NHTSA Complaint #11373247 — 2019 KIA FORTE

THERE IS/WAS A FLIMSY PLASTIC "SHIELD" COVERING THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THIS CAR BENEATH THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. CALLING IT A SHIELD IS A STRETCH CONSIDERING HOW FLIMSY IT IS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS CALLED AND APPARENTLY NO ONE AT KIA USA OR THEIR DEALERSHIPS DOES EITHER. I HAVE TRIED MULTIPLE DEALERSHIPS PARTS DEPARTMENTS AND CORPORATE FOR MONTHS NOW AND NONE OF THEM SEEM TO BE ABLE TO FIND THE PART OR TELL ME WHAT IT IS CALLED. THREE TIMES NOW THE LEADING EDGE HAS COME LOOSE AND DRAGGED THE ROAD. IT SCRAPES AND EVENTUALLY BREAKS OFF IF I DON'T CUT IT OFF FIRST. THERE IS VERY LITTLE LEFT OF IT NOW. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. THE SECOND TIME IT STARTED SCRAPING I THINK IT SCOOPED SOMETHING UP OFF THE ROAD AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE FUEL LINE, BECAUSE WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE CAR TO LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED I SMELLED GASOLINE. THERE WAS A PINHOLE IN THE FUEL LINE AND IT WAS SPRAYING OUT UNDER PRESSURE. THIS FLIMSY PLASTIC PIECE IS THE ONLY THING BETWEEN THE FUEL LINE AND ANY ROAD HAZARDS THAT MIGHT DAMAGE THE FUEL LINE. IF I HADN'T GOTTEN OUT TO CHECK ON IT, MY CAR MIGHT WELL HAVE CAUGHT FIRE! IT'S NOT VERY FAR FROM THE EXHAUST, FORTUNATELY IT WASN'T SPRAYING ON THAT! THE LINES ARE RECESSED IN A CHANNEL, BUT THIS OBVIOUSLY WASN'T ENOUGH PROTECTION. A METAL PLATE OVER THE CHANNEL WOULD PROVIDE SOME ACTUAL PROTECTION. AS IT STANDS NOW, I AM DRIVING AROUND WITH A SIGNIFICANT LENGTH OF THE FUEL LINE EXPOSED TO ROAD HAZARDS BECAUSE THEY CAN'T TELL ME WHAT THE PART IS CALLED TO ORDER IT FOR ME. I DO NOT RECALL THE EXACT DATE, SO I PICKED ONE SINCE IT WOULDN'T LET ME CONTINUE WITHOUT. I BELIEVE THE MONTH IS CORRECT, BUT AM NOT EVEN 100% SURE ABOUT THAT.