What 748 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Kia Optima

IN JUNE 2020 AFTER ORDERING FOOD AT A FAST FOOD DRIVE THROUGH MY DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WOULD ROLL BACK UP. I DIDN'T THINK MUCH THOUGHT MAYBE THE WINDOW WAS OFF TRACK. ABOUT A WEEK OR SO LATER WHILE DRIVING ON A LOCAL STREET IN MY TOWN MY DRIVER SIDE BACK PASSENGER WINDOW SLID DOWN I BEGAN HEARING AND FEELING WIND COME THROUGH THE WINDOW I CALLED MY DAD WHO LIVES IN MIAMI HE TOLD ME TO PUT A FLAT HEAD SCREWDRIVER DOWN IN THE WINDOW TO KEEP THE WINDOW FROM SLIDING DOWN AND POSSIBLE BREAKING AND TO CALL THE DEALERSHIP. I CALLED THE KIA DEALERSHIP I WAS TOLD TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE WINDOWS LOOKED AT. (WHICH I DID) A COUPLE DAYS LATER WHILE PICKING MY DAUGHTER UP FROM WORK I WAS BACKED INTO A PARKING SPOT. I ROLLED THE BACK PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW DOWN TO LET HER KNOW I WAS THERE SINCE SHE WAS MORE TO THE BACK SIDE OF THE CAR THEN THE FRONT AND ALL BEHOLD THE WINDOW WOULD NOT GO BACK UP. I CALLED KIA 1ST THING THE NEXT MORNING AND WAS TOLD MY CAR HAD A RECALL FOR THE ELECTRICAL BUT THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT MY WINDOWS UNLESS I PAID OUT OF POCKET BECAUSE THE RECALL DID NOT COVER THE WINDOWS. I'M UPSET BECAUSE I DO NOT HAVE MONEY TO FIX 3 WINDOWS HAD I NOT HAD THAT ELECTRICAL PROBLEM MY WINDOWS WOULD STILL BE WORKING.

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FOURTH WINDOW REGULATOR TO STOP WORKING IN THE PAST YEAR. THE WINDOW ROLLED DOWN AND WOULD NOT ROLL UP.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE REAR WINDOWS STARTED TO ROLL DOWN INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO ROLL THE WINDOWS BACK UP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO LOCAL DEALER RICK CASE KIA LOCATED 14500 W. SUNRISE BLVD, SUNRISE, FL 33323, (954) 715-7580, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH NEEDING THE WINDOW REGULATORS TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN REPAIRED BUT CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,222.

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THE DRIVER DOOR LOCK DOES NOT WORK. IT IS THE ONLY DOOR THAT WILL NOT LOCK SOMETIMES. OTHER TIMES IT IS THE ONLY DOOR THAT WILL NOT UNLOCK. THE CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT ALWAYS WANT TO WORK. IT WILL SAY CRUISE BUT WILL NOT LET ME SET IT.

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THE WIRING IN THIS VEHICLE IS SOY-BASED AND IS ATTRACTIVE TO RODENTS. I HAVE EXPERIENCED RODENT DAMAGE TWICE NOW TOTALING ABOUT $3000 IN DAMAGES. I HAVE CONTACTED KIA AND THEY SUGGESTED MAKING A CLAIM ON INSURANCE. THE FIRST TIME DAMAGE OCCURRED WAS IN 11/2019 WE MADE A CLAIM ON INSURANCE. THIS TIME WE WILL PAY OUT OF POCKET BECAUSE OF THE FEAR INSURANCE MIGHT DROP US FOR MAKING CONTINUED CLAIMS. THIS SEEMS TO BE A KNOWN FACT ABOUT THE SOY-BASED WIRING, YET KIA IS NOT WILLING TO ASSIST.

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THREE OUT OF FOUR WINDOWS HAVE STOPPED WORKING. IT STARTED WITH THE REAR PASSENGER WINDOW ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO, THEN THE REAR DRIVER 3 MONTHS AGO, AND NOW THE FRONT PASSENGER ABOUT A MONTH AGO. DID SOME RESEARCH TO FIND IT'S A PRETTY COMMON PROBLEM ON KIA'S FOR THE REGULATORS TO BREAK. I DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY AT THE TIME TO FIX THE FIRST ONE, WAS SAVING UP AND THEN SECOND ONE STOPPED WORKING. DEFINITELY DIDN'T HAVE MONEY FOR TWO, WHEN THIRD QUIT. NOW JUST WAITING FOR THE LAST ONE TO KEEL OVER. I DON'T KNOW THE EXACT PROBLEM, BUT I DON'T HAVE MONEY TO FIX ALL FOUR WINDOWS AT ONE TIME ON A CAR THAT'S ONLY FOUR YEARS OLD.

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3RD WINDOW MOTOR THAT HAS FAILED IN JUST A FEW MONTHS! FIRST MY BACK TWO WINDOW MOTORS AND HOUSINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND NOW MY FRONT DRIVER SIDE WINDOW IS DOWN AND WILL NOT ROLL UP. ON THE WAY TO WORK THIS MORNING IT STOPPED WORKING AND NOW MY CAR IS SITTING OUTSIDE AT WORK UNSECURED. KIA CONTACTED ME REGARDING MY LAST COMPLAINT AND IS WORKING TO SEE IF I CAN BE REIMBURSED FOR THE SECOND WINDOW. I AM WAITING FOR A RESPONSE NOW TO MY EMAIL AND CALL THIS MORNING REGARDING THIS THIRD WINDOW.

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MY REAR DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW STARTED FALLING DOWN ALL OF A SUDDEN. I HAD TO REPLACE THE REGULATOR AND THE MOTOR. NOW, JUST A FEW MONTHS LATER, THE PASSENGER REAR WINDOW IS DOING THE SAME THING. THIS SEEMS LIKE A DEFECT. I NEVER HAD TO REPLACE A WINDOW MOTOR IN MY 1997 TOYOTA 4RUNNER THAT I JUST TRADED IN IN JULY OF 2018.

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I AM HAVING AN ISSUE WITH THE SECOND WINDOW MOTOR ON THIS VEHICLE. FROM READING REVIEWS, IT'S A COMMON PROBLEM.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL FOUR WINDOW REGULATORS FAILED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO GET THE WINDOWS TO MOVE UPWARD AND CLOSE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO KIA DELRAY (LOCATED AT 2255 S FEDERAL HWY, DELRAY BEACH, FL 33483, 561-637-5500) WHO STATED THAT THE WINDOW REGULATORS FAILED FOR ALL FOUR WINDOWS AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED AUTHORIZATION TO REPAIR THE REAR WINDOWS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 13306734. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000.

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LETTER FROM CONGRESSMAN EARL L BUDDY CARTER ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT, REGARDING ISSUES WITH A KIA PURCHASED IN SAVANNAH, GEORGIA. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED VARIOUS ISSUES INCLUDING THE BATTERY BEING REPLACED 5 TIMES IN 8 MONTHS, MULTIPLE ENGINE ISSUES, ELECTRICAL ISSUES AND A LACK OF ACCELERATION. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED, WHILE DRIVING WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, THE VEHICLE WOULD SPEED UP TO CATCH UP TO THE DESIGNATED SPEED AND COME IN TO CLOSE CONTACT WITH THE VEHICLE AHEAD. THE FAILURE IS INTERMITTENT. *JS

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MY CAR STALLED WHILE WAITING AT A STOPLIGHT. WHEN GOING TO ACCELERATE I WAS UNABLE TO. HOWEVER, I LOOKED AT THE CURRENT RECALLS FOR MY CAR. THE YEAR, MODEL, MANUFCATURE DATE MEET THE CRITERIA FOR THE AXEL RECALL. BUT MY VIN # DOESN'T SHOW ANY EXISTING RECALLS.

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THE DRIVERS SIDE RUNNING LIGHT WENT OUT ONE DAY AND MY CAR ALERTED THAT IT WAS OUT. I CHANGED THE BULB AND THAT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THE FUSE APPEARED OK, HOWEVER I REPLACED IT JUST TO BE SURE. THERE WAS STILL NO CHANGE. CHECKED THE POWER TO THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY AND I HAVE POWER ALL THE WAY UP UNTIL IT ENTERS THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY AND THEN THERE IS NO POWER TO THE RUNNING LIGHT ONLY. THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE REPLACED FOR A WHOPPING $360.

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ON THE EVENING OF MAY 17, I NEEDED A JUMP AFTER WORK. I WENT HOME, TURNED OFF MY CAR BUT WAS UNABLE TO START IT AGAIN SO I REPLACED THE BATTERY. I THOUGHT I HAD FIXED THE PROBLEM UNTIL THE NEXT DAY WHEN I WAS DRIVING 65MPH ON A LOCAL INTERSTATE WITH MY DAUGHTER IN THE CAR, ALL MY DASH LIGHTS CAME ON, I LOST NAVIGATION & RADIO AND MY POWER STEERING LOCKED UP. I WENT TO TURN ON MY HAZARDS AND THOSE DID NOT WORK EITHER. I CHECKED MY MIRRORS TO MAKE SURE NO ONE WAS GOING TO HIT ME AND I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF THE HIGHWAY AND PULL ONTO THE SHOULDER. I WAS EXTREMELY FEARFUL AS I HAD MINIMAL STEERING CAPABILITY & WAS UNABLE TO NOTIFY OTHER MOTORISTS OF MY DISABLED VEHICLE AS MY HAZARD LIGHTS WERE NOT FUNCTIONING. I WAS ABLE TO GET IT TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP WHERE I WAS TOLD I NEEDED A NEW ALTERNATOR FOR MY 3 YEAR OLD CAR. WHILE MY MILEAGE WAS AT 66,500 MILES, I DEFINITELY HAD NOT ANTICIPATED NEED TO REPLACE THAT PART OF A WHILE. DESPITE THAT, I WAS MORE UPSET THAT I LOST FUNCTION OF MY CAR AND WAS NOT ABLE TO WARN OTHER CARS WITH WORKING HAZARD LIGHTS.

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I'VE BEEN HAVING CAR PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR FOR A OVER A YEAR, THE STEERING WHEEL GET STUCK, MY BRAKES WASN'T WORKING GOOD, SO I GOT NEW BREAKS, HOWEVER MY CAR STILL DOESN'T MAKE A QUICK COMPLETE STOP, I'M ALSO HAVING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, MY HEADLIGHTS BULB HAVE TO BE CHANGED ONCE A WEEK, I ALSO HAVE TO CHANGED MY OIL EVERY WELL, TODAY MY CAR IS AT THE DEALERSHIP WAITING ON A ENGINE, IT'S BEEN THERE FOR OVER THREE MONTHS.

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AS I BEGAN CROSSING THE INTERSECTION (HIGHWAY) I ENDED UP GETTING T- BONED HALFWAY THROUGH THE INTERSECTION BY A PICKUP. HE WAS SPEEDING GOING ROUGHLY 60MPH IN A 45MPH ZONE MY KIA OPTIMA SUSTAINED PASSENGER SIDE/ AND FRONTAL IMPACT DAMAGE. THE IMPACT OF THE ACCIDENT SENT ME SKIDDING ACROSS THE HIGHWAY AND NONE OF MY FRONTAL AIRBAGS ACTIVATED NOR DID THE SEATBELT LOCK UP. THIS LEAD ME TO SUSTAIN HEAVY CHEST INJURIES FROM THE IMPACT OF THE STEERING WHEEL. ALSO THE CAR COULD NOT BE SHUT OFF AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE STAYED RUNNING UNTIL EMT DISCONNECTED THE POWER TO IT.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME LOOSE AND THE TRACTION CONTROL AND POWER STEERING WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT, A CLICKING NOISE WAS DETECTED. IN ADDITION, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD ONLY ALLOW THE CONTACT TO TURN APPROXIMATELY ONE INCH TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT, AND THE STEERING WHEEL EVENTUALLY SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SOUTH SHORE KIA (1128 SUNRISE HWY, COPIAGUE, NY 11726, (631) 991-3910) WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE COMPUTER NEEDED TO BE RESET. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,843.

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IN AUGUST 2018 I NOTICED THAT THE CAMERA ON THE FRONT GRILLE OF MY 2016 KIA OPTIMA WAS PRODUCING A BLURRY IMAGE. IT DID NOT DO THIS THE NIGHT PRIOR WHEN I USED THE CAMERA TO PARK IN MY GARAGE (WHERE I DID NOT HIT OR BUMP ANYTHING, I WAS NOT EVEN NEAR THE WALL AT THE FRONT OF THE GARAGE). THE LENS HAD A CRACK. SOME CONTEXT: THIS HAPPENED BEFORE IN 2017 AND THE KIA DEALERSHIP IN MCDONOUGH, GA REPAIRED IT AS A WARRANT ITEM. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHERE THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE NAMED JOSE CAMACHO SAID THEY THEY WOULD COVER IT AS A WARRANT TIME AND THAT I WOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR IT. THEY JUST NEEDED TO ORDER THE PART AND WOULD CALL ME WHEN IT ARRIVED. I NEVER RECEIVED A CALL, SO WHEN I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP IN SEPTEMBER 2018 I WAS TOLD THAT THE CLAIM WAS DENIED AS A NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR PROBLEM AND THAT THEY SHOULD NEVER HAVE REPLACED IT THE FIRST TIME. I WAS TOLD THAT IF I WANTED TO DISPUTED IT, I WOULD NEED TO CALL KIA CONSUMER AFFAIRS. KIA CONSUMER AFFAIRS TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD CHECK WITH THE DEALERSHIP AND AFTER A FEW WEEKS, I CALLED THEM BACK AND THEY SAID THE DEALERSHIP WANTED MY TO COME BACK. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY ASKED FOR ME TO BRING THE CAR IN SO THEY COULD TAKE PICTURES. WHILE I WAS THERE I ASK WHAT THE ODDS WHERE THAT THE CAMERA LENS WOULD CRACK TWICE WITH NO VISIBLE DAMAGE TO THE CAMERA UNIT, THE GRILLE OR THE BUMPER, THE SERVICE MANAGER JUSTIN, TOLD ME IT WASN'T LIKELY. I NOTIFIED THEM THAT THERE WAS A 3 PAGE FORUM ON THE INTERNET WHERE OTHER KIA OPTIMA OWNERS HAVE REPORTED THE SAME PROBLEM, IN FACT, IF YOU DO A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH FOR KIA OPTIMA CRACKED LENS, IT IS THE FIRST SEARCH RESULT. I ASKED WHY THIS IS NOT A RECALL ITEM, AND THEY SHRUGGED THERE SHOULDERS AND SAID THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHY. THEY THEN SAID THEY WOULD SUBMIT THE PICTURES AND I WOULD GET A CALL BACK FROM KIA CONSUMER AFFAIRS. IT WAS DENIED, NO REASON.

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VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, STOPPED, IN THE WEST CONSHOHOCKEN MUNICIPAL COMMUNITY BUILDING PARKING LOT, 112 FRONT STREET, WEST CONSHOHOCKEN, PA. THE CAR WAS IN PARK WITH EMERGENCY BRAKE ENGAGED. I WENT TO TURN THE CAR OFF AND WHEN I PRESSED THE IGNITION BUTTON, A LOUD EXPLOSION SOUND CAME FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND THEN A LOUD JACK HAMMER SOUND STARTED. CAR SHOT BACKWARDS IN REVERSE AND ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD WERE FLASHING AND A BELL RINGING. I PUMPED THE BRAKES TO STOP THE CAR AND IT WOULD NOT STOP. IN HAD JUST BEEN TURNED OFF, AND WAS ALREADY IN PARK AND EMERGENCY BRAKE ON. CAR WENT ON OUT OF NOWHERE, AND WENT IN REVERSE THE LENGTH OF APPROXIMATELY 25 CARS AND CRASHED INTO A PARKED CAR.POLICE WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE. THEY REPORTED THE ACCIDENT AND IT IS UNDER INVESTIGATION. MURRAY KIA WAS WHERE THE CAR WAS TOWED. THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND TOLD ME IT WAS AN INSURANCE PROBLEM. NOT TRUE!! MY PASSENGER AND I WERE LUCKY NOT TO HAVE ROLLED INTO THE STREET AND ONCOMING TRAFFIC, AND COULD BEEN KILLED OR SERIOUSLY INJURED, OR INJURED OTHERS. THANK GOD THE PARKED CAR WAS THERE AND ONLY THEN DID THE CAR CRASH INTO IT, AND STOP.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2016 KIA OPTIMA. APPROXIMATELY TEN MINUTES AFTER THE CONTACT TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND EXITED THE VEHICLE, FLAMES IGNITED INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE AND EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO AN UNDISCLOSED LOCATION. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,000. *JS

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WHEN. I'M DRIVING THE CAR SHUTS OFF BUT COMES RIGHT BACK ON AND SOMETIMES THE RADIO JUST SHUTS OFF AND COMES BACK ON PLUS ALL THE LIGHTS INSIDE GOES OFF.

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MY OPTIMA SEEMS TO HESITATE OR STUDDER WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. IT REMINDS ME OF A GEAR SLIPPING BUT MY CAR ONLY HAS 11,145 MI ON IT SO THERE'S NO WAY THAT'S POSSIBLE. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING OBSERVATION FOR MONTHS NOW. I'VE ALSO HAD ONE OF MY MIRRORS NOT GO BACK TO NORMAL POSITION AFTER I MOVED THE CAR FROM R AND BEGAN TO DRIVE. I HAD TO PULL OVER, PLACE THE CAR BACK IN R, AND FLIP BACK TO D FOR THE MIRROR TO GO BACK TO PLACE. LASTLY I'VE NOTICED MY DRIVER SEAT SEAT WARMER BUTTON ISN'T LIGHTING UP LIKE IT USED TO. WHEN ON HIGH, ONLY 2 LIGHTS ARE ON. I RECORDED A VIDEO OF IT VS HOW THE PASSENGER SEAT WORKS BUT I DON'T THINK I CAN UPLOAD IT. I'VE AT LEAST TAKEN PHOTOS OF IT IN EACH LEVEL. THIS HAS BEEN FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS NOW. MILEAGE LISTED ON REPORT IS WHAT I'M CURRENTLY AT BUT THE STUDDERING HAS BEEN SINCE 3,000MI OR SO

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PURCHASED A 2016 KIA OPTIMA EX WITH THE PREMIUM PACKAGE WITH LESS THAN 30 ODOMETER MILES IN APRIL 2017 FROM A KIA DEALER (VIN [XXX]). AT 4200 MILES THE CAR STALLED AND LOST ALL POWER WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY DURING RUSH HOUR. SCREEN FLASHED "ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEM - POSSIBLE ENGINE CONDITION. " TOOK VEHICLE TO THE KIA DEALER ON 07/08/2017 WHO INDICATED THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR NEEDED ADJUSTING AND CLEANING. THEY ASSURED ME ALL WAS GOOD AND THEY HAD RESOLVED THE ISSUE. LESS THAN 24 HOURS LATER THE CAR STALLED AGAIN ON THE HIGHWAY. HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO ANOTHER KIA DEALER WHERE IT SITS. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED WITH KIA AS IT POSES A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY HAZARD TO ME AND OTHER DRIVERS. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2016 KIA OPTIMA. AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE IN THE DRIVEWAY FOR 15 HOURS, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE AND EXPLODED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE WAS BELIEVED TO BE DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,700. UPDATED 03/17/17*LJ UPDATED 08/29/2017*JS

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