NHTSA Complaint #10180908 — 2003 KIA SEDONA

A RECALL WAS PERFORMED ON THIS SEDONA 2003 ON FEBRUARY 12 2006, REGARDING POWER SEATS WIRING( NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 05V463000). ON JULY 10, 2006 WHILE DRIVING SMOKE CAME OUT THE FRONT DASH AND SUDDENLY A FIRE UNDER DRIVER WHEEL(GEAR) RIGHT NEXT TO MY WIFE'S LEFT LEG. DRIVERS WINDOWS WAS DOWN BECAUSE OF THE HEAVY SMOKE PRIOR TO THE FIRE STARTING, SO WHEN MY WIFE STOPPED THE SEDONA AND NOTICED THE FLAMES NEAR HER LEGS SHE JUMPED ON THE DRIVERS SEATS AND SINCE SHE WAS UNABLE TO UNLOCK THE DOOR BECAUSE OF PREVIOUS POWER FAILURE DUE TO THE FIRE THEN SHE JUMPED THROUGH THE WINDOWS AND GOT OUT, SOMEBODY ELSE PUT OUT THE FIRE QUICKLY WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER BUT HE USED THE KEY TO OPEN THE DOOR BECAUSE THERE WAS NOT OTHER WAY TO OPEN THAT DOOR. ALSO, NEEDED TO INVESTIGATE WHY THE DOOR DID NOT OPENED AT THAT TIME WHEN A FIRE GOING ON. ROAD ASSISTANCE CAME IN TO PICK UP THE SEDONA, THEN WAS TAKEN DOWN TO MOTORAMBAR, INC. AUTHORIZED KIA DEALER IN PUERTO RICO FOR INSPECTION AND TO GET A CERTIFIED DIAGNOSTICS ON HOW AND WHY THIS HAPPENED. I WAS TOLD BY SERVICE ADVISOR SUPERVISOR THAT THIS WAS THE FIRST SEDONA THAT CAUGHT ON FIRE WITH NO ELECTRICAL INSTALLATIONS OTHER THAN WHAT IT CAME ORIGINALLY WHEN I PURCHASED THE UNIT. THEY WERE GOING TO LET KIA MOTORS ENGINEERS KNOW ABOUT IT SO THEY CAN COME DOWN AND PERFORM AND INVESTIGATION ON WHY THIS HAPPENED AND HOW THE FIRE START AND WHEN THAT HAPPENED, THEY WILL CONTACT ME SO I CAN BE PRESENT WHEN THEY DO THE INSPECTION AND CERTIFICATION, BUT THIS NEVER HAPPENED, I REALLY DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS A LACK OF INTEREST FROM KIA MOTORS OR THAT KIA MOTORS WERE NOT NOTIFIED ABOUT IT. IT HAS BEEN MORE THAN SIX MONTHS AND THE SEDONA IS STILL THERE GETTING RUSTY. AT THIS TIME THEY DO NOT KNOW WHY THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. *JB