NHTSA Complaint #11176280 — 2011 KIA OPTIMA

TAKATA RECALL I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 65MPH ON I-95 SOUTH BACK HOME TO FL FROM VISITING MY FAMILY IN SC WHEN I STARTED TO SMELL GASOLINE FUMES IN MY MOVING VEHICLE. I WOKE MY GIRLFRIEND UP AND ASKED IF SHE SMELT IT AS WELL. SHE STATED 'YEAH, I CAN SMELL GAS A LITTLE BIT.' THEN I ROLLED THE WINDOW DOWN AND THE SMELL BECAME EXTREMELY STRONG. I STARTED TO FEEL LIGHT HEADED AND TOOK THE IMMEDIATE EXIT (EXIT 33). I PULLED INTO AN EXXON STATION AND PARKED MY VEHICLE. I OPENED THE HOOD OF MY 2011 KIA OPTIMA EX AND NOTICED GAS SPRAYING ALL OVER THE ENGINE BAY FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE HIGH-PRESSURE FUEL LINE WHERE THE BOLT CONNECTS. I IMMEDIATELY SHUT MY CAR OFF. I FILLED MY GAS TANK TO FULL BEFORE LEAVING MY BROTHERS APARTMENT AND MY FUEL WAS NOW AT HALF A TANK. I DROVE 57.5 MILES, SO I SHOULD HAVE ONLY USED ABOUT 2.3 GALLONS OF GAS NOT APPROXIMATELY 9.25 GALLONS. THEREFORE, THIS MEANS I LOST APPROXIMATELY 6.95 GALLONS IN THE HOT ENGINE BAY. I AM EXTREMELY LUCKY THAT MY VEHICLE DID NOT CATCH ON FIRE BECAUSE IT'S LIKELY THAT MY GIRLFRIEND AND MYSELF WOULD NOT BE ALIVE. I WAS FORCED TO REPLACE THIS PART ON MY OWN DUE TO IT BEING BEFORE THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL LINE RECALL (18V907). I TOOK MY VEHICLE INTO KIA ONCE THE 18V907 RECALL CAME OUT AND THEY DIDN'T EVEN REPLACE THE (FUEL LINE) WORK I DID. THEY SAID IT PASSED THE "TEST." I KNOW I DID NOT PERFORM THE REPAIR BY THE PROPER PROCEDURE AND I'M SHOCKED THAT THEY ARE OKAY WITH THAT AND STATING THE RECALL AS COMPLETED. I FEEL LIKE I AM AT A VERY HIGH RISK OF ANOTHER FUEL LEAK AND TERRIFIED WHEN I DRIVE MY CAR NOW. ESPECIALLY WITH ALL OF THE KIA FIRES THAT HAVE BEEN OCCURRING.