What 875 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Kia Sorento

THERE WERE PREMATURE ENGINE BARRING WEAR WHICH CAUSED THE CAR TO SEIZE AND BLOW A ROD OUT THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR WHICH STARTED A SMALL FIRE. I WAS GETTING OFF THE HIGHWAY WHEN ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON WHEN I GOT TO ON RAMP IT SPUTTERED AND STALLED, OIL LIGHT CAME ON AND CAR STALLED THEN PEOPLE YELLED GET OUT CAUSE THERE WAS A FIRE UNDER THE FRONT OF MY CAR. POLICE INCIDENT REPORT NUMBER [XXX] TRP. HARRISON 616-403-0698 INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TT

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I WAS DRIVING MY 2012 KIA SORENTO ON THE HIGHWAY DRIVING TO WORK GOING ABOUT 60MPH AND I FEEL A "KLUNK". AS I TRIED TO ACCELERATE, MY RPMS WERE RAPIDLY DROPPING, THEN I FELT THE ENGINE CUT. I POPPED IT INTO N AND HAD TO MAKE MY WAY ACROSS THE 3 LANE HIGHWAY. COASTED TO A STOP ON SHOULDER AND OBSERVED SMOKE FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. UPON POPPING THE HOOD, THERE WAS A SMALL ENGINE FIRE WHICH I WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH. THERE WAS OIL ALL OVER THE PLACE. BEHIND THE ENGINE, ON THE SERPENTINE BELT, ON THE RADIATOR. IT WOULDNT CRANK SO I HAD IT TOWED. AUTO SHOP CALLED AND STATED "WE CHECKED THE OIL LEVELS AND IT WAS AT THE L LINE ON THE DIP STICK. TRIED TO CRANK IT TO NO AVAIL, THEN TRIED TO MANUALLY CRANK IT AS WELL. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, WE NOTICED A HOLE IN THE ENGINE BLOCK, WITH A PIECE OF THE ENGINE MISSING. YOU ARE DEFINITELY GOING TO REQUIRE A NEW ENGINE." SPECIFICS, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE ISSUE MAY BE.

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JULY 2016, WHILE HWY DRIVING MY 2012 KIA SORENTO (V6) (@69,000 MILEAGE) THE CAR ABRUPTLY STOPPED & SMOLDERED (POLICE CALLED FIRE DEPT). CAR WAS INOPERABLE, TOWED TO SHOP & THEN TO KIA DEALERSHIP WHO ADVISED THAT RADIATOR CAP MELTED & THEY FOUND "METAL IN COOLANT & THE ENGINE" (AS NOTED ON THE KIA DEALERHSHIP DOCUMENTATION). HE SAID HE NEVER SAW SUCH A THING. DEALER SAID ENGINE NEEDED REPLACEMENT BECAUSE OF THE METAL FOUND IN ENGINE & METAL LIKELY CAUSED OVERHEATING WHICH MELTED RAD CAP. KIA DEALER INSTALLED NEW RADIATOR & A USED ENGINE (W/43K MILEAGE), COSTING ME $14,000. THE CAR HAS CONTINUED TO MAKE A KNOCKING NOISE AND RECENTLY 7/2019, @122K MILES AGAIN SMOLDERED & LOST POWER. RADIATOR CAP AGAIN "MELTED" REQUIRING A 3RD RADIATOR REPLACEMENT. GAUGES/DASH SHOWED NO INDICATION OF CAR OVERHEATING. I FEAR PROBLEM IS RECURRING WITH 2ND ENGINE (SAME DEFECT). LEARNED OF 2012 SORENTO RECALLS FOR EXACT ISSUES (METAL IN ENGINE, OVERHEATING/FIRE, KNOCKING & POWER LOSS). KIA DEALER (8/2019) INFORMED ME ONLY 4 CYL UNITS WERE RECALLED FOR METAL IN ENGINE & MY 6 CYL UNIT WITH THE SAME ENGINE-METAL ISSUES WAS NOT COVERED BY KIA RECALL. I ASKED IF ANYTHING RELATED TO CAR USE OR MAINTENANCE WOULD HAVE CAUSED METAL TO CONTAMINATE AN ENGINE; DEALER SAID NO, PROBLEM IS UNRELATED TO CAR USE OR MAINTENANCE AND A MFG PROBLEM WAS THE ONLY WAY THE METAL WOULD SHOW UP IT. BUT BECAUSE THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE 6 CYL MODELS REPAIR COSTS WERE MINE. THEY REFUSED TO CONTACT KIA. MY VEHICLE HAS THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AS THE 4 CYL MODELS & IT'S A UNIQUE DEFECT KNOWN ON NUMEROUS KIA MODELS. KIA DEALER ACKNOWLEDGED MY IMPECCABLE PM & SERVICE REORD. THEY ADMIT THIS PROBLEM WOULD NOT BE DUE TO VEHICLE CARE OR USE, & KNOW THE PROBLEMS W/ MY 6 CYL ARE IDENTICAL TO 4CYLS. I BELIEVE KIA MAY BE UNDERREPORTING THE PROBLEM & FAILED DUE DILIGENCE TO IDENTIFY SAME DEFECTS IN 6 CYL MODELS.

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WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON A LOCAL ROAD AT 35 MPH THE ENGINE STARTED MAKING NOISES, SMOKING, CAUGHT ON FIRE AND SEIZED WITH ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING AND NO ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON BEFORE. MY 2012 KIA SORENTO WAS PART ON MANUFACTURING DEFECT RECALL RELATED TO THE ENGINE AND IT WAS CHECKED BY A KIA SERVICE SHOP FOR THIS OVER A YEAR AGO. AT THAT TIME I ASKED IF THE ENGINE MALFUNCTION COULD OCCUR AT A LATER DATE EVEN THOUGH IT WAS FINE NOW. THEY SERVICE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT IT COULD STILL OCCUR AT A LATER DATE BUT WAS NOT INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE COULD FAIL/LOCK-UP, CATCH ON FIRE WITH NO WARNING AT ALL.

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AS I WAS DRIVING, I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER MY HOOD AND WHEN I PULLED OVER TO CHECK, MY CAR BLEW UP IN FLAMES.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V907000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, ENGINE). WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, SMOKE APPEARED FROM THE CENTER CONSOLE. THE CONTACT DROVE TO HER JOB AND EXTINGUISHED THE SMOKE WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO KIA OF DULUTH (LOCATED AT 1701 W MICHIGAN ST, DULUTH, MN 55806, (866) 722-4542). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000. * (RECALL RELATED INCIDENT) TS

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KIA RECALL. ON MAY 22, 2014, MY 2012 KIA SORENTO CAUGHT FIRE AND WAS TOTALED. THERE WAS NO EXPLANATION AT THIS TIME, BUT NOW IT IS COMING TO SURFACE THAT THESE VEHICLES ARE SPONTANEOUSLY CATCHING FIRE.

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AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY THE ENGINE STALLED. AS I MADE MY WAY TO THE SHOULDER AND CAME TO A STOP I NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE HOOD. ONCE I CAME TO A STOP I GOT OUT OF THE CAR. AS SOON AS I CAME TO A STOP I GOT OUT. WHEN I CLOSED THE DRIVERS DOOR THE HOOD BURST INTO FLAMES. BY THE TIME THAT THE FIREFIGHTERS GOT THE THERE THE ENTIRE CAR WAS UP IN FLAMES.

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ENGINE SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT FIRE WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE.

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THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE, EVENTUALLY ENGULFING THE ENTIRE VEHICLE IN FLAMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT NORMAL HIGHWAY SPEEDS WHEN THIS OCCURRED.

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I WAS DRIVING THE TRUCK WHEN I HEARD A LOUD NOISE LIKE A FIRE GUN THAN I SAW SMOKE COMING OUT FROM THE ENGINE, I PULLED OVER AND SAW THAT THE ENGINE WAS ALREADY ON FIRE, I GOT MY TWO DAUGHTERS OUT OF THE TRUCK AND FIVE MINUTES LATER THE WHOLE TRUCK EXPLOTED

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VEHICLE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE WITH NO WARNING WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY TURNING ONTO AN INTERSECTION AT NIGHT , BURST INTO FLAMES, POWER STEERING, BRAKES AND ELECTRICAL WENT OUT AS WELL , VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES INSTANTLY AND WAS DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS.

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THIS KIA SORENTO CAUGHT FIRE WHILE BEING DRIVEN. THE DRIVER REPORTED THAT THE STEERING LOCKED UP AND SHE COULD SEE SMOKE AND A FLAME COMING FROM THE ENGINE. SHE LEFT THE VEHICLE UNHARMED HOWEVER THE EXPERIENCE WAS FRIGHTENING. THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES AND THE CAR IS NOW A TOTAL LOSS. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED FROM DALLAS AUTO AUCTION BY MAS MOTORS IN DALLAS TX. THE ORIGINAL OWNER WAS KIA OF ARLINGTON.

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THE CAR WAS IN MOTION (~30 MPH) WHEN THE ENGINE STALLED AND SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE DRIVERS SIDE HOOD. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK, EXITED VEHICLE AND IT ERUPTED INTO FLAMES. THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY BURNED WITHIN MINUTES. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED BY KIA UNDER WARRANTY JANUARY 2018; LESS THAN 2 WEEKS LATER THE STARTER WAS REPLACED BECAUSE THE CAR FAILED TO START WHEN PARKED AND OFF. THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS REPLACED MARCH 2018 BECAUSE THE CAR WAS LOSING POWER AND A STRONG GAS ODOR WAS DETECTED. THE CAR FIRE OCCURRED 2 DAYS AFTER IT WAS PICKED UP FROM THIS REPAIR.

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ON 8/18/18 THE ENGINE OF MY KIA SORENTO BURST INTO FLAMES WHILE I WAS DRIVING WITH MY TWO YOUNG CHILDREN AND OUR DOG. I HAD MY SIX YEAR OLD AND ONE YEAR OLD DAUGHTERS AND MY 9 YEAR OLD PUG IN THE VEHICLE WITH ME. THE ENTIRE ENGINE SUDDENLY BURST INTO FLAMES WITH THEM SHOOTING OUT UNDER THE HOOD AT ALL SIDES. I YELLED FOR MY 6 YEAR OLD TO GET OUT BUT SHE FROZE AND WAS SCREAMING AND CRYING, SAYING "I CAN'T, I CAN'T GET OUT". I FIRST GOT MY ONE YEAR OLD OUT OF HER CAR SEAT AND RAN AROUND AND PULLED MY 6 YEAR OLD OUT. I GOT THEM AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE AND THEN WENT BACK AND GOT MY DOG OUT OF THE FRONT SEAT. THE FIRE SPREAD WITH SUCH SPEED AND THE THICK BLACK SMOKE WAS SO STRONG. THANK GOD THAT I WAS ABLE TO GET MY FAMILY OUT AS THE FIRE QUICKLY SPREAD. WITHIN MINUTES THE ENTIRE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY ENGULFED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND QUICKLY PUT OUT THE FIRE BUT MY VEHICLE IS A TOTAL LOSS, MELTING THE ENTIRE INTERIOR OF THE CAR THAT WE WERE SITTING IN JUST MINUTES PRIOR. NOTHING IN THE VEHICLE WAS SALVAGEABLE. THE CAR BURST INTO FLAMES WHILE I WAS DRIVING IN THE PARKING LOT OF CHUCK OLSON KIA IN SHORELINE, WA. I HAD JUST PULLED INTO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE I SMELLED GAS AND WANTED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO LOOK AT IT. THEY HAD REPLACED MY ENGINE ABOUT SIX WEEKS PRIOR UNDER THE RECALL BECAUSE MY ENGINE SEIZED WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. I DO NOT KNOW WHETHER IT WAS THE INSTILLATION OF THE ENGINE OR IF THE RECALL DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM OF KIA ENGINES BURSTING INTO FLAMES. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ON, MY CAR HAD A FULL GAS TANK AND DID NOT NEED AN OIL CHANGE. I SMELLED GAS AS I DROVE MY DAUGHTER'S FRIEND HOME AND CALLED MY HUSBAND WHO SAID TO TAKE IT IN. I WAS LESS THAN TWO MILES FROM THE DEALERSHIP AND CALLED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AS I WAS DRIVING THERE. AS I PULLED UP I SAW THE SERVICE DEPT WAS CLOSED AND I BEGAN TO TURN AROUND WHEN THE FIRE STARTED.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND BLACK SMOKE APPEARED. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS MADE AWARE THAT THE VEHICLE WAS BEING ENGULFED IN FLAMES BY ANOTHER DRIVER. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SALVAGE YARD WHERE IT WAS DEEMED DESTROYED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,000.

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WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 50 ABOUT 20 MILES FROM SOUTH LAKE TAHOE MY CAR JUST STALLED OUT WHILE TRAVELING AT THE SPEED OF ABOUT 55 MPH. STEAM/SMOKE FROM COMING FROM THE FRONT END. AS I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD OTHER MOTORIST TRAVELING WEST BOUND STARTED HONKING AND POINTING TO THE VEHICLE. AFTER STOPPING IS WHEN WE REALIZED THE ENGINE AREA WAS ON FIRE. AFTER OPENING THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR THE FLAMES SHOT OUT FROM UNDER THAT CAR CAUSING 3RD DEGREE BURNS TO THE BACK CALF ON MY LEFT LEG. THE CAR WAS IN TOTALLY IN FLAMES WITHIN 5 TO 10 MINS.

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I HAVE ONLY RECENTLY SEEN ARTICLES REGARDING THE HYUNDAI/KIA ENGINES CATCHING FIRE. I HAD A 2012 KIA SORENTO THAT THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE IN 2014 HENCE TOTALLING THE VEHICLE. I HAVE TRIED FOR YEARS TO DISCUSS THIS WITH PEOPLE BUT SINCE IT WASNT AN ACTIVE RECALL NO ONE WOULD PURSUE THE CASE. ON MAY 22, 2014, MY DETAILER WENT TO TURN THE CAR ON AND TO MOVE IT AND THE WHOLE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE. OBVIOUSLY I DO NOT STILL OWN THIS VEHICLE BUT I WOULD LIKE SOME ANSWERS.

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I WAS DRIVING A 2012 KIA SORENTO WITH THREE OTHER PASSENGERS AND OUR FAMILY DOG. I SEE SMOKE COMING FROM BACK OF MY CAR THOUGHT IT WAS THE CAR PASSING ME SINCE MY CAR WAS IN MINT CONDITION WITH A NEW ENGINE AND NEW TRANSMISSION. I LOOK AGAIN THERE IS NO CAR GOING THE OPPOSITE WAY AND NOW I SEE A LOT MORE SMOKE. CARS COMING THE OPPOSITE WAY ARE FLASHING ME AND WAVING SO I FIGURED I'M PROBABLY OVER HEATING. I STEER TO THE RIGHT ON A STEEP HILL THE BRAKES AND EMERGENCY BRAKE DOESN'T WORK I QUICKLY THROW IT INTO PARK THE GEARS ARE GONE SO NO PARK. AT THAT POINT WE SEE FLAMES SHOOTING AT US. MY DAUGHTER AND I OPEN OUR DOORS THE CAR IS SLOWLY ROLLING DOWN THE HILL, THE DOOR HITS HER SHE GOES FLYING THE CAR ALMOST RUNS HER OVER. I TAKE THE CAR AND I'M HOLDING THE 4,000 POUND CAR BACK FROM ROLLING DOWN THE HILL SO THE KIDS AND DOG IN THE BACK SEAT CAN GET OUT. THEY FINALLY FIGURE OUT HOW TO MANUALLY UNLOCK THE DOORS, GRABBED THE DOG BY THE COLLAR. I LET GO OF THE CAR IT WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES ROLLED DOWN THE HILL AND STARTED TO EXPLODE. WHAT A HORRIFYINGLY EXPERIENCE.

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JUNE 23 DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY POPPING NOISECOMING FROM WHAT SOUNDED LIKE UNDER THE CAR RED ENGINE SYMBOL COMES ON IN THE LOWER LEFT HAND CORNER OF DASH IMMEDIATELY BEGIN GETTING OVER SECOND POPPING OCCURS WITHIN 10-15 SECONDS RED OIL LAMP LIGHT COMES ON RIGHT HAND SIDE OF DASHBOARD SMOKING FROM VEHICLE HAPPENS IMMEDIATELY GET TO SIDE OF FREEWAY ATTEMPT TO TURN OFF CAR RESTARTS ATTEMPT AGAIN TURNS OFF IMMEDIATELY GET OUT OF CAR AND RUN TOWARDS GOOD SAMARITAN WHO WITNESSES ENTIRE THING STOPS AND STAYS WITH ME ENTIRE TIME 911 CALLED ANOTHER VEHICLE PULLS OVER AS FRONT OF VEHICLE IS FULLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES AND ATTEMPTS TO EXTINGUISH FIRE BUT TO NO AVAIL FIRE TRUCKS AND FREEWAY ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE COME WITHIN 10 MINUTES OF INCIDENT EXTINGUISH FRONT OF MY VEHICLE VEHICLE TOWED IN MOTION AT BEGINNING ON FREEWAY PULLED OVER AND GOT OUT ON SIDE OF FREEWAY NHTSA RECALL NUMBER17V224 MAY AND OCTOBER 2017 JUST HAD 105,000 MILE MAINTENANCE DONE AT RALLY KIA ON JUNE 11 COULD NOT UPLOAD PICTURES SAID FILE MUST BE ONE OF THE TYPES SPECIFIED ABOVE. AM I ABLE TO SEND THEM VIA ANOTHER WAY?

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MY SON WAS DRIVING OUR 2012 KIA SORENTO AND AS HE EXITED THE FREEWAY TO THE SERVICE ROAD AND APPROACHED THE INTERSECTION WHICH WAS ON AN UPHILL GRADE, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STALLED. HE LOST BRAKING AND STEERING CONTROL ON THE CAR. THE CAR ROLLED BACKWARDS INTO THE CAR BEHIND HIM AND COLLIDED WITH THE CAR RESULTING IN $1,820 DAMAGE TO THE OTHER CAR. THE ENGINE HAD SEIZED AND THREW A ROD INTO THE VEHICLE STARTER.

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EXISTED THE FREEWAY, STOPPED AT 2 STOP LIGHTS WITH OTHER CARS WITH NO INDICATION OF TROUBLE. STARTED FORWARD FROM LIGHT 100+ YARDS AND MAYBE 20 MPH WHEN FIRE ERUPTED FROM UNDER THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WITH LARGE FLAMES. I PULLED TO SIDE OF THE ROAD AND FIRE BURNED FROM MOTOR COMPARTMENT INTO DASH AND CEILING OF PASSENGER AREA. VEHICLE IS TOTALED! THE ENGINE HAD BEEN REPLACED BY KIA ON A RECALL JUST 5 MONTHS AGO. ONLY ABOUT 9000 MILES ON THE NEW ENGINE!

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE ENGINE FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD BANG AND OBSERVED A HUGE CLOUD OF BLACK SMOKE EMERGING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CHECK ENGINE AND OTHER INSTRUMENT PANEL WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD WHERE IT CAUGHT FIRE FROM UNDERNEATH NEAR THE TRANSMISSION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. KIA OF LANCASTER (1608, 5250 MAIN ST, EAST PETERSBURG, PA 17520) WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FIRE AND STATED THAT THE EXHAUST HANGER HAD MELTED. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT ROD #4 BLEW INTO THE TRANSMISSION, WHICH CAUSED THE ENGINE TO FAIL. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

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ON 08/10/12017 WHILE DRIVING MY 2012 KIA SORENTO ON I-40. I HEARD A "RATTLING NOISE" FROM THE ENGINE. AS I SLOWED DOWN THE SOUND GOT LOUDER. I TURNED ON A SIDE STREET INTO A SAFE AREA AND PARKED MY VEHICLE. THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER MY HOOD. I OPENED THE HOOD AND SAW 2 SMALL PATCHES OF FIRE. I WAS ABLE TO PUT THEM OUT, THEN RAN TO A BEST WESTERN HOTEL AND ASKED FOR A FIRE EXTINGUISHER IN CASE A FIRE WOULD ERUPT AGAIN. I RESEARCHED AND DISCOVERED THAT ON 03/17/2017 KIA ANNOUNCED A RECALL FOR 2012 SORENTOS. KIA'S RECALL: SC147: " BEARING WEAR MAY RESULT IN ENGINE SEIZURE" THIS IS ON KIA'S, NHTSA'S , PBS AND FORBES WEBSITES. [ NHTSA CAMPAIGN # 17V224000 "MACHINING ERRORS DURING THE ENGINE MANUFACTURING PROCESS MAY CAUSE PREMATURE BEARING WEAR WITHIN THE ENGINE"] I CONTACTED KIA'S CONSUMER AFFAIRS # AND THE PERSON TOLD THAT MY 2012 KIA SORENTO WAS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE RECALL. HE SAID MY VIN # WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. I HAD JUST RETURNED WITH MY FAMILY 1 DAY PRIOR FROM A TRIP TO MOBILE, AL. (1500 MILES ROUND TRIP). ON 08/12/17 I HAD MY VEHICLE TOWED TO BATTLEGROUND KIA WHERE THE ADVISOR & TECHNICIAN SHOWED ME THE PROBLEM A "THROWN ROD".THIS HOLE IS 3" TO 4" DIAMETER. (PICTURES ATTACHED). I ASKED WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THE ROD TO BE THROWN? I HAD MY OIL CHANGED ON SCHEDULE THE LATEST WAS 07/26/2017. THIS VEHICLE HAS 123,937 MILES ON IT. HE REPLIED HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT CAUSED IT. ON 08/15/2017 I WAS INFORMED THAT TO REPLACE THE ENGINE WITH A USED ONE WITH 99,000 MILES WAS $6400 PLUS LABOR. [THAT IS ABOUT 24,000 MILES LESS THAN MINE CURRENT MILEAGE WITH THE SAME POTENTIAL PROBLEM LINGERING TO HAPPEN AGAIN] IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE PROBLEMS WITH THE RECALL ENGINES ARE IDENTICAL WITH MINE. I WOULD LIKE KIA MANUFACTURING TO REPLACE MY DEFECTIVE ENGINE WITH A NEW ENGINE AND RENTAL VEHICLE AT NO COST TO ME. I'LL LIKE TO PARTNER WITH THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP TO RECTIFY THIS. UPDATED 08/31/2017*JS

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WE HAVE A KIA SORENTO 2012. PASSENGERS SMELLED GAS 4.5 HOURS INTO A 5 HOUR TRIP TO PHILADELPHIA. STOPPED AT REST STOP AND DID NOT THINK IT WAS COMING FROM CAR. WE DROVE APPROXIMATELY ANOTHER 30 MINS INTO PHILADELPHIA AND GOT OFF THE HIGHWAYS ONTO LOCAL STREETS. JOGGER ON SIDE OF ROAD FLAGGED US DOWN WITH "YOUR CAR IS ON FIRE!" WE PULLED TO SIDE OF ROAD AND GOT OUT OF THE CAR. THE KIA SORENTO'S ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. A LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND PUT OUT THE ENGINE FIRE WITH WATER. NO INJURIES.

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