Manufacturer: HYUNDAI-KIA AMERICA TECHNICAL CENTER INC (HATCI)
Manufacturer Id: 1034
Model: Forte
Model Year: 2012
Plant City: Hwasung
Plant Company Name: Kia Motors Corporation
Plant Country: South Korea
Seat Belts All: Manual
Series: GLS
Series2: TD
TPMS: Direct
Valve Train Design: Dual Overhead Cam (DOHC)
Vehicle Type: PASSENGER CAR
Model year
COMPONENT
Complaint
2010
TIRES
VEHICLE WAS SLOWLY LOSING PRESSURE IN ALL FOUR TIRES FOR ABOUT ONE WEEK PRIOR TO INCIDENT. FAILURE OF DRIVER'S FRONT TIRE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING TO SERVICE STATION APPROXIMATELY EIGHT MILES AFTER INSPECTION OF PRESSURE. SERVICE INSPECTION AFTER THE INCIDENT FOUND THAT ALL FOUR SENSORS WERE LEAKING. TIRES HAD LESS THEN THREE THOUSAND MILES OF WEAR AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. *TR
2012
STRUCTURE:BODY
WE WERE DRIVING OUR 2012 KIA FORTE EX (SEDAN) WHICH WE HAD PURCHASED BRAND NEW IN DECEMBER 2011 TO THE STORE TO GET BREAD AND WERE ON OUR WAY HOME (ONLY ABOUT 2 MINUTES INTO THE DRIVE) WHEN WE SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR. WE PULLED OVER WITHIN ABOUT 50 FEET OF SEEING IT, PUT IT IN PARK- WHICH BY THE TIME WE DID SO, WE LOST ALL POWER AND COULDN'T EVEN GET THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION. WE GOT OUT AND MY BOYFRIEND TRIED TO POP THE HOOD BUT IT WAS ALREADY SO HOT HE COULDN'T DO IT... I RAN ABOUT 20 FEET AWAY FOR SAFETY REASONS, SO I AM NOT SURE WHERE IT STARTED, BUT WITHIN ABOUT 30 SECONDS, THE FLAMES CAME OUT OF THE SIDES AND FRONT OF THE HOOD. MY BOYFRIEND THINKS IT WAS ABOUT WHERE THE FUSE BOX IS, BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE HE NOTICED THE PAINT START TO BUBBLE OFF. HE IS A MECHANIC AND HAS NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT. THE ENTIRE FRONT OF THE CAR, THROUGH THE DASH IS DISINTEGRATED. MY AIRBAGS MELTED AND POURED OUT OF THE DASH AND ROOF, UPHOLSTERY MELTED OFF THE SEATS, AND DOOR PANELS BUBBLED UP. ALL THE SPEAKERS BLEW AND MELTED. IT HAPPENED SO QUICKLY, IF I HAD KIDS IN THE BACK OR COULDN'T HAVE PULLED OVER IN TIME, THERE COULD HAVE BEEN VERY SERIOUS INJURIES OR DEATHS. I AM VERY THANKFUL IT DIDN'T HAPPEN ON MY WAY TO WORK, AS I DRIVE IN TRAFFIC ON A HIGHWAY WITH NO SHOULDER. I HAD NO ELECTRONIC MODIFICATIONS. IT WAS ENTIRELY STOCK, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF WINDOW TINT, EXHAUST, A LOWERING KIT, AND AFTERMARKET TIRES AND WHEELS--ALL WHICH WERE INSTALLED BY PROFESSIONALS. THE CAR HAD 8900 MILES ON IT AND ALL MAINTENANCE WORK HAD BEEN DONE. EVEN 3 OIL CHANGES- EVEN THOUGH KIA CLAIMS THE CAR CAN GO 7K WITHOUT ONE. MY INSURANCE COMPANY IS GOING TO TREAT IT AS A TOTAL LOSS AND DO AN INVESTIGATION ON IT. KIA HAS A CASE GOING BUT HAVE NOT YET SENT AN ENGINEER OUT. *TR
