NHTSA Complaint #11366217 — 2012 KIA SPORTAGE

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, ALL VEHICLE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AND OUR 2012 KIA SPORTAGE LX STALLED. FORTUNATELY, THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO AVOID A COLLISION WHILE COASTING TO A ROADSIDE STOP ON A BUSY HIGHWAY, BUT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE RESTARTED. AFTER LEAVING PASSENGERS STRANDED ROADSIDE ON A SUNDAY EVENING, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A KIA DEALERSHIP THAT COMPLETED A DIAGNOSTIC WORKUP AND DETERMINED THAT THE 2.4 L DOHC MPI THETA II ENGINE WITH 92,361 MILES REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. REGULAR MAINTENANCE HAD BEEN COMPLETED AND THE VEHICLE WAS IN OTHERWISE EXCELLENT CONDITION. THE KIA WARRANTY WAS NOT HONORED AS WE WERE NOT ORIGINAL OWNERS AND THE EXTENDED WARRANTY PURCHASED FROM THE KIA DEALERSHIP HAD JUST EXPIRED. THE COST OF A REPLACEMENT ENGINE WAS QUOTED TO BE $7,500 FOR THE ENGINE ALONE EXCLUDING LABOR WHICH EXCEEDED THE VALUE OF THE CAR PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. PER DEALERSHIP RECOMMENDATIONS, KIA'S CORPORATE CUSTOMER SERVICE WAS CONTACTED TO REQUEST RECONSIDERATION. ALTHOUGH THE STAFF WAS VERY NICE AND COMMITTED TO REFILE THE WARRANTY REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION AND CALL US WITHIN 72 BUSINESS HOURS, WE WERE NEVER CONTACTED BY KIA WITH A FINAL DECISION.