NHTSA Complaint #11434039 — 2016 KIA OPTIMA

2016 Optima with 111K miles: 7/17/19 car received ECU upgrade for the KSDS system. After upgrade, on 5/23/2020 at 90K miles, the car started to shake/knock, engine light came on, car went in to limp mode, car was taken back to the Kia dealer, code was recorded as P1326, another update was performed, and due to excessive damage bearings were replaced. Car performed ok until 9/22/21, again the car started to shake violently (bucking), loud knocking sound, engine light came on, went into limp mode, was pulled over immediately, dealership contacted, car driven directly there (3 miles). Notified at 4:30pm "there was a complete failure of the 'Fuel Injector System' and needed replacement". Was told that the "entire fuel injector system failed allowing fuel to soak and flood into the cylinder and spark plugs". This was ALARMING. Luckily, we knew to pull the car over and keep the RPMs below 1500, and only traveled a few miles. Had we been driving for a while, or the engine had been hot I do not think a rupture of the entire fuel injection system that again is located in the cylinders of the engine would have ended well. Kia Service now telling me the "Lifetime Warranty" on engine is not applicable bc a code did not get captured. The fact that my car previously captured that code speaks to the fact that the engine was faulty on production, misaligned, allowing damage to occur from mile 1 on. ECU upgrades and replaced bearings do not remove the damage that was previously sustained by the migration of metal shavings throughout the engine compartment for the 90,000 miles before it was detected and repairs were made. While the "Lifetime Warranty" speaks to engine replacement and engine repairs the original class action suit was due to engine fires, which you all (NHTSA) determined in its reporting that the exact cause of the fires in all cases was “undetermined”; noting dealers should be looking at fuel and or oil leaks within the engine. This is alarming to say the least.