NHTSA Complaint #11329240 — 2019 KIA STINGER

I STARTED MY CAR AND REALIZED THAT THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL WAS FLASHING AND INDICATED "CHECK MY BLIND SPOT FOR A COLLISION". I WAS PULLING OUT ONTO A SECONDARY ROAD AND THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS IN THE NEAR VICINITY. I THOUGHT EVERYTHING WOULD CORRECT ITSELF ONCE I STARTED DOWN THE ROAD. I TURNED ONTO THE MAIN ROAD AND EVERYTHING KEPT FLASHING, THERE WAS EXCESSIVE PLAY IN THE STEERING AND THE CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT GEARS. I SLOWED DOWN TO MAKE IT TO THE SAFEST PLACE TO PULL OVER, WHICH WAS A DOLLAR GENERAL. ONCE I PULLED INTO A PARKING SPACE, I SHUT MY CAR OFF AND RESTARTED TO SEE IF IT WOULD RESET THE COMPUTER AND INSTRUMENT PANEL. I THEN SMELLED BURNING PLASTIC AND SAW WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I CALLED 911 TO REPORT MY CAR ON FIRE. BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED THE CAR ALARM WAS GOING OFF, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE GOING AND TONS OF BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THEY REPORTED IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. THE COMPUTER KEPT TRYING TO START THE CAR OVER AND OVER AGAIN. THEY HAD TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY TO ACTUALLY STOP THE FIRE. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE KIA DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED. WE FILED A CLAIM WITH THE KIA CORPORATION THE VERY NEXT DAY. I WAS SUPPLIED WITH A RENTAL CAR IN THE MEANTIME. SINCE FILLING THE CLAIM WE HAVE HEARD NOTHING FROM KIA. THEY STATED IT WAS A NATIONAL KIA ISSUE SINCE IT WAS A SPECIAL CASE. ACCORDING TO KIA, MY STINGER IS THE SECOND TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM. THERE WAS NO RECALL OF ANY SORT. *TR