What 745 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 Kia Sorento

The entire car failed as it caught fire. I wasn't able to break or put the car into park and it rolled to a stop while smoke was coming through the vents. Because of this, my passenger and I exited the vehicle and crossed the expressway while a highway patroller was directing traffic away from the car. Within 2 minutes the car was engulfed in flames. The car is not available for inspection as it was towed away and disposed of. The safety of myself and the passenger were at risk because the entire car broke out in flames and soon exploded. If we stayed in the car for any longer than we did, we would have died. UNKOWN. I do not believe that the vehicle has been inspected. The warning lights all turned on at exactly the same time, about 3-5 seconds before the car completely stopped.

NHTSA ODI 11655958

HOW CAN NHTSA GIVE A 5-STAR SAFETY RATING TO A 2015 KIA SORRENTO BASED ON A 2013 CRASH TEST DONE ON THIS MODEL VEHICLE WHEN THERE IS OBVIOUS A PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE IN THE 2014/2015 KIA SORRENTO MODELS. SINCE 2014, THERE HAS BEEN AT LEAST 2 SERIOUS INJURIES AND OTHER COMPLAINTS DUE TO THIS DEFECT AND ITS NON-DEPLOYENT OF AIRBAGS, ETC. (PLEASE LOOK AT THE PHOTOS, VIDEO & SMALL OVERLAY CRASH REPORT AT HTTP://WWW.IIHS.ORG/IIHS/RATINGS/VEHICLE/V/KIA/SORENTO-4-DOOR-SUV/2015)..THE MANUFACTIURER WAS WELL AWARE OF THIS SINCE THEY REDESIGNED THE 2016 MODEL. THIS DEFECT SHOULD BE MADE PUBLIC FOR ALL VEHICLES AFFECTED WITH THESE ISSUES WHICH SHOULD REPAIRED OR RECALLED TO AVOID FURTHER RISK OF SERIOUS INJURIES AND/OR LOSS OF LIFE. IT IS COMPLETELY WRONGFUL, HARMFUL AND NEGLIGENT OF NHTSA TO GIVE AN "5-STAR SAFETY RATING" ON A LATER MODEL VEHICLE BASED ON AN OUTDATED TEST & WITHOUT FULLY AND APPROPRIATEL TESTING; RENDERING FALSE MISREPRESENTATION TO THE VEHICLE SHOPPER.....UPDATED 06/21/17 *BF *JS

NHTSA ODI 10881567