NHTSA Complaint #11020888 — 2010 KIA FORTE

ON TWO OCCASIONS NOW THE KIA FORTE HAS STALLED WITH THE ORIGINAL FUEL SENDING UNIT LOCATED IN THE FUEL TANK. FIRST OCCURRENCE WAS IN SEPTEMBER 11 2016 (~55,000 MILES) WHERE CAR WAS PARKED FOR ~30 MINUTES WHILE SHOPPING AND WOULD NOT START-INVESTIGATION FOUND THE FUEL PUMP CONNECTOR WITHIN THE FUEL TANK GOT HOT ENOUGH TO MELT THE PLASTIC AND DISCONNECT THE POSITIVE TERMINAL (SEE IMAGES ATTACHED). THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE AND KIA DEALERSHIPS IN THE CHICAGOLAND AREA WOULD NOT DO ANY WARRANTY REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT. AFTER REPAIRING THE CONNECTION AND RE-SOCKETING THE TERMINALS THE PUMP WAS ABLE TO WORK FOR ANOTHER YEAR UNTIL THE SECOND INCIDENT. ON AUGUST 29 2017 (~75,000 MILES) THE VERY SAME CONNECTOR AGAIN WITHIN THE ASSEMBLY FOR THE FUEL SENDING UNIT FAILED WHILE IN MOTION ON A RESIDENTIAL ROAD CAUSING THE ENGINE TO STALL WHICH IN TURN CAUSED LOSS OF POWER STEERING. AGAIN, THE CONNECTOR FOR PROVIDING POWER TO THE FUEL PUMP OPENED CAUSING THE ENGINE TO BE STARVED OF FUEL. THE UNIT IS NO LONGER REPAIRABLE AS THE OPEN CIRCUIT IS OCCURRING WITHIN THE RIGHT-ANGLE PASS THROUGH THE METAL DIVIDER OF THE INTERNAL PORTION OF THE FUEL TANK. THE ENTIRE UNIT REQUIRED REPLACEMENT EVEN THOUGH ALL OTHER ELEMENTS ON THE ASSEMBLY ARE WORKING. OTHER OWNERS HAVE REPORTED THIS EXACT ISSUE HOWEVER THE MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE POSSIBILITY OF A RECALL. THIS IS AN OBVIOUS SAFETY MECHANISM ISSUE AND COULD CAUSE ACCIDENTS DUE TO ABRUPT LOSS OF STEERING, ABILITY TO ACCELERATE, AND FIRE HAZARD.