NHTSA Complaint #10661857 — 2015 KIA CADENZA

UPON PRESSING ENGINE PUSH BUTTON START A STRONG ODOR OF GASOLINE FILLED THE CABIN COMPARTMENT DURING IDLING WHILE THE CAR WAS IN PARK. THE ENGINE STARTED AS NORMAL WITH NO INDICATION OF MALFUNCTION. AS CAR WAS PUT INTO DRIVE AND DRIVEN A SHORT DISTANCE LESS THAN 500 FEET FROM MY STARTING POINT THE GASOLINE ODOR WAS OVERPOWERING IN THE CABIN COMPARTMENT AND THE CAR WAS UNABLE TO CLIMB A SMALL INCLINE IN THE ROAD AND THE ENGINE WAS NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE SPEED OVER 5 MPH. I WAS ABLE TO TURN THE CAR AROUND AND RETURN HOME. THE CAR WAS THEN DRIPPING GASOLINE FROM UNDER THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHEN PARKED AT THE ORIGINAL STARTING POINT AND A PUDDLE OF FUEL WAS OBSERVED ON THE ROAD WHEN THE CAR WAS TOWED AWAY TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED TWO MONTHS AGO AND ONLY 1,322 MILES WERE ON THE ODOMETER. A SLIGHT ODOR OF GASOLINE FILLING THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT BEGAN A FEW DAYS PRIOR AND AN APPOINTMENT WAS SCHEDULED WITH THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE CAR INSPECTED UNFORTUNATELY THE CAR MALFUNCTIONED BEFORE THE SERVICE INSPECTION DATE. NO INJURY OCCURRED TO ME ONLY ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD WITH FUEL LEAKING THE ENTIRE TOW TO DEALERSHIP. WOULD LIKE FOR NO HARM TO COME TO OTHERS IF PROBLEM NOT AN ISOLATED ISSUE. NO WORD FROM DEALERSHIP ON DIAGNOSTIC ISSUE. WILL UPDATE WHEN DIAGNOSTICS ARE AVAILABLE. *JS