NHTSA Complaint #11230174 — 2011 KIA OPTIMA

SOMETIME TOWARD THE END OF 2017, I NOTICED THAT MY DOME LIGHT NO LONGER ILLUMINATED WHEN THE DOORS WERE OPENED. I CAN STILL USE THE INTERIOR LIGHTS MANUALLY, THOUGH THIS USUALLY LEADS TO FORGETTING AND LEAVING THEM ON. I LIVE IN WA, IT IS OFTEN DARK AROUND 4 PM AND GREY THROUGHOUT THE DAY. I FEEL THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE, AS I CANNOT SEE WHO IS IN MY CAR BEFORE ENTERING WHEN IN A PARKING LOT. ALSO, MY 5-YEAR-OLD HAS A HARD TIME BUCKLING HER OWN CAR SEAT BELT SINCE SHE CANNOT SEE THE BUCKLE. THIS IS AN INCONVENIENCE AND WITH CRIME RATES RISING, IT MAKES ME FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE GOING OUT ALONE, KNOWING THAT NOBODY CAN SEE WHAT IS GOING ON WHILE I AM BUCKLING HER IN. THE CHANCES OF BEING MUGGED OR WORSE GO UP, MY SAFETY IS WORTH THE $400, HOWEVER, I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE A MALFUNCTION IN THE VEHICLE FIXED. THE REASON I FEEL THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL IS BECAUSE OF THE 3 KIA'S WE OWN, 2 OF THEM HAVE THIS SAME ISSUE OF THE INTERIOR LIGHTS ONLY WORKING MANUALLY AND NOT ACTIVATED WITH OPENING THE DOOR. MY WIFE'S 2014 KIA SORENTO DOME LIGHT STOPPED WORKING WHEN THE DOORS WERE OPENED AROUND DECEMBER OF 2018. BOTH OF US HAVE OVER 60,000 MILES ON OUR VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF THE MALFUNCTION. I WAS QUOTED OVER $400 TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED. WHEN LOOKING AT FORUMS, IT LOOKS AS THOUGH IT IS A CONNECTION THAT WIGGLES LOOSE. I AM SURE THAT IF 2 OF OUR KIA'S HAVE THIS ISSUE, IT IS HIGHLY LIKELY MANY MORE KIA OWNERS HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. KIA SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE TO FIX THIS SAFETY ISSUE.