NHTSA Complaint #11387218 — 2011 KIA OPTIMA

I WAS DRIVING FORWARD, IN MOTION, MY KIA OPTIMA 2011 ON A HIGHWAY WHEN I BEGAN TO NOTICE A LOUD TICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. I IMMEDIATELY BECAME CONCERNED, SLOWED DOWN, AND STUCK TO THE RIGHT LANE. THEN, 15 MINUTES AFTER FIRST HEARING THIS LOUD NOISE, I COULD NOT ACCELERATE ANYMORE AS THE NOISE BECAME LOUDER. THEN I HEARD A SMALL CRASH/EXPLOSION, SMOKE CAME OUT FROM THE HOOD, IT BEGAN TO SMELL TERRIBLE AND I WAS TRULY SCARED FOR MY LIFE IN TRYING TO STOP THE CAR ON THE CURB, UNABLE TO SEE WHERE I WAS DRIVING BECAUSE OF THE SMOKE AND UNABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR. THANK GOD I WAS ABLE TO STOP ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AND HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED BY GEICO. MY CAR HAS ONLY 88K MILES AND I HAVE HAD IT SINCE 2014'THIS IS UTTERLY ACCEPTABLE TO HAVE AN ENGINE BLOW OUT SO SUDDENLY, AT SO LITTLE MILEAGE, AND PUT MY LIFE IN DANGER. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IN INVESTIGATING THIS.