NHTSA Complaint #11121719 — 2015 KIA SOUL

THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED ON SATURDAY, THE 11TH OF AUGUST, 2018 AT 12 NOON. IN MOTION ON INTERSTATE I75 SOUTHBOUND. MEDIUM TRAFFIC, DRY AND CLEAR CONDITIONS. I HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A ROCK OR OTHER ROAD DEBRIS HITTING THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR. ABOUT 15 SECONDS LATER I STARTED HEARING A SORT OF TAPPING NOISE FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. ALL THE GAUGES SHOWED NORMAL. I PULLED OVER THINKING I MAY HAVE PICKED UP SOMETHING UNDER MY CAR. I PULLED TO THE SHOULDER AND EXAMINED UNDER THE CAR AND SAW NOTHING. I STARTED DRIVING AGAIN AND CHANGED MY DESTINATION TO THE KIA DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED MY CAR. I NOTICED THE NOISE INCREASING AND IT SEEMED AS IF THE ENGINE LOST LOST COMPRESSION. I THEN TURNED ON MY FLASHERS TO ALERT THE DRIVERS BEHIND ME. ABOUT THIS TIME THE LCD SCREEN TURNED WHITE AND HAD THE MESSAGE THAT THE SYSTEM MAY HAVE RECEIVED AN ERROR MESSAGE FROM THE ENGINE AND NOTED THAT I SHOULD GET TO A KIA DEALER ASAP. THE SCREEN THEN WENT BLANK. I DROVE FOR ABOUT ANOTHER HALF A MILE AND THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE ENGINE DIED. I WAS ABLE TO GET TO THE SHOULDER AND I NOTICE "STEAM" COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. UPON OPENING THE HOOD I SAW THE STEAM WAS SMOKE AND FLAMES WERE SHOOTING FROM THE TOP OF THE ENGINE, FROM UNDER THE OIL CAP. I TOOK A BLANKET FROM THE BACK OF MY CAR TO BEAT OUT THE FLAMES AND IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. AT THAT TIME I GOT AWAY FROM THE CAR AND DIALED 911. AT THAT TIME A TRUCKER HAD PULLED OVER AND CAME RUNNING BACK WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND DOUSED THE FLAMES. A FIRE TRUCK ARRIVED AND WROTE A REPORT WHICH I DO NOT HAVE. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO SONS KIA OF MCDONOUGH, GA.