[Puck]

Anyone get their shortblock or longblock replaced under the extended warranty due to excessive piston slap causing P1326???

My vehicle(2011 Optima SXL 2.0t) is currently in the dealership with Kia declining coverage for the P1326 since they are sayings its not caused by the crank bearings but the pistons, and trying to get me to purchase a whole new engine while also being on the hook for the tear down and towing. The settlement says on page 5 though "The extension of the warranty will cover the short block assembly, consisting of the engine block, crankshaft and bearings, connecting rods and bearings, and pistons, in those Class Vehicles owned by individual consumers that have completed the knock sensor program software update. "

Here is my timeline:

• On the way home from dinner over a month ago, car cuts out on the highway. Flashing CEL, no power, audible knocking engine - not loud clanking but can tell its not normal, almost like a diesel ticking.
• Scan it and its throwing Code P1326, knock sensor. Using stethoscope I narrow down noise to middle of engine, fairly confident its not top end. Seems like Cyl2. Fearing the worse and expecting a spun bearing, I have it towed to Deland Kia in FL expecting a SECOND engine to be needed but expecting it to be under warranty (it was just changed barely a year ago for same thing so should be easy, right?).
• Dealer verifies code P1326. Says Kia Corporate wants a tear down before proceeding. Warn me that I am responsible for tear down if its something stupid like an accessory or the valvetrain and is not covered. They first check all valve clearances and timing chain, everything checks out perfect. This is where it gets weird.
• Dealership says everything checked out on the top end, but Kia wants a teardown before authorizing anything. They first state that I would be responsible for the tear down, EVEN IF ITS COVERED. This directly contradicts my paperwork, which I tell them, and the Service Tech (Great guy BTW!) agrees that if covered Kia will pay for it and he expects it to be covered anyway so shouldn't be a big deal. Remember, they verified everything on top checks out and its not the accessories so HAS to be something in the shortblock - which in plain English my paperwork states is covered. We proceed with tear down.
• Not sure how far they tore it down, but the Tech says the bearings are in acceptable condition and he thinks it piston slap damaging the cylinder bore. They submit that info to Kia, who DECLINES service since the crank bearings are OK. Note that page 5 of settlement, sentence 2, literally states that pistons are covered under the extended shortblock warranty. Now I am on the hook for a $1500 tear down, my vehicle still isn't fixed, and they are declining service. Said it needs whole new engine and cannot be repaired since bore is likely damaged (keep in mind its a fresh 30k motor).
• I get in contact with Settlement Claims, who escalates my case. Don't hear anything back for a week, call them and they have no record of me at all in system - nothing was done from my last call. Give them my info AGAIN, wait a week without response, call back, and get told this BS: The warranty repair is being declined because "The Settlement has not been finalized in court, so my "Lifetime Warranty" is not in effect yet. There is no ETA on when it will be finalized and approved". Court date was supposed to be Nov of last year.

Now I am stuck. Dealership wants my car out of there since its been there for a month and they can't get authorized to work on it, so now I have to pay for the tear down to release the vehicle, pay for a tow to send a broken down car back to my house, file a claim for reimbursement for my $1500 to get back who-knows-when, and I still have a broken down vehicle with no ETA on when it can be repaired. In the mean time, I am sharing the in-laws vehicle with the Wife so we have 3 people with one car, commuting 45minutes to work. No loaner given since its not an approved repair, and I can't afford to risk a rental that I won't get reimbursed for.

I understand that this isn't a Kia owned forum but any help or contact info from someone at Kia that could help would be appreciated.

 

[mccljp]

Do you have one of those 'on your side' news reporting stations where you are? If no tell the dealer and then corporate that you are going to talk to them, see what happens.

 

[Puck]

Do you have one of those 'on your side' news reporting stations where you are? If no tell the dealer and then corporate that you are going to talk to them, see what happens.

Good idea, didn't think of that.

I worked at a dealership for 2 years and I think they are either spending way more than expected, or are short on engines and trying to decline as many claims as they can.

 

[ron1004]

The recall only applies to certain engines that the failure is confirmed to be as a result of the debris in the oil passages which destroys the bearings, so the dealership reporting that the bearings are good makes Kia Corp. decide that failure is not covered by the recall.

Do you have a link to the settlement that you're referencing?

Although Kia Corp. has the final say, the dealership does have some influence, and it sounds like they're the ones giving you the runaround.

Have you spoken directly to Kia Corp. yourself?

What's the mileage and service history?

 

[kiaguy002]

This is not in any respect the way it's supposed to be done, according to Kia's own TSB for dealing with the P1326. The first thing they are directed to do is the compressed air-based bearing clearance test, which involves no tear down of any kind. Then, based on the results of that test they either replace the engine, the knock sensor, or update the KSDS software.

That's the protocol the stealerships are supposed to be using, so I have no idea what in the world happened in your case. But unfortunately you did agree to the tear down, which has turned this into a huge mess for you. You mentioned calling 'claims settlement', but did that go through the Kia Corporate website? Do you have a case open with Kia Corporate for this?

 

[Archchimdes]

Morgan & Morgan!

 

[Lou O.]

I am sure I can freely speak for others here that we are very sorry this went sideways on you.

There is another member here who has a 'piston ring issue' and the dealership wants to do the same thing to her.

And, the sad part is, as you state, this was already a replacement engine a little over a year ago? It may have been a reman short block and something got missed along the process. I would be pi$$ed as well!!

Good luck! Keep us informed as you can!