NHTSA Complaint #11415185 — 2015 KIA OPTIMA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING AT 75 MPH, WHEN SHE SLOWED DOWN TO 50 MPH TO SWITCH LANE THEN ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT EXCEED 60 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN FOR ABOUT 2 MORE MILES BEFORE IT WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ALTERNATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC THEN CONTACTED A KIA DEALER AND WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALER THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE VEHICLE WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V519000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO PARKWAY FAMILY KIA (22555 US-59, KINGWOOD, TX 77339) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE RECALL. THE DEALER THEN SENT THE DIAGNOSTIC FINDINGS TO THE MANUFACTURER FOR THE RECALL REPAIR APPROVAL HOWEVER, THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE DEALER THAT BECAUSE THE CONTACT HAD NOT DONE THE MANUFACTURER COMMUNICATIONS PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT UPGRADE: VPI1802 (ENGINE) THE RECALL WOULD NOT BE HONORED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE NEVER RECEIVED THE NOTIFICATION FROM THE MANUFACTURER ABOUT THE PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT UPGRADE BECAUSE IT WAS SENT TO AN OLD ADDRESS THAT SHE NO LONGER LIVED AT. THE VEHICLE REMAINED AT THE DEALER UNREPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 143,000.