NHTSA Complaint #11041768 — 2014 KIA SOUL

ON 10/25/2017 WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, MY 2014 KIA SOUL CAUGHT ON FIRE - SPONTANEOUSLY AND WITHOUT WARNING (NO APPARENT ISSUES IN OPERATING THE CAR, WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH, ETC.). TWO FELLOW MOTORISTS HONKED THEIR HORNS AND FLASHED THEIR LIGHTS IN AN EFFORT TO SIGNAL ME. THE BACK WINDSHIELD BEGAN TO 'FOG UP' DUE TO THE HEAT/FIRE, AND WE IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY. IN AN EFFORT TO ESCAPE THIS EMERGENCY, I ALONG WITH MY SON, WHO WAS DRIVING, IMMEDIATELY GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND MOVED A SAFE DISTANCE AWAY BEFORE CALLING 911. AT THIS POINT FLAMES WERE COMING FROM BOTH UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE AND FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE CAR WAS SOON ENGULFED IN FLAMES. MULTIPLE FIRE ENGINES RESPONDED TO THE SCENE IN EXTINGUISHING THE FIRE AND SECURING THE SCENE. THE CAR WAS A COMPLETE LOSS (SEE PICTURES ATTACHED IN THE REPORT). IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT MY 2014 KIA SOUL WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL KIA DEALERSHIP BETWEEN 10/17/2017 - 10/19/2017 FOR DIAGNOSTICS DUE TO LIGHTS (INTERNAL AND ON THE DASH) FLICKERING AND AN ABNORMAL SOUND. THE DEALERSHIP'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT REPLACED THE BATTERY, PERFORMED A SAFETY INSPECTION, BUT WERE UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE FLICKERING LIGHTS ISSUE, NOR WERE THEY ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE SOURCE OF THE ABNORMAL SOUND ALTHOUGH THEY DID ACKNOWLEDGE ITS PRESENCE. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT RELEASED THE VEHICLE TO ME AND ADVISED ME TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED. MY CAR WAS BROUGHT HOME, PARKED, AND NOT DRIVEN UNTIL THE INCIDENT ON 10/25/2017.