NHTSA Complaint #10483749 — 2011 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID

WHEN APPLYING GAS PEDAL TO PULL AWAY FROM A DEAD STOP--SUCH AS A STOP SIGN OR RED LIGHT---CAR STUMBLES AND HESITATES. AT TIMES CAR WILL NOT EVEN RESPOND WHEN GAS PEDAL IS PUSHED. PUSH THE GAS PEDAL AND NOTHING HAPPENS--THEN YOU PUSH PEDAL A BIT MORE AND IT JERKS AND SHOOTS FORWARD. NOT A COMFORTABLE SITUATION WHEN TRYING TO PULL INTO TRAFFIC FROM A INTERSECTION. HAPPENS VIRTUALLY EVERY TIME. COLD OR WARMED UP--SAME PROBLEM--EXCEPT A LOT WORSE AT COLD START. ONCE ABOVE 30 MPG THINGS SMOOTH OUT--BUT THE BIG DANGER IS TRYING TO PULL OUT INTO TRAFFIC. I HAVE BEEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES. THEY DO A RE-FLASH OR WHATEVER--THEN TELL ME IT DRIVES NORMAL. NO FAULT WITH THE DEALER AT ALL--THEY HAVE BEEN EXCELLENT REALLY--BUT--CAN'T FIX THE HESITATION.BUT DRIVING NORMAL--THAT'S NOT TRUE. THEY KNOW THEY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THIS HYBRID SYSTEM--THERE IS A WEB PAGE THAT ADDRESSES THIS PROBLEM---EVERYONE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. I CAN'T EVEN ALLOW A FRIEND OR ONE OF MY KIDS DRIVE THIS CAR.IF YOU DON'T KNOW HOW THE CARS GOING TO REACT---YOUR OPEN TO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I HAVE HAD A CAMRY HYBRID AND TWO PRIUS HYBRIDS--NO PROBLEMS. I KNOW HOW A HYBRID CAR SHOULD DRIVE. THIS CAR IS UNSAFE FOR THE DRIVER AND OTHER MORTORISTS ON THE ROAD. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR