NHTSA Complaint #11403846 — 2013 KIA OPTIMA

JANUARY 25TH MY ENGINE SMOKED A QUIT RUNNING. MECHANIC INSPECTED TRYED TO TURN ENGINE OVER BY HAND WAS SEIZED AND HAD NO CODES. TOWED TO DEALER . JAN 29TH DEALER CONFIRMS ENGINE IS SEIZED . JAN 31 CALL ENGINE TURNS OVER AND HAS THROTTLE BODY CODE AND ALSO HAS TO MANY MILES TO PERFORM SAFTEY RECALL . I WATCHED MECHANIC TRY TO TURN ENGINE OVER WITH A WRENCH AT CRANKSHAFT AND IT WOULDNT BUDGE AND MECHANIC SCANNED CAR AND IT HAD NO CODES STORED . DEALER NOW WANT ME TO PAY MONEY FOR DIAGNOSIS I SAID NO CALLED KIA CORPORATE. I EXPLAINED TO CORPORATE SAFTEY RECALL HAS NO MILEAGE LIMIT AND THEY STILL DENY REPAIR I EXPLAIN TO CORPORATE THAT I HAD CAR DIAGNOSED AND I BELIEVE THEY WERE ATTEMPTING TO CHARGE ME A FEE BY CHANGING DIAGNOSIS. 10 MINTUES AFTER CALL TO CORPORATE I GET A TEXT FROM DEALER MY CAR IS COMPLETED AND READY FOR PICKUP NO CHARGE . I HAVE CAR TOWED BACK TO OTHER SHOP THEY SCAN FOR CODES AND TRY TO TURN ENGINE OVER BY HAND AGAIN AND NO CODES AND ENGINE STILL SEIZED . 2 WEEKS LATER CORPORATE CALLS AND SAYS THEY WERE WRONG ABOUT RECALL AND THEY WILL BUY CAR BACK. I ASKED IF THEY COULD FIX IT AND SHE SAID YES WE WILL REPLACE ENGINE . 3 DAYS LATER DEALER CALLS ANS SAYS COMPUTERS DOWN NATIONWIDE AND CANT ORDER ENGINE . 3WEEKS LATER DEALER CALLS AND SAYS THEY HAVE TO DO TESTS ON ENGINE BEFORE THEY ORDER NEW . I CA'LL CORPORATE AND FEB 26TH SHE EMAILS ME BACK THAT THE ENGINE WAS ORDERED 2 WEEK LATER DEALER CALLS AND SAYS THEY HAVE TO DO A COMPRESSION INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAK AND OIL PRESSURE REGULATOR TESTS . I ASK CORPORATE WHY THEY SAID ENGINE WAS ORDERD AND THEY REPLIED THATS WHAT THE DEALER TOLD THEM. 2 MONTHS KIA HAS HAD MY CAR AND NOT DONE RHE SAFTEY RECALL IT SEEMS THEY ARE STALLING AND TRYING TO FIND A WAY OUT OF DOING IT.