NHTSA Complaint #11297609 — 2014 KIA OPTIMA

ON 12/27/19 WHILE TRAVELLING FROM PA TO FL ON THE HIGHWAY FOR A FAMILY VACATION, TRAVELLING ABOUT 75 MPH AT 5:00AM IN COLUMBIA, SC THE DASH DISPLAY READ CHECK HYBRID SYSTEM, AND SUDDENLY SHUT DOWN. ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING, STEERING WHEEL BEGAN STIFFENING, I COASTED FROM THE PASSING LANE TO THE RIGHT LANE AND THEN TO THE SHOULDER WITHOUT INCIDENT AND WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PARK THE CAR. KIA FAILED TO PROVIDE ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE SINCE THE CAR HAS OVER 60,000 MILES(ACTUALLY HAS 121,398 MILES APPROX). THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE JTS KIA DEALERSHIP VIA MY INSURANCE COVERAGE IN COLUMBIA, SC. AFTER THE ASSESSMENT I WAS TOLD I HAD A BLOWN MAIN HYBRID FUSE WHICH CAUSED THE BATTERY AND THE RELAY ASSEMBLY TO FAIL. CHARGED $1756.89 TO REPLACE THE FUSE, BATTERY, AND RELAY ASSEMBLY. I PRESENT THIS AS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE HAD I BEEN ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY WITH MY FAMILY IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC, THERE WOULD BE NO WAY POSSIBLE TO REACH A LANE SHOULDER WITHOUT POSSIBLE HARM OR DEATH. ACCORDING TO KIA'S OWN "TECHNICAL OPERATIONS NOTICE - PS515(REV 2, 02/28/2019" DATED AUGUST 2017), THEY ARE FULLY AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. THE BATTERY FUSE IS TO BE REPLACED FROM A 125 AMP TO A 150 AMP. THIS FUSE IS PART OF THE SAFETY PLUG LOCATED IN THE TRUNK. AS A OWNER I SHOULD HAVE BEEN WARNED OF THIS POSSIBLY HAPPENING TO THE CAR AND GIVEN THE OPTION TO HAVE THIS FUSE REPLACED....AT KIA'S EXPENSE. FOR THOSE STILL DRIVING THIS YEAR AND MAKE OPTIMA HYBRID, PLEASE BE AWARE OF THIS OCCURRENCE. THE 125 AMP HV BATTERY FUSE SHOULD BE REPLACED WITH THE NEWER 150 AMP HV BATTERY FUSE(PART #375F2 4R150. SEE KIA'S PITSTOP: TECHNICAL OPERATIONS NOTICE #PS515. UNFORTUNATELY MY COMMUNICATION WITH KIA PROVED FRUITLESS.