NHTSA Complaint #11378606 — 2013 KIA FORTE

THERE WAS A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD OF MY CAR AND I COULD SMELL SMOKE. WHEN I LIFTED THE HOOD, I COULD SEE SMOKE ARISING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. UNSURE WHY MY CAR HAD BEGUN SMOKING, I CALLED FOR A TOW TRUCK TO COME GET MY CAR BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG AND IF IT WOULD CATCH FIRE. I HAD THE TOW COMPANY TAKE MY CAR TO A MECHANIC FOR HIM TO IDENTIFY WHY MY CAR WAS SMOKING. WHEN THE MECHANIC LOOKED AT MY CAR, IT WAS NO LONGER SMOKING. WHEN I GOT INTO MY CAR TO BEGIN DRIVING I CONTINUED TO HEAR THE KNOCKING NOISE UNDERNEATH MY HOOD. I WAS NOT ABLE TO GO THE FULL SPEED LIMIT AS THE NOISE GREW LOUDER, AND HAD TO DRIVE UNDER THE SPEED LIMIT. AS I BEGAN DRIVING, MY OIL LIGHT CAME ON. WHEN I STOPPED AT THE RED LIGHT, MY ENGINE AND BATTERY LIGHTS CAME ON. WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN AND I TRIED TO PROCEED, AND MY CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. IT WAS COMPLETING STOPPED AND NON-OPERATIONAL. THIS SCARED ME BECAUSE IT WAS DARK, I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC ON ONE OF THE BUSIEST STREETS IN MY AREA, AND I HAD MY YOUNG SON IN THE CAR WITH ME. MY FATHER AND A POLICE OFFICER ARRIVED TO ASSIST ME WITH MOVING MY CAR OUT OF TRAFFIC. I HAD TO HAVE A TOW SERVICE COME GET MY CAR AND TAKE IT BACK TO THE MECHANIC. AFTER EXPLAINING TO THE MECHANIC WHAT HAPPENED AND HIM REVIEWING THE CAR TO DETERMINE WHY IT HAD ABRUTLY SHUT OFF, I WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINE HAD LOCKED UP. I HAD TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED TO MY HOME BECAUSE IT WAS NO LONGER OPERATIONAL.