[kilfoyleh]

Hi All!

I have created this account just to tell you all about my Kia problems and hopefully get some advice on how I can make the dealership own up to this! Please help!

I purchased a slightly used (approx. 20k miles) 2013 Kia Optima Ex in 2014. In retrospect it has had issues from day 1 - but I was young and didn't care that my oil light has never worked properly.
But In the last year I've crossed the 100k mile mark and I have noticed that when my oil light flickers (as good as a warning as I'll ever get for low oil) and when I take it in... they tell me I'm at ZERO for oil. Even when I've had it changed a month or two earlier and my mileage shouldn't be warranting more oil!

A few years ago I remember getting papers regarding an engine recall I took my Kia in they allegedly checked and said no they would not be replacing my engine, my car has not been affected, etc. etc.

But today when I went for my probably 3rd oil change of this year, the guy told me about why the engine may be consuming so much oil. That he had several other customers with this issue who ended up getting replacement engines from Kia. Same engine as mine, some Kia's, some Hyundai.

Anyway. He said he really thinks I need to hound them because he is sure I'm a candidate for engine replacement. He said there is no leak anywhere and he would bet I am owed a replacement just like his other customers. The car is great otherwise.

Any ideas? Insights? How do I get them to own up to this and just replace the engine.

 

[bigbxsallday]

That I'm aware of there is no recall for excessive oil consumption. However several folks on here have received service/repairs when that occurs, the dealer will want to run tests to determine how much it is consuming in a given amount of miles traveled.

If the engine seizes due to excessive rod bearing wear, there is a settlement where kia will replace the engine, under certain conditions, see attached for details.

I would keep up with adding oil, check level at least at each fuel up. Most manufacturers will say 1 quart per 1000 miles is acceptable, so be ready for that type talk.

 

[Turbonut]

From what I read, they, Hyundai/Kia, don"t do engine replacements anymore due to oil consumption.
One would also need to know the consumption rate
If you go to the dealership they may want to do upper cylinder cleaning, a few hundred dollars and go from there.
Oil is cheap, keep it in the safe area, drive the car and hope the engine seizes and get a replacement, lifetime warranty.

 

[Robertbweltzien]

Hi All!

I have created this account just to tell you all about my Kia problems and hopefully get some advice on how I can make the dealership own up to this! Please help!

I purchased a slightly used (approx. 20k miles) 2013 Kia Optima Ex in 2014. In retrospect it has had issues from day 1 - but I was young and didn't care that my oil light has never worked properly.
But In the last year I've crossed the 100k mile mark and I have noticed that when my oil light flickers (as good as a warning as I'll ever get for low oil) and when I take it in... they tell me I'm at ZERO for oil. Even when I've had it changed a month or two earlier and my mileage shouldn't be warranting more oil!

A few years ago I remember getting papers regarding an engine recall I took my Kia in they allegedly checked and said no they would not be replacing my engine, my car has not been affected, etc. etc.

But today when I went for my probably 3rd oil change of this year, the guy told me about why the engine may be consuming so much oil. That he had several other customers with this issue who ended up getting replacement engines from Kia. Same engine as mine, some Kia's, some Hyundai.

Anyway. He said he really thinks I need to hound them because he is sure I'm a candidate for engine replacement. He said there is no leak anywhere and he would bet I am owed a replacement just like his other customers. The car is great otherwise.

Any ideas? Insights? How do I get them to own up to this and just replace the engine.

See classactions.com. A class action lawsuit has recently been filed on this issue.

 

[tfloeter]

Hi All!

I have created this account just to tell you all about my Kia problems and hopefully get some advice on how I can make the dealership own up to this! Please help!

I purchased a slightly used (approx. 20k miles) 2013 Kia Optima Ex in 2014. In retrospect it has had issues from day 1 - but I was young and didn't care that my oil light has never worked properly.
But In the last year I've crossed the 100k mile mark and I have noticed that when my oil light flickers (as good as a warning as I'll ever get for low oil) and when I take it in... they tell me I'm at ZERO for oil. Even when I've had it changed a month or two earlier and my mileage shouldn't be warranting more oil!

A few years ago I remember getting papers regarding an engine recall I took my Kia in they allegedly checked and said no they would not be replacing my engine, my car has not been affected, etc. etc.

But today when I went for my probably 3rd oil change of this year, the guy told me about why the engine may be consuming so much oil. That he had several other customers with this issue who ended up getting replacement engines from Kia. Same engine as mine, some Kia's, some Hyundai.

Anyway. He said he really thinks I need to hound them because he is sure I'm a candidate for engine replacement. He said there is no leak anywhere and he would bet I am owed a replacement just like his other customers. The car is great otherwise.

Any ideas? Insights? How do I get them to own up to this and just replace the engine.

This was my experience with my son's 2014 Kia Optima. It had about 120,000 miles on it when we noticed it started using oil. I was somewhat familiar with the complaints about this (among other problems). When looking around in Consumer Reports, I found an article dated 5/14/21 that identified a list of cars most likely to have engine trouble. In the #1 position was the 2014 Kia Optima. Nearly half of the models mentioned were either Kia or Hyundai (!). Anyway, around the 133,000 mile mark, my son noticed that the oil light came on, also the check engine light, as well as hearing a noise he hadn't heard before (engine knock). He immediately stopped driving it and I took it in for service to someone who had worked on it before before going to the dealer. They said the car was nearly out of oil, but couldn't figure out what else was going on so I took into our local Kia dealer. I got a call one afternoon that it was ready for pick-up. About 30 min later, a guy from the dealership called me and identified himself as the Service Manager. My heart started slowly sinking. He said they initially thought the car was good to go, but it ended up seizing so guess what? I was getting a new engine free of charge. They gave us a loaner car to drive and it took about a month to get my son's car back. I don't know if this is true or if this was just dialogue, but they told me had I not addressed two recall items in Sept 2020, they would not have honored the engine replacement. One other thing mentioned was the excessive amount of sludge present. They made it sound like it was something I should have addressed earlier, but not sure I buy that either. I know zero about engines and cars in general, so this is just my experience.

 

[Turbonut]

Glad it worked out, but wanted to add some info for future readers.
To obtain the lifetime warranty, there is a KSDS (knock sensor detection system) update, not a recall that must be done/installed, no update, no warranty. Naturally if still within the 10/100 or 5/60 factory warranty that would take precedence, but unless the update is installed, the warranty would expire at the aforementioned mileage limit.
Also want to mention that the oil light is not an oil level sensor indicator, it's an oil pressure monitor and when it ever comes on, the oil pump is not supplying oil to the engine. Some dealerships/Hyundai/Kia have not honored the warranty when an engine/car is delivered with no, or low oil, citing owner neglect, so anytime there is an engine problem, knock or seizure, make certain oil is in safe level. May be going to the extreme, but if the engine is seized and when checked, oil is low or non existent, add used oil to bring it up into the safe area. If new oil is used, the dealership would be able to see the evidence of new oil added when they inspect the engine, and if just a knock, add oil then start engine to mix the old with new.
As posted in the past, here's the Settlement info:

https://www.kiaenginesettlement.com/Content/Documents/Notice.pdf

 

[tfloeter]

Glad it worked out, but wanted to add some info for future readers.
To obtain the lifetime warranty, there is a KSDS (knock sensor detection system) update, not a recall that must be done/installed, no update, no warranty. Naturally if still within the 10/100 or 5/60 factory warranty that would take precedence, but unless the update is installed, the warranty would expire at the aforementioned mileage limit.
Also want to mention that the oil light is not an oil level sensor indicator, it's an oil pressure monitor and when it ever comes on, the oil pump is not supplying oil to the engine. Some dealerships/Hyundai/Kia have not honored the warranty when an engine/car is delivered with no, or low oil, citing owner neglect, so anytime there is an engine problem, knock or seizure, make certain oil is in safe level. May be going to the extreme, but if the engine is seized and when checked, oil is low or non existent, add used oil to bring it up into the safe area. If new oil is used, the dealership would be able to see the evidence of new oil added when they inspect the engine, and if just a knock, add oil then start engine to mix the old with new.
As posted in the past, here's the Settlement info:

https://www.kiaenginesettlement.com/Content/Documents/Notice.pdf

Thanks! Saving your comments.

 

[Robertbweltzien]

My '12 Optima turbo was burning over a qt every 1K miles. Last month it lost power, the MIL flashed on and off and it had a rod knock. I checked it with my D8 scantool and it was a P1326. They replaced the engine for free and said it had damaged wiring to the ignition and needed a downstream 02 sensor for $885. Now I was a certified auto tech in the eighties and I'm sure they damaged wiring during the engine replacement but I'll just be glad to get back the car with a new motor that presumably won't consume oil. Still waiting for them to install the O2 sensor. Hopefully today!

 

[Turbonut]

My '12 Optima turbo was burning over a qt every 1K miles. Last month it lost power, the MIL flashed on and off and it had a rod knock. I checked it with my D8 scantool and it was a P1326. They replaced the engine for free and said it had damaged wiring to the ignition and needed a downstream 02 sensor for $885. Now I was a certified auto tech in the eighties and I'm sure they damaged wiring during the engine replacement but I'll just be glad to get back the car with a new motor that presumably won't consume oil. Still waiting for them to install the O2 sensor. Hopefully today!

Just curious, with a list price of $254.70 for the downstream O2 sensor, what in the world is the additional $630.30?
Acutally the OEM NTK can be had $79.79.
What a bunch of crooks.

 

[Sir_James]

Glad it worked out, but wanted to add some info for future readers.
To obtain the lifetime warranty, there is a KSDS (knock sensor detection system) update, not a recall that must be done/installed, no update, no warranty. Naturally if still within the 10/100 or 5/60 factory warranty that would take precedence, but unless the update is installed, the warranty would expire at the aforementioned mileage limit.
Also want to mention that the oil light is not an oil level sensor indicator, it's an oil pressure monitor and when it ever comes on, the oil pump is not supplying oil to the engine. Some dealerships/Hyundai/Kia have not honored the warranty when an engine/car is delivered with no, or low oil, citing owner neglect, so anytime there is an engine problem, knock or seizure, make certain oil is in safe level. May be going to the extreme, but if the engine is seized and when checked, oil is low or non existent, add used oil to bring it up into the safe area. If new oil is used, the dealership would be able to see the evidence of new oil added when they inspect the engine, and if just a knock, add oil then start engine to mix the old with new.
As posted in the past, here's the Settlement info:

https://www.kiaenginesettlement.com/Content/Documents/Notice.pdf

Does the replacement motor have a warranty too?

 

[bigbxsallday]

Does the replacement motor have a warranty too?

Yes - read attached settlement.

 

[Turbonut]

Does the replacement motor have a warranty too?

All replacement engines come with a lifetime warranty for the "debris" issue.

 

[Robertbweltzien]

Got my car back from KIA today. Drives like new with new shocks, strut assemblies, calipers, rotors and engine. Even after being hosed by Crowley KIA for $950 for stuff that I know they broke I only have $6500 into the thing by buying it, putting in parts and paying KIA. Hopefully a reliable ride for the next 5 years.

 

[Robertbweltzien]

Just curious, with a list price of $254.70 for the downstream O2 sensor, what in the world is the additional $630.30?
Acutally the OEM NTK can be had $79.79.
What a bunch of crooks.

They said "a mouse ate the wires for the coil". Since everything else on the car, except the transmission is new I figure that I made out not too badly.