NHTSA Complaint #10702294 — 2012 KIA SORENTO

ON MONDAY, MARCH 23 AT 8 PM, I ARRIVED HOME AND PARKED MY CAR IN OUR DRIVEWAY CLOSE TO OUR HOUSE. I LOVED UP AND WENT INSIDE. AT 4:30 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING, MY SON CAME INTO OUR BEDROOM SAYING BE THOUGHT SUNSHINE WAS TRYING TO BREAK INTO MY CAR BECAUSE THE CAR ALARM WAS GOING OFF. I WENT TO THE WINDOW TO LOOK OUT, AND IMMEDIATELY SEE THAT THE CAR WAS ON FIRE. THE FLAMES APPEARED TO BE COMING FROM THE LEFT DRIVER'S SIDE TAIL LIGHT. WE CALLED 911. BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED THE WHOLE BACK HALF OF THE CAR WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE WAS ROARING. THE CAR WAS TOTALED. AN ARSON INVESTIGATOR ROLLED OUT ARSON. IT WAS THE CRAZIEST THING I HAVE EVER WITNESSED AND IT WAS TERRIFYINGLY CLOSE TO OUR HOUSE. THE FIRE WAS ALREADY IN OUR YARD WHEN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED. I SHUTTER TO THINK WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF MY SON HAD NOT WOOLEN UP WHEN HE HAD. THE FIRE WAS SO CLOSE TO THE GAS TANK, WE ARE LUCKY THERE WANT A FULL ON EXPLOSION. THE WEATHER WAS MILD AND DRY WHEN IT HAPPENED AND THERE WAS NO DEFERRED MAINTENANCE ON THE CAR. I SIMPLY CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT COULD HAVE CAUSED THE FIRE. MY BEST GUESS IS THAT SOMETHING SET OF THE CAR ALARM WHICH ON TURN SHORTED AND SPARKED THE FIRE IN THE FLASHING REAR LIGHTS. IT WAS A CERTIFIED USED VEHICLE AND IN PERFECT CONDITION THAT I PURCHASED IN SEPTEMBER 2014. *TR