2014 Kia Cadenza

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA CADENZA. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH DOWNHILL, THE BRAKE PEDAL FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ROLL UNTIL IT REACHED A FLAT SURFACE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BATTERY FAILED. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED. IN ADDITION, WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,860.

ON SATURDAY - NOVEMBER 22, 2014 AROUND 6:30 PM THE CAR ENGINE STOPPED AND CAR ROLLED FOR FEW FEET AND STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. ALSO STEERING JAMMED AND DIDN'T MOVE. IT WAS STOPPED AND DIDN'T START BACK ON AND STEERING BECAME VERY HARD TO CRANK IT. THE BATTERY WAS RUNNING FINE. DUE TO ELECTRICAL AND/OR MECHANICAL FAILURE WE WERE EXPOSED TO THE UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT. FORTUNATELY, WE WERE NOT ON THE BUSY STREET/FREEWAY OTHERWISE IT COULD HAVE BEEN ENDED UP IN MAJOR SAFETY INCIDENT. WHEN THIS HAPPENED, WE COULDN'T MANEUVER THE STEERING RESULTING IN SITUATION TOTALLY OUT OF CONTROL. *TR

THE "SMART KEY" FOR THIS VEHICLE IS A NEW DESIGN, RELEASED FOR THE 2013 KDM KIA K7, AND HAS A RELEASE BUTTON WHERE THE PLASTIC KEY/REMOTE PART MAY BE REMOVED TO EXPOSE A METAL CENTER-CUT KEY THAT CAN BE USED ON THE DRIVER'S DOOR, TRUNK, OR GLOVE COMPARTMENT. THE RELEASE WILL DETACH THE KEY WELL BEFORE THE BUTTON IS FLUSH WITH THE PLASTIC BODY, ALLOWING MANY DIFFERENT NORMAL MOTIONS TO RELEASE THE KEY. ON MANY OCCASIONS, JUST REGULAR MOVEMENT HAS RELEASED THE KEY AND IT HAS FALLEN OFF IN MY POCKET. ON ONE OCCASION, THE SMART KEY CAME OFF AS I REMOVED MY KEYS FROM MY POCKET AT MY HOUSE AND THE KEY BOUNCED UP UNDER THE CAR. HAD I NOT HAD THE OTHER KEY INSIDE THE HOUSE, I WOULD HAVE BEEN STRANDED BECAUSE IT BOUNCED OUT OF REACH. NOW IT HAS COME OFF AND FALLEN OUT OF MY POCKET AND IS LOST. ALL OF THESE INCIDENCES OCCURRED WITHIN A MONTH OF PURCHASE. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE THE KEY IS PLASTIC AND LIGHT ENOUGH THAT IT COULD FALL OFF WITHOUT BEING HEARD. IN SUCH A SITUATION, IT COULD BECOME IMPOSSIBLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE IN AN EMERGENCY, SUCH AS IF IT WERE NEAR A FIRE OR BLOCKING ACCESS FOR A FIRE TRUCK OR AMBULANCE. IT'S ALSO POSSIBLE IT COULD COME OFF UNNOTICED IN A PUBLIC PARKING LOT AND THEN ANYONE COULD FIND THE KEY, USE THE "ANSWER-BACK" OR PANIC FUNCTIONS TO LOCATE THE CAR THE KEY WENT TO, AND THEN STEAL THE CAR. A RUNNING CRIMINAL OR JUVENILE ON A JOY-RIDE COULD THEN CRASH AND CAUSE INJURY OR DEATH. THE KEY SHOULD BE REDESIGNED AND THE CURRENT ONE RECALLED. *TR