NHTSA Complaint #10995636 — 2016 KIA SORENTO

TRACTION CONTROL - OUR VEHICLE HAS SUSTAINED TWO INCIDENTS INVOLVING THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM. THE FIRST INCIDENT INVOLVED THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT ON THE DASH ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF THEN BACK ON THE LIGHT WOULD GO OFF. THE DEALERSHIP EVALUATED THE PROBLEM BUT COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE INCIDENT. SEVERAL MONTHS LATER, THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AT APPROXIMATELY 25-30 MPH, IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD, IN A MODERATE RIGHT HAND TURN, AND THE TRACTION LIGHT CAME ON DURING THE TURN. THE VEHICLE BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE WHEN THE VEHICLE STEERED TOWARDS THE RIGHT AND FORCED US TO STRIKE A CURB CAUSING STEERING AND WHEEL DAMAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKE AGAIN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. WE WERE TOLD THE STEERING SENSOR HAD FAILED BUT THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE WHETHER THIS OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF THE COLLISION OR IF IT FAILED AND CAUSED THE COLLISION. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT THE KIA DEALERSHIP FOR SEVEN DAYS, THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT RESPONDED TO ATTEMPT TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND DOWNLOAD DATA FROM THE VEHICLE'S COMPUTER BUT WE HAVE NOT HEARD THE STATUS AS OF THE 8TH DAY. WE ARE CONCERNED FOR OBVIOUS REASONS AND FEEL THERE'S AN ISSUE AFFECTING THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM WHICH AFFECTS THE STEERING. NOW THAT A COLLISION HAS RESULTED IN THE FAILURE OF THE SYSTEM, IT HAS BEEN VERY DIFFICULT TO GATHER INFORMATION FROM KIA AND FEEL THERE MAY BE OTHER INCIDENTS THAT HAVE BEEN OVERLOOKED AS SIMPLE COLLISIONS. NO DOCUMENTATION HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY THE DEALERSHIP RELATIVE TO EITHER INCIDENT AT THIS TIME.