← NHTSA complaints

2014 KIA SOUL — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

fire · 1163948 · 2015-03-09

Vehicle

Make
KIA
Model
SOUL
Year
2014
Manufacturer
Kia America, Inc.
Component
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Miles at failure
12,000
Speed
30 mph

Severity

Deaths
0
Injured
0
Fire
Yes
Crash
No
Police report
No
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
No

Narrative

WHILE DRIVING HOME AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH IN MY 7 MONTH OLD KIA SOUL, I STARTED TO SMELL SMOKE. ALL OF SUDDEN BLACK SMOKE STARTED POURING OUT OF MY AIR VENTS. I WENT TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER AND THE IT COMPLETELY LOCKED UP. I THEN WENT TO OPEN THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR AND FLAMES WERE SHOOTING INTO THE CAR. I HAD TO JUMP OVER THE CONSOLE TO GET OUT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. MY DISABLED DAUGHTER WAS IN THE BACK SEAT AND I HAD A HARD TIME GETTING HER OUT BECAUSE THE AUTOMATIC LOCKS KEPT ENGAGING. I DID GET HER OUT AND BY THEN THE ENTIRE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. A PASSERBY STOPPED TO HELP US AND WE DROVE A SAFE DISTANCE FROM THE VEHICLE. AS I CALLED 911 TO REPORT THE ACCIDENT, I COULD HEAR MY WINDOWS BLOWING OUT. IT TOOK THE FIRE DEPT. 15 MINUTES TO GET THERE AND BY THEN THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY ON FIRE. THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT OF IT BUT THE FRAME. I HAVE WRITTEN AND CALLED KIA TO LET THEM KNOW OF THIS INCIDENT. I ALSO SENT PICTURES OF THE CAR AND A VIDEO OF IT BURNING. THEY ARE SUPPOSEDLY CHECKING INTO IT, BUT THIS HAPPENED ON FEB. 6, 2015 AND I HAVE STILL NOT HEARD FROM THEM. *TR

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
10693084
Machine
JSON-LD · Markdown