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NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

Preliminary Evaluation PE19-004: Non-crash Vehicle Fires

  • Closed

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE19-004 on March 29, 2019 and closed it on December 22, 2021, the day it opened Engineering Analysis EA21-003, whose summary cites it. NHTSA's investigations file lists 5 Kia models for it and links 8 recalls to it.

Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file

Key facts

NHTSA number
PE19-004 (also written PE19004)
Investigation type
Preliminary Evaluation The first stage of most defect investigations: NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation gathers basic information about a possible safety defect, including from the manufacturer.
Status
Closed December 22, 2021
Opened
Closed
Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
Kia America, Inc.
Components
Electrical System; Electrical System — 12V/24V/48V Battery; Electrical System — 12V/24V/48V Battery — Cables; Electrical System — Alternator/Generator/Regulator; Electrical System — Ignition; Electrical System — Ignition — Module; Electrical System — Ignition — Switch; Electrical System — Starter Assembly; Electrical System — Starter Assembly — Relay; Electrical System — Starter Assembly — Solenoid; Electrical System — Wiring; Electrical System — Wiring — Front Underhood; 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; Exterior Lighting — Back Up Lights; Exterior Lighting — Back Up Lights — Switch; 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 — Flasher Unit; Exterior Lighting — Turn Signal — Switch; Unknown or Other
Recalls linked by NHTSA
  • 20V-088: ABS Module May Short Circuit, reported
  • 20V-100: Low Pressure Fuel Hose May Crack and Leak, reported
  • 20V-101: Fuel Rail May Crack and Cause Fire, reported
  • 20V-518: ABS Unit may cause Fire, reported
  • 20V-519: Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit May Short, reported
  • 20V-750: Engine Damage May Cause Fire, reported
  • 21V-331: Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit May Short, reported
  • 21V-844: Engine Damage May Cause Stall or Fire, reported
Vehicles and equipment
5 Kia models, including the Soul and Optima

NHTSA's summary

As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE19-004.

During this Preliminary Evaluation (PE), the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) assessed the scope, frequency and potential safety-related consequences of non-crash vehicle fires caused by both engine failures and failures of other vehicle systems/components in model year (MY) 2011-2014 Kia Optima, MY 2011-2014 Kia Sorento and MY 2010-2015 Kia Soul vehicles equipped with Theta II, Gamma, Nu and Lambda II engines (approximately 1.7 million vehicles). ODI also reviewed field and other data on other Kia vehicles (approximately 3.6 million additional vehicles) equipped with the same engines used in the above-mentioned vehicles.

As a result of this PE, Kia has issued NHTSA Recalls 20V-750 and 21V-844 to address potential engine failures and fires in certain Kia vehicles equipped with various engine types.

Additional information on these and other related recall actions is available in the downloadable version of this resume available at NHTSA.gov.

In addition, ODI has upgraded this PE to an Engineering Analysis (EA) 21-003 which will focus on potential recall scope concerns and recall remedy concerns related to the engine failure-related recalls mentioned above and conducted previously.

See the EA21-003 Opening Resume available at NHTSA.gov for more information.

Also available in the downloadable version of this resume is a list of the reference numbers for the 444 ODI reports, or Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs), cited above which ODI received through mid-November 2021.

Note that the Manufacturer reports cited above are customer complaints received through March 2019.

Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation

NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE19-004. 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

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 PE19-004

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.