NHTSA Complaint #11366280 — 2014 KIA OPTIMA

I EXPERIENCE A BMS WARNING LIGHT ON MY HYBRID VEHICLE INDICATING TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND DO NOT DRIVE. THIS HAPPEN ON THE FAST LANE OF THE 14 FREEWAY IN ACTON CA. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE LOCAL KIA I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE HYBRID COOLANT A COMPUTER PROGRAM AND A HYBRID DRIVE BELT REPLACED THE COMPUTER PROGRAM. THE UPDATE OF THE PROGRAM I WOULD OF NOT KNOW ABOUT THE ISSUE SINCE ONLY DEALERS ARE AWARE OF IT. I PAID OVER 700.00 WHEN I PICKED UP MY CAR FOR THE REPAIRS. DROVE IT THE NEXT DAY I EXPERIENCE LOSS OF POWER AGAIN WHEN I WAS TRYING TO CROSS AN INTERSECTION IN THE CITY OF ACTON. MY CAR ALMOST STOP AND THE HEV WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. CALLED THE DEALER AGAIN AND WAS TOLD TO BRING IT RIGHT AWAY. THE SERVICE ADVISOR CALLED ME AFTER A WEEK AND HALF LATER AND TOLD ME THE PROBLEM WAS THE POWER RELAY ASSEMBLY AND THE HYBRID BATTERY THAT HAD TO BE REPLACED. PER REPAIR ADVISER, THIS ISSUE IS A COMMON BUT FOR HIM TO DO THE REPAIRS I WOULD NEED TO PAY 5800.00. HE DID ADVISE TO CALL KIA CORPORATION FOR POSSIBLE ASSISTANCE BUT THEY WERE NO HELP. SINCE I CAN NOT AFFORD THE 5800. I PICKED UP MY CAR AGAIN FROM THE DEALERSHIP AND PAID AN ADDITIONAL 318.00 FOR DIAGNOSE SERVICES. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH KIA SINCE THE SERVICE ADVISER TOLD ME HE ONLY HAD A BULLETIN MEMO OF POSSIBLE ISSUES WITH LOSS OF POWER. I ASKED IF THIS WARRANT A RECALL BUT THE ANSWER WAS NO SINCE IT'S ONLY A MEMO AND THE BATTERIES ARE BUILT TO LAST ONLY 150,000 MILES I WAS LUCKY IT LASTED AND ADDITIONAL 18000. MILES. I JUST BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE 3 YEARS AGO AND NOW I'M SITTING ON A GIANT PAPER WEIGHT SINCE I CAN NOT DRIVE MY CAR TO AVOID FURTHER DAMAGE OR POSSIBLY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.