Kia changed the shape of the plunger on June 14th, 2017 but will need to fix all the vehicles that were manufactured before that date.
And while it's only happened in "limited cases", there's a whole busted connecting rod blasting a hole through the engine block, allowing oil to leak into the exhaust system where it'll catch on fire and burn the car to the ground situation to worry about.
The following vehicles will need to be repaired if they’ve received an engine replacement as part of this 2017 recall:
Kia under investigation for their previous handling of engine-related recalls and there is concern that this campaign is too limited in scope. However, with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) affected by the US government shutdown, we have to trust that the automaker has cast a wide enough net.
Hyundai has issued a recall for 100,000 vehicles with the same problem.
]]>That “special” investigation lasted until 2015 where it was determined the settlement should be reduced to $46,000 for just 150 eligible owners ($300/owner).
At the same time, the lawyer’s reward was reduced and, well, they didn’t like that. The decision was appealed to the judges of the Appellate Division of the Superior Court of New Jersey.
And in a twist, that panel of judges ruled to reinstate the original $6 million award to the plaintiffs due to recent case law unavailable to the trial judge.
But guess what? Kia has appealed the appeal which means the case rolls on long after most of these cars were sent to the great scrapyard in the sky.
]]>CAS says Kia and Hyundai have done nothing but provide empty statements about working directly with vehicle owners who report fires. In addition, both automakers seem to be waiting for NHTSA to conclude its investigation to determine if additional actions should be taken.
About half of these vehicles have already been recalled for multiple problems with the troublesome Theta II engine, but CAS says more needs to be done. Not only did the previous recalls exclude at-risk vehicles, but “repaired” cars are still catching on fire anyway.
A new recall may be even more important considering CAS knows of at least 12 fires that occurred in vehicles that had already been recalled due to engine-related problems.
This post originally appeared on HyundaiProblems.com.
]]>Want to know if your vehicle is involved? Grab your VIN, give Kia a call at 800-333-4542, and ask about recall number SC167.
]]>The power relay assembly tested by Kia is located underneath the rear seat, but a bad connection between the main relay contacts can cause increased electrical resistance that generates heat.
Don’t let anyone tell you that the Niro comes with seat heaters in the back row.
]]>The legal wrangling, however, wasn't over. While the judge accepted the ruling, he decertified the case and forced owners to submit claims in order to be eligible for an award. A "special master" was assigned to handle those claims and determine the award amount.
A new special master was appointed and in 2015 determined only 150 Sephia owners who filed claims had proven their damages and those owners would receive about $46,000, for all of them. But Regina Little, the original plaintiff, would get nothing because the special master concluded she didn't qualify.
It took 7 years for the "special master" to accept 150 claims. The award was brought down to $46,000 (Roughly $300/person).
If it's any consolation, attorneys in the case had requested $6.5 million (!!!) in fees and costs, but the judge reduced their award to $700,000 due to the the paucity of damages it recovered.
]]>The inflator in the side curtain airbag module is equipped with a "top hat diffuser" that may not have been formed properly during manufacturing. If the side curtain airbag deploys in a crash, the airbag may not deploy correctly to protect an occupant in a crash.
My favorite antidote, however, is this little nugget—The diffuser can also detach and hit occupants when the airbags deploy.
Talk about insult to injury.
]]>The problem is caused by the material used to make the brake pedal stopper pad that is located between the brake light switch and the brake pedal arm … Kia says the material can fall apart over time and allow the brake light switch plunger to remain extended when the brake pedal is released.
When these things happen, the brake lights can turn – and stay on – even when you’re not stopping. This is just another in a long line of brake light switch problems for Kia. In 2013, they recalled more than 600,000 vehicles and then issued a follow-up recall in 2015.
]]>The plaintiff says he leased a 2015 Kia Soul in April 2015 that has allegedly been damaged three times because the automaker keeps replacing soy-based wiring with more soy wiring, inviting more critters to snacktime.
OK, so it turns out rodents don’t really snack on the coating, but they do love chewing on it and making nests out of it.
And if you’re wondering just how much damage a rodent could do, brace yourself.
Each time, Kia allegedly refused to cover the repairs under warranty, leaving a combined cost of nearly $9,300. While the plaintiff’s insurer has covered most of the cost of these repairs, the plaintiff has paid the $500 deductible three times ($1,500).
Kia was hit with a similar lawsuit earlier this year.
This lawsuit covers the 2012-2015 Kia Soul, Sorrento, Sedona, Sportage, Forte, Cadenza, Optima and Rio vehicles purchased or leased in the U.S.
Kia says the plaintiff “can't provide evidence that the wiring causes rodents and other creatures to damage the cars.” No word on if Kia's use of rodents in their advertising came up in court.
]]>[The car’s] pinion plugs can allow the pinion gears to separate from the steering gear assemblies. That's king-size trouble for a driver because all steering control will be lost while traveling at any speed.
The [first recall](http://www.kiacomplaints.com /news/2014/kia-recalls-51k-souls/) was made back in 2014 with a follow-up recall the next year. A 3rd recall? It’s time Kia does some Soul searching … you had to know that was coming.
]]>Kia also says it's possible failed crankshafts could cause fires, so dealers will need to inspect the crankshafts and if needed, replace the engine sub assemblies.
If your crankshaft breaks it’s going to be a bad day. A fire would just be the cherry on top.
]]>The engines can allegedly fail at any time while driving any speed, leaving owners in dangerous driving conditions once the engines stall. According to the plaintiffs, damage to the connecting rod bearings causes metal shavings to appear in the oil.
A few months ago, Kia recalled 618,000 vehicles with Theta II engines that shipped with metal shavings due to a faulty manufacturing process. The recall only covered certain vehicles up to the 2014 model year.
This lawsuit alleges that faulty connecting rods can cause more metal shavings in the 2015-2016 Optima, 2015-2016 Sportage and 2015-2016 Sorento.
In either case, those metal shavings are really, really bad for the engine.
Other owners report paying more than $5,000 to replace engines in the affected Kia vehicles, not counting the expense of rental cars while waiting for repairs.
Yeesh.
]]>This is not a Kia-only problem. Other automakers have made the switch to a soy-based wire coatings and are facing similar lawsuits including Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, and Subaru.
The lawsuit covers owners or lessees in California, Texas, and NJ with most of the 2012-2017 Kia lineup.
]]>At this point, we know the widespread engine problems are caused by metallic debris left behind during mechanical deburring on the assembly line. Those tiny bits of metal are carried through the engine by oil, wreaking havoc on the way.
Hyundai first recalled their Theta II engines in September 2015. It took Kia nearly one and a half years to issue their first recall, despite overwhelming evidence of similar problems.
]]>According to the lawsuit, Parks had enough time to not only repeatedly hit the brakes, but she also turned on the hazard lights and flashed her headlights to warn other drivers. The lawsuit also alleges Parks tried to shift the Optima into NEUTRAL but on top of that not working, she couldn't turn off the ignition.
Parks’ car was going 90mph at the time of the crash. Even the parents of the two young boys think unintended acceleration is to blame.
Like most cars these days, the 2008 Optima’s throttle is controlled by an electrically operated throttle motor. These electronic throttles are increasingly popular with automakers even though engineering studies have shown them to be susceptible to sudden wide open throttle acceleration due to electromagnetic interference, fluctuations in electric current, and faulty wiring.
But you can’t really sue Kia over electronic throttles when everyone is using them. What this case will come down to Kia’s decision not to include a brake-throttle override, which is essentially software that allows the brakes to take precedence over the throttle if both are active at the same time.
]]>We’ve been tracking Theta II engine problems for a while and let’s just say … they’re not good.
Last year, Kia was sued by owners who thought the automaker has been concealing the defect. And they may be on to something.
Hyundai ordered a recall of 470,000 Sonatas after the company learned their Theta II engine could seize from oil contaminated with metal shavings back in 2015. That prompted an engine review which revealed similar oil delivery problems in Kia vehicles. Kia, however, didn’t order a recall because no accidents or injuries has been reported.
But with warranty claims on then rise and Hyundai simultaneously recalling 572,000 vehicles with the same engines, the writing was on the wall.
]]>Kia is recalling 135 model year 2017 Niro crossover SUVs that can lose power steering due to damaged motor driven power steering connectors.
This is a small recall, but affected owners shouldn’t wait to get it resolved when the recall starts on April 7, 2017.
]]>Kia is recalling 47 model year 2017 Kia Cadenza cars with brake vacuum hoses that can kink and cause problems with braking performance.
At the very least, this isn’t going to help with your stopping distances and it will most likely happen without warning.
]]>The plaintiffs claim Kia knew about the problems but concealed that knowledge from consumers and refused to cover repair costs under warranty … Kia says it agreed to settle the class-action lawsuit to save on the expense of additional legal costs. However, the automaker has not admitted any wrongdoing concerning the bolts.
Admission of fault or not, this settlement could mean up to $4,900 for owners of the 3.5L Sorentos manufactured between March 1, 2002 to June 12, 2006. All claims for benefits under this settlement must be postmarked or submitted by May 17, 2017.
]]>Kia is recalling one (1) model year 2016 Kia Optima to fix the end seal for the driver-side frontal airbag inflator that may not have been installed correctly.
And you thought you were having a bad day.
]]>The [lawsuit] targets the Theta 2-liter and 2.4-liter gasoline direct injection engines, also known as GDI engines. According to the plaintiffs, the engines contain defects that cause a restriction of oil flow through the connecting rod bearings and other parts of the engines.
Hyundai is facing a similar lawsuit that is currently awaiting final class-action approval.
]]>The plaintiffs say Kia knows about the Theta engine problems, but refuses to freely repair the engines or order a recall. Another Theta II engine case with Sonata owners is awaiting final settlement approval.
]]>The problem affects vans that were originally sold, or currently registered in, the salt belt states.
"Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia."
Road salt, man. It's great for melting ice and your car's underbody.
The recall is expected to begin on July 25, 2016.
]]>"Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia."
The recall is expected to begin on July 25th, 2016.
]]>NHTSA has been asked to investigate a crash that killed twin 7-year-old boys and an 83-year-old woman. The 11:30 a.m. New Year's Eve crash in Winchester, Tennessee, occurred when a 2008 Kia Optima traveling 90 mph slammed into the rear-end of a minivan.
The whole story is just sad. The Optima driver told authorities it felt like the gas pedal was stuck and she couldn’t get it to move. She died the next day of injuries sustained in the crash.
]]>Over 256,000 Kia Soul cars are recalled to fix problems that can cause a complete loss of steering. The recalled cars include the 2014-2016 Kia Soul and Soul EV that have weak adhesive used to secure the steering pinion gear to the steering gear assembly.
This isn’t the first time Kia has issued a recall for this problem. That’s soul annoying.
]]>is recalling over 51,000 model year 2014 Kia Soul cars because the ability to steer the cars could go from good to none. Kia said a plug that secures the pinion gear to the steering gear can loosen and cause a complete loss of steering.
The problem was discovered during an internal investigation opened after three warranty claims. Thankfully there were no crashes reported.
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