← NHTSA complaints

2011 KIA SPORTAGE — UNKNOWN OR OTHER

fire1 injured · 2124855 · 2025-08-28

Vehicle

Make
KIA
Model
SPORTAGE
Year
2011
Manufacturer
Kia America, Inc.
Component
UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Severity

Deaths
0
Injured
1
Fire
Yes
Crash
No
Police report
No
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
No

Narrative

Update to NHTSA (ODI #11679186) Subject: Update to ODI Complaint #11679186 – Kia America Written Response Body: Dear NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, I am writing to provide an update to my ODI Complaint #11679186 regarding my 2011 Kia Sportage SX (VIN: [XXX] ), which caught fire while I was driving on [XXX]. On August 27, 2025, Kia America issued me a written response (attached). In this letter, Kia explicitly acknowledged: “Preliminary evaluation results show… the fire originated within the engine compartment area.” “The cause was unknown engine oil leaks allowing motor oil to contact hot exhaust surfaces of the engine that led to ignition.” Despite admitting the fire’s cause, Kia refused restitution, stating that the vehicle was “9 years and 163,000 miles outside of warranty.” I request that this letter be added to ODI Complaint #11679186 and considered in your analysis of Kia vehicle fire trends. I believe this documentation is significant in establishing that Kia recognizes the fire hazard but denies responsibility due to warranty expiration, which does not address the broader safety risk. Thank you for your review and for your ongoing work to protect vehicle safety. Respectfully, Daniel McAdams INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
11683570
Machine
JSON-LD · Markdown