2013 KIA FORTE KOUP Complaints

I WAS DRIVING MY 2013 KIA FORTE KOUP UP AN ON-RAMP TO THE MAIN BRIDGE, GOING ABOUT 20 MILES PER HOUR WHEN THE ENGINE KILLED SUDDENLY. THE CAR HAS 56,000 MILES ON IT, AND I TAKE PHENOMENAL CARE OF IT (REGULAR OIL CHANGES AND MAINTENANCE). I HAD IT TOWED TO THE KIA DEALERSHIP ON FRIDAY, MAY 25, AND IT'S BEEN SITTING ON THE LOT COMPLETELY UNTOUCHED EVER SINCE. TODAY IS DAY 46 OF KIA GIVING ME THE RUNAROUND. NEVER AGAIN WILL I PURCHASE THEIR CARS.

NHTSA RECALL SC147 2013 KIA FORTE KOUP HAS THE EXACT SAME THETA II ENGINE AS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL FOR THE 2011-2014 OPTIMA, 2012-2014 SORENTO, AND 2011-2013 SPORTAGE MODELS. THE ENGINE WAS TRAVELLING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, LOST POWER, AND PROCEEDED TO SEIZE EXACTLY AS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL ABOVE. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED, SMOKE PROCEEDED TO POUR OUT OF THE ENGINE HOOD AROUND THE HEAD GASKET. SMELL OF BURNING FILLED THE CABIN. TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS HAPPENING ON OTHER MODELS BUT A RECALL DID NOT INCLUDE MY MODEL. ENTIRE EXPENSE WAS A MONTH LONG PROCESS STARTING JUNE 1. REPLACEMENT OF ENTIRE MOTOR REQUIRED, COSTING $6200.

ON TUESDAY JUNE 26TH, 2018 I WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK ON THE INTERSTATE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WITHOUT ANY WARNING, MY OIL PRESSURE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUT OFF, I LOST ALL POWER, STEERING AND BRAKES BUT LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO USE MY EMERGENCY BRAKE. CAR WOULDN'T START BACK AT ALL. I KEEP MY OIL CHANGED EVERY 4,000 MILES AND HAVEN'T EVER HAD AN ISSUE. THE ENGINE WASN'T KNOCKING OR MADE ANY LOUD NOISE WHEN IT HAPPENED. AND THE OIL WAS STILL ON THE FULL MARK. AND FROM WHAT I HAVE READ, THE SAME EXACT ENGINES HAVE BEEN RECALLED IN DIFFERENT KIA/HYUNDAI MODELS EXCEPT THE FORTE/FORTE KOUP 2.4L. SO NOW I AM LEFT WITHOUT MY CAR AND HAVING TROUBLE FINDING AN ENGINE I CAN AFFORD WHILE KIA/HYUNDAI IS REPLACING ENGINES THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME THING HAPPEN TO THEM BUT MINE THEY WONT REPLACE BECAUSE MY VIN DOESN'T CALL FOR THAT RECALL.

WE BOUGHT THIS 2013 KIA FORTE KOUP IN OCTOBER 2014. IT HAD 29,000 MILES ON IT. WE HAD IT SERVICED REGULARLY AND ON SCHEDULE. MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING HOME FROM COLLEGE ON DECEMBER 19, 2017 AND HER CAR STARTED SMOKING, SHAKING AND LOST ALL POWER WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH. THE CAR HAD 73,405 MILES ON IT. AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE TOWED AT MY EXPENSE BACK TO OUR DEALERSHIP IN LUFKIN, TX, I RESEARCHED WHAT SHE DESCRIBED AND IT WAS IDENTICAL TO THE ENGINE FAILURES EXPERIENCED BY THE KIA OPTIMAS AND SORENTOS THAT WERE RECALLED. AFTER CONSULTATION WITH THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT IT WAS DECIDED THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION WOULD BE TO REPLACE THE BLOCK. ACCORDING TO KIA IT WOULD TAKE A COUPLE OF WEEKS TO GET THE BLOCK IN. WE CHOSE TO SEND HER BACK TO SCHOOL IN OUR PERSONAL FAMILY VEHICLE. 2 WEEKS TURNED INTO 5 MONTHS. THE KIA SERVICE MANAGER UPON BEGINNING REPAIR IN MAY 2018, SAID THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED A MANUFACTURE'S DEFECT FULL CATASTROPHIC FAILURE SIMILAR TO THE OPTIMAS AND SORENTOS EVEN THOUGH THE FORTE WAS NOT RECALLED. BECAUSE OF THE SEVERITY OF THE FAILURE MULTIPLE ENGINE COMPONENTS HAD TO BE REPLACED BESIDES THE BLOCK. TOTAL INVOICE: LABOR $2464 PARTS $7435.34 TAX $613.42. TOTAL COST $9762.76 NADA VALUE OF CAR $9600. KIA CONSUMER SERVICE RESPONSE: INITIAL OFFER $1500, FINAL OFFER $2461.70 (PRICE OF THE REMAN ENGINE). NOT TO MENTION LOSS OF USE FOR 5 MONTHS. KIA SERVICE MANAGER SAID THE ENGINE DID NOT SHOW ANY SIGN OF USER NEGLECT AND THAT THE FAILURE OF THE ENGINE WAS 100% MANUFACTURE DEFECT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA FORTE KOUP. WHILE DRIVING 73 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WAITED FOR THE VEHICLE TO COOL DOWN. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76,039.

ON 10/13/17, MY SON WAS DRIVING HOME ON THE FL TURNPIKE FROM COLLEGE WHEN HIS ENGINE SEIZED. LUCKY HE WAS NOT SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. HAD CAR TOWED TO THE NEAREST KIA ORLANDO W DEALER, FOUND OUT THE ENGINE ROD WAS BLOWN THROUGH TOP AND BOTTOM OF BLOCK. ENGINE WAS REPLACED WITH A SHORT BLOCK AND REUSED PARTS. DURING TEST DRIVE CAR STALLED DUE TO A TIMING CHAIN FAILING. REPLACED TIMING CHAIN, THEN THE IGNITION COIL WENT AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. NEXT, THE CAR BEGAN TO MISFIRE AND THEY REPLACE ALL 4 FUEL INJECTORS. THEN TOLD CYLINDER 2 FAILED THE COMPRESSION TEST WHICH MEANS THE NEW MOTOR FAILED. KIA SENT NEW HEADS TO A MACHINE SHOP AFTER SEVERAL WEEKS WE WERE TOLD THEY WERE BAD AND HAD TO ORDER NEW ONES. NOW WAITING ON NEW HEADS TO ARRIVE BE SENT BACK TO THE MACHINE SHOP THE REPLACED ON EXISTING BLOCK. STILL WITH OUT A CAR NEARLY 2 MONTHS LATER. I SEE KIA HAD SEVERAL RECALLS BUT NOT ON THE FORTE... THE KIA FORTE CONTAINS THETA II 2.4-LITER ENGINE. CURRENTLY, THE SAME ENGINE IN THE HYUNDAI SONOTA WHICH WAS MANUFACTURED BY THE SAME COMPANY WAS RECALLED IN THE 2013 - 2014 CARS. VERY FRUSTRATED WITH KIA'S PROCESS THE FACT THAT WHEN WE ASK FOR DOCUMENTATION THEY WILL NOT PROVIDE. SENT US A PRELIMINARY INVOICE WITH A MAJORITY OF THE INFORMATION MISSING. WE DO HAVE DOCUMENTATION OF PROOF. OUR SON HAS BEEN WITHOUT A CAR AT COLLEGE FOR 2 MONTHS.