NHTSA Complaint #11399457 — 2013 KIA SORENTO

OVER A PERIOD OF A MONTH ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS DURING NORMAL DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AND CITY STREETS, THE ENGINE LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING, ONLY ALLOWING ENOUGH DRIVE ABILITY AT SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED POWER AND SPEED TO PULL OVER. IN EACH OF THOSE INSTANCES, THE POWER WAS RESTORED TO NORMAL AFTER A SMALL PERIOD OF REST. AN OVERLAPPING CONDITION EXISTED DURING THAT SAME PERIOD, IN WHICH ALL POWER WAS LOST TO THE ENGINE AND POWER STEERING, AS THE ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES. IN EACH OF THOSE CASES, THE ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN OVER UNTIL AFTER A PERIOD OF REST OF AT LEAST 20 MINUTES. THERE WAS NEVER AN ENGINE WARNING TO INDICATE AN ISSUE. THE CAR WAS SERVICED AND ASSESSED BY CERTIFIED MECHANICS, BUT NO PROBLEM WAS DETECTED. DURING ONE SUCH INSPECTION WITH AAMCO OF REDLANDS, CALIFORNIA, THE CAR LOST POWER DURING THEIR FINAL TEST DRIVE FOLLOWING A RIGOROUS INSPECTION IN WHICH NO ISSUE WAS IDENTIFIED, AND NEVER REGAINED POWER AGAIN. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE HAD CEASED WITH 141,335 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. ANOTHER ISSUE REVOLVED AROUND AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE WITH THE DRIVER SIDE HEADLAMP AND TURN SIGNAL. IT CEASED TO WORK WHILE WITHIN THE 100,000 MILE WARRANTY AND WAS FIXED WITHOUT COST. HOWEVER, IT CONTINUED TO FAIL AFTERWARDS AND WAS FIXED MULTIPLE TIMES AT PERSONAL EXPENSE. THE AIRBAG LIGHT HAS ALSO BEEN ON FOR HALF THE LIFE OF THE CAR, AND IS STILL ON AT THIS TIME, BUT THE DEALER REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT WAS A WARRANTY ISSUE DESPITE A RECALL ON THAT LIGHT. THEY CLAIMED THAT THE LIGHT WAS TRIPPED DUE TO SOME EMPTY SODA CANS THEY DISCOVERED UNDER THE CHAIR AND WHICH WERE PROBABLY ROLLING AROUND ACCORDING TO THEIR OPINION. THEY STATED THAT THE TRIPPED AIRBAG LIGHT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE RECALL.