NHTSA Complaint #11164460 — 2012 KIA OPTIMA

LOCKED OUT OF CAR AUTOMATICALLY WHILE KEY IS IN THE CAR ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. IN THE FIRST INSTANCE (JULY 2018), I WAS EN ROUTE AND STOPPED BRIEFLY, GOT OUT OF THE CAR WITH IT RUNNING WHILE THE KEY WAS STILL IN THE CAR. AS SOON AS I CLOSED THE DOOR, THE CAR DOORS LOCKED ME OUT AUTOMATICALLY. THIS WAS INCONVENIENT AND CAUSED MUCH DISTRESS BECAUSE I WAS AWAY FROM HOME PICKING UP MY INFANT CHILD FROM PRESCHOOL, AND DID NOT HAVE THE SECOND KEY AVAILABLE. THIS WAS ALSO EMBARRASSING AS MY PHONE ALSO WAS LOCKED IN THE CAR. IN THE SECOND INSTANCE (DECEMBER 2018), I USED THE REMOTE START TO START THE CAR IN MY DRIVEWAY. AFTER I PUT MY INFANT CHILD IN THE CAR SEAT AND CLOSED THE DOOR, THE CAR TURNED ITSELF OFF AND ALL THE DOORS LOCKED AUTOMATICALLY. MY KEY WAS LOCKED IN THE CAR WITH MY CHILD. THIS WAS A TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE AND IT WAS COLDER THAN 40 DEGREES OUTSIDE. I HAD TO WAIT OVER 30 MINUTES TO GET MY CHILD OUT OF THE CAR. THIS IS NOT JUST CONCERNING, IT IS NEGLIGENT FOR THE MANUFACTURERS OF THIS CAR TO PUT UNSUSPECTING CAR OWNERS IN THIS DANGEROUS AND UNSAFE POSITION. THE FIRST OCCURRENCE I THOUGHT WAS A FREAK ACCIDENT, BUT THEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN. I RESEARCHED THE ISSUE AND FOUND MANY ISSUES AND COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER OWNERS SIMILAR TO MINE. THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY. THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME OWNER AWARENESS ISSUED ON HOW TO RECTIFY THIS AND RESOLVING THIS ALL TOGETHER.