NHTSA complaint #11752678

Owner complaint summary

On June 14, 2026, the driver experienced sudden rough engine running followed immediately by a flashing check engine light. The vehicle was towed to the selling dealer, which has performed all prior maintenance. The vehicle is currently at the dealership and available for inspection. Technician notes show DTC P1326 was stored — the Knock Sensor Detection System code associated with connecting rod bearing wear on Kia's Theta II engine family. The technician performed an audible knock check only (none heard) and cleared the code. The vehicle was found approximately 2.5 quarts low on oil due to an internal turbo oil leak. The dealer's notes state the code "may be related" to low oil — hedged language, not confirmed causation. The dealer confirmed the turbo failure but has not performed a bearing clearance test to confirm or rule out bearing damage from the low oil condition. The dealer performed a turbocharger replacement. Despite a verbal commitment from the service manager that a bearing clearance test would follow, no such test was performed 40 days later. When the vehicle was declared ready, the service manager did not recall the commitment and suggested driving 40-50 miles as an alternative. Kia America opened a formal case last month and authorized a partial goodwill adjustment but no one has addressed the safety concern of the unperformed engine test indicated by the thrown code. Driving a vehicle with potential connecting rod bearing wear risks catastrophic engine failure, creating a serious safety hazard. This vehicle has a documented history of oil consumption prior to this incident. The engine has not been cleared for bearing damage following a significant low oil event and a stored P1326 code.