NHTSA Complaint #10098296 — 2003 KIA SEDONA

ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2004 AT APPROXIMATELY 6:00 P.M. MY HUSBAND AND SON WERE SCHEDULED TO ATTEND A MEETING. AS THEY APPROACHED OUR VEHICLE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, MY HUSBAND NOTICED THAT THE AUTOMATIC KEY DID NOT OPEN THE VEHICLE. HE TRIED SEVERAL TIMES AND FINALLY MANUALLY UNLOCKED THE DOOR. WHEN HE OPENED THE DOOR HE NOTICED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN, DASH BOARD AND DRIVER'S DOOR WERE DAMAGED BY FIRE AND MELTED PLASTIC DAMAGED THE CARPET. THE WINDOWS AND INTERIOR WERE COVERED IN RESIDUE FROM THE SMOKE. WE IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED THE KIA DEALERSHIP AND REPORTED THE INCIDENT AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO SOUTHPOINT KIA WHERE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. WE RECEIVED A SLOW RESPONSE FOR GETTING A REPLACEMENT VEHICLE AND WAS TOLD SEVERAL DAYS LATER THAT WE WOULD NEED TO COVER THE RENTAL VEHICLE UNTIL THEY DETERMINED THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. I WAS TOLD TO REPORT THE CLAIM TO MY INSURANCE COMPANY STATE FARM. STATE FARM DETERMINED THAT THE DAMAGE WAS CAUSED BY A "RIGHT SEAT SWITCH - ELECTRICAL PROBLEM." AS OF TODAY, WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE STATUS OF THIS CLAIM OR THE CAUSE OF THE DAMAGE FROM KIA ENGINEERS. IT APPEARS THAT THEY ARE NOT HONORING THEIR 10 YEAR 100,000 MILE WARRANTY. OUR VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED SEPTEMBER, 2003. *AK