Kia Recall Backfires
» Posted November 7, 2018 • Resources | Share This Post
Vehicle safety recalls are designed to makes cars less dangerous by inspecting them for possible hazards and fixing defects. But sometimes the cure might be worse than the disease.
Some Kia Motors cars that were recently recalled for a new engine are spontaneously combusting on the road, according to a new report. Certain safety experts say they’re seeing fuel pump leaks in the replacement engines that appear to be to blame.
Kia and Hyundai Motor — Kia’s parent company — last year recalled some 1.5 million cars in the U.S. and Korea, citing engine defects the companies said could cause cars to stall in traffic. They pledged to inspect the affected vehicles and replace faulty engines.
That process involves temporarily removing the fuel pump, according to an ABC News affiliate that reported on the fires. Kia told that news team that it wasn’t able to determine the cause of the fires.
The Center for Auto Safety in October 2018 demanded that Kia and Hyundai recall nearly 3 million cars in response to reports of vehicles catching fire. The companies have yet to heed that advice, and instead shook off a request to appear at a U.S. Senate hearing the following month.
Kia told Reuters after the hearing was cancelled that “to quickly and effectively address non-collision fire incidents, (the company) is using in-house and third-party fire-investigation companies and has engaged an independent senior fire expert to evaluate the results of such fire event investigations.”
California Law Protects Car Owners
The Kia fires are, unfortunately, not the only example of car makers being hesitant to fix apparent problems with their vehicles after they roll off of the assembly line. The good news for motorists in the Golden State is that the California Lemon Law may offer some protections.
The law requires manufacturers of certain defective vehicles that haven’t been repaired after multiple attempts to compensate the owner or replace the vehicle. The money damages available include compensation for the purchase price and/or down payment and financing costs, as well as rental car, towing and repair expenses.
The law applies to both new and used cars, if repair attempts happen during the vehicle’s warranty period.
Talk With an Experienced California Lemon Law Lawyer
If you’re a California car owner driving a lemon, it is vital that you consult an experienced lawyer to consider your rights an options. The California Lemon Law lawyers at the Bickel Law Firm have represented hundreds of clients in defective vehicle cases across the state. We understand the significant stress that can come with haggling with car dealers and manufacturers. Our lawyers work aggressively to resolve these cases for the people that we represent.
Our offices are conveniently located in San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Call us at (888) 800-1983 or contact us online to speak with an attorney.
