NHTSA Complaint #10429655 — 2010 KIA SOUL

BACKING OUT OF PARKING SPACE AND DRIVERS SIDE DOOR STARTED TO SMOKE. MAIN SMOKE WAS COMING FROM SPEAKER AREA. WINDOWS WERE DOWN. EXITED CAR IN PARKING LOT AND BY THIS TIME, DOOR STARTED TO MELT. SOON THEREAFTER, DOOR CAUGHT ON FIRE. CAR WAS STILL NEAR OTHER VEHICLES AND PEOPLE IN BUSY PARKING LOT. WAS TOLD BY BYSTANDER'S THAT VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE PUSHED FURTHER AWAY FROM BUSY AREA. ENTERED VEHICLE VIA PASSENGER SIDE DOOR, LEANED ACROSS WITH RIGHT HAND TO PRESS DOWN BRAKE PEDAL AND USED LEFT HAND TO PUT INTO NEUTRAL. RIGHT HAND BURNED DUE TO HEAT FROM DRIVERS SIDE BLAZING FIRE WHILE PRESSING DOWN BRAKE. EXITED VEHICLE AND PUSHED VEHICLE TO FURTHER AREA IN PARKING LOT. FIRE COVERED MELTING PLASTIC FALLING FROM DRIVERS SIDE DOOR AS VEHICLE WAS PUSHED. HAD TO PUSH VEHICLE FURTHER AS FIREY PLASTIC WAS UNDER GAS TANK AREA. ENTIRE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR ENGULFED IN FLAMES. FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND PUT OUT FIRE. DRIVERS SIDE DOOR DEMOLISHED AND SEATS DAMAGED. SMOKE DAMAGE THROUGHOUT VEHICLE. MELTED PLASTIC AND MELTED TIRES CAUSED CONCRETE IN PARKING LOT TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY BURNED/MELTED. BLISTERS TO RIGHT HAND, PHYSICIAN VISIT OCCURRED TO ADDRESS SKIN DISCOLORATION AND ENSURE INFECTION WAS NOT PRESENT. BLISTERED SKIN WAS CUT AWAY. KIA MOTORS STANCE IS TO REPAIR THIS VEHICLE AND PLACE BACK INTO THE MARKET. VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW ON 9-17-10. MANUFACTURER'S REPORT DATE REGARDING THIS RECALL WAS 8-30-11. RECALL DATE WAS 9-13-11. NO NOTIFICATION WAS RECEIVED FROM MANUFACTURER OR DEALER REGARDING THIS FIRE SAFETY RECALL, SC083. *KB