Top Class Actions  |  September 25, 2020

Category: Closed Class Actions

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This settlement is closed!

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kia sportage on the road - kia engine failure

UPDATE:

  • A judge granted final approval to the Kia engine failure settlement May 10, 2021.
  • Let Top Class Actions know when you receive a check in the comments section below or on our Facebook page.

Hyundai has agreed to resolve Kia engine failure class action claims in a settlement deal, putting an end to allegations that certain Kia vehicles were equipped with defective engines.

Under the settlement, eligible Kia owners can collect a variety of benefits, including extended warranties, reimbursements, rebates and other compensation.

Owners and lessees of Class vehicles originally equipped with or fitted with a replacement genuine Theta II 2.0-liter or 2.4-liter gasoline direct injection engine are eligible for benefits from this settlement. Class vehicles include:

  • 2011-2018 and certain 2019 model year Kia Optima vehicles;
  • 2012-2018 and certain 2019 model year Kia Sorento vehicles; and
  • 2011-2018 and certain 2019 model year Kia Sportage vehicles.

Plaintiffs in the Kia engine failure class action lawsuit claimed several Hyundai and Kia vehicles were equipped with a defective Theta engine.

The complaint alleged connecting rod bearings in the vehicles’ gasoline direct-injection (GDI) fuel system “undergo a prolonged failure.” When these rod bearings fracture, metal debris allegedly “accumulate in the engine oil,” contaminating it to a point the filter isn’t able to remove it all.

The contaminated oil is therefore circulated by the oil pump, damaging engine components and leading to an eventual “sudden and unexpected catastrophic engine failure,” the class action lawsuit said.

As a result, the vehicles were allegedly prone to engine failures or fires — putting consumers at risk for accidents and financial injury.

Several class action lawsuits were filed against the auto makers — leading the claims to be consolidated into a multidistrict litigation centered in California. Plaintiffs in these actions sought financial damages and other benefits for the injuries they allegedly sustained due to the defective engines.

Hyundai has not admitted to any wrongdoing, but has agreed to resolve the claims surrounding their Kia subsidiary in a settlement deal. Claims surrounding Hyundai engine failure were resolved in a similar deal. The settlements aim to avoid the costs and risks of a trial, but do not assign any wrongdoing to Hyundai.

The Kia engine failure class action settlement provides several forms of monetary and non-monetary benefits including warranty extensions, reimbursement for repairs and other costs, rebates, and other compensation. More information is available in the “Potential Award” section below.

In order to benefit from the Kia engine failure settlement, Class Members must file a valid claim form by Aug. 9, 2021.

For Class Members who experienced engine failure or fire after Aug. 28, 2020, they have until 90 days after the event to file a valid claim form. Claim forms should include documentation of engine failures, repairs, and other relevant information.

The deadline for exclusion and objection is Oct. 30, 2020. The final approval hearing for the Kia engine failure class action settlement is Nov. 13, 2020.

Who’s Eligible

Owners and lessees of a Class vehicle originally equipped with or replaced with a genuine Theta II 2.0 liter or 2.4 liter gasoline direct injection engine. Class vehicles include:

  • 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and certain 2019 model year Kia Optima vehicles;
  • 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and certain 2019 model year Kia Sorento vehicles; and
  • 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and certain 2019 model year Kia Sportage vehicles.
Potential Award

Monetary and non-monetary benefits including the following:

  • Warranty Extensions: Powertrain warranties on Class vehicles will be extended to a lifetime warranty.
  • Reimbursement for Repairs: Repairs will be reimbursed in full along with a $140 goodwill payment in certain circumstances. Costs of rental cars, towing, and other Kia engine failure related expenses will also be reimbursed.
  • Rebates: Rebates are available if consumers lost faith in their vehicles due to an engine failure or fire and purchased a replacement Kia. Rebates will be $2,000 for model year 2011-2012 Class Vehicles; $1,500 for model year 2013 and 2014 Class Vehicles; $1,000 for model year 2015 and 2016 Class Vehicles; and $500 for model year 2017, 2018, and 2019 Class Vehicles.
  • Other Compensation: Payments for traded-in vehicles and vehicles involved in an engine fire are available to affected Class Members.
Proof of Purchase

Documentation of engine failures, repairs, and other relevant information.

Claim Form

NOTE: If you do not qualify for this settlement do NOT file a claim.

Remember: you are submitting your claim under penalty of perjury. You are also harming other eligible Class Members by submitting a fraudulent claim. If you’re unsure if you qualify, please read the FAQ section of the Settlement Administrator’s website to ensure you meet all standards (Top Class Actions is not a Settlement Administrator). If you don’t qualify for this settlement, check out our database of other open class action settlements you may be eligible for.

Claim Form Deadline

08/09/2021   UPDATED

While most types of claims have a deadline of Aug. 9, 2021, different types of claims have different deadline requirements. See the claims page on the settlement site for more details.

Case Name

In re: Hyundai and Kia Engine Litigation, Case No. 8:17-cv-00838, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California

Final Hearing

11/13/2020

Settlement Website
Claims Administrator

Kia Claims Administrator
c/o Epiq
P.O. Box 3145
Portland, OR 97208-3145
info@KiaEngineSettlement.com
1-855-951-0807

Class Counsel

Matthew D. Schelkopf
SAUDER SCHELKOPF

Adam Gonnelli
THE SULTZER LAW GROUP

Bonner Walsh
WALSH PLLC

Steve Berman
Christopher Pitoun
HAGENS BERMAN SOBOL SHAPIRO LLP

Daniel C. Levin
Adam B. Cohen
LEVIN SADRAN AND BERMAN LLP

Jason S. Rathod
Nicholas Migliaccio
Esfand Nafisi
MIGLIACCIO & RATHOD LLP

Robert Hilliard
HILLIARD MUÑOZ GONZALES LLP

Defense Counsel

Shon Morgan
QUINN EMANUEL URQUHART & SULLIVAN LLP

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224 thoughts onKia Engine Failure Class Action Settlement

  1. eleni says:

    2016 kia sernto 54,300miles was driving on the high and came to a stop i put my foot on the gas peddle and the car wouldn’t move i was able to move to the side, I turned my car off waited a few minutes and then tried to turn it back on and it wouldn’t turn on, i got it toed to my mechanic and they looked at it and said there was no oil in my engine.,no light nothing now i had 600 miles till my next oil change.. i went to kia dealership and they said they will only cover it under recall if it diagnosed as “crankshaft bearings” on their machine

    1. Kristin Sparks says:

      Same excate issue in my 2016 Sorento. They are denying my claim.

    2. Takeeta says:

      I just had the same exact thing happen!! literally hours ago.. I have 2017 KIA Sorrento. Im pissed!!! I was lucky enough to get off the highway safely. I had vehicle towed to my home. Unsure of my next move. I m thinking to have it pulled to Kia dealer which is 30 miles away. SMH!! & demand justice for being such a loyal MISTREATED F***ing customer

  2. Kym says:

    Got something in the mail today I will let u the checks or debt cards went out 8/10/2021 like they said

    1. R R says:

      Was it payment?
      Has anyone received anything yet?

      1. Kym says:

        No sorry it was something to go into my car if anything goes wrong I have to write it down but the checks should be coming they were suppose to be mailed out august 10th so we will see

        1. R R says:

          Has anyone received anything other than the log form they advise to keep in the car?

        2. Jeff Cloney says:

          My wife and I own a 2015 Kia Optima.
          The motor stopped working while she was driving. She took had towed to the dealer-ship. Harper Kia inspec-ed the car and found the motor was inoper-able.
          Then explai-ed that Kia would not honor the warranty due to that a recall notice went out and a knock sensor was not install-ed.

          1. Donna says:

            I have a Kia Sportage 2013 that threw a rod bearing through the engine block while I was driving at night on the freeway. This caused my car to jump and freeze up. I had the oil changed 3 days previously and at that time, there was a slight knocking sound coming from beneath the car. The mechanic stated he put it through diagnostics and could find nothing. It had no lights showing and the oil was not low. Three days later, however, the car engine through a bearing rod through the engine block. That’s what the mechanic said that I had it towed back to who did the oil change. From there I had it towed into KIA dealership. They have had my car at the dealership for a week now and I still have heard nothing.
            I bought the Sportage used from the dealership in 2018 at 68,000 miles. I have had it 3 years and it only has 78,000 on it now. I never received any recall notice in the mail. Did you receive a recall?
            Since all this happened, I have being doing research on KIA engines. They have had many law suites over this exact same problem. Please let me know what recourse you intend to take if Kia does not compensate you or show some sort of responsibility.

  3. David says:

    Has anyone else had turbo damage or failure caused by this class action issue with rod bearing and oil contamination and or oil pressure loss. I expect the issue to be covered as turbos fail because of oil contamination and or oil pressure loss

  4. Jerry says:

    SUNDAY AUGUSTV15,2021 WAS GOING SOMEWHERE THIS MORNING AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND THE ENGINE DIED,PULLED OVER AND WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE CAR ALL THE OIL HAD LEAKED OUT UNDER TGE ENGINE, IM WINDERING IF THIS ISSUE FALLS UNDER THE LWA SUIT AND AM I TO LATE TO FILE A CLAIM,ONKY HAVE 84,000 MILES ON THIS CAR,CAN ANYONE GIVE ME SO ADVICE ABOUT THIS????

  5. Vicki Shaffer says:

    2015 Kia Sorento 3.3 liter V6 engine, 72,000ish miles. Heard engine noise, NO lights whatsoever came on. Drove straight to mechanics, he found there was only 1 quart of oil left in the engine! There were no signs of an oil leak. Oil was just changed within the last few months. He said lower engine and it was only a matter of time before it blows. I managed to get it home, it’s ready to blow. Undriveable.
    Bought it from a dealer April 2019 w/ 51,000ish miles on it. Engine blew June 2021 w/ 72,000ish miles. 2 years 2 months after I got it! I put just over 20,000 miles on it. We own our cars for YEARS! We have a 07 Toyota Prius (bought new) with 340,000 miles on it, (yes, you read that right) still driven 55 miles one way, 5 days a week.
    I’m now driving, again, our 2000 Mercury Mountaineer, 240,000ish miles on it, bought new. (I refuse to pay these jacked up used car prices, I’ll wait until they come back down) We also own a 2003 Honda Pilot, bought new, that our kids still drive. Around 260,000ish miles. So Kia, please don’t tell me this is our fault!
    If a lawyer reads this, please email me if a class action law suit is opened. (or any law suit) Kia says a new engine is $6000 and around $3000 labor, and get this, Kia is only giving a 12 month warranty on a new engine!! Even they know it’s junk and wont warranty it! A used engine in my area, southern Indiana, is hard to find and it usually has high mileage and it is STILL expensive.
    So a Kia like I have on KBB, good condition, is $14,400 private resale, take off the $9000 to put an engine in it and I have a perfectly fine, loaded vehicle, garage kept, now worth $5,400 bucks because it has a blown LOWER engine. Yeah, I’m pissed!

    1. Mark Meachum says:

      My 2014 kia Sorento SXL 3 3L engine went bad Extreme knocking. The car would only go 25 miles an hours. The kia dealership did a diagnostic, which recommended engine placement. I could not afford to replace the engine. I junk the car at a great loss financially. How many other Kia vehicles with the 3 3L engine had similar experiences like the 2.0L, 2.4L engines? I tried to reach out to the trial lawyers who won the class action suit against KIA. I am going to wait a few days before contacting another lawyer. Kia screwed up by not including the 3 3L engines with the class vehicles. Now Kia will be facing another class action lawsuits. Very important- save and copy all of your documents.
      If anyone else has had engine issues, we should come to together and let our complaints be heard. Kia is not going to want to have a long drawn out legal matter either. I am not a lawyer, just one pissed off consumer. markmea@hotmail.com

    2. Mark Meachum says:

      The Nutley Kia dealership did a diagnostic on my 2014 Kia Sorento SXL and told me engine replacement needed, cost 6900, labor 2865. My car was drivable. Junk tbe car at a large financial lost.
      To get your Kia true value go to blackbook com
      This is the place dealerships use to price cars

  6. Shaun says:

    We need to get the 3.3 v6 in a class action law suit or a good attorney in the Atlanta area that’s not afraid to battle for consumers rights currently have a sorento at the dealership, bought certified pre owned which comes with a 10yr 100k warranty or so they claim! I have reached out to the warranty company they declined repairs then I reached out to Kia consumer joke line and guess what they do decline the repairs

    1. Mark Meachum says:

      Yes…I am willing to join this group too

  7. Hope says:

    Hope checks are going out today like they are supposed to.

    1. Amber Mounce says:

      hello. i filed a claim months ago and I have never heard back from them if I was approved or not. Did you get a notice from them saying your claim was approved or do they just send out the checks? I saw you were waiting on a check by your comment you left so I figured I would reach out. I have called and the only response I keep getting is that it is in processing. It has been that for months now and I was just curious how your claim process went. Thank you.

      1. Mark Meachum says:

        What size is your engine? 2.0L. 2 4L or 3.3L. If it is a 3 3L your claim will be rejected.
        Anyone with a 3 3L engine and had engine problems, we need to form a class action suit against kia

    2. Kym says:

      I got something coming from Kia today maybe it’s our checks or debt cards which that’s what they are saying we will get

      1. R R says:

        Was it?

  8. John S Xericos says:

    Company is not going to be able to pay for the service they will need to be sued

  9. Lori Ann McLaren says:

    All of these comments are what happened to me. I get my oil changed every 3,000 miles on my 2015 Kia Sorento. The last 2 oil changes the service rep at the dealership said they “have” to use synthetic oil now and I can go 5-6k miles between oil changes. I had 2000 miles left on this last oil change before my road trip. On July 5, 2021 I was on my annual road trip. The night before my car was hesitating while climbing a hill. I thought it was because the AC was on. While I’m in Northern Nevada, passing another vehicle on a hill in the passing lane, my rpm’s shoot up to 5000, then when I reached the top of the hill my engine light comes on and starts flashing. I lost power and was able to coast into a tire shop. The mechanic checked my oil and said I had no oil! He added oil. My Sorento did overheat, no other lights came on! He plugged the computer in and said my motor is broke, probably threw a rod and I would need to replace the engine!!! I’m on a road trip!!!!!!!!! I ended up trading in my PAID OFF 2015 Kia Sorento and bought a 2021 Chevy Equinox! But I have a huge car payment now, and had to use all my savings for a down payment. This is inexcusable that there has been documented cases of this happening last year in 2020!
    When I returned from my road trip 2 weeks later, the recall notice was in my mail! This was settled on May 18, 2021 and I am getting a recall notice on July 6th! Oh no! NEVER BUY A KIA OR HYUNDAI!!!!

  10. Samantha says:

    We just bought a 14 Forte April 2020 and just last week the motor seized on the interstate. We have put just over 7000 miles on it since we bought it. We received nothing about the recall. Dealership is saying since they can’t test for the recall issue they can’t say it did that because of the recall so we have to pay to replace it. I’ve been in contact with Consumer services. Very frustrating that the Forte EX isn’t part of this as they have the same 2.0 engine.

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