2012 KIA OPTIMA Engine Problems

I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AT A SPEED OF 45 MPH WHEN I HEARD SOME KNOCKING. AS I SLOWED TO AN INTERSECTION THE NOISE STOPPED UNTIL I ACCELERATED ONCE AGAIN. GOT BACK UP TO 40-45 MPH AND ALL THE ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON AND THE CAR STALLED. I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD I WAS ON DURING RUSH HOUR. NOT REAL SAFE! AT WHICH POINT THE CAR STARTED SMOKING AND SMELLING LIKE AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. I OPENED THE HOOD AND WHITE SMOKE WAS POURING OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO KIA DEALERSHIP AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS ALREADY CLOSED. I CALLED IN THE MORNING AND ASKED ABOUT THE ELECTRICAL SMELL. HE SAID IS MOST LIKELY A BLOWN MOTOR.??? HE DIDN'T LOOK AT THE VEHICLE YET AND TOLD ME IT'S A BLOWN ROD IN THE MOTOR?? LATER THAT DAY I STOPPED INTO THE KIA...

BACK IN DECEMBER, WHILE DRIVING A 2012 KIA OPTIMA LX, MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND ALL OF THE CAUTION LIGHTS CAME ON THE DASH. THE WAS NO TAPPING COMING FROM THE ENGINE UNTIL THE CAR BEGAN TO SHUT OFF. THE CHECK ENGINE, LOW OIL, FUEL ETC ALL CAME ON AND MY STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO LOCK UP. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF A BUSY ROAD. I COULD NOT START THE CAR BACK UP. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY STATED THERE WAS NO OIL IN THE ENGINE AND THERE WAS SLUDGE. I KNEW THAT I HAD MAINTAINED UPKEEP ON THE CAR. THEY STATED THEY WOULD NOT HONOR A REPLACEMENT ENGINE WARRANTY. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO OUR LOCAL GARAGE. THERE I HAD A USED ENGINE INSTALLED IN MY CAR FOR A TOTAL COST OF $4,300. I WAS ABLE...

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH ON A HIGHWAY, THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BUT WOULD NOT RESTART. IT WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. THE SHOP MAINTAINED THAT THE ENGINE SEIZED DUE TO APPARENT IMPROPER OIL CHANGE. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED LESS THAN 30 DAYS PRIOR TO THE EVENT. THE VEHICLE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY TOWED TO A KIA DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY, TOO, WERE UNABLE TO MANUALLY TURN THE ENGINE OVER. KIA SERVICE CENTER REMOVED THE VALVE COVER AND FOUND HEAVY SLUDGE BUILT UP IN ENGINE CAUSING IT TO FAIL AND LOCK UP. KIA MOTORS OF AMERICA DENIED CLAIM DUE TO LACK OF PROPER MAINTENANCE. HOWEVER, HYUNDAI SONATA ENGINES WERE RECALLED DUE TO METALLIC DEBRIS IN ENGINE WHICH RESTRICTED OIL FLOW AND PRESENTED THE SAME MANIFESTATIONS OF ENGINE SLUDGE. KIA OPTIMA SEDANS WERE BUILT USING ENGINES...

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, I HEARD AN ABNORMAL ENGINE NOISE AND WITH NO WARNING, MY 2012 OPTIMA STALLED WHILE BEING OPERATED AT A HIGH SPEED. THE ENTIRE INDICATOR PANEL LIT UP. THIS ALL OCCURRED IN LESS THAN ONE MINUTE. I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OVER ON THE SHOULDER, BUT I COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY CAUSED A SERIOUS CAR ACCIDENT. MY 2 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS IN THE VEHICLE WITH ME. THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART, AND WAS TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALER IN WENATCHEE, WA. THE DIAGNOSIS WAS COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE AS A RESULT OF FRACTURED ROD BEARINGS. I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED IN 2014 AND CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE WAS UNEXPECTED. RECORDS SHOW ROUTINE MAINTENANCE EVERY 3,000 MILES. I BELIEVE THIS INCIDENT IS A DIRECT RESULT OF AN ENGINE OIL DEFECT THAT HAS BEEN CONCEALED BY KIA.

CAR HAS BEEN MAINTAINED WITH REGULAR OIL CHANGES EVERY 3 TO 5000 MILES. CAR WAS NOT GIVING ANY ISSUES UNTIL TWO DAYS AGO WHEN THE ENGIN SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING. WE RESTARTED IT AND IT WAS KNOCKING LOUDLY, SPUTTERING AND SQUEALING. WE TOWED IT TO A KIA DEALER THE FOLLOWING MORNING WHO RAN DIAGNOSTICS AND SAID THE ENGINE IS BLOWN AND FULL OF SLUDGE. THEY WON'T HONOR THE WARRANTY SINCE WE CAN'T PROVIDE EVERY SINGLE OIL CHANGE RECEIPT SINCE THE DAY WE PURCHASED THE CAR. WE DID PROVIDE WHAT WE COULD AS WE LIVED IN A FEW STATES WITH THE CAR AND DIDN'T ALWAYS USE THE SAME SHOP. THE CAR WAS IN MOTION WHEN THE VEHICLE JUST COMPLETELY SHUT OFF WITHOUT AND WARNING LIGHTS.

THE CARE STALED AT LOW SPEED PULLED OVER SIDE OF ROAD AND SMOKE WAS COMING FROM ENGINE, OPENED THE HOOD AND FIRE HAD STARTED AT FRONT TOP OF ENGINE UNDER THE AIR CLEANER, SOME WARE, HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED WHAT CAUSED IT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC. IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE SEIZED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,000.

WHEN U DRIVING IT . U CAN HERE NOISE IN THE STEERING WHEEL. IT HAD THE OIL LIGHT TO POP ON WHILE DRIVING ON THR FREEWAY PUT OVER. PUT SOME OIL IN IT. THEN THAT NIGHT TRYING TO CRANK IT & IT STARTED TO SMOKE & CAUGHT A FIRE.

I WAS DRIVING STRAIGHT ON THE INTERSTATE AT 70 MPH WHEN THE CAR LOST THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE AND STARTED MAKING A KNOCKING SOUND. I PULLED THE CAR OVER AND SHUT IT OFF. TRIED TO RESTART AND IT IMMEDIATELY SHUT OFF. THE OIL LIGHT FLASHED A FEW TIMES AND THAT WAS IT. THE CAR HAD 75,000 MILES WITH 30,000 PUT ON WITHIN THE ONE YEAR I HAVE OWNED IT.

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH DOWN THE HIGHWAY, CAR STALLED, TOWED TO DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY CLAIMED THERE WAS SLUDGE IN ENGINE AND WOULD NOT REPLACE, CALLED KIA WHO STATED THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO GET ALL SERVICE RECORDS FROM DAY 1 OR THEY WOULD NOT COVER. I BROUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW AND WHILE I HAVE MOST SERVICE RECORDS FROM 2013 ON, I DO NOT HAVE ANY FROM BEFORE THAT BECAUSE OUR HOUSE BURNT DOWN IN APRIL 2014, NOW ITS BEEN 5 MONTHS SINCE MY CAR BROKE DOWN AND MY 2 CHOICES ARE, SAVE UP 5K WHILE STILL PAYING FOR THE CAR OR PAY FOR A VERY EXPENSIVE PAPER WEIGHT THAT DOESN'T EVEN FIT IN MY HOUSE. KIA IS GOING TO KILL SOMEONE IF THEY DON'T TAKE ACTION!

ENGINE CUT OFF PASSING SOMEONE TRAVELING AT 70 MPH. ENGINE SEIZED WITH 110,000 MILES ON IT. TOWED IT TO DEALER. ALL MAINTENANCE WAS PERFORMED TIMELY. BECAUSE THE DEALERSHIP HAD PERFORMED ALL MAINTENANCE KIA IS REPLACING ENGINE. KIA KNOWS OF THE PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE THAT IS WHY WARRANTY WAS EXTENDED FOR THIS ISSUE. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY PROBLEM. HYUNDAI RECALLED THEIR CARS WITH THIS ENGINE. WHEN I PICKED UP MY RENTAL CAR THERE WERE THREE RENTALS OUT FOR THE EXACT SAME REASON. I AM GLAD I WAS DRIVING INSTEAD OF ONE OF MY DAUGHTERS OR MY WIFE. I AM GLAD I WASN'T PASSING ANOTHER CAR ON A TWO LANE ROAD WHEN THIS HAPPENED. KIA NEEDS TO FIX THIS BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED.

WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE AT ROUGHLY 75 MPH, CAR STALLED. WOULD START UP BUT HEARD LOUD KNOCKING SOUND. CAR WAS TOWED TO NEAREST REPAIR SHOP. AFTER DIAGNOSTIC, WAS TOLD ENGINE ROD BLEW AT 71,560 MILES. CALLED KIA CORP OFFICE AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS AN ENGINE RECALL, KIA PICKED UP THE CAR AND TOWED IT TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP. NEXT DAY, WE CALLED TO GET A STATUS AND THE KIA IS UNABLE TO LOCATE ANY RECORD OF THE PHONE CALL AND NOW SAYING THAT THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THE ENGINE. NOT SURE WHAT TO DO AT THIS TIME. CAR WAS PURCHASE LESS THAN 3 YEARS AGO. NEW ENGINE IS ESTIMATED AT $6,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FAILED. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,935. UPDATED 09/30/16*LJ *CN

DRIVING APPROX. 45MPH ON A BUSY CITY STREET, VEHICLE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO DECELERATE AND A RATTLING NOISE BEGAN GETTING LOUDER AND LOUDER FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND FINALLY ENGINE COMPLETELY CUT OFF AND WOULD NOT START AGAIN. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO GET OVER TO A SAFE AREA WHICH HAPPENED TO BE THE TURNING LANE, THE CAR ROLLED TO A COMPLETE STOP. WITH MY FAMILY IN THE CAR WITH ME, I HAD TO PUSH THE VEHICLE OVER TO PREVENT FROM BEING HIT DUE TO THE VEHICLE STALLING AND THE BACK END OF VEHICLE WAS STILL IN WAY OF ON COMING TRAFFIC. AFTER BEING TOWED TO A SERVICE CENTER, I WAS NOTIFIED THAT THE ROD BEARINGS SEIZED UP AND MY ONLY OPTION WAS ENGINE REPLACEMENT. VEHICLE WITH SUCH LOW MILEAGE SHOULD NOT NEED ENGINE REPLACEMENT.

DRIVING THE VEHICLE THROUGH AN INTERSECTION AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH AND ENGINE JUST SHUT DOWN/OFF. THANKFULLY, WE WERE ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A KIA DEALERSHIP. SERVICE DEPT HAD THE VEHICLE FOR 2 DAYS AND WEREN'T ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OR PROBLEM BUT NOTIFIED ME THAT I HAD METAL SHAVINGS IN THE ENGINE. THEY CHANGED ALL FLUIDS AND RESET THE COMPUTER, SO THE VEHICLE WOULD RUN, BUT WHEN THEY TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE, THE TECH SAID IT STILL WASN'T RUNNING SMOOTHLY. THEY SAID WE NEEDED A NEW ENGINE FOR $7000, OR ELSE WE COULD JUST DRIVE THE VEHICLE UNTIL IT QUIT RUNNING. WE DROVE THE VEHICLE FOR ABOUT ANOTHER 100 MILES WHILE TRYING TO DECIDE WHETHER TO REPAIR OR REPLACE, AND VEHICLE SEEMED TO BE RUNNING FINE BUT THEN SUDDENLY SHUT DOWN AGAIN. WE HAD PURCHASED THE 100,000 MILE WARRANTY,...

I WAS DRIVING HOME ON MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND FROM A NICE VISIT WITH MY FAMILY AND WHEN I WAS ALMOST HOME I COULD HEAR CLICKING/TAPPING SOUND AND THE ENGINE STALLED ON A MAJOR INTERSTATE. I WAS ABLE TO QUICKLY RESTART AND GET TO THE SHOULDER. STARTED UP AGAIN AND TOOK OFF BUT WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE TO THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC, THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AND WAS LOSING POWER. I WAS CLOSE TO A KIA DEALERSHIP AND WAS ABLE TO MILK IT TO THE SERVICE GARAGE. UPON INSPECTION, THEY FOUND METAL SHAVINGS PAIRED WITH A TON OF COPPER ON THE VALVE TIMING SOLENOID. CRANKSHAFT BEARINGS ARE SHOT, CAUSING LOW OIL PRESSURE, STALLING AND ERRATIC BEHAVIOR. ENGINE IS TOAST! AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH I CAME ACROSS THIS: HTTP://WWW.HYUNDAIPROBLEMS.COM/TRENDS/SONATA-ENGINE- FAILURE. SAME ENGINE, SAME PROBLEMS AND HYUNDAI STANDS BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. I TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN MY VEHICLE. I TAKE IT...

WHILE DRIVING HOME THE CAR SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER FOR NO REASON. GOT THE CAR JUMPED AND IT STARTED BUT WAS SLUGGISH. NO INDICATING LIGHTS EVER CAME ON. DROVE THE CAR TO WORK FOR THE NEXT 2 DAYS (APPROX 450 MILES) WITH NO ISSUES SO I THOUGH IT WEIRD BUT A FLUKE. TWO DAYS LATER APPROXIMATELY 2 BLOCKS FROM MY HOUSE THE CAR SUDDENLY LOCKED UP FOR A SPLIT SECOND (HEARD THE TIRES CHIRP) BUT KEPT ROLLING. THE CAR HAD NO POWER, ALL LIGHTS, RADIO, ETC STAYED ON BUT THE ENGINE WAS NOT RUNNING. I LET THE CAR COAST INTO MY DRIVEWAY TO PARK IT. THE CAR STARTS FINE BUT THE ENGINE IS DEFINITELY SHOT. SOUNDS LIKE THE CONNECTOR RODS ARE BENT. LOUD KNOCKING AND SOMETIMES A SQUEAL THAT SOUNDS LIKE METAL ON METAL. CHECKED THE OIL AND THERE WAS MINIMAL OIL BUT AGAIN NO INDICATING LIGHTS EVER CAME ON....

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE AN UNKNOWN PART NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT TWO CYLINDERS HAD NO COMPRESSION AND THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE ENGINE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPLACED DUE TO THE SAME FAILURE. THE CONTACT OBSERVED STEAM COMING FROM THE ENGINE DURING THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V568000 (ENGINE); HOWEVER, THE VIN, YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL WERE NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 10,000.

TRYING TO STATE A SHORT VERSION OF THIS BRUTAL SITUATION!! PURCHASED THE CAR WITH 60,000 MILES MY CAR IS NOW OUT OF WARRANTY HAS NOT REACHED 100,000 MILES AND THE ENGINE IS GONE. OF COURSE KIA WILL NOT FIX MY CAR I WOE $24,000 ON.

AT 60,100 MILES THE ENGINE FAILED. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT NO OIL LIGHT EVER CAME ON. I HAVE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT DENIED IT ALONG WITH KIA CORPORATE. PREMATURE ENGINE FAILURE. MAINTAINED TO KIA STANDARDS AS WELL WITH OIL CHANGES. WITH EVERY OIL CHANGE I WAS TOLD THE OIL WAS FINE AND NOTHING SEEMED WRONG OR AMISS WITH THE OIL IN THE CAR. I TOOK MY CAR TO HAVE AN OIL CHANGE THE DAY BEFORE MY ENGINE BLEW. I WAS DRIVING TO WORK WHEN IT MADE A VERY LOUD KNOCKING NOISE AND I WAS UNABLE TO MAKE IT TO WORK. I HAD THE CAR TOWED IMMEDIATELY TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP. I HAVE OWNED THE CAR FOR 18 MONTHS AS THE SECOND OWNER. I AM STILL MAKING PAYMENTS.

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT APPX 60MPH THE CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED ON US, AND ALL OF THE INDICATOR LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD CAME ON-FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER. THERE WAS NO KNOCKING SOUND PRIOR TO THIS HAPPENING (WE FOUND OUT THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN AFTER TAKING THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP) AFTER HAVING THE CAR TOWED TO OUR KIA DEALERSHIP, WE WERE INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE HAD SEIZED, BUT THERE WAS OIL IN THE CAR. I AM NOW HAVING TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE ENGINE. AFTER READING MULTIPLE STORIES OF THIS HAPPENING TO OTHER PEOPLE AS WELL, IT SOUNDS LIKE KIA NEEDS TO ISSUE A RECALL.

THE FIRST THING WOULD HAVE TO BE THE STEERING WHEEL LIKE IT HAS BEEN NOTED BEFORE WHEN YOU SIT STILL IT HAS A CLICKING SOUND. AND ALL DRIVING THE HIGHWAY AT 75 MILES AN HOUR IT STICKS AND YOU HAVE TO JERK IT BACK WITCH IS NO SAFE I HAVE HAD IT ALIGNED MANY TIMES BUT DOES NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. MY CAR HAS 112,113 MILES ON I TAKE CARE OF REPLACE THING THAT NEED TO DONE AND OIL CHANGES EVERY 3,000 WELL AFTER I HIT THE 100,000 MARK MY CAR SOUNDS LIKE IT HAS NO OIL .. ARE I HAVE SEEN ON THE INTERNET THAT IT SOUNDS LIKE YOUR RPMS ARE REALLY HIGH BUT THERE NOT ... IT STARTS WHEN I'M GOING 20 MPH ANOTHER THING THAT IS WEIRD WHEN I'M TURNING LEFT THE NOISE GOES AWAY

AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE OVERPASS AND MERGING ONTO ANOTHER HIGHWAY MY CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE, I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND WAS ABLE TO VEER OFF THE FREEWAY TO A SIDE STREET WHEN I STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND A LOT OF SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART. BEFORE THIS I HAD NO INDICATION THAT ANYTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. I HAD IT TOWED TO KIA WHERE I WAS TOLD THIS WAS DUE TO LACK OF MAINTENANCE AS THERE IS METAL DEBRIS IN THE OIL FILTER AND OIL PAN. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 71000 MILES ON IT AND I HAVE OIL CHANGE RECORDS TO PROVE MAINTENANCE EVERY 5000 MILES OR SOONER ON THE CAR. IT HAS NOW BEEN ALMOST 2 WEEKS AND I AM STILL WAITING FOR KIA TO RESPOND IF THEY ARE GOING TO FIX MY VEHICLE. SINCE I AM...

LAST WEEK, DURING AN OIL CHANGE, I WAS TOLD THAT MY TRANSMISSION COOLER HOSE WAS LEAKING AND NEEDED TWO NEW ONES. IN ADDITION TO THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE COOLING SERVICE WHICH WOULD BE A TOTAL OF ABOUT $200. NO TELLING HOW LONG THE CAR WAS WITHOUT COOLANT, BUT MY CAR HAS NEVER OVER HEATED. COINCIDENTALLY, I RECEIVED AN EMAIL THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON THE KIA/2011 FOR THE SAME ISSUE! I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING KIA WOULD OVER IF IT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL WHICH IT MOST LIKELY SHOULD BE BY LOOKING AT ONLINE REVIEWS. PLEASE INVESTIGATE.

DRIVING NORTH BOUND ON MAJOR HIGHWAY. CAR STARTS LOSING SPEED, I PULL OVER INTO A GAS STATION AND MY CAR DIES, IT RESTARTS INSTANTLY WITH NO SERVICE LIGHTS I CONTINUE DOWN THE ROAD ON THE SERVICE ROAD, THE CAR DIES AT A RED LIGHT. STARTS UP ONCE MORE. I HEAR A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM MY ENGINE. I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT HOME BUT NOW THE NOISE IS MUCH LOUDER, ITS COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE ENGINE ON THE RIGHT SIDE. I TAKE IT INTO THE DEALERSHIP. THE CONNECTOR ROD TO A PISTON IS DESTROYED. THE CAR HAS PLENTY OF OIL. I'VE READ ON FORUMS MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM.

DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH ON THE PARKWAY, ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND WOULD NOT RE-START. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A SHOP WHERE THEY INFORMED ME THE ENGINE HAD SEIZED. THERE WAS DEFINITELY OIL IN THERE AS I HAD AN OIL CHANGE WITHIN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS,. THE CAR HAS 72K MILES ON IT AND I AM THE SECOND OWNER SO NOT COVERED BY KIA'S NON-TRANSFERABLE 10YR/100K MI WARRANTY. WORKING WITH KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE, WAITING TO HEAR BACK FROM A SUPERVISOR.

SUDDEN ENGINE FAILURE WITHOUT WARNING LIGHTS. KNOCKING SOUND. PARKED CAR AND HAD TOWED TO DEALER. CAR HAS 63,000 MILES ON IT. DRY OF OIL, AND OIL WAS CHANGED WITHIN PAST SIX WEEKS. SAME ENGINE (THETA II) FROM SAME PLANT (ALA) AS THE HYUNDAI SONATAS COVERED BY RECENT RECALL. SYMPTOMS ARE ALSO THE SAME. KIA REFUSING COVERAGE UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE NOT ORIGINAL OWNER. WORKING THROUGH THEIR CONSUMER AFFAIRS TO ESCALATE. SO FAR, NO RESULTS. I BELIEVE WE ARE SEEING AN IDENTICAL PROBLEM IN MY CAR WITH IDENTICAL ENGINE TO SONATA AND KIA SHOULD FIX

THE VEHICLE HIT 63,000 MILES DURING THIS INCIDENT. AS I WAS MERGING ONTO THE EXPRESSWAY AT 50MPH, I GOT THE VEHICLE TO 60MPH AND THE SPEEDOMETER GAUGE FROZE AT 60MPH. THEN, THE RPM GAUGE DROPPED TO 0. SUDDENLY THE ENGINE LOST POWER, THE BRAKES LOCKED UP AND BEFORE I GOT THE CAR OFF TO THE SHOULDER AT A COMPLETE STOP, THE ENGINE CUT OUT COMPLETELY. THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START AT ALL AFTER IT CUT OUT. I THEN BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO A DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY DEEMED A NEW ENGINE AS THE CURRENT ENGINE BLEW.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 117,000. UPDATED 02/10/16.*JB UPDATED 04/08/16*LJ UPDATED 05/03/18*JB

WHEN CRANKING UP CAR ENGINE MAKES LOUD NOISE, THEN IF DRIVING AT A NORMAL SPEED THE CAR SLOWS DOWN ON IT OWN,ALSO THE DASH BOARD LIGHTS GOES FROM BRIGHT TO DIM TO ALMOST NO DASH BOARD LIGHTS AT ALL, DRIVING

METAL DEBRIS IN ENGINE OIL, SCORCH ENGINE- SAME ENGINE PROBLEM AS PARENT CO. HYUNDAI MOTOR RECALL. ON SONATA. A 2.4 LITER ENGINE., MANUFACTURED BEFORE APRIL 2012. ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. ENGINE FAILED ON FREEWAY DURING NORMAL USE.

I WAS DRIVING ON I 95 ON OUR WAY HOME FROM FLORIDA. WE WERE PASSING FAYETTSVILLE ,NC WHEN MY CAR ENGINE MADE SOME KNOCKING NOISE AND THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, BEFORE I CAN PULL TO THE SHOULDER, THE CAR STALLED,LOST POWER AT 70 MLS PER HR. WE WERE LUCKY NO ONE HIT US AS I WAS SLOWLY NAVIGATING TO THE SHOULDER. I HAD IT TOWED TO A KIA DEALERSHIP IN FAYETTSVILLE,NC. THEY SAID ENGINE SEIZED UP AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACE. THE CAR HAS 71,000MLS BUT KIA DENIED MY WARRANTY CLAIM SO I END UP PAYING $5,700 FOR A REMANUFACTURED ENGINE.

MY ENGINE SOUNDS LIKE A TRUCK ,I TOOK CAR TO KIA DEALER SHIP AND THEY CLAIMED IT WAS IT WAS SERPENTINE BELT TENSIONER LOOSING TENION AND IDELER PULLEY BEARING .SAID THEY FIXED THESE PROBLEMS BUT I'M STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM,AND SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL ON MY CAR.BUT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE THE ONE I BOUGHT.

THE WASTE GATE ACTUATOR ON KIA OPTIMA TURBO MODEL FAILED. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS DEFECTIVE PART ONLINE AND KIA HAS NOT ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF THIS DEFECT. TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE PART WHICH IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY IS $500. DO NOT PURCHASE A KIA UNTIL THEY HAVE ADDRESSED THIS GLARING DEFECT. I'VE HAD 8 CARS IN MY LIFE 7 HONDAS AND 1 KIA. THE KIA WAS A BIG MISTAKE. *TR

I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE. HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR ABOUT 40 MINUTES WHEN I WAS ON THE INTERSTATE GOING UP A SMALL HILL AND TRIED TO ACCELERATE IN SPEED AND MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND MY CAR STARTED JUMPING AND THEN WOULD NOT KEEP THE SPEED I WAS AT. THE SPEED IN MY CAR KEPT DESCENDING. IT WASNT UNTIL I WAS GOING 30 MPH BEFORE I COULD GET OVER INTO THE SLOW LANE TO THEN GET IN THE EMERGENCY LANE. I HAD THE CAR TOWED FROM WHERE IT BROKE DOWN IN BAILEYTON TN TO BRISTOL TN WHICH IS ABOUT A 50 MIN DRIVE AND WAS THEN TOLD THEY WOULD NOT BE GIVING ME A LOANER CAR AND IT HADNT EVEN BEEN 1 MONTH SINCE I PURCHASED CAR.. NO ONE SEEMS TO BE WILLING TO HELP. THEY SAID THEY WILL NOT TRADE MY CAR IN FOR A DIFFERENT...

I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM GULF SHORES, AL TO ATLANTA, GA. I STOPPED AT A REST AREA. WHEN I STARTED MY CAR BACK UP THERE WAS KIND OF A BUZZING NOISE AS I ACCELERATED, BUT IT WOULD STOP ONCE I REACHED CRUISING SPEED. AFTER ABOUT 15 MILES DOWN THE ROAD FROM THE REST AREA, MY GAS PEDAL JUST STOPPED WORKING. THE CAR COASTED UNTIL IT LOST SPEED AND THEN JUST TURNED OFF. AFTER I WAS EVENTUALLY TOWED TO THE NEAREST KIA DEALERSHIP, I WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINE HAD DIED AND I WOULD NEED TO HAVE A NEW ONE INSTALLED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, A STRONG ELECTRICAL BURNING ODOR EMITTED INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THAT THE STARTER AND ASSOCIATED FUSES WERE COMPLETELY BURNT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER THE REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHO RECOMMENDED THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000.

DRIVING VEHICLE AT 35-40 MPH. ALL OF A SUDDEN ENGINE STOPPED. THERE WAS HEAVY SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND SMELLED OF AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. SMOKE DISSIPATED AFTER 15 MINUTES. VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE RESTARTED AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO KIA DEALERSHIP IN TURNERSVILLE NJ. SPOKE WITH DEALERSHIP ON 9/23 AND WAS TOLD STARTER AND ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *TR

I NOTICED ON MONDAY THAT THE CAR SEEMED TO BE STRUGGLING WITH ACCELERATION. IT SEEMED TO BE SLOW AND SLUGGISH. I DROVE THE CAR HOME NOT EXCEEDING 40 MPH. NEXT MORNING WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE THE DASHBOARD IS LIT UP WITH AN INDICATION OF ENGINE MALFUNCTION. I ONLY HAD TO DRIVE THE CAR A MILE SO I CONTINUED ON TO WORK BUT I HAD NO POWER AT ALL. THE CAR WAS STRUGGLING TO MAKE IT UP A SMALL HILL AND I HAD NO SPEED ON LEVEL GROUND. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AT THIS POINT. I HAVE SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT BUT THE NEXT QUESTION IS HOW MUCH IS THIS GOING TO COST? WOW I HAVE ONLY OWNED CAMRY'S FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS AND THOUGHT I WOULD TRY A KIA. THEY LOOK NICE. NOT SURE I WILL KEEP THIS VEHICLE MUCH LONGER. *TR

I WAS DRIVING IN THE LEFT HAND LANE OF A MAJOR THOROUGHFARE WHEN MY KIA JUST LOST POWER. I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER TO A SIDE STREET AND CALLED MY DEALER. THEY RECOMMENDED TURNING THE MOTOR OFF AND THEN BACK ON, WHICH DID FIX THE PROBLEM AND IT HAS NOT RECURRED, BUT IT WAS VERY FRIGHTENING WHEN IT HAPPENED. *TR

WAS SITTING AT LIGHT AND WENT TO TAKE OFF CAR FELT LIKE IT DIDN'T WANT TO SHIFT INTO GEAR AND HAD A LOUD ROUGH GRINDING NOISE, ALL LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD CAME ONE. BRAKE LIGHT, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, COOLANT, ETC AND NONE OF THE GAUGES WERE WORKING. I STOPPED AT THE STORE AND WENT TO LEAVE THE CAR WOULD START UP BUT WOULDN'T GO INTO GEAR, IT WAS STUCK IN PARK. I HAD TO GET IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT. I HAD JUST HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM 1 WEEK AGO WHERE ALL THE LIGHTS WERE ON AND THE GAUGES WEREN'T WORKING AND THE DEALERSHIP HAD SUPPOSEDLY REPLACED THE FUSE PANEL BOX BUT THAT APPARENTLY DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. I THINK THAT IT'S A COMPUTER OR ENGINE ISSUE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A CURB, CAUSING THE FRONT AND REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRES TO DEFLATE. THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE CHECK ENGINE AND ACTUATOR WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING HOWEVER, THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 970.