NHTSA Complaint #11153705 — 2014 KIA SOUL

SAFETY CONCERN: ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE IS A 2014 KIA SOUL WITH 104,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN THROUGH A RESIDENTIAL AREA AT <20 MPH WHEN THE ENGINE MADE A SINGLE "POP" SOUND AND THE VEHICLE EXPELLED A LARGE BLACK CLOUD OF SMOKE FROM THE EXHAUST PIPE. THE DRIVER PULLED OVER, INTO A GAS STATION. SHORTLY BEFORE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP, THE DRIVER HEARD ANOTHER LOUD "POP" SOUND FROM THE ENGINE AREA OF THE VEHICLE, FOLLOWED BY AN ADDITIONAL CLOUD OF BLACK SMOKE ESCAPING FROM THE ENGINE AREA. WHEN THE VEHICLE REACHED A COMPLETE STOP, THE DRIVER EXITED THE VEHICLE AND OPENED THE HOOD OF THE CAR, TO DISCOVER THE TOP OF THE ENGINE WAS ON-FIRE. THE FIRE WAS AS TALL AS THE ENGINE HOOD AND WIDE AS THE MOTOR. IT APPEARS ALL COMPONENTS IN THE ENGINE AREA WERE BURNED/MELTED, INCLUDING THE MOTOR COVER, HOSES, AND ELECTRICAL WIRES. THE DRIVER NOTIFIED THE GAS STATION ATTENDANT OF THE FIRE, AND USED THE GAS STATION'S FIRE EXTINGUISHER TO EXTINGUISH THE ENGINE FIRE. THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE WAS NOTIFIED THIS REPAIR WAS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR WARRANTIED REPAIR, WHICH EXPIRED AT 100,000 MILES, ACCORDING TO THE KIA SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BY KIA TO A KIA DEALERSHIP, AT THE EXPENSE OF THE OWNER, WHERE IT REMAINED DORMANT FOR 5 DAYS, DUE TO A HOLIDAY BREAK.