Hi Guys,
Thanks to everyone that took the time to comment!
However, it seems that @treks was right. I took the car to the dealer who confirmed that the issue is indeed due to a manufacturing defect that causes the timing chain to stretch. Even though my car is out of warranty, they have agreed to fix the problem at a reduced price.
I am hoping that the repair will fix the problem permanently, but I will keep everyone posted on what the repair entailed.