NHTSA Complaint #11065937 — 2014 HYUNDAI SANTA FE

VEHICLE SPONTANEOUSLY BURNED IN A SKI AREA PARKING LOT IN MAINE. FIRE STARTED AT REAR LEFT (DRIVER'S SIDE) OF CAR. THE CAR WAS DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES IN THE MORNING AND PARKED FOR OVER 4 HOURS WHEN LOCAL POLICE AND FIRE WERE NOTIFIED OF A CAR BURNING. BY THE TIME I RETURNED TO THE CAR, THE FIRE HAD BEEN EXTINGUISHED. ALTHOUGH NO CAUSE OF ORIGIN WAS DETERMINED, IT APPEARS THE FIRE IGNITED FROM AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE IN THE REAR LEFT. THE BACK HALF OF THE VEHICLE WAS HEAVILY DAMAGED. MUCH OF MY PERSONAL PROPERTY WAS SALVAGEABLE AND ANY BAGS WHICH BURNED/MELTED DID SO FROM THE OUTSIDE IN, A FURTHER INDICATION THAT THE VEHICLE FIRE STARTED WITH A VEHICLE ISSUE. IT WAS THE FIRST DAY THE CAR EXPERIENCED ABOVE FREEZING TEMPS IN ABOUT 3 WEEKS. I NOTE THAT BECAUSE THERE WAS A CANADA ONLY RECALL OF 2013 HYUNDAI SANTA FES FOR RISK OF FIRE WHEN SALT GRIME ENTERS THE REAR PARKING SENSORS (WHICH MY VEHICLE HAD) AND SHORT CIRCUITS - IT APPEARS THE RISK OF FIRE DUE TO THIS ISSUE CAN OCCUR WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PARKED AND OFF. FORTUNATELY, NOBODY WAS HURT AND ONLY MY PERSONAL PROPERTY WAS IMPACTED - THIS COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE IF THE CAR WAS PARKED IN MY HOUSE GARAGE, A HOTEL GARAGE, WHILE DRIVING, ETC. A THREE YEAR OLD CAR BURNING FOR NO APPARENT REASON, SEEMS LIKE A POTENTIAL PUBLIC SAFETY RISK, AND SHOULDN'T HAPPEN TO A CAR OF ANY AGE. HAPPENED IN A SMALL RURAL AREA - NO FIRE DEPT REPORT, POLICE SAID THEY WOULD WRITE A REPORT BUT I HAVE NOT RECEIVED. THE CAR IS CONSIDERED A WRITE-OFF BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. FOLLOWING IS A LINK TO THE CDN RECALL INFO: HTTP://WWW.AUTOFOCUS.CA/NEWS-EVENTS/LATEST-RECALLS/HYUNDAI-RECALLS-13-700-SUVS-FOR-FIRE-RISK