Every year, thousands of people are hurt and killed due to defective automobiles. Sometimes this is due to an accident caused by the defect. Other times, the defect can be dangerous on its own. Either way, when these things happen, we tend to see two things happen. First, the automobile manufacturer issues a recall. Second, people injured by the vehicle’s defect files a lawsuit to recover damages. This past week, Kia issued a giant recall to help prevent people from getting hurt.
Kia released a recall this week for the 2013 and 2014 models of the Kia Optima sedan. Apparently, there is a defect with the hose that can cause gasoline to leak. Over time, this hose is subjected to a lot of heat. This heat causes the hose to deteriorate and crack. Once this happens, drivers may smell gasoline but not know where it’s coming from.
This crack in the hose creates a dangerous fire risk. This risk increases the chance of the car catching on fire if it’s involved in a car accident. However, it also increases the odds of the car catching on fire on its own. Without warning, drivers and their passengers could be caught in a vehicle engulfed in flames.
Thankfully, Kia has issued a recall of more than 140,000 vehicles to make sure this doesn’t happen. The company claims that they have not had any reports of injuries or actual fires as of yet. However, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration tells a different story.
According to the NHTSA, there have been more than 3,000 reports of fires in cars that use the Theta II engine. If you’re loved one is injured due to a car defect, call our office right away.
If you were hurt in KIA that was defective, contact our product liability lawyers for help
Source: https://www.consumerreports.org/car-recalls-defects/kia-optima-recalled-for-fire-risk/
