NHTSA Complaint #11321709 — 2013 KIA OPTIMA

IN THE LATE MORNING OF MONDAY, APRIL 6TH 2020, MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING OUR 2013 KIA OPTIMA SXL HOME FROM THE STORE WHEN THE CAR BEGAN FILLING WITH SMOKE. LUCKILY, HE WAS ABLE TO PULL THE CAR OVER AND JUMP OUT BEFORE FLAMES BEGAN TO ENGULF THE FRONT OF THE CAR. HE CALLED 911 AND THE FIRE COMPANY WAS DISPATCHED. THEIR RESPONSE TIME WAS SHORT, BUT IT TOOK UNDER A MINUTE FOR THE CAR TO GO UP IN FLAMES (SEE PICTURES ATTACHED). THERE WAS ZERO WARNING THAT THIS HORRIFIC EVENT WAS ABOUT TO OCCUR. NO ENGINE LIGHT, NO FUNNY NOISES, NO PROBLEMS WHATSOEVER. IN FACT, I HAD JUST BROUGHT THE CAR INTO OUR LOCAL DEALERSHIP FOR ROUTINE SERVICE LESS THAN A MONTH BEFORE ON MARCH 9. THEY GAVE ME NO INDICATION THAT THERE WAS ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR THAT WOULD CAUSE IT TO CATCH ON FIRE. WE FILED A CLAIM WITH OUR INSURANCE COMPANY, WHO CONFIRMED THE CAR WAS TOTALED AND LISTED A RECENT, BUT AS YET UNANNOUNCED, RECALL ON MY EXACT YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL OF THE CAR. AFTER SOME RESEARCH, I FOUND THAT ACCORDING TO A FEBRUARY 27, 2020 ARTICLE IN US NEWS AND WORLD REPORT, KIA WOULD SHORTLY BE RECALLING NEARLY 142,000 2013 AND 2014 KIA OPTIMA'S. FURTHERMORE, 'KIA SAYS A FUEL HOSE CAN DETERIORATE AND CRACK DUE TO ENGINE HEAT. THE HOSES CAN LEAK AND CAUSE FIRES. A FIX IS STILL BEING DEVELOPED. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO START APRIL 16.' ALTHOUGH AT THE TIME OF THE ARTICLE NO FIRES HAD YET BEEN REPORTED, GIVEN THE SUDDEN NATURE OF OUR CAR FIRE, IT IS OBVIOUS TO US WHAT HAS HAPPENED.