NHTSA Complaint #10875413 — 2008 KIA SEDONA

ON 05-10-16 MY 2008 KIA SEDONA WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVE WAY. IT WAS NOT ON. IT HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN FOR MORE THAN 24 HOURS.THE KEY WAS NOT IN THE IGNITION. WE WERE REMOVING ONE OF THE BACK PASSENGER SEATS ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE SIDE DOOR HAD REMAINED OPEN. IN THE PAST WE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE DRIVER'S SIDE SLIDING DOOR, IT WOULDN'T OPEN OR WOULDN'T CLOSE. WHILE REMOVING THE SEAT THE OPEN DOOR INDICATOR (BUZZING) CAME ON. DID NOT KNOW WHY IT CAME ON, THE CAR WAS IN PARK AND WAS OFF. A COUPLE OF MINUTES LATER THE SMELL OF SMOKE WAS COMING FROM THE CAR. DID NOT SEE WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM AT FIRST AND THEN SMOKE WAS COMING OUT OF THE ENGINE AREA. THE HOOD WAS OPENED AND THERE WERE FLAMES ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL. THE FIRE DEPT. WAS CALLED BUT WE WERE ABLE TO PUT THE FLAMES OUT BEFORE IT BECAME DANGEROUS AND CANCELLED THE CALL. THE BATTERY HAD TO BE DISCONNECTED TO AVOID HAVING THE FLAMES START UP AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A KIA DEALER TO INVESTIGATE THE CAUSE. AFTER A FEW DAYS OF WAITING THE DEALER CONCLUDED THE ABS MAY HAVE CAUSED THE FIRE. THE FIRE HAD BURNED THE WIRING HARNESS AND FIRE WALL. THE CAR WAS TOTALED DUE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO CONFIRM THE ACTUAL CAUSE OF THE FIRE. TO DATE WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT ACTUALLY CAUSED THE FIRE BUT WE HAD TO BUY ANOTHER CAR. I WANT TO POINT OUT IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE DOOR SYSTEM BE ALERT. IF YOUR CAR IS IN PARK WITH THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION AND YOU HAVE WARNING BUZZARDS GO OFF CHECK THE CURRENT STATUS OF THE VEHICLE, POSSIBLE RELAY OVER LOAD TO DOOR CONNECTION. NOT CONFIRMED, BUT WAS THE ONLY POWER OPERATING PART TO THE VEHICLE THAT WAS IN USE WHEN THE FIRE STARTED.