NHTSA Complaint #10957924 — 2012 KIA SOUL

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 KIA SOUL. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, A VEHICLE IN FRONT DEPRESSED THE BRAKES ABRUPTLY CAUSING THE DRIVER TO CRASH INTO THE REAR OF THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE DRIVER MERGED ONTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND CRASHED INTO TWO OTHER VEHICLES. THE DRIVER WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE DRIVER OF THE FIRST VEHICLE THAT WAS IMPACTED ALSO SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. THE FRONT PASSENGER IN THE FIRST VEHICLE SUSTAINED SHOCK TRAUMA AND THE CHILD SEATED IN THE REAR SUSTAINED UNKNOWN INJURIES. THERE WERE TWO INJURIES IN THE SECOND VEHICLE. ALL INJURED OCCUPANTS REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN IMPOUND LOT WHERE IT CURRENTLY WAS PENDING AN INSPECTION TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED DESTROYED. PRIOR TO THE CRASHES, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIRE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND IT POSSIBLY ENCOUNTERED AN OBJECT IN THE ROAD, WHICH CAUSED THE BLOW OUT. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE WAS REPLACED. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER WHERE THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE WAS REPLACED. AFTER RETRIEVING THE VEHICLE, THE STEERING WHEEL FELT ABNORMAL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.