2011 Kia Optima hybrid - blown engine

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e40

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A family friend of ours has a 2011 Kia Optima hybrid with about 130k miles, engine blew a few weeks ago. The dealer wants around $10k to replace the engine.

What's the going rate for a non-dealer shop to take care of this? I see there are a bunch of these engines on car-part.com for around $2500. She'd like to keep the car longer and I wonder if a junk yard motor from a 2011-2012 would just leave her in the same place she is now.

Is there a reputable online supplier of reman engines that a BITOG'r can recommend? This has the 2.4L Theta II MPI. Thanks!
 
I noticed that the local Kia dealer still has a fair amount of 2015 Optima hybrids still available as new cars. The msrps aren't too bad, around $27k. But for whatever reason they're not selling. I'd be curious what the specific issue is with the engine.

Plus don't these things have 10/100k powertrains warranties? I'm guessing her car is a little over that amount with miles.

edit: Just looked on www.carcomplaints.com and it says the avg cost to fix is around $5k. The second worse Kia problem is the 2011 Optima engine, followed by the 2014 Optima.
 
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The rotating assembly is probably trashed. Likely a victim of Kia/Hyundai manufacturing defect/recall.

I'd wager it's going to be tough to find the correct engine second hand. Most of the Theta IIs are GDI. Couple grand in labor to R&R and engine, perhaps more it being a hybrid.
 
Originally Posted By: SatinSilver


Plus don't these things have 10/100k powertrains warranties? I'm guessing her car is a little over that amount with miles.


10 years or 100k whichever first. Must show proof of maintenance.
 
Pretty sure this car is covered by factory warranty. Lots of info on the web about this.
Only affected the 2011 models.

The Sonata from 2011 had the short block covered up to 160k miles or 10 years or something.
(extended because of the engine issue)
Considering KIA uses the same powertrain, I'm pretty sure it's covered.

Your friend needs to see if this car had the recall done before getting a used/rebuilt engine put in.
It could be totally paid for by KIA
 
Originally Posted By: Lolvoguy
Pretty sure this car is covered by factory warranty. Lots of info on the web about this.
Only affected the 2011 models.

The Sonata from 2011 had the short block covered up to 160k miles or 10 years or something.
(extended because of the engine issue)
Considering KIA uses the same powertrain, I'm pretty sure it's covered.

Your friend needs to see if this car had the recall done before getting a used/rebuilt engine put in.
It could be totally paid for by KIA


Nope. Not gonna happen. It was extended to 120k. Since none of you bothered to read the OPs post, the car has around 130k.
 
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Kia extended the warranty of the short block to 120k. She was ~10k miles over that, but one would think if she escalated it with Kia corporate, perhaps they'd give a better deal than $10k?
 
Originally Posted By: maximus
Originally Posted By: Lolvoguy
Pretty sure this car is covered by factory warranty. Lots of info on the web about this.
Only affected the 2011 models.

The Sonata from 2011 had the short block covered up to 160k miles or 10 years or something.
(extended because of the engine issue)
Considering KIA uses the same powertrain, I'm pretty sure it's covered.

Your friend needs to see if this car had the recall done before getting a used/rebuilt engine put in.
It could be totally paid for by KIA


Nope. Not gonna happen. It was extended to 120k. Since none of you bothered to read the OPs post, the car has around 130k.


THANKS
thumbsup2.gif
 
Originally Posted By: e40
Kia extended the warranty of the short block to 120k. She was ~10k miles over that, but one would think if she escalated it with Kia corporate, perhaps they'd give a better deal than $10k?


agreed, which is why I posted above.

Sorry for not mentioning that
 
Originally Posted By: e40
Kia extended the warranty of the short block to 120k. She was ~10k miles over that, but one would think if she escalated it with Kia corporate, perhaps they'd give a better deal than $10k?


Yes, she can call/email Kia corporate direct. If the main customer service doesn't help I'd contact the executive offices/CEO for help. Bypass the dealer since they will make the most money by charging the original estimate.
 
I recently had a similar thing of dealing with Honda Corporate. I wasn't successful at the end, but it was a good learning experience.

Call Kia corporate, dealers are usually a rip off, unless you go to them often, still they try to 'milk' you.

Escalate the issue at Kia corporate, keep bugging( or following up with) them, go to the highest level if possible. Mention if you have any other Kia vehicle too? Or any brand loyalty or anything along those lines? Don't accept their first offer, say if they cover 25% or 50%, keep asking if they can do something better or you'll think about it? Got the idea?

Then come out successful( hopefully) with a better deal in which Kia is assisting you. Good luck and am sorry, sucks to be in your shoes
frown.gif
 
Difficult to provide advice when the extent of "blown motor" damage is not known. Is it a few bent valves or a rod through the block?
 
Originally Posted By: e40
A family friend of ours has a 2011 Kia Optima hybrid with about 130k miles, engine blew a few weeks ago. The dealer wants around $10k to replace the engine.


The KBB trade in value on that car in "very good" condition is only $3900. The PP value is $5700.
 
Originally Posted By: e40
Kia extended the warranty of the short block to 120k. She was ~10k miles over that, but one would think if she escalated it with Kia corporate, perhaps they'd give a better deal than $10k?


How is her relationship with the dealer?
I would speak to the service manager and ask since she is only 10k over the extended warranty, on an engine with a known defect, if he can contact the Kia district rep and ask for some "goodwill" coverage.
If her dealer won't help, call corporate and see if you can get any assistance yourself.

In the end, if she can't get any help from Kia, I would not spend 10k on that car. Running a KBB value in "very good condition" the car is only worth about $5300 with standard options.
You would probably be hard pressed to get a used engine with labor without spending close to what the car is worth.
 
10K seems excessively expensive. Ive done some of these engines customer pay and never more than 8K . Bargaining is always in the cards, remember they want to sell you this "engine job". Its good for everyone in the dealer, Parts dept, Service Writer and Technician. If you make it known your interested in the job , see what they are willing to do. The parts dept can always lower their markup , the tech can sacrifice an hour or two of labor...etc. Only problem is if they can even get a new block , short or long at this point since there is a shortage currently.

Wow I just realized OP was talking about the Hybrid 2.4L MPI.
 
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Just a note on KIA good-will assistance, as a buddy went through this with a different issue.

If you have a 100% dealer maintenance record, and are just out of warranty, you may get some assistance.

If not, forget it. Worth a try, but don't get your hopes up.

I would look carefully at replacing the vehicle, as that kind of money makes a great down payment, and remaining value may be low. Look carefully at the Blue Book value as another poster stated. Unless the vehicle has some extraordinary qualities- performance, convertible, collectability, etc., it all gets down to value. If repair cost is equal or more than remaining BB value after repair, junk it and move on.
 
Originally Posted By: HerrStig
Difficult to provide advice when the extent of "blown motor" damage is not known. Is it a few bent valves or a rod through the block?
True that. New heads, lifters, cams would be about $3,000, and same for new pistons, crankshaft (bottom end).
 
The crankshaft won't rotate, so I assume at a minimum it needs the bottom end. It has not been worked on yet, so no word on what the top end is like.

She changed the oil regularly herself (she's a farm gal), but I'm sure she has no records or proof that KIA would require.

Sounds like if she could find a shop to fix it for around $5k, and keeps it for another ~100k it might be worth doing.
 
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