NHTSA Complaint #11396326 — 2013 KIA FORTE

SEVERAL RECALLS HAVE BEEN ISSUED FOR THE THETA II ENGINE. I OWN A 2013 KIA FORTE KOUP EX WHICH IS EQUIPPED WITH THE 2.0L MPI ENGINE. THE 2.4L ENGINE OF THE SAME TYPE WAS RECALLED JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESE TWO ENGINES IS THE SIZE. THEY ARE NOT FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT OTHER THAN A FEW TWEAKS TO ACCOUNT FOR THE EXTRA VOLUME. LIKELY THIS MEANS THE SAME MANUFACTURING PROCESSES WERE USED FOR BOTH ENGINES. IT WOULD BE INCREDIBLY INEFFICIENT TO CREATE NEW MANUFACTURING PROCESSES FOR EACH OF THESE ENGINES. THEREFORE, IF THERE WAS A MAJOR MANUFACTURING ERROR IN THE 2.4L PRODUCTION (SAY METAL SHAVINGS THAT BLOCK OIL ACCESS TO THE ROD BEARINGS CAUSING CRITICAL WEAR AND DAMAGE), THEN THAT ERROR PROBABLY OCCURRED IN THE 2.0L MANUFACTURING. I WANT TO KNOW WHY THE 2.0L MPI ENGINE HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED. THE 2.0L MPI ENGINE ON MY KIA FORTE KOUP EX HAS BEGUN TO KNOCK. BY THE SOUND, THE ROD BEARING HAS PROBABLY WORN THROUGH AND THE LIFE OF MY CAR AND MY OWN SAFETY ARE AT A HIGH RISK. I CANNOT AFFORD A NEW ENGINE OR A NEW CAR RIGHT NOW JUST BECAUSE KIA SCREWED UP. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE. JUST BECAUSE NOT AS MANY PEOPLE HAVE CARS WITH THE THETA II 2.0L MPI ENGINE DOESN'T MEAN OUR SAFETY AND OUR LIFE SAVINGS CAN BE THROWN OUT THE WINDOW.