NHTSA Complaint #11389709 — 2013 KIA OPTIMA

DURING A COMMUTE TO WORKSITE THE CAR WAS DRIVING NORMALLY FOR THE FIRST 10 MILES. NO SOUNDS, NO DASH LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. NO SIGNAL THAT ANYTHING WAS WRONG. AS I DROVE NORMALLY THROUGH THE ROUTE, I ENTERED THE HIGHWAY AND ACCELERATED TO NEARLY 65 MPH. AFTER A MOMENT OR SO OF DRIVING THE CAR SUDDENLY FELT AS IF THE ENGINE HAD NO POWER. I PULLED MY FOOT OFF THE GAS, THEN I CHECKED THE DASH LIGHTS, I MADE SURE THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROPER AUTOMATICS MODE AND NOT MANUAL (IT FELT LIKE IT WAS THROWN INTO NEUTRAL OR A LOWER GEAR), I ALSO VERIFIED CRUISE CONTROL WAS OFF. EVERYTHING SEEMED FINE. I PRESSED THE GAS TO ACCELERATE BACK UP TO SPEED AND THE CAR BEGAN SHAKING VERY VIGOROUSLY. THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. BECAUSE I WAS NOT IN A SAFE AREA TO STOP, I TRIED TO COAST TO THE NEAREST EXIT. I IMAGINE I WAS COASTING AND ACCELERATING INTERMITTENTLY (FOR ONLY A FEW SECONDS AT A TIME) FOR ANYWHERE FROM ONE-HALF TO TWO MILES BEFORE THE NEXT EXIT. IT IS HARD TO GUESS THE DISTANCE BECAUSE IT WAS DARK DURING THE INCIDENT. ONCE I MADE IT TO THE EXIT, THE ENGINE WAS NO LONGER PROVIDING POWER AT ALL - MEANING I WOULD PRESS THE GAS AND NOTHING WOULD HAPPEN. THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE, THE ENGINE WOULD NOT EVEN REV. I CALLED A TOW TRUCK AND HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALER SAID THAT BECAUSE THE CAR DID NOT HAVE A CODE OF P1326 THAT THE ISSUE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER KIA'S EXTENDED ENGINE WARRANTY. I AM TRYING TO FIGHT FOR THEM TO HONOR THE WARRANTY. NO LUCK SO FAR. THEY QUOTED A $7500 REPAIR. CAR IS PERFECTLY MAINTAINED. I JUST PUT NEW SPARK PLUS AND A NEW SERPENTINE BELT ON 9 WEEKS AGO (AT THE KIA DEALERSHIP OF COURSE- ONLY PLACE I DO MAINTENANCE AT).