Apr 13, 2014SteeringElectrical systemBrakesCrash
TURNED ONTO A FAIRLY NARROW STREET WITH CARS PARKED ON BOTH SIDES; I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE MIDDLE OF STREET UNTIL I PASSED ALL PARKED CARS; ATTEMPTED TO MOVE BACK INTO MY LANE AND STEERING WHEEL FROZE AND STARTED JERKING; I WAS HEADED TOWARD A STOP SIGN POLE; I JUMPED THE CURB AND SCRAPPED RIGHT FROM BUMPER AND TIRE RIM; IGNITION SHUT OFF. TOOK CAR TO DEALER; THEY KEPT IT FOR TESTING AND INSPECTION FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS AND FOUND NOTHING; WE WANTED TO EXCHANGE IT BUT THEY REFUSED SINCE THEY DID NOT FIND ANYTHING MECHANICALLY WRONG WITH IT; WE TOOK CAR BACK AND IT HAS BEEN DRIVING WELL SO FAR BUT INCIDENT IS STILL IN THE BACK OF OUR MINDS EVERY TIME WE DRIVE IT. *TR UPDATED 10/1/2014 *JS
NHTSA ODI 10579471
Apr 2, 2014Fuel systemElectronic Stability Control (esc)Brakes
ON TWO OCCASIONS I HAVE SMELLED GAS WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE. THE DATE ABOVE IS THE SECOND TIME. THE FIRST WAS AFTER THE CAR HAD BEEN PARKED FOR 3-4 DAYS AFTER A SNOW STORM IN LATE 2013. THE BRAKES VIBRATE WHEN STOPPING ON A ROUGH SURFACE. KIA CONSUMER AFFAIRS ATTRIBUTES THIS TO THE DESIGN OF THE ANTI-LOCK SYSTEM AND APPARENTLY DOES NOT CONSIDER IT A PROBLEM. ON ONE OCCASION - AGAIN DURING A PERIOD OF COLD WEATHER IN LATE 2013 - THE GEARS GROUND WHEN TURNING AT MAXIMUM ROTATION TO PARALLEL PARK THE CAR IN A TIGHT SPOT, A COMMON OCCURRENCE IN THE URBAN AREA WHERE I LIVE. UNLIKE THE BRAKING AND GAS-LEAK PROBLEM, THIS ONLY HAPPENED ONCE. DUE TO AN ISSUE WITH POSSIBLE ODOMETER TAMPERING I HAVE NOT TAKEN THE CAR TO A DEALER TO ADDRESS THE OTHER PROBLEMS FOR FEAR THEY WILL TRY TO MASK EVIDENCE OTHER THAN THE SCRATCH ON THE DRIVER DOOR. *TR
NHTSA ODI 10576713
Oct 28, 2013BrakesBody & structureCrash1 injury
I WAS IN A THREE VEHICLE ACCIDENT AS THE THIRD CAR. I HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME AND IN TURN CAUSED THAT VEHICLE TO HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HIM. I HAD THE BRAKES PRESSED DOWN ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND STILL COULDN'T STOP IN TIME TO PREVENT IMPACT, THERE WERE NOT EVEN ANY SKID MARKS ON THE PAVEMENT. THE IMPACT WAS SO STRONG THAT MY BACK SEATS FOLDED DOWN AND THE THINGS I HAD IN MY TRUNK FLEW FORWARD AND HIT THE BACK OF THE DRIVER SEAT. I HAD GLASS BOTTLES OF DRINKS IN THE TRUNK AND THEY WERE ALL BUSTED IN THE FLOORBOARD FROM BEING THROWN THROUGH THE BACK SEAT THAT FOLDED DOWN. FIRE AND RESCUE HAD TO OPEN MY DOOR TO LET ME OUT OF THE VEHICLE BECAUSE I TRIED TO GET OUT AND COULDN'T PRY THE DOOR OPEN. TO ME THAT IS A HARD IMPACT, I WAS INJURED AND STILL SEEKING MEDICAL ATTENTION. MY CONCERN IS WITH A FRONTAL IMPACT OF SUCH FORCE, NONE OF MY AIRBAGS DEPLOYED! MY ACCIDENT HAS ALREADY HAPPENED AND I AM HURT BUT I DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE. LUCKILY I WAS WEARING MY SAFETY BELT BECAUSE MY AIRBAGS CERTAINLY DIDN'T PROTECT ME. I MADE A COMPLAINT WITH KIA AND THERE REPRESENTATIVE TOLD ME..."MA'AM WITH YOUR VEHICLE, YOU HAVE "SMART AIRBAGS" THEY ONLY DEPLOY IN A CATASTROPHIC EVENT." HOW CAN THE CAR TELL WHAT IS A CATASTROPHIC EVENT...MY 8 YEAR OLD COULD HAVE BEEN IN THAT BACK SEAT THAT FOLDED OR EVEN MY NEWBORN NIECE THAT I CARE FOR, THAT COULD HAVE BEEN NOT ONLY CATASTROPHIC BUT FATAL!!! WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS? PLEASE HELP, I DON'T WANT SOMEONE ELSE TO SUFFER. *TR
NHTSA ODI 10549909