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2015 KIA SOUL — STEERING

crash · 1255646 · 2016-01-25

Vehicle

Make
KIA
Model
SOUL
Year
2015
Manufacturer
Kia America, Inc.
Component
STEERING
Miles at failure
7,500
Speed
25 mph

Severity

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

Narrative

I WAS COMING OUT OF A RED LIGHT INTERSECTION AND WHEN I TRIED TURNING TO THE LEFT THE CAR WOULD NOT TURN AND KEPT GOING STRAIGHT. IT TURNED MINIMALLY AND HIT THE CURB SCRATCHING THE 2 PASSENGER SIDE WHEELS (FRONT AND BACK). NO AIRBAGS WERE DEPLOYED AS I WAS ONLY AT MAYBE 20-30MPH. AS THE CAR ALIGNED WITH THE ROAD AGAIN I NOTICE THE STEERING IS 90% IMPAIRED. I STILL MANAGE TO DRIVE HOME AS THERE WERE VERY FEW CARS ON THE ROAD BUT THE CAR WOULD RANDOMLY SOMETIMES, VERY STRONGLY VEER TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT, MAKING IT EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. I REMEMBER THERE WAS A RECALL LETTER I HAD RECEIVED AND WHEN I GOT HOME I CHECKED IT OUT AND IT DESCRIBED EXACTLY WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO ME: "THE PINION PLUG WHICH SECURES THE PINION GEAR TO THE STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY MAY LOOSEN DUE TO THE USE OF ADHESIVE WITH INSUFFICIENT BONDING STRENGTH DURING ASSEMBLY. IF THE PLUG LOOSENS SUFFICIENTLY, THE PINION GEAR MAY SEPARATE FROM THE STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY WHICH COULD CAUSE LOSS OF STEERING AND RESULT IN A CRASH.". I THINK IN MY CASE THIS PINION CAME COMPLETELY LOOSE AND THAT CAUSED THE CRASH. THE CAR WAS JUST TOWED TO A KIA DEALERSHIP BUT NOW THEY WILL INSPECT AND DECIDE IF THAT WAS THE CASE OR NOT. WHAT IF THEY SIMPLY DECIDE THEY WILL SAY THIS WAS CAUSED TO SOMETHING ELSE AND NOT THE RECALL ISSUE?

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
10822052
Machine
JSON-LD · Markdown