NHTSA Complaint #11677876 — 2021 KIA K5

The contact's daughter owns a 2021 Kia K5. The contact stated that while the contact’s son-in-law was driving, the fuel level indicator failed to function as intended. The contact’s son-in-law noticed that the miles available indicator stated that there were 430 miles until empty. The contact’s son-in-law stated that after driving for approximately 20 minutes, the miles available indicator indicated that the miles had decreased by 50 miles. The contact’s son-in-law drove the vehicle to a nearby gas station, and inspected the fuel tank cap, and confirmed that that fuel cap was sufficiently tightened. The contact's son-in-law proceeded to drive for another hour and the miles available indicator decreased by 200 miles. The contact stated that there were three occupants, including an infant, seated in the rear seat of the vehicle. The contact’s daughter, who was seated in the rear seat, noticed heat on the back of her legs. In addition, the contact’s daughter noticed an abnormal ticking sound and the rear seat independently raised up. The contact’s daughter stated that the failure was persistent. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road. The contact’s son-in-law inspected the vehicle. The contact’s son-in-law and daughter switched seats. The contact stated that the daughter had driven a short distance, and the miles available dropped from 200 to 50 miles. The contact instructed the daughter to stop and exit the vehicle. The contact stated that the fuel tank level indicated the fuel was empty and the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact’s son-in-law was instructed to turn the vehicle off and how to inspect the vehicle. Upon inspecting the vehicle, the contact’s son-in-law was instructed to remove the rear seat. The contact’s son-in-law noticed that the fuel tank was swollen. The contact’s son-in-law was instructed to remove the fuel cap to release the pressure. The vehicle was towed to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not inspected. The contact was informed of an unknown recall; however,