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NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

Defect Petition DP18-003: Non-crash Vehicle Fires

  • Closed

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Defect Petition DP18-003 on August 21, 2018 and closed it on May 10, 2019. NHTSA's investigations file lists 9 models from 2 makes for it and links 4 recalls to it.

Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file

Key facts

NHTSA number
DP18-003 (also written DP18003)
Investigation type
Defect Petition A petition asking NHTSA to open a defect investigation; NHTSA grants or denies it, and granting one opens an investigation.
Status
Closed May 10, 2019
Opened
Closed
Vehicle or equipment manufacturers
Kia America, Inc.; Hyundai Motor America
Components
Electrical System; Electrical System — Instrument Cluster/Panel; Electrical System — 12V/24V/48V Battery; Electrical System — 12V/24V/48V Battery — Cables; Electrical System — Alternator/Generator/Regulator; Electrical System — Ignition; Electrical System — Ignition — Anti-Theft — Control Module; Electrical System — Ignition — Module; Electrical System — Ignition — Switch; Electrical System — Propulsion System — Traction Battery; Electrical System — Starter Assembly; Electrical System — Starter Assembly — Relay; Electrical System — Starter Assembly — Solenoid; Electrical System — Wiring; Electrical System — Wiring — Rear Compartment/Trunk; Electrical System — Wiring — Front Underhood; Electrical System — Wiring — Fuses and Circuit Breakers; Electrical System — Wiring — Interior/Under Dash; Engine; Engine and Engine Cooling; Engine and Engine Cooling — Cooling System; Engine and Engine Cooling — Cooling System — Fan; Engine and Engine Cooling — Cooling System — Hoses/Lines/Piping/Fittings; Engine and Engine Cooling — Cooling System — Radiator Assembly; Engine and Engine Cooling — Engine; Engine and Engine Cooling — Engine — Gasoline; Engine and Engine Cooling — Engine — Gasoline — Belts and Associated Pulleys; Engine and Engine Cooling — Engine — Gasoline — Turbo/Supercharger; Engine and Engine Cooling — Engine — Other Fuel Types — Turbo/Supercharger; Engine and Engine Cooling — Exhaust System; Engine and Engine Cooling — Exhaust System — Emission Control; Engine and Engine Cooling — Exhaust System — Emission Control — Catalytic Convertor; Engine and Engine Cooling — Exhaust System — Emission Control — Crankcase (PCV); Engine and Engine Cooling — Exhaust System — Emission Control — Gas Recirculation Valve (EGR VALVE); Engine and Engine Cooling — Exhaust System — Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe; Exterior Lighting — Brake Lights; Exterior Lighting — Brake Lights — Switch; Exterior Lighting — Fog Lights; Exterior Lighting — Fog Lights — Switch; Exterior Lighting — Hazard Flashing Warning Lights; Exterior Lighting — Hazard Flashing Warning Lights — Switch; Exterior Lighting — Hazard Flashing Warning Lights — Unit; Exterior Lighting — Headlights; Exterior Lighting — Headlights — Concealment Devices; Exterior Lighting — Headlights — High/Low Beam Dimmer Switch; Exterior Lighting — Headlights — Switch; Exterior Lighting — Tail Lights; Exterior Lighting — Tail Lights — Switch; Exterior Lighting — Turn Signal; Exterior Lighting — Turn Signal — Flasher Unit; Exterior Lighting — Turn Signal — Switch; Unknown or Other
Recalls linked by NHTSA
  • 18V-907: High Pressure Fuel Pipe May Leak, reported
  • 18V-934: High Pressure Fuel Pipe May Leak, reported
  • 19V-120: Overheated Catalytic Converter May Damage Engine, reported
  • 19V-204: Ignition Timing may Damage Engine, reported
Vehicles and equipment
9 models from 2 makes, including the Kia Soul and Hyundai Santa FE

NHTSA's summary

As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Defect Petition DP18-003.

try.vin does not copy NHTSA's investigation documents; NHTSA's investigation record lists the ones NHTSA has published.

In a letter dated June 11, 2018, the Center for Auto Safety (CAS) petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to initiate a safety defect investigation into non-collision related fires on model year (MY) 2011-2014 Kia Optima and Sorento, and Hyundai Sonata and Santa Fe vehicles. In a letter dated July 24, 2018, CAS requested that MY 2010-2015 Kia Soul vehicles be added to the petition. CAS stated that there is a higher number of complaints to NHTSA regarding non-crash fires on these vehicles compared to other similar vehicles. The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) had already opened Recall Queries (RQ17-003 and RQ17-004) on all Kia and Hyundai vehicles equipped with Theta II engines for engine failures that may cause stalling and fires.

The queries cover most of the petition subject Optima, Sorento, Sonata, and Santa Fe vehicles but not any of the subject Soul vehicles.

On August 21, 2018, ODI opened a Defect Petition (DP18-003) to evaluate whether to grant or deny the CAS petition. ODI sent Information Request letters to Kia and Hyundai (September and October 2018) requesting information on all engine and non-engine related fires in the petition vehicles.

ODI performed extensive analysis on the information obtained from Kia and Hyundai. During the DP18-003 analysis, Kia and Hyundai each initiated three additional safety recalls related to engine compartment fires on certain petitioned and non-petitioned vehicles (nearly 740,000 total vehicles: Recalls 18V-907, 18V-934, 19V-101, 19V-063, 19V-120, and 19V-204). Based on ODI?s review of the applicable materials, including responses to Information Requests sent to multiple manufacturers, Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQ), and Early Warning Data, NHTSA decided to grant the petition.

The CAS petition was granted on March 29, 2019. Preliminary Evaluations (PE19-003 on Hyundai and PE19-004 on Kia) have been opened to assess the scope, frequency, and potential safety-related consequences of alleged defects relating to non-collision vehicle fires in the 2011-2014 Kia Optima and Sorento, 2011-2014 Hyundai Sonata and Santa Fe, and 2010-2015 Kia Soul.

Attached is a list of the reference numbers for the 404 VOQs cited above.

Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation

NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Defect Petition DP18-003. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to that page's NHTSA investigations section.

Hyundai

All Hyundai recalls

Kia

All Kia recalls

What an NHTSA investigation is

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) looks into possible safety defects in vehicles and equipment, often after owner complaints. An investigation usually starts as a Preliminary Evaluation, or as a Recall Query when it concerns whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or fixes the problem, and ODI can upgrade it to a more detailed Engineering Analysis. A Defect Petition asks NHTSA to open an investigation, and Audit and Equipment Queries are administrative investigations into whether companies complied with federal vehicle safety requirements, such as reporting, recall and certification rules.

An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

To see whether a specific vehicle has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Free VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.

Sources

NHTSA's investigation record for DP18-003

Investigation details come from NHTSA's investigations file, which try.vin imports once a day. The investigation types are described from the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General's May 2023 report on NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, NHTSA's petition rules (49 CFR Parts 552 and 557) and NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation procedures. How try.vin reads NHTSA investigations.