# 2016 KIA SORENTO — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
> NHTSA complaint `1642820` · 2020-02-01 · Kia America, Inc.
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** Yes
- **Crash:** No
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** KIA
- **Model:** SORENTO
- **Year:** 2016
- **Manufacturer:** Kia America, Inc.
- **Component:** ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- **Miles at failure:** 125,000
## Narrative
MY WIFE AND I HAD JUST BEEN HOME FOR AN HOUR AFTER A 20 MIN IN TOWN DRIVE. SOMETHING HAD MADE ME LOOK OUT SIDE OF OUR SECOND STORY APARTMENT AND I ASKED MY WIFE IS YOUR CAR RUNNING? THE ENTIRE REAR END WAS ENGULFED IN BLUE SMOKE. SHE SAID NO! SO THEN BEGAN PANIC MODE! I RAN DOWNSTAIRS TO THE SMELL OF ELECTRIC FIRE. SO I INSTANTLY WHEN TO MY PICKUP TRUCK GRABBED A PAIR OF PLIERS RAN BACK TO MY WIFE'S KIA AND UNPLUGGED BOTH POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE BATTERY CONNECTIONS FROM THE TERMINALS WHICH INSTANTLY STOPPED THE SMOKE. I GRABBED MY FLASHLIGHT (IT WAS DUSK) AND CRAWLED UNDERNEATH THE REAR BUMPER TO SEE WHAT WAS HAPPENING. A LITTLE BLACK BOX TUCKED  BEHIND THE BUMPER BETWEEN THE SPARE AND THE BUMPER. LOOKED LIKE A JUNCTION BOX OF WIRE HAD MELTED AND ALMOST CAUGHT ON FIRE. WHAT IF WE WHERE NOT AROUND? THE CAR WOULD BE A TOTAL LOSS.
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*