Cars that catch fire - Recalls and warnings

Recent safety recalls involving Kia’s and Hyundai’s add to a long list of warnings we’ve seen over the past decade about certain models catching fire.

News Center 7′s John Bedell has more from a family that is afraid to put their loved ones in the Hyundai, claiming the recall repair on their Kona hasn’t gone far enough.

“My car is on fire.” Ronni Rivera felt lucky to be alive when her Kia Sorrento went up in flames. “I heard a strange noise and got out,” she said.

Jordan Carlton lost his life after suffering severe burns when his Kia Soul caught fire driving down the road.

Over the past decade, Kia and Hyundai have been plagued with recalls and incidents involving vehicle fires.

“That’s the actual label off the vacuum.” Thomas Belisle said he found a charred sticker near the engine on his fiancé's 2019 Hyundai Kona.

“I’m furious that they put our safety in jeopardy,” he said.

The car is part of a recall issued last year that warns bad oil rings in the engine could cause severe damage, leading the vehicle to stall and possibly ignite.

Belisle said he feels the recall service wasn’t properly done because the Kona still consumes excessive oil, which according to the safety recall report can be a sign of a defective engine.

“How are we supposed to put ourselves, children, or anybody else in it and feel comfortable?” Belisle said.

According to the Center for Auto Safety, there have been more than 8,000 Kia and Hyundai recall notices issued since 2010, involving engine problems or fire risks, including recent recalls covering certain models of Kia Tellurides and Hyundai Palisades, where a faulty tow hitch can ignite.

“We continue to receive a lot of complaints, not just regarding the fires, but regarding engine failures that were behind a lot of the fires,” said Michael Brooks with the Center for Auto Safety.

Brooks said while Kia and Hyundai have made some strides in recent years to address the issues, they could be doing more to help consumers, particularly those with later model vehicles that could wind up paying for new engines out-of-pocket.

“So many consumers who have these vehicles and the engines are just failing, and they’re left effectively without a vehicle,” Brooks said.

News Center 7 reached out to Hyundai and Kia. Hyundai Motor of America said nothing is more important than the safety and security of Hyundai customers. They said they have taken proactive steps to address engine problems, including warranty extensions and improvement in manufacturing and they’ve enhanced customer service.

The company also said they are reviewing Belisle’s issues. He said Hyundai hasn’t done enough to keep his family safe and thinks their Kona should at least get a new engine as the recall allows in certain cases.

Here are some tips about reviewing a car’s history:

• Use the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to research who owns the car, the last odometer reading, and other facts at www.vehiclehistory.gov, and to check on issues such as potential flood damage through the National Insurance Crime Bureau at www.nicb.org.
• Review all available service records, including work the dealer performed since buying the car and obtain copies for your records.
• Research safety recalls through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration at www.nhtsa.gov.

For more information about buying a used car, visit the Ohio Attorney General’s website.

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