NHTSA Complaint #11121693 — 2012 KIA SORENTO

ON 8/18/18 THE ENGINE OF MY KIA SORENTO BURST INTO FLAMES WHILE I WAS DRIVING WITH MY TWO YOUNG CHILDREN AND OUR DOG. I HAD MY SIX YEAR OLD AND ONE YEAR OLD DAUGHTERS AND MY 9 YEAR OLD PUG IN THE VEHICLE WITH ME. THE ENTIRE ENGINE SUDDENLY BURST INTO FLAMES WITH THEM SHOOTING OUT UNDER THE HOOD AT ALL SIDES. I YELLED FOR MY 6 YEAR OLD TO GET OUT BUT SHE FROZE AND WAS SCREAMING AND CRYING, SAYING "I CAN'T, I CAN'T GET OUT". I FIRST GOT MY ONE YEAR OLD OUT OF HER CAR SEAT AND RAN AROUND AND PULLED MY 6 YEAR OLD OUT. I GOT THEM AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE AND THEN WENT BACK AND GOT MY DOG OUT OF THE FRONT SEAT. THE FIRE SPREAD WITH SUCH SPEED AND THE THICK BLACK SMOKE WAS SO STRONG. THANK GOD THAT I WAS ABLE TO GET MY FAMILY OUT AS THE FIRE QUICKLY SPREAD. WITHIN MINUTES THE ENTIRE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY ENGULFED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND QUICKLY PUT OUT THE FIRE BUT MY VEHICLE IS A TOTAL LOSS, MELTING THE ENTIRE INTERIOR OF THE CAR THAT WE WERE SITTING IN JUST MINUTES PRIOR. NOTHING IN THE VEHICLE WAS SALVAGEABLE. THE CAR BURST INTO FLAMES WHILE I WAS DRIVING IN THE PARKING LOT OF CHUCK OLSON KIA IN SHORELINE, WA. I HAD JUST PULLED INTO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE I SMELLED GAS AND WANTED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO LOOK AT IT. THEY HAD REPLACED MY ENGINE ABOUT SIX WEEKS PRIOR UNDER THE RECALL BECAUSE MY ENGINE SEIZED WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. I DO NOT KNOW WHETHER IT WAS THE INSTILLATION OF THE ENGINE OR IF THE RECALL DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM OF KIA ENGINES BURSTING INTO FLAMES. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ON, MY CAR HAD A FULL GAS TANK AND DID NOT NEED AN OIL CHANGE. I SMELLED GAS AS I DROVE MY DAUGHTER'S FRIEND HOME AND CALLED MY HUSBAND WHO SAID TO TAKE IT IN. I WAS LESS THAN TWO MILES FROM THE DEALERSHIP AND CALLED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AS I WAS DRIVING THERE. AS I PULLED UP I SAW THE SERVICE DEPT WAS CLOSED AND I BEGAN TO TURN AROUND WHEN THE FIRE STARTED.