NHTSA Complaint #10022529 — 2001 KIA RIO

VEHICLE FIRE ORIGINATING FROM THE VEHICLE FUEL LINES. *MR AS THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING, SHE NOTICED THAT SOMETHING SMELLED HOT IN THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER THEN TURNED THE ENGINE OFF, DISCOVERED THE SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE HOOD, AND SAW FLAMES WITHIN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE THAT CONTINUED TO GROW. PRIOR TO THE FIRE, THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE DECREASED IN POWER WHILE DRIVING AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO GET THE VEHICLE REPAIRED THE NEXT DAY AND THE DEALER COULDN'T GET TO IT UNTIL THE FOLLOWING WEEK, AND WAS TOLD THAT DRIVING THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T HARM THE VEHICLE. (A SIMILAR OCCURRENCE OF THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAPPENED A YEAR PRIOR TO THIS EVENT) THE FIRE BEGAN IN THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE NEAR THE BULKHEAD AREA OF THE TWO METAL FUEL LINES THAT RAN ALONG THE BULKHEAD. *SCC *NLM