What 439 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Kia Forte Koup

MY VEHICLES STEERING COUPLING PINGS AND SOUNDS LIKE IT'S COME LOOSE OR BROKEN. SAME ISSUE HAPPENED TO ANOTHER KIA IN THE FAMILY A 2012 KIA SOUL MY BROTHER IN LAW OWNS. THAT KIA HAD A RECALL FOR THE STEERING COUPLING, THE 2014 KIA FORTE DOES'NT HAVE THIS FOR A RECALL YET BY KIA. I CONTACTED KIA COMPLAINT #13202206 FOR RESOLUTION BUT NO RESOLUTION REC'D TO DATE 12/13/2019.

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RECALL NUMBER 17V773 HAS BEEN PERFORMED ON MY VEHICLE BUT THE PROBLEMS STILL PERSIST.

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THE DRIVER SIDE TAILLIGHTS KEEP BLOWING OUT. REPLACED THE DRIVER SIDE 3 TIMES IN LESS THAN A YEAR. THEY HAVE BULB GREASE AND ARE NOT MELTED. THEN THE SAME SIDE BRAKE LIGHTS GO OUT. THE DRIVER SIDE LED HEADLIGHT DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHT IS ALSO OUT. FUSES HAVE BEEN CHECKED.

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ENGINE FAILED WITHOUT ANY WARNING LIGHTS AND HAD A STRONG BURNING ODOR,AFTER RESEARCHING GDI ENGINE IN THIS MODEL AND OTHER KIA MODELS THE PROBLEMS WERE SIMULAR EXCEPT FOR RECALL ON THE FORTE MODEL

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WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, ENGINE DIED AND THEN RESTARTED. THE CAR ENGINE STARTED TO MAKE A LOUD NOISE AND IT WOULD NO LONGER SHIFT, SO MANUALLY SHIFTED AND THE ENGINE TEMP GAUGE BEGAN TO RISE SO, PULLED OVER AND SHUT THE ENGINE OFF AND CALLED AAA TO TOW THE CAR TO A DEALER. KIA DEALER ADVISED THAT CYLINDER 3 ROD BEARING FAILURE OCCURRED WHICH SUCKED ALL THE OIL INTO THE ENGINE (THEY SAID THAT IS HOW THEY IMMEDIATELY KNEW WHAT THE ISSUE WAS). WE JUST BOUGHT THIS CAR 6 WEEKS EARLIER, BUT I COULD NOT AFFORD THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. WEI HAD A TUNE UP AND OIL CHANGE 2 WEEKS EARLIER AND WE FAITHFULLY CHECK THE OIL TO ENSURE IT IS AS EXPECTED. THE DEALER ADVISED THERE WAS NO WAY WE COULD HAVE AVOIDED THE ENGINE FAILURE, AND WE NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. THE COSTS WAS $5,111.96 TO REPLACE. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO GET RID OF THE VEHICLE AND I WAS FORCED TO REPLACE THE ENGINE. NOW WE HAVING OVER $12,000 BETWEEN BUYING IT AND FIXING IT. FAILURE ON A FREEWAY IS UNACCEPTABLE, ESPECIALLY DURING RUSH HOUR. KIA NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THESE ENGINES AS THIS SHOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED. MAYBE IF ENOUGH PEOPLE REPORT THESE ISSUES, THEY WILL BE FORCED TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND REIMBURSE PEOPLE LIKE US THAT CANNOT AFFORD THESE KIND OF PROBLEMS.

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WHILE DRIVING MY CAR ON THE HIGHWAY AT 60 MILES PER HOUR, MY CAR SHUT OFF AND ALL THE LIGHT ON THE DASH BOARD WENT OUT AND THE CAR WOULD NOT START. I TRY TO RESTART MY CAR AND IT WOULD NOT START AGAIN. AS I GOT IT OFF THE ROAD, I TRY TO RESTART THE CAR WITH NO LUCK AND WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT THAT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING THE CAR. THE SMOKE SMELLED LIKE ELECTRICAL IN NATURE.

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AFTER REPAIRING MY CAR THE FIRST TIME 3 MONTHS AGO FOR SOME MAJOR CATALYTIC CONVERTER ISSUES CAUSING THE CAR NOT TO RUN, MY CAR HAS NOW COMPLETELY SEIZED UP. SINCE MY CAR HAS HIT 120K MILES IT HAS BEEN CONSUMING AN ALARMING AMOUNT OF OIL. THERE WERE NO LEAKS THAT COULD BE IDENTIFIED AND NO MAJOR ISSUES AT THE TIME EXPLAINING THE OIL CONSUMPTION ISSUE. I HAVE HAD TO CONTINUOUSLY PUT QUARTS AND QUARTS OF OIL IN THIS VEHICLE AND HAD REPAIRED THE CAT CONVERTER ISSUE ALONG WITH REPLACING THE SPARK PLUGS AND THE WIRING AND THE NORMAL TUNEUPS. AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD YESTERDAY I NOTICED THAT MY CAR WAS NOT ACCELERATING AS IT NORMALLY DOES SO I PULLED OVER AND TO MY SURPRISE THE OIL I HAD JUST PUT IN IT WAS COMPLETELY GONE, NO LEAKS, NO LIGHTS, NO WARNINGS, NO INDICATION AS TO WHAT WAS GOING ON. I THEN PUT 2 QUARTS OF OIL IN THE CAR AND DROVE HOME AND REALIZED THE CAR WAS RATTLING A LITTLE BIT, I LET IT SIT IN PARK WHILE ON AND THEN HEADED OUT DOWN THE ROAD WHERE THE CAR MADE A LOUD HISS NOISE AND JERKED ACROSS THE ROAD. MY ENGINE HAD SEIZED UP WITH NO EXPLANATION AND ALMOST CAUSED ME TO WRECK. I NOW HAVE A VEHICLE WITH A SEIZED ENGINE AND STILL OWE 7K ON IT. I REALLY HOPE THAT THESE YEAR/MAKE/MODEL IS LOOKED INTO BECAUSE THIS COULD HAVE BEEN POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS AND IT IS NOT FAIR TO THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SPENT THEIR HARD EARNED MONEY ON A BRAND NEW CAR.

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CAR HAD BEGAN BURNING THROUGH OIL RAPIDLY BUT UPON INSPECTION AT OIL CHANGES, NO LEAK OR CAUSE COULD BE DETECTED. THE OIL LIGHT INDICATOR NEVER CAME ON EITHER. THE CAR WOULD BEGIN TICKING WHILE DRIVING, AND NOTICEABLY DROVE DIFFERENTLY BUT PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT EVER CAME ON. ON A CLEAR DAY WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 45 MPH ON HIGHWAY, VEHICLE GAVE A LOUD AND FORCEFUL JERK AND POPPING SOUND, AND PROMPTLY LOST POWER AND SPEED, AND THE BRAKES QUIT WORKING. I WAS FORTUNATE TO PULL OFF AND USE EBRAKE TO STOP CAR ONCE COASTED TO A SAFER SPOT. I COULD HAVE BEEN REAR ENDED. THE CAR HAD ONCE AGAIN BURNED THROUGH ALL OIL WITH NO INDICATION FROM THE PANEL, AND I WAS TOLD THE ENGINE HAD BLOWN. APPARENTLY THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES, THIS MAKE AND MODEL, WITH NO RECALL BEING DONE; HOWEVER, THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT BECAUSE OF SAME ISSUE WITH THIS ENGINE IN OTHER KIA MODELS.

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DROVE OVER TRAIN TRACKS AT 15 MPH AND FELT IT BREAK. AT STOP, STEERING WHEEL HAS PLAY WHEN TURNED LIGHTLY. KNOCKS LOUDLY WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS AND TURNING. PART CAN CAUSE STEERING TO LOCK UP AT ANY MOMENT WHILE TURNING AND VERY UNSAFE. $13 PART, $200 LABOR

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HEADLIGHTS AND INTERIOR LIGHTS FLICKERING/GOING OUT WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION OR STATIONARY ON CITY STREETS AND HIGHWAYS. SOMETIMES THEY DON'T COME BACK ON UNLESS I TINKER WITH THE HEADLIGHT CONTROL SWITCH. IT IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN SEEING AS HOW I DRIVE DAILY IN THE DARK TO WORK

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WE BUY THIS CAR IN 2 MONTHS AGO AND NOW THE ENGINE IS IN BAD CONDITION

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TWICE WHILE DRIVING IN THE COUNTRY AT NIGHT ON A 2-LANE FM ROAD, THE HEADLIGHTS WENT COMPLETELY OUT WHEN CHANGING FROM LOW BEAM TO HIGH BEAM, AND ONCE,THEY WENT COMPLETELY OUT WHEN USING THE TURN SIGNAL. THEY CAME BACK ON IN A FEW SECONDS EACH TIME BUT THOSE FEW SECONDS WERE VERY DANGEROUS. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA FORTE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND SMOKE APPEARED UNDER THE HOOD. IN ADDITION, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE SMOKE ENTERED THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND TAKEN TO WAGNER KIA OF SHREWSBURY (730 BOSTON TURNPIKE, SHREWSBURY, MA 01545, (508) 581-5700) WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED UNLESS IT OCCURRED WHILE IT WAS BEING TEST DRIVEN. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE FAILURE SIX TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE AN UNKNOWN PART WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

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I HAVE A KIA FORTE EX GDI PURCHASED USED FROM CAR MAX OF WHITEMARSH, MARYLAND. WHEN I STARTED THE VEHICLE, ON SEPTEMBER 22, 2019, THERE WAS A VERY LOUD TICKING NOISE. I ALLOWED THE CAR TO WARM UP. AS I DROVE AND REACHED 30MPH, ON CITY STREET, THE NOISE GREW LOUDER. WHEN I CHECKED THE OIL STICK IT WAS DRY. I GET REGULAR OIL CHANGES AND AM NOT DUE FOR ANOTHER ONE UNTIL MY CAR REACHED 84,319 MILES. MY CAR HAS EXACTLY 81,6000 MILES ON IT TODAY (SEPTEMBER 30, 2019 OR 2/13/2020 WHICH EVER COMES FIRST). MY CHECK OIL LIGHT OR ENGINE LIGHT NEVER CAME ON TO INDICATE MY OIL WAS EXTREMELY LOW. I PURCHASED OIL AND FILLED UP MY CAR. THE NOISE IS SOFTER NOW BUT IS STILL THERE. I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR AN ISSUE DEALING WITH SOMETHING THAT MAY KEEP THE CAR FROM PASSING EMISSION TEST. I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT AT BOB BELL KIA (WHO ALWAYS SERVICES MY VEHICLE) IN ESSEX MARYLAND ON OCTOBER 17TH, 2019, TO CORRECT THAT ISSUE. I NOTIFIED THEM OF THE NOICE AND LACK OF OIL WITH NO INDICATION OF SUCH FROM THE CARS DASHBOARD. THEY WILL CHECK IT OUT ON THE 17TH WHEN I BRING THE CAR IN FOR THE RECALL ISSUE. AFTER READING SOME COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME VEHICLE I HAVE, I WILL NOT BE SURPRISED IF THEY TELL ME I NEED A NEW ENGINE. I STILL OWE $11,107.64 ON THE CAR AND WILL NOT BE DRIVING MY VEHICLE ANYMORE UNTIL THE MECHANIC CAN PINPOINT THE PROBLEM. WITH ALL THE COMPLAINTS OF FAULTY ENGINES AND FIRE HAZARDS WHY IS THE 2014 KIA FORTE EX GDI NOT INCLUDED IN AN ENGINE RECALL OR THE CLASS ACTION SUIT THAT IS ALREADY AGAINST KIA FOR THE SAME EXACT ISSUES IN THEIR SORENTO AND OTHER MODELS? WHO CAN I TURN TO FOR HELP WITH THIS ISSUE SINCE I HAVE A VEHICLE I CAN NOT SAFELY DRIVE BUT STILL MUST PAY ON?

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MY 2014 KIA FORTE SUDDENLY STARTED MAKING A KNOCKING SOUND AND SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE. AFTER TOWING VEHICLE TO THE SHOP I WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME HE DOES NOT UNDERSTAND WHY AS THERE WAS NOT ANYTHING THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THIS. ARE FLUIDS WERE GOOD AND CLEAN. UPON REVIEWING KIA HAD PROBLEMS WITH THIS ENGINE IN OTHER VEHICLES WHICH LED TO RECALLS.

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KNOCKING SOUND AND ENGINE BLEW WITH UNDER 58,000 MILES. BOUGHT MY CAR BRAND NEW JUST OVER 5 YEARS AGO.

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THIS CAR HAS SEVERAL ISSUES WHICH I HAVE FOUND OTHER 2014 OWNERS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE AS I DO. THE HEADLIGHTS AND TAILLIGHTS TAKE TURNS GOING OUT. I AM TO THE POINT ABOUT EVERY 5 WEEKS I AM REPLACING A BURNED OUT LIGHT. ONE HEADLIGHT WILL GO OUT THEN I FIX THAT. A FEW WEEKS LATER I WILL GET PULLED OVER FOR A TAILLIGHT.BEING OUT. ONE OFFICER TOLD ME HE WAS GIVING ME A WARNING BECAUSE HIS WIFE HAS THE SAME ISSUES WITH HER LIGHTS GOING OUT. I WILL REPLACE THE TAILLIGHT THEN A FEW WEEKS LATER THE OTHER HEADLIGHT WILL GO OUT THEN THE OTHER TAILLIGHT WILL GO OUT. I FIND MYSELF ALWAYS REPLACING A LIGHT. I'VE PULLED UP TO MANY FORTE OWNERS TO LET THEM KNOW A TAILLIGHT WAS OUT AND THEY ALL SAY "AGAIN" THE LIGHTS ARE A MAJOR PROBLEM. ALSO MY DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WON'T GO ALL THE WAY UP. I HAVE HAD THE PROBLEM FIXED THEN ABOUT 6 MONTHS LATER THE SAME PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN WHERE THE WINDOW WILL GO ALMOST ALL THE WAY UP BUT IT STILL LEAVES A LITTLE GAP IN THE WINDOW FOR AIR TO COME INSIDE WHICH WILL CAUSE YOUR CAR TO ROCK BACK AND FOURTH FROM THE AIR FLOW IN AND OUT. ITS DANGEROUS AS IT HAS EVEN PUSHED ME INTO THE OTHER LANE FROM THE AIR PRESSURE COMING THROUGH THE OPENING IN THE WINDOW.

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BOUGHT VEHICLENUSED FROM PRIVATE PARTY. RAN GOOD LOOKS GREAT DROVE 500 MILES ENGINE STARTED MAKING A KNOCKING SOUND AND SHUT OFF SMOKE FROM UNDER HOOD. OPENS HOOD AND SAW/SMELLED BURNING UNDER ENGINE COVER, PULLED COVER AND SAW MELTED WIRES AND MELTED PLASTIC. ENGINE WAS LOCKED UP. TOWED TO LOCAL GARAGE AND WAS DETERMINED ENGINE OUT A ROD THROUGH THE BLOCK AND SOMETHING WAS DEFINITELY BURNING KN TOP AT 1 POI T. EMAILED KIA GOT A CASE # BUT HAVE BEEN PLACED ON HOLD FOR OVER 30 MIN PROB LONGER COULDNT WAIT AT LEAST 3 DIFFERENT TIMES. DEALER WAS NO HELP AND SAID I NEEDED TO CONTACT KIA CORPORATE. SUCH A SHAME! 89,565 MILES AND I HAVE A BROKEN VEHICLE.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA FORTE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED SECOND HAND. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SHOOK. THE CONTACT HAD THE OIL REPLACED WITH SYNTHETIC OIL UPON THE ADVICE OF AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE CONTACT HAD TO CONSTANTLY ADD OIL TO THE VEHICLE. THE LAST OIL CHANGE WAS PERFORMED ON AUGUST 16, 2019; HOWEVER, HALF OF THE OIL HAD DEPLETED BY AUGUST 28, 2019. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCING ISSUES ACCELERATING, A BURNING ODOR WAS PRESENT, AND SMOKE WAS OBSERVED. OAKLAND KIA (2424 WEBSTER ST, OAKLAND, CA 94612, (510) 267-0688) WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL OR WARRANTY TO COVER THE REPAIRS. THE DEALER SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT FOR SEPTEMBER 12, 2019. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL AND ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE BE TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000. *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER ADVISED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILED. IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL.

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WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, MY HEADLIGHTS WOULD GO COMPLETELY OUT. ONCE I SWITCH THEM ON AGAIN, THEY WOULD GO OUT ONCE AGAIN. THIS WOULD TAKE PLACE EVERY COUPLE OF MINUTES AND IS VERY DANGEROUS. I TOOK MY CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY KNEW EXACTLY THE ISSUE BECAUSE THEY REPAIRED QUITE A FEW CARS WITH THE SAME ISSUE. THE TOTAL COST TO REPAIR THIS ISSUE WAS $238. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE PLACED ON THE RECALL LIST.

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WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET, HEARD A RASPING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL AND THEN NOTICED THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON.

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THE AIRBAG LIGHT TURNS ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY, USUALLY TURNING ON AFTER STARTING THE CAR AND REACHING SPEEDS ABOVE 15MPH. IF I STAY AROUND 20MPH OR BELOW, IT WILL TURN OFF, BUT IF I INCREASE SPEED IT WILL TURN BACK ON. IF I STOP, TURN, OR SLOW DOWN, THE LIGHT MAY TURN ON OR OFF; IT IS RANDOM. THE CAR WAS NOT INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHEN THE ISSUE WITH STARTED. IT APPEARS THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL FOR SIMILAR ISSUES FOR THE 2010-2013 KIA FORTE. THE 2014 SHOULD BE INCLUDED AS WELL.

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2014 KIA FORTE: VEHICLE WILL BE STATIONARY, IN MOTION, OR TURNING AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT WILL TURN ON AND OFF RANDOMLY, IT HAS BEEN STAYING ON IN THE PAST FEW DAYS. DEALERSHIP STATED "AIRBAG NEEDS REPLACING, BECAUSE IN AN ACCIDENT AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY" THIS CAR IS ONLY 5 YEARS OLD WITH ONE OWNER LESS THAN 75,000 MILES ON IT. SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT WITH HOW THE AIRBAG WAS INSTALLED BY KIA MANUFACTURES.

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ON 08-05-2019 I WAS TRAVELING ONTO THE INTERSTATE, UPON ACCELERATION MY AUTOMOBILE BEGIN TO POWER DOWN, IN FRONT OF A TRACTOR TRAILER. I ATTEMPTED TO MOVE OVER TO THE RIGHT SHOULDER BUT THE CAR WOULDN'T ACCELERATE TO DO SO IN A SAFE MANNER. AFTER ABOUT ONE MINUTE OF CONTINUOUSLY ACCELERATION, THE CAR BEGIN TO MOVE. I HAVE BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF KIA IN THE PAST, THE CAR HAS BEEN TAKEN TO SEVERAL KIA DEALERSHIP WITH NO RESOLUTION. THIS REMAINS TO BE AN EXTREME SAFETY CONCERN, THAT COULD BECOME DEADLY. ON 08-03-2019, IN AN UNRELATED INCIDENT I WITNESSED A KIA SOUL BURN TO THE GROUND AFTER CATCHING FIRE; SIMPLY PUT THESE VEHICLES APPEAR TO BE VERY UNSAFE FOR OPERATION.

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CAR CONSUMING OIL WITHIN SHORT TIMEFRAME. NO LEAKS AND HAVE TO ADD A QUART EVERY FEW DAYS. CAR IS NOW COMPLETELY UNDRIVEABLE, CAR STOPPED ACCELERATING ABOUT 2 MONTHS AGO AND NO CODES ARE FLASHING AND NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. CAR HESITATES TO ACCELERATE AND IS VERY NOISY. REPLACED SPARK PLUGS AND COIL PACK AND PROBLEM PERSISTS, THIS CAR IS NOW UNSAFE TO DRIVE BECAUSE IT WILL NOT ACCELERATE AND CONSUMES UNHEALTHY AMOUNTS OF OIL.

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