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Kia Spectra Vehicle Speed Control Safety Report | July 27, 2009
Reported on July 27, 2009
| 1. TWO PASSENGERS (FEMALE 64 YR DRIVER AND FEMALE 13 YR OLD PASSENGER) WERE PROCEEDING DOWN A RESIDENTIAL ROAD IN A 2007 KIA SPECTRA AT LESS THAN 20 MPH. HALFWAY DOWN THE ROAD, DRIVER BEGAN TO LIGHTLY APPLY THE BRAKE KNOWING THAT THE STOP SIGN WAS FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD. AT THIS MOMENT THE CAR REVVED AND EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION. THE DRIVER SHOUTED OUT THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR. THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE CAR BUT THE BRAKES FAILED. THE CAR ACCELERATED TO APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH. UNABLE TO STOP, THE CAR WENT THROUGH THE STOP SIGN AND PROCEEDED ACROSS THE STREET TOWARDS A GUARD RAIL. DRIVER INSTINCTIVELY TURNED THE WHEEL TO THE LEFT SO THAT THE CAR WOULD NOT HIT THE GUARD RAIL HEAD ON. THE VEHICLE COLLIDED WITH THE GUARD RAIL ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, THROWING THE DRIVER INTO THE PASSENGER SEAT, WHERE THE OTHER PASSENGER WAS SITTING. THE DRIVER HIT HER HEAD HARD ON THE PASSENGER WINDOW AND EXPERIENCED OTHER INJURIES AS A RESULT OF BEING THROWN FROM THE DRIVER SEAT. THE AIR BAGS IN THE CAR FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CAR BOUNCED OFF THE GUARD RAIL AND PROCEEDED AT FULL SPEED ACROSS THE STREET AGAIN. THE CAR RAN OVER SOME SMALL HEDGES IN A RESIDENT'S YARD AND PROCEEDED UP A STEEP HILL BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. THE PASSENGER OF THE CAR IMMEDIATELY DIALED 911 AND THE POLICE/AMBULANCE ARRIVED SHORTLY AFTER. 2. THE CAR'S ELECTRONIC THROTTLE IS BELIEVED TO BE DEFECTIVE. THIS DEFECT RESULTS IN RANDOM EPISODES OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. BECAUSE THE EPISODES ARE RANDOM, THE PROBLEM IS NOT EASILY DUPLICATED. HOWEVER, THERE ARE NUMEROUS DOCUMENTED CASES OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION IN KIA VEHICLES ON THE INTERNET. 3. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC FOR INVESTIGATION. MECHANIC ATTEMPTED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST, BUT MECHANIC REPORTED THAT THE 2007 KIA SPECTRA IS NOT SOPHISTICATED ENOUGH TO APPLY SUCH A TEST. VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO THE LOCAL KIA DEALERSHIP FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION. KIA CLAIMS THEY ARE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *TR | |
| Make: | Kia |
| Model: | Spectra |
| Manufactured by: | HYUNDAI-KIA AMERICA TECHNICAL CENTER INC |
| Year: | 2007 |
| Was a crash reported? | Y |
| Was an injury reported? | 1 person(s) were injured. |
| Was a death reported? | 0 person(s) died. |
| Was a fire reported? | N |
| Location: | TAUNTON MA |
| Vehicle Identification Number (VIN): | KNAFE122875 |
| Mileage: | 14500 miles. |
| Speed: | 60 MPH |
| Number of cylinders: | |
| Vehicle type: | |
| Vehicle fuel: | |
| Was a police report filed? | Y |
| Tire size: | |
| Dealer name and location: | |
| Previous Report:Vehicle Speed Control | Next Report:Air Bags |