What 875 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Kia Sorento

AS I WAS DRIVING, I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER MY HOOD AND WHEN I PULLED OVER TO CHECK, MY CAR BLEW UP IN FLAMES.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 KIA SORENTO. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V907000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, ENGINE). WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, SMOKE APPEARED FROM THE CENTER CONSOLE. THE CONTACT DROVE TO HER JOB AND EXTINGUISHED THE SMOKE WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO KIA OF DULUTH (LOCATED AT 1701 W MICHIGAN ST, DULUTH, MN 55806, (866) 722-4542). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000. * (RECALL RELATED INCIDENT) TS

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KIA RECALL. ON MAY 22, 2014, MY 2012 KIA SORENTO CAUGHT FIRE AND WAS TOTALED. THERE WAS NO EXPLANATION AT THIS TIME, BUT NOW IT IS COMING TO SURFACE THAT THESE VEHICLES ARE SPONTANEOUSLY CATCHING FIRE.

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AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY THE ENGINE STALLED. AS I MADE MY WAY TO THE SHOULDER AND CAME TO A STOP I NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE HOOD. ONCE I CAME TO A STOP I GOT OUT OF THE CAR. AS SOON AS I CAME TO A STOP I GOT OUT. WHEN I CLOSED THE DRIVERS DOOR THE HOOD BURST INTO FLAMES. BY THE TIME THAT THE FIREFIGHTERS GOT THE THERE THE ENTIRE CAR WAS UP IN FLAMES.

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ENGINE SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT FIRE WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE.

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THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE, EVENTUALLY ENGULFING THE ENTIRE VEHICLE IN FLAMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT NORMAL HIGHWAY SPEEDS WHEN THIS OCCURRED.

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I WAS DRIVING THE TRUCK WHEN I HEARD A LOUD NOISE LIKE A FIRE GUN THAN I SAW SMOKE COMING OUT FROM THE ENGINE, I PULLED OVER AND SAW THAT THE ENGINE WAS ALREADY ON FIRE, I GOT MY TWO DAUGHTERS OUT OF THE TRUCK AND FIVE MINUTES LATER THE WHOLE TRUCK EXPLOTED

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VEHICLE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE WITH NO WARNING WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY TURNING ONTO AN INTERSECTION AT NIGHT , BURST INTO FLAMES, POWER STEERING, BRAKES AND ELECTRICAL WENT OUT AS WELL , VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES INSTANTLY AND WAS DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS.

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THIS KIA SORENTO CAUGHT FIRE WHILE BEING DRIVEN. THE DRIVER REPORTED THAT THE STEERING LOCKED UP AND SHE COULD SEE SMOKE AND A FLAME COMING FROM THE ENGINE. SHE LEFT THE VEHICLE UNHARMED HOWEVER THE EXPERIENCE WAS FRIGHTENING. THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES AND THE CAR IS NOW A TOTAL LOSS. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED FROM DALLAS AUTO AUCTION BY MAS MOTORS IN DALLAS TX. THE ORIGINAL OWNER WAS KIA OF ARLINGTON.

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A LITTLE AFTER 100,000 MILES, THE LOW BEAM LIGHTS CONTINUOUSLY WENT OUT. THERE WAS NO RHYME OR REASON. I SIMPLY BOUGHT MORE LIGHTS AND REPLACED THEM UNTIL ONE DAY I FOUND THE DRIVER SIDE CONNECTOR HAD MELTED. I WAS ABLE TO BUY A NEW HARNESS AND HAVE IT WIRED IN. THEN, ABOUT A YEAR LATER, THE PASSENGER SIDE CONNECTOR LOOKS LIKE IT IS STARTING TO COME APART, WITH THE LOW BEAM LIGHT FAILING ABOUT 50% OF THE TIME NOW - SO I ASSUME THAT THIS ONE IS ALSO ON THE WAY TO MELTING AS IT IS FOLLOWING THE SAME MANNERS AS THE DRIVER SIDE HAD PRIOR TO MELTING.

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2012 KIA SORENTO WAS SERVICED AT DEALERSHIP ON REGULAR BASIS. OCTOBER 7, 2017 CAUGHT FIRE AND BURNT TO THE GROUND. CALLED KIA AND THEY WOULD DO NOTHING! STATED THEY DID NOT DEAL WITH CONSUMERS AND TO DEAL WITH MY INSURANCE. INSURANCE ONLY PAID BOOK VALUE AND WAS UNABLE TO PURCHASE A VEHICLE WITH THAT AMOUNT! I DID EVERYTHING BY THE BOOK AND KEPT MY KIA IN EXCELLENT SHAPE AND THEY DID NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT! I HAD A APPOINTMENT TO SERVICE ON MONDAY AND IT BURNT ON SATURDAY! I FOUND OUT THAT THEY HAD ISSUED A RECALL AND I AM SURE THAT THE DEALERSHIP WOULD HAVE TAKEN CARE OF IT AT SERVICE ( I DID NOT RECEIVE A RECALL NOTICE). MY NIECE WAS DRIVING FROM KENTUCKY TO MY HOME IN VIRGINIA (HER VEHICLE WAS BROKE DOWN AND THE DRIVE WAS A HOUR AWAY). THE VEHICLE STARTED MAKING A NOISE AT WHICH TIME SHE PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND THEN THE VEHICLE DIED AND STARTED SMOKING. IT WAS NIGHT TIME AND SHE CALLED ME AND I STARTED ON MY WAY TO MEET HER. SHE EXITED THE VEHICLE AND WENT TO RAISE THE HOOD BUT TWO GUYS HAD STOPPED TO SEE IF THEY COULD HELP AND ONE SEEN THE RED OF THE FIRE IN THE CRACK OF THE HOOD AND ADVISED HER TO GET AWAY. WITHIN SECONDS FLAMES ENGULFED THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND BURNT COMPLETELY BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED. THE FIRE CHIEF TOLD ME WHEN I ARRIVED THAT IT WAS DEFINITELY ELECTRICAL. WE WERE BLESSED THAT MY NIECES 6 MONTH OLD WAS WITH ME AND NOT IN THE VEHICLE WITH HER BECAUSE SHE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET HER OUT! VERY DISAPPOINTED IN KIA AND I WAS A HUGE FAN BUT NOT ANYMORE AFTER DEALING WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE! I DO NOT FEEL IT IS FAIR THEY ARE NOT HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR PRODUCT! THEY WOULD NOT HELP ME AT ALL!

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MY HEADLIGHT PIGTAIL CAUGHT ON FIRE...I HAD IT REPLACED ...REPLACED THE HEADLIGHTS IN IT AND NOT EVEN 2 WEEKS LATER THE PIG TAIL CAUGHT ON FIRE AGAIN...THEY SAID IT MUST NE A SHORTAGE IN THE WIRING SOMEWHERE AND IT WILL START AT 200$ TO LOOK AT IT TO FIX....MU CAR ISNT THAT OLD TO HAVE THIS ISSUE.

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MY SORENTO MADE A CLANGING NOISE THEN THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE. THE CAR WAS TOTALLED. I WAS ON A BUSY CITY ROAD IN CINCINNATI WHEN IT CAUGHT FIRE. IT WAS IN MOTION, I PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT BEFORE IT DIED.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE INCREASED TO HIGH. MINUTES LATER, THE TOP OF THE HOOD NEAR THE WINDSHIELD CAUGHT ON FIRE AND THE ENTIRE HOOD ERUPTED INTO FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT THE BATTERY APPEARED TO BE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS AND WAS TOWED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 78,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.

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THE CAR WAS IN MOTION (~30 MPH) WHEN THE ENGINE STALLED AND SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE DRIVERS SIDE HOOD. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK, EXITED VEHICLE AND IT ERUPTED INTO FLAMES. THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY BURNED WITHIN MINUTES. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED BY KIA UNDER WARRANTY JANUARY 2018; LESS THAN 2 WEEKS LATER THE STARTER WAS REPLACED BECAUSE THE CAR FAILED TO START WHEN PARKED AND OFF. THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS REPLACED MARCH 2018 BECAUSE THE CAR WAS LOSING POWER AND A STRONG GAS ODOR WAS DETECTED. THE CAR FIRE OCCURRED 2 DAYS AFTER IT WAS PICKED UP FROM THIS REPAIR.

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ON 8/18/18 THE ENGINE OF MY KIA SORENTO BURST INTO FLAMES WHILE I WAS DRIVING WITH MY TWO YOUNG CHILDREN AND OUR DOG. I HAD MY SIX YEAR OLD AND ONE YEAR OLD DAUGHTERS AND MY 9 YEAR OLD PUG IN THE VEHICLE WITH ME. THE ENTIRE ENGINE SUDDENLY BURST INTO FLAMES WITH THEM SHOOTING OUT UNDER THE HOOD AT ALL SIDES. I YELLED FOR MY 6 YEAR OLD TO GET OUT BUT SHE FROZE AND WAS SCREAMING AND CRYING, SAYING "I CAN'T, I CAN'T GET OUT". I FIRST GOT MY ONE YEAR OLD OUT OF HER CAR SEAT AND RAN AROUND AND PULLED MY 6 YEAR OLD OUT. I GOT THEM AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE AND THEN WENT BACK AND GOT MY DOG OUT OF THE FRONT SEAT. THE FIRE SPREAD WITH SUCH SPEED AND THE THICK BLACK SMOKE WAS SO STRONG. THANK GOD THAT I WAS ABLE TO GET MY FAMILY OUT AS THE FIRE QUICKLY SPREAD. WITHIN MINUTES THE ENTIRE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY ENGULFED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND QUICKLY PUT OUT THE FIRE BUT MY VEHICLE IS A TOTAL LOSS, MELTING THE ENTIRE INTERIOR OF THE CAR THAT WE WERE SITTING IN JUST MINUTES PRIOR. NOTHING IN THE VEHICLE WAS SALVAGEABLE. THE CAR BURST INTO FLAMES WHILE I WAS DRIVING IN THE PARKING LOT OF CHUCK OLSON KIA IN SHORELINE, WA. I HAD JUST PULLED INTO THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE I SMELLED GAS AND WANTED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO LOOK AT IT. THEY HAD REPLACED MY ENGINE ABOUT SIX WEEKS PRIOR UNDER THE RECALL BECAUSE MY ENGINE SEIZED WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. I DO NOT KNOW WHETHER IT WAS THE INSTILLATION OF THE ENGINE OR IF THE RECALL DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM OF KIA ENGINES BURSTING INTO FLAMES. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ON, MY CAR HAD A FULL GAS TANK AND DID NOT NEED AN OIL CHANGE. I SMELLED GAS AS I DROVE MY DAUGHTER'S FRIEND HOME AND CALLED MY HUSBAND WHO SAID TO TAKE IT IN. I WAS LESS THAN TWO MILES FROM THE DEALERSHIP AND CALLED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AS I WAS DRIVING THERE. AS I PULLED UP I SAW THE SERVICE DEPT WAS CLOSED AND I BEGAN TO TURN AROUND WHEN THE FIRE STARTED.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND BLACK SMOKE APPEARED. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS MADE AWARE THAT THE VEHICLE WAS BEING ENGULFED IN FLAMES BY ANOTHER DRIVER. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A SALVAGE YARD WHERE IT WAS DEEMED DESTROYED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,000.

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WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY 50 ABOUT 20 MILES FROM SOUTH LAKE TAHOE MY CAR JUST STALLED OUT WHILE TRAVELING AT THE SPEED OF ABOUT 55 MPH. STEAM/SMOKE FROM COMING FROM THE FRONT END. AS I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD OTHER MOTORIST TRAVELING WEST BOUND STARTED HONKING AND POINTING TO THE VEHICLE. AFTER STOPPING IS WHEN WE REALIZED THE ENGINE AREA WAS ON FIRE. AFTER OPENING THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR THE FLAMES SHOT OUT FROM UNDER THAT CAR CAUSING 3RD DEGREE BURNS TO THE BACK CALF ON MY LEFT LEG. THE CAR WAS IN TOTALLY IN FLAMES WITHIN 5 TO 10 MINS.

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I HAVE ONLY RECENTLY SEEN ARTICLES REGARDING THE HYUNDAI/KIA ENGINES CATCHING FIRE. I HAD A 2012 KIA SORENTO THAT THE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE IN 2014 HENCE TOTALLING THE VEHICLE. I HAVE TRIED FOR YEARS TO DISCUSS THIS WITH PEOPLE BUT SINCE IT WASNT AN ACTIVE RECALL NO ONE WOULD PURSUE THE CASE. ON MAY 22, 2014, MY DETAILER WENT TO TURN THE CAR ON AND TO MOVE IT AND THE WHOLE ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE. OBVIOUSLY I DO NOT STILL OWN THIS VEHICLE BUT I WOULD LIKE SOME ANSWERS.

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I WAS DRIVING A 2012 KIA SORENTO WITH THREE OTHER PASSENGERS AND OUR FAMILY DOG. I SEE SMOKE COMING FROM BACK OF MY CAR THOUGHT IT WAS THE CAR PASSING ME SINCE MY CAR WAS IN MINT CONDITION WITH A NEW ENGINE AND NEW TRANSMISSION. I LOOK AGAIN THERE IS NO CAR GOING THE OPPOSITE WAY AND NOW I SEE A LOT MORE SMOKE. CARS COMING THE OPPOSITE WAY ARE FLASHING ME AND WAVING SO I FIGURED I'M PROBABLY OVER HEATING. I STEER TO THE RIGHT ON A STEEP HILL THE BRAKES AND EMERGENCY BRAKE DOESN'T WORK I QUICKLY THROW IT INTO PARK THE GEARS ARE GONE SO NO PARK. AT THAT POINT WE SEE FLAMES SHOOTING AT US. MY DAUGHTER AND I OPEN OUR DOORS THE CAR IS SLOWLY ROLLING DOWN THE HILL, THE DOOR HITS HER SHE GOES FLYING THE CAR ALMOST RUNS HER OVER. I TAKE THE CAR AND I'M HOLDING THE 4,000 POUND CAR BACK FROM ROLLING DOWN THE HILL SO THE KIDS AND DOG IN THE BACK SEAT CAN GET OUT. THEY FINALLY FIGURE OUT HOW TO MANUALLY UNLOCK THE DOORS, GRABBED THE DOG BY THE COLLAR. I LET GO OF THE CAR IT WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES ROLLED DOWN THE HILL AND STARTED TO EXPLODE. WHAT A HORRIFYINGLY EXPERIENCE.

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JUNE 23 DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY POPPING NOISECOMING FROM WHAT SOUNDED LIKE UNDER THE CAR RED ENGINE SYMBOL COMES ON IN THE LOWER LEFT HAND CORNER OF DASH IMMEDIATELY BEGIN GETTING OVER SECOND POPPING OCCURS WITHIN 10-15 SECONDS RED OIL LAMP LIGHT COMES ON RIGHT HAND SIDE OF DASHBOARD SMOKING FROM VEHICLE HAPPENS IMMEDIATELY GET TO SIDE OF FREEWAY ATTEMPT TO TURN OFF CAR RESTARTS ATTEMPT AGAIN TURNS OFF IMMEDIATELY GET OUT OF CAR AND RUN TOWARDS GOOD SAMARITAN WHO WITNESSES ENTIRE THING STOPS AND STAYS WITH ME ENTIRE TIME 911 CALLED ANOTHER VEHICLE PULLS OVER AS FRONT OF VEHICLE IS FULLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES AND ATTEMPTS TO EXTINGUISH FIRE BUT TO NO AVAIL FIRE TRUCKS AND FREEWAY ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE COME WITHIN 10 MINUTES OF INCIDENT EXTINGUISH FRONT OF MY VEHICLE VEHICLE TOWED IN MOTION AT BEGINNING ON FREEWAY PULLED OVER AND GOT OUT ON SIDE OF FREEWAY NHTSA RECALL NUMBER17V224 MAY AND OCTOBER 2017 JUST HAD 105,000 MILE MAINTENANCE DONE AT RALLY KIA ON JUNE 11 COULD NOT UPLOAD PICTURES SAID FILE MUST BE ONE OF THE TYPES SPECIFIED ABOVE. AM I ABLE TO SEND THEM VIA ANOTHER WAY?

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MY SON WAS DRIVING OUR 2012 KIA SORENTO AND AS HE EXITED THE FREEWAY TO THE SERVICE ROAD AND APPROACHED THE INTERSECTION WHICH WAS ON AN UPHILL GRADE, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STALLED. HE LOST BRAKING AND STEERING CONTROL ON THE CAR. THE CAR ROLLED BACKWARDS INTO THE CAR BEHIND HIM AND COLLIDED WITH THE CAR RESULTING IN $1,820 DAMAGE TO THE OTHER CAR. THE ENGINE HAD SEIZED AND THREW A ROD INTO THE VEHICLE STARTER.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE FAILED TO INDICATE AN ENGINE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW LOT AND DEEMED DESTROYED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V224000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) IN AUGUST OF 2017 AT THE DEALER (RAY SKILLMAN SHADELAND KIA & MITSUBISHI, 1300 SHADELAND AVE, INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46219). THE DEALER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO KIA'S WARRANTY DEPARTMENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND A CASE WAS OPENED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

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EXISTED THE FREEWAY, STOPPED AT 2 STOP LIGHTS WITH OTHER CARS WITH NO INDICATION OF TROUBLE. STARTED FORWARD FROM LIGHT 100+ YARDS AND MAYBE 20 MPH WHEN FIRE ERUPTED FROM UNDER THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WITH LARGE FLAMES. I PULLED TO SIDE OF THE ROAD AND FIRE BURNED FROM MOTOR COMPARTMENT INTO DASH AND CEILING OF PASSENGER AREA. VEHICLE IS TOTALED! THE ENGINE HAD BEEN REPLACED BY KIA ON A RECALL JUST 5 MONTHS AGO. ONLY ABOUT 9000 MILES ON THE NEW ENGINE!

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA SORENTO. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE SUN ROOF SHATTERED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT GLASS PARTICLES FELL ONTO THE PASSENGERS. THERE WERE MINOR SCRAPES, BUT MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT REQUIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,414.

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