2019 Kia Stinger GT Fire
I leased a 2019 Stinger GT after turning in my Optima a year early. I leased the car on 12/18/18. Within the first 30 days my rear defroster made a popping noise and shorted out. I took it back to the dealership and they supposedly fixed the issue. On May 14th on my way into work the car made the same noise. I called the dealership to have it looked at again. I got into my car after work, within a few minutes I could smell smoke and pulled over on the side of the highway. I opened the hatchback to see the rear defroster compartment melted away and then flames shot out of the hole. Within 4 minutes the car burned down to the frame. A formal investigation was completed with my insurance company, Kia, and the NHTSA. Kia accepted responsibility for the fire. They bought the car back from the insurance to hide a fatal flaw in the car. After weeks of failing to return numerous calls and emails to Kia attempting to understand what the next steps are, we finally received a call stating that they were willing to reimburse us for the contents in the car- WHICH THEY HAVE to do. After several more phone calls and emails, a supposed manager named Jeff C. contacted us (of course they have no email address, last name or phone number). After going back and forth he offered to refund us the $2000 we put down on the car only 5 months earlier stating it was the cost of ownership! After asking we found out that if we accepted, we would have signed off our rights to any future actions. The fire department told me the only thing that saved my life was that I can a full tank of gas so it did not blow cause of the lack of fumes. I was minutes away from picking my 6 year old daughter from school. The fire started right under where her booster seat was. Do not buy this car as it can easily kill you.
Robert Parks
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Robert Parks
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Would like to add pictures but not an option to add them to this.