NHTSA Complaint #11385151 — 2013 KIA OPTIMA

SUDDENLY THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED TO THE CAR ON THE ROAD WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH ON A HIGHWAY. IF THERE WERE ANY CARS BEHIND ME, I WOULD HAVE GOTTEN REAR ENDED, AT A VERY HIGH SPEED, POTENTIALLY RESULTING IN SEVERE INJURY. I WAS NOT ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR ANYTHING MORE THAN 5MPH DUE TO THE BREAK CONSTANTLY BEING APPLIED TO THE CAR RESULTING IN ME NOT BEING ABLE TO MERGE ACROSS THE HIGHWAY SAFELY TO THE SIDE. THE CAR GAVE THE "CHECK BRAKE" ALERT ALONG WITH "HYBRID SYSTEM FAILURE". THE KIA DEALERSHIP IN FREMONT, CALIFORNIA DIAGNOSED THE ISSUE. ATTACHED IS THE DIAGNOSIS REPORT. THERE WAS A BRAKE FLUID LEAK INSIDE THE HYDRAULIC ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (HECU), POSSIBLY RESULTING IN AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. THAT IS EXACTLY SAME ISSUE AS KIA RECALL 20V519000 ISSUED IN AUGUST 2020. IF THE HECU SHORT CIRCUITS, THERE IS AN INCREASED RISK OF AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE. KIA NEEDS TO ADD THIS VIN TO THE RECALL. IT'S SAME YEAR MODEL AS RECALL. DEALER ADVISED TO REPLACE A PART 58620-4U301. KIA SHALL PROMPTLY ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. GREATLY APPRECIATE IT.