NHTSA Complaint #11142250 — 2016 KIA OPTIMA

HEADLIGHT MALFUNCTION SHUT OFF PROBLEM. AT NIGHT WHEN IN MOTION ON VARIOUS CITY STREETS THE FRONT AND REAR LIGHTS WILL, SUDDENLY AND RANDOMLY, WITH NO DRIVER INPUT WHATSOEVER, SHUT OFF COMPLETELY BOTH IN THE BACK AND IN THE FRONT OF THE CAR! THE HEADLAMPS AND REAR LAMPS WILL, AT THAT POINT STAY COMPLETELY OFF WITH ABSOLUTELY NO EXTERIOR LIGHTING FUNCTION EXCEPT THE BRAKE LIGHTS!! THE ONLY WAY TO GET REAR AND HEAD LAMPS BACK IS TO TURN THE HEADLIGHTS SWITCH OFF AND THEN ON AGAIN. THIS MALFUNCTION SO FAR HAS OCCURRED WHEN HEADLIGHT SWITCH IS IN AUTO MODE. THIS MODE OF LIGHTING DETECTS ENVIRONMENTAL LIGHTING CONDITIONS TO ACTIVATE EITHER DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS OR HEADLIGHTS. THIS HAS HAPPENED FIVE TIMES SINCE I PURCHASED THIS CAR BRAND NEW IN 2016. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED AND THE CAR HAS BEEN INSPECTED SEVERAL TIMES BUT THEY HAVE REPEATEDLY INSISTED THAT THE SYSTEM IS WORKING 'AS DESIGNED' OR SHOWS NO PROBLEMS. FORTUNATELY, I HAVE THE FRONT AND REAR CAMERAS INSTALLED WITH VIDEOS TO PROVE IT. MY VEHICLE MOUNTED CAMERAS HAVE CAPTURED THIS MALFUNCTION AS HAS MY IPHONE VIDEO.I WILL NEED A WAY TO SEND YOU THE VIDEO FILES AS THEY ARE TOO LARGE. I BELIEVE THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. AFTER MANY ATTEMPTS AND COMMUNICATION WITH THE COMPANY, THE CAR WAS KEPT FOR TWO WEEKS AND WAS RETURNED WITH REPAIR TO WHAT THEY ARE CALLING THE "MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH".