NHTSA Complaint #10525077 — 2007 KIA SPECTRA

OWNER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE QUIT MOVING AND WOULD NOT RESTART. UPON INSPECTION, THE IGN 2 30 AMP FUSIBLE LINK LOCATED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FUSE BOX WAS BLOWN AND THE STARTER SOLENOID, LOCATED ON THE STARTER, WAS MELTED. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS NO FACTORY CIRCUIT PROTECTION BETWEEN THE BATTERY AND THE STARTER SOLENOID. IT IS SPECULATED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH BECAME STUCK IN THE START POSITION AND MELTED THE STARTER SOLENOID DUE TO CONTINUOUS STARTER OPERATION AFTER THE INITIAL START UNTIL MELTING AND SMOKE OCCURRED. WHILE THERE WAS NO FIRE THIS TIME, THE ABSENCE OF CIRCUIT PROTECTION ON THIS CIRCUIT POSES A SERIOUS RISK BECAUSE THIS WIRE RUNS FROM THE BATTERY, OVER THE TRANSMISSION, AND UP BEHIND THE ENGINE, ULTIMATELY TO THE STARTER SOLENOID. THERE ARE MANY PLACES WHERE THIS WIRE COULD RUB AND WEAR OFF THE INSULATION OVER TIME, CAUSING A SHORT TO GROUND DIRECTLY TO THE BATTERY WITH NO CIRCUIT PROTECTION. *TR