Jan 11, 2022FirerelatedFire
The contact owned a 2017 Kia Optima Hybrid. The contact stated that while her mother was driving at an undisclosed speed, a smoke odor was detected. Another driver alerted the contact's mother that there was a fire coming from underneath the vehicle. The contact's mother pulled over and exited the vehicle. There were flames coming from underneath the hood of the vehicle, and within seconds, the vehicle was engulfed in flames. No injury was sustained and no medical treatment was received. The fire department was able to extinguish the fire. A fire department report was filed. The vehicle did not have insurance and remained on the side of the road, where it caught fire. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. Upon investigation, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V844000 (Engine) associated with the VIN; however, the contact did not receive the recall notification. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000.
NHTSA ODI 11447046
Sep 16, 2020AirbagsBrakesCrash1 injury
TL* THE CONTACT AND HIS DAUGHTER LEASED A 2017 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE PARKING BRAKE WOULD ACTIVE INDEPENDENTLY AS THE PARKING BRAKE WARNING LIGHT WOULD SIMULTANEOUSLY APPEAR ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HIS DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE PARKING BRAKE HAD ACTIVATED INDEPENDENTLY AS THE CHECK HYBRID WARNING MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. DUE TO THE PARKING BRAKE ACTIVATION, SHE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AS THE REAR TIRES BEGAN TO LOCK. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SKID SIDEWAYS AND THE CONTACT ALSO LOST CONTROL OF THE POWER STEERING.THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE.AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE HIT A GUARD RAIL WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO FLIP APPROXIMATELY SIX TIMES AND ULTIMATELY LANDED IN A WOODED AREA. THE FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY UPON IMPACT. THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER WAS INITIALLY TRAPPED IN THE VEHICLE, ONCE SHE WAS REMOVED BY PARAMEDICS, SHE WAS TREATED AT THE SCENE FOR MINOR BRUISES AND BURNS IN AN AMBULANCE. SHE DID NOT SEEK FURTHER MEDICAL ASSISTANCE AFTER THE ACCIDENT. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED AS A RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT AND WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT TOW YARD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND WAS GIVEN A CASE NUMBER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,000.
NHTSA ODI 11355448