NHTSA Complaint #11100709 — 2016 KIA RIO

THE ISSUE HAS OCCURRED FOUR TIMES SINCE PURCHASING THE CAR AT THE END OF DECEMBER 2017 (LESS THAN 6 MONTHS AGO). THE DASHBOARD WILL LIGHT UP WITH A NUMBER OF ICONS AFTER THE CAR IS TURNED ON (SEE PHOTO FROM DECEMBER). THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED, IT WAS A BITTERLY COLD DAY AND THE ICONS POPPED UP AS I WAS DRIVING. I FELT THE STEERING BECOME TIGHT, BUT LUCKILY I WAS TURNING INTO A PARKING LOT TO SAFETY. THE ICONS WENT AWAY AFTER RUNNING THE CAR FOR A LONG TIME (I WAS TOLD IT WAS JUST THE COLD WEATHER). BUT WHEN I CHECKED ON MY CAR LATER BEFORE DRIVING, THE ICONS RETURNED. I HAD TO GET THE VEHICLE TOWED LATER THAT DAY BECAUSE THE ICONS DID NOT GO AWAY AND THE POWER STEERING DID NOT RETURN. THE ISSUE STOPPED AS SOON AS IT REACHED THE DEALERSHIP, SO THEY SENT ME ON MY WAY. I TURNED THE CAR ON THE FOLLOWING MORNING (STATIONARY, DID NOT MOVE IT YET) AND THE ICONS RETURNED, THE POWER STEERING WAS GONE. I GOT IT TOWED AGAIN. AFTER DAYS OF TESTING, THEY DETERMINED IT WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE AND SOMETHING WAS FIXED WITH WIRING. NOW IT IS JUNE 2018, AND THE ISSUE HAPPENED AGAIN (ON A WARM DAY - SO IT IS NOT COLD RELATED AS I WAS ORIGINALLY TOLD). I COULD NOT STEER AFTER TURNING THE VEHICLE ON IN THE EARLY MORNING ONCE AGAIN. I GOT IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE ISSUE IS BEING INVESTIGATED. I BELIEVE THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AS THE STEERING IS AFFECTED, AND WITH HOW MANY ICONS LIGHT UP RELATED TO THE AIR BAGS AND BRAKES, I AM NOT SURE WHAT ELSE COULD BE AFFECTED BY THIS ISSUE.