GRATEFUL IT DIDN'T HAPPEN ON THE HIGHWAY OR IN OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES. WE BELIEVE THE COMPLETE ABSENCE OF ANY WARNING INDICATORS CONSTITUTES A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. *TR