NHTSA Complaint #10683643 — 2013 KIA OPTIMA

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON DARBY ROAD IN HAVERFORD, PA GOING ABOUT 30 MPH. SHE HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER SAFELY STOPPING SHE INSPECTED THE CAR AND FOUND THAT THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE WAS NO LONGER STRAIGHT UP AND DOWN BUT WAS TILTED. THE HAVERFORD POLICE RESPONDED AND ASKED IF SHE HAD HIT ANYTHING. SHE REPLIED "NO". THE POLICE LOOKED DOWN THE ROAD AND COULD NOT FIND ANY POTHOLES OR ANYTHING THAT HAD BEEN STRUCK. WE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO WEST CHESTER, PA KIA DEALERSHIP. THEY ARE INSISTING THAT SOMETHING HAD TO HAVE HIT THE VEHICLE. THEY SAY THAT THERE IS EVIDENCE OF SCRAPES ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. I TOLD THEM THAT WAS PROBABLY DUE TO THE CAR BEING DRAGGED BY THE TOW TRUCK TO GET IN ON TO THE FLATBED WHEN IT WAS TOWED TO OUR HOUSE. WHEN IT WAS REMOVED FROM THE TOW TRUCK IT WAS AGAIN DRAGGED ON THE GROUND. THE SAME THING HAPPENED THIS MORNING WHEN ANOTHER TOW TRUCK CAME TO TAKE IT TO KIA OF WEST CHESTER. THEY ARE NOW GOING TO TOW IT FROM THERE TO GRAN SPORT AUTO IN WEST CHESTER, PA AND I AM SURE MORE DAMAGE WILL OCCUR. I FEEL THAT SINCE THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT, NO POTHOLE AND NO COLLISION WITH ANYTHING THAT THIS COULD BE A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. KIA IS SAYING IT HAD TO HAVE OCCURRED BECAUSE OF IMPACT. *TR