2018 Kia Sorento

While driving my 2018 Kia Sorento on Interstate 95 at approximately 65 mph, the vehicle suddenly started to knock. The noise got louder and before I could safely pull onto the shoulder, the engine totally failed without any warning lights whatsoever. Large amount of blue smoke came from the exhaust and I lost all power to the vehicle. Engine parts and motor oil were scattered all over the highway from the violent nature of the failure. This also caused vehicles behind me to swerve and brake in order to avoid hitting the metal engine debris. My right rear tire ran over such metal and it immediately went flat. I was able to coast the vehicle onto an exit ramp where I raised the hood to check for fire. The engine continued to leak oil while parked on the off ramp shoulder. I called my insurance company to let them know what had happened and a tow truck responded approximately 1 hour later and the vehicle was placed in an auto storage lot.

On 3/23/2023, the Oil Pressure Warning Light flashed on and off. I was lucky to be near a gas station that could check my oil and determined there was less than 2 quarts left. They added almost 4 quarts of oil and told me to immediately contact my Kia dealership because I could have an oil consumption issue. I researched the issue online and found that there is a class action lawsuit over Hyundai-Kia oil consumption defect. On 3/28/2023, I brought my vehicle to Mastria Kia to have an oil change and have it checked for an oil leak. There was no oil leak. Thus, they told me to return in 1,000 miles (oil consumption test). If it passes the oil consumption test, they told me that they could do a combustion chamber cleaning for over $500, which I was also told does not fix the defect. They also informed me to check my oil level regularly and add oil as needed. The vehicle is not reliable or safe to drive. I was lucky that I was near a gas station, and I saw the warning light that flashed only once. This is a safety issue and this vehicle's reliability is questionable. I hope that NHTSA can help not only myself, but other Kia owners that are experiencing the same engine defect.

Catastrophic engine failure with no signal or warning from the car after being well maintained for 5 years. This occurred while driving 60 mph on a desolate stretch of VT highway while on a trip from our home in NJ. Engine died with no warning and we coasted to a dangerous narrow shoulder of RT 9 and were almost killed by a truck. We also had no cell reception to even call for help. The engine then started to smoke and burn and I was forced to put my two children out on a snowy embankment for 30 minutes risking hypothermia. We bought this 2018 Sorento new and only discovered the vast extent of Kia’s engine defect after this experience on 2/22/23. I am in complete awe and shock that your agency has allowed them to continue putting people in grave danger. I want to understand how Kia is not applying a more exhaustive effort to notify customers and rectify a deadly product defect that they are well aware of. I would like to direct your agency to a very active Facebook page called “Engine Failure - Kia” that contains a plethora of stories just like ours. This company does not care about the safety of families, nor do they have any interest in making this right. In an effort to reduce the expense of their deadly mistake, they choose to victimize their customers again by declining valid claims for an engine replacement if all service documentation is not available. They are fully aware of their responsibility and choose to act like corporate criminals. It is up to agencies like the NHTSA to address this behavior and prevent further injury and death.

My vehicle had 4 recalls on it and caused engine to blow. The dealer I purchased car from would not fix recalls, so had it towed to a Kia dealer, my car has been there since dec long story short recalls fixed but they won't replace engine, nor will dealer I purchased it from. So they're saying over $8000 that I would be responsible for

Fuel expired much quicker than should be, and burned on to the dip stick before oil was due to be changed. Then the engine failed while driving, causing my vehicle to lose power on a left turn on a 55 mph road, nearly causing my children and I to be hit by another vehicle. I could not accelerate, but still had power to steer and brake. After having the gas pedal fully extended, I resumed power to 30 mph (this was described as engine knock sensor decreased power). We are hearing that 14 million Kia vehicles are experiencing this. There are 46 cars ahead of mine to be repaired for the failed engine and oil problem at that dealership as of today. They are not offering loaner vehicles.