I just had an epiphany about a recent issue had with my A/C not blowing cold. Freon was charged, no fuses blown, no obvious leaks, it just stopped blowing cold. A fellow Stinger owner in the Houston Stinger Swarm suggested checking the engine coolant levels and I'll be dammed, it was low. It actually dropped below the the lower fill line.
The Engine Coolant Temperature sensor is what allows the A/C compressor to engage, when it goes over the threshold it cuts off the A/C, presumably to bleed off engine heat. Topped off the coolant, problem solved.
With the heat coming to Houston, the A/C has been chill, and the I've been keeping an eye on the temperature gauge and things are good. But I was bothered, because I haven't had any leaks, nothing pooling under the car. Hoses look good, no cracks, no coolant seeping from the clamps. Where the hell did my coolant go?
Then it hit me.
NHTSA Recall LEFT-HAND OIL FEED PIPE AND HOSE ASSEMBLY REPLACEMENT (SC300)
I had this done at Westside Kia a few months ago, in the Winter. Dropped off the Stinger, picked it up the next day. Everything was working fine, no burning smell. I popped the hood when I got home just to make sure. I looked at the replacement pipe and hose assembly. All good.
I didn't check the coolant level. Step 4 of the repair instructions are:
"Loosen the radiator drain plug (C) and drain coolant."
They drained it, but either didn't burp the system after refilling it, or just didn't fill it all the way to the line.
If you've had the recall done, check your coolant reservoir. I'm not going to talk crap about the dealer or the techs, especially since I've met a few of them and they're under so much pressure to get things done. If anything, I should have checked the coolant level when I changed my oil, but I was more focused on replacing my drain plug with a Fumoto valve and it just skipped my mind.
Lesson learned. For those of you that still have had the recall done, I don't regret having it done at all, I just regret not doing due diligence and double checking their work. Topping off coolant is far better than an engine fire from a busted oil feed pipe.