NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

Engineering Analysis EA02-016: NON-CRASH ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES

Closed

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Engineering Analysis EA02-016 on August 6, 2002 and closed it on October 7, 2003. NHTSA's investigations file lists the Kia Sephia and Spectra for it.

Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file

Key facts

NHTSA number: EA02-016 (also written EA02016)
Investigation type: Engineering Analysis A more detailed stage of a defect investigation, opened when NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation decides an issue merits further review, often after a Preliminary Evaluation or a Recall Query; it can include vehicle testing, surveys and further information requests.
Status: Closed October 7, 2003
Opened: August 6, 2002
Closed: October 7, 2003
Vehicle or equipment manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Components: Electrical System; Electrical System — 12V/24V/48V Battery — Cables
Vehicles and equipment: Kia Sephia and Spectra

A recall appears here only when NHTSA's investigations file links one to the investigation; NHTSA's summary or record can name others.

NHTSA's summary

As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Engineering Analysis EA02-016.

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

ODI GATHERED FIRE DATA FROM VARIOUS SOURCES AND INSPECTED SUBJECT VEHICLES TO ASSESS THE SCOPE AND FREQUENCY OF NON-CRASH ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES CAUSED BY STARTER CABLE CHAFING.ODI'S ANALYSIS FOUND THAT MOST OF THE SUSPECT FIRES OCCURRED AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD RECEIVED SERVICE REPAIRS IN THE AREA OF THE SUBJECT CABLE.CONSUMER COMPLAINT DATA INDICATE THAT THE PROBLEM EXPERIENCE HAS DECLINED SINCE A PEAK IN LATE 2001.

THE MOST RECENT KNOWN EVENT OCCURRED IN NOVEMBER OF 2002. KIA WILL PERFORM A SERVICE CAMPAIGN BEGINNING IN LATE 2003 TO INSPECT SUBJECT VEHICLES BUILT PRIOR TO JANUARY 2000 FOR CABLE DAMAGE AND WILL REPLACE DAMAGED CABLES AS NECESSARY. GIVEN THE DECLINING FIRE RATE AND KIA?S SERVICE CAMPAIGN, FURTHER EXPENDITURE OF AGENCY RESOURCES IS UNJUSTIFIED IN THIS MATTER.THE ENGINEERING ANALYSIS IS THEREFORE CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IN THE FUTURE IF WARRANTED. FURTHER DETAILS MAY BE FOUND IN THE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT.

Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation

NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Engineering Analysis EA02-016. 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.

Kia

Kia Sephia
- 1998, 1999, 2000
Kia Spectra
- 2000

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.

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

Sources

NHTSA's investigation record for EA02-016

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.