NHTSA Complaint #10147227 — 2002 KIA SPECTRA

I AM THE OWNER OF A 2002 KIA SPECTRA VIN [XXX] IN THE LAST MONTH I HAD 3 INCIDENTS OF SUDDEN SEVERE ACCELERATION ASSOCIATED WITH APPLYING THE BRAKE. THE FIRST TIME, ON DEC 8TH, AS I WAS STOPPING FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE RPM COUNTER WENT TO 7500, THE CAR TRIED TO LURCH FORWARD, AND I HELD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE TO STOP IT. AFTER A FEW SECONDS IT RETURNED TO NORMAL. MY KIA DEALER ADVISED ME TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO THE SHOP - THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE SECOND TIME ON DEC 31 IN A MALL PARKING AREA AS I BRAKED TO TURN INTO A PARKING SLOT - I JUST MANAGED TO AVOID HITTING ONE OF THE PARKED CARS. THE LAST TIME, ON JAN 5TH IN THE TOLL LANE OF THE NYS THRUWAY AS I WAS STOPPING TO PICK UP THE TICKET. THIS TIME AGAIN, A SUDDEN VERY HIGH ACCELERATOR WITH THE CAR TRYING TO JUMP FORWARD AND APPLYING THE BRAKE TO HOLD IT. AFTER I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF, AND I STARTED IT AGAIN AND AGAIN EACH TIME I RESTARTED. I HAD TO GET OUT OF THE CAR AND ADVISE ALL THE PEOPLE BEHIND ME IN THE QUEUE OF MY PROBLEM. AFTER A FEW TRIES, I WAS ABLE TO START IT AGAIN WITHOUT REVVING UP AND I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER VERY CAREFULLY. FOUR DAYS LATER, HEY CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, BUT I AM NOT WILLING TO RISK MY LIFE OR THE LIVES OF OTHERS. I CALLED KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE - THEY WERE POLITE BUT UNHELPFUL. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO, OTHER THAN OBTAIN LEGAL COUNCEL AS WELL AS REPORT THIS TO THE NYS ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE. ANY ADVICE WOULD BE WELCOME THANKS! *JB UPDATED 07/17/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)