Last Updated on April 4, 2024
What happens next?
The lawsuits were just recently filed and neither Hyundai nor Kia have responded to the allegations yet. If you have experienced engine issues in your Hyundai or Kia vehicle then we encourage you to notify them by contacting Hyundai or Kia corporate headquarters (depending on your vehicle).
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Managing Editor
Christopher is an automotive technical writer. When he’s not at the local autocross event, he can often be found working on one of his cars. Specializes in automotive class action law, industry trends, and automotive maintenance. Email me direct, or learn more about us
Amelie Merrick
May 20, 2022 at 5:22 pmI’ve just been getting the run around with Kia for my 2015 Kia Forte. I’m being told I don’t know what I’m talking about. I want it either fixed or paid off. I need a new engine. It has been a freaking nightmare!
Angelina inman
May 13, 2022 at 10:58 amI have a2013 Kia soul with the smaller 1.8 I believe engine. It has had the fixes in feb2022s recall.. I believe as my mechanic also believes the damage to my engine is due to these defects as well as issue with sufficient oil pressure. Of course the dealership blew me off upon my questioning these issues.
Jennifer
January 26, 2022 at 3:41 pmMy name is Jen S. My 2014 Kia Soul has been burning oil for at least a year and a half. Subsequently now both my catalytic converters are broke/ clogged due to it burning oil and its gonna cost approx $1800 to fix and I only have 3 payments left to pay it off and trying to figure out what to do or what I can do.
Brenda Bevins
January 7, 2022 at 4:50 pmMy 2014 Kia Soul stalled in the middle of a four lane highway in 2019, Kia would do nothing, we replaced the engine ourselves, Then two months ago the very same thing happened, engine was knocking and smoke pouring out of the engine, stalled on the four lane highway again. Kia will do nothing to help with this problem, we are senior citizens with limited income and the car is sitting in the driveway and I’m still making monthly payments on it
Christopher
January 7, 2022 at 9:07 pmThanks for adding your voice to this post Brenda.
Brett Thornton
January 6, 2022 at 4:33 pmMy 2013 Kia soul recently had a connect rod break off and puncture a hole in my engine block. This caused my engine to stall and leak oil while I was on the interstate. All I get from Kia corporate is the run around. They say since a recall/update had been issued, they can’t cover the engine unless the update was done. I’ve told everyone I’ve talked to that I have never received anything in the mail from kia about the recall, and they couldn’t verify what address it was sent to. It seems to me this is their negligence, not mine. I’m just lucky there wasn’t an oil fire on I-25.
Christopher
January 7, 2022 at 6:47 amThanks for adding your voice Brett.
Tanya Adams
November 21, 2021 at 9:06 amMy 2014 kia soul just had an engine replacement. Took kia almost 4 months to replace it with no rental assistance.
Christopher
December 28, 2021 at 1:21 pmThanks for adding your voice Tanya.
Kimberly Parris
October 17, 2021 at 2:16 amGood morning – I purchased my 2017 Kia Optima SX T GDI 2.0 on February 7, 2020. I maintained regular maintenance on my vehicle just as I always have and kept my records. I also have a report of all service that has been performed on the vehicle since June 28, 2017. My Optima died on us in the middle of a 4 way stop on the way home from Walmart. To make this long story short to date my car is still sitting at the Kia dealership not able of being driven. The Kia dealership states that there is nothing that they can do to help me and that I have to file a complaint with consumer affairs and hope that Kia will end up replacing my engine free of charge since this is a known problem so that I won’t have to let my car go back because I don’t have the $13, 670.11 that the Kia dealership says it will cost to fix my car. I had the car 15.5 months when it died, I owe $19, 887.00 on it and I lost my job on August 20, 2021. I am sure that you are aware that defective engines are a known issue with several different models of KIA vehicles so my question to you is should I go through consumer affairs or should I attempt to file a claim through the federal lawsuit, http://www.kiaenginesettlement.com?
( A federal court has granted final approval of a class action lawsuit known as In re: Hyundai and Kia Engine Litigation , No. 8:17‑cv‑00838‑JLS‑JDE and Flaherty v. Hyundai Motor Company, et al. , No. 18‑cv‑02223 (C.D. Cal.) allege that 2011–2018 and certain 2019 Kia Optima, 2012–2018 and certain 2019 Kia Sorento, and 2011–2018 and certain 2019 Kia Sportage vehicles suffer from a defect that can cause engine seizure, stalling, engine failure, and engine fire, that engine seizure or stalling can be dangerous if experienced, and that some owners and lessees have been improperly denied repairs under the vehicle’s warranty.) I have not had to have any repairs completed because everything on my car went at one time. Unfortunately, the mileage on my Optima is past the warranty limit so I have ZERO extended warranty coverage.
This is what the Kia dealership said is wrong with my car: the service rep told me that basically all of the oil that they put in my car when the oil was changed on 4-7-2021 was burning and evaporating through tubes in car that connected to the turbo and the ball barrens had been sucked through as well and were broken to pieces and in all that oil gunk seizing up my engine.
Long Block Engine – 7,228.06$
Turbo – 2,818.90$
Inter Cooler – 802.74$
Gaskets – 191.30$
Intake – 523.20$
Labor – 2106$
Total Repair Cost – 13,670.11$
Your advice and guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Kimberly Parris
Christopher
October 20, 2021 at 9:17 amThanks Kimberly for adding your voice to this post.
Christopher
December 28, 2021 at 1:21 pmThanks for adding your voice Kimberly.
Laura
September 20, 2021 at 1:43 pmHello- I am going in circles with Kia on my 2015 Soul 1.6L. My engine needs to be replaced and they are not admitting it is part of their recall Sc176. Who can I contact to get in the lawsuit?
Thank you,
Laura
Christopher
September 21, 2021 at 9:04 amHi Laura,
Submit your complaint and you will automatically be added to the list when a settlement has been reached. The 1.6L engine in your KIA is likely a Gamma model engine. There is currently an ongoing class action that includes the Gamma engine but no settlement as of yet. We will send an email alerting you to this settlement when a decision has been made. Hope this helps.