2022 Kia K5

July 5th we were driving heard a loud boom and the car slowed down we pulled over. Then we seen that the seat was lifted up and smelled gas. We had an appointment for Monday July 7 for this recall and wasn’t able to drop off the next on Tuesday July 8. As called that Monday made the dealer aware. Now they been having the car and we are just waiting on the next process. There’s not sure what saying Kia will contact us. I am reaching out to get some type of results. We can’t get a rental car and next week it will be 30 days on the 8th of August. We are looking to resolve this matter with Kia.

While driving home recently with my young stepson securely seated in his car seat and my fiancé in the passenger seat, we suddenly heard a terrifying loud bang. Immediately following the explosion, my stepson cried out in pain. At the time, the windows were up and the air conditioning was off, yet we all felt an intense gust of wind inside the vehicle. When I turned around, I saw that my stepson’s seat had been lifted unusually high. We later discovered that either the fuel tank or the fuel pump had exploded.I was shocked and terrified. I had no prior knowledge of any fuel system issues or recalls on this vehicle. After contacting my local Kia dealership, a representative informed me, “Yep, your car has the recall, and it sounds like it swelled up.” Even more troubling is that I never received any recall notifications regarding these issues. The only recall notices I’ve ever received by mail were years ago for a completely different vehicle — my previous Kia Soul, which is no longer in use, as well as the recall for the side curtain airbag.I took it upon myself to do a VIN check and learned that this recall was issued on July 9, 2021, yet I purchased the car from Bev Smith Kia of Fort Pierce on December 30, 2022 — long after the recall had been published. I’m struggling to understand how this vehicle was sold without the required recall repairs being completed or disclosed.I am currently trying to work with Kia to resolve the issue, but I felt it was important to share this with your team so others can be made aware of the potential danger. Had this explosion happened at higher speed or on the highway, the consequences could have been catastrophic.

While accelerating in response to a green light I made a right hand turn and as I accelerated up to the speed limit of 55 mph I heard and felt a very loud “bang or pop”. I proceeded to pull the car over anticipating a tire blow out or something damaging the rear end of my car and upon a full visual inspection of all tires, undercarriage, under the hood and in the truck and main cabin of the car I was unable to locate and issues and there were zero codes or lights. After careful assessment I proceeded to get myself and child home but on the way the car started stumbling and there was a strong Oder of gas. A check engine Illuminated giving us an error code referencing our solenoid that works in pair with our fuel system. After checking the car and going inside for about two hours, my husband came to me and asked what happened to the backseat as the entire thing had been pulled up and underneath it was a very pressurized and round fuel system. I proceeded to call the car dealership service department and told them the codes and everything I was showing and what was happening and asked when I could get the car to them, and if it was safe to ride, they said if it’s still ran to go smoothly to the dealership which was a 10 minute drive. As directed by the dealership I brought the car for service and I also located a voluntary emissions report that Kia issued in April of 2024 along with a copy of letters said to be sent to each owner of my make and model. I never received these letters and update not completed. Kia failed to effectively notify all owners of this potential issue with an over pressurized fuel system, putting myself and my children in great risk. Kia America stated they needed to study my car. A recall still has not been issued, although there are several complaints of the same thing in their cars and now I’m forced into a very unfair buyback and I am being penalized due to Kia failing to alert All parties. There is still no recall.

The vehicle has experienced repeated transmission-related issues, including erratic shifting, delayed response, slippage, and sudden loss of power while driving. These symptoms significantly impact drivability and pose a safety risk, especially when accelerating or merging in traffic. The issue was previously addressed by the dealership under a recall repair. However, the same transmission behavior has returned approximately 3–4 months after the repair. The dealership performed repairs multiple times before, and the symptoms have now recurred. The problem has been confirmed by the authorized dealership and is scheduled for another inspection. There have been warning symptoms such as hesitation during gear shifts and intermittent power dips while in motion, which began reappearing recently. The component remains available for inspection. Given the repeat nature of the issue following an official recall, I believe this may be part of a broader unresolved defect in the vehicle’s transmission system. The issue initially reappeared briefly after the recall repair, then subsided. However, it returned more consistently and noticeably after a couple of months, and is now ongoing.

I was driving on [XXX] and I heard a really loud sound like a Gun Shot in my Car I couldn't just pull over I had to get off at the next exit when I did I checked myself and then I checked my Windows then I opened my back door on the passenger side and saw that behind the seat had swollen up. I drove to work and call KIA where I purchased the car and told them what happened my husband carried the car to them and to make a long story short. After Months of back & forth it was determined that the GAS TANK had EXPANDED!!! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I had 130 miles until I needed to fuel up. Out of nowhere, my gas light comes on with the miles now blanked out. I thought it was odd, but stopped at the next gas station to fuel up. It would not let me put more than .22 cents into the tank without gas exploding out the side. Again, cranked up the car & it states it still needs gas. Tried another gas station & got the same result. Ended up at the nearest Kia & they stated it was the fuel tank expansion recall. They told me they ordered the parts and it should be fixed a little after Christmas. A week later and they are stating they do not know how to fix the vehicle and have no options for rentals/loaners. They said Kia would have to contact them before they can work on the vehicle. I have not received a call but did call the 1-800 number I was given and they basically said that they don’t know what they are going to do and someone will reach out to me. This is so scary as a consumer that Kia is allowed to place vehicles on the road that are considered very dangerous. A process needs to be in place fairly quickly or I am afraid there will be a lot of people in my situation. Not only was this scary, I was alone & this could have put me in danger on the road. I will never buy a Kia again & hate the service I have received as I have been left in the dark from the beginning.

IN OCT 2023 I STARTED HAVING ISSUES WITH MY FUEL TANK. I WAS DRIVING AND NOTICED MY FUEL GAGE WAS ON EMPTY BUT MY FUEL MILEAGE STATED THAT I HAD 100 MILES LEFT. I WENT TO THE GAS STATION TO FUEL UP AND I WASN'T ABLE TO PUMP ANY FUEL. I PROCEEDED TO DRIVE AND HEARD A LOUD BOOM AND A HISSING NOISE. I PULLED OVER TO ASSESS MY VEHICLE AND DIDN'T NOTICE ANYTHING WRONG. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP ON 10/26/2023. IN MAY OF 2024 I WAS ON MY WAY TO PICK UP MY DAUGHTER AND GRANDSON AND STARTED NOTICING MY FUEL GAGE WAS HAVING AN ISSUE AGAIN. ON MY WAY TO THE GAS STATION I HEARD A LOUD BOOM. I COULDN'T PUMP FUEL AGAIN. I PROCEEDED TO PICK UP MY DAUGHTER AND GRANDSON. AS THEY GOT IN THE BACKSEAT SHE ASKED ME WHY WAS THE SEAT LIFTED. I INSPECTED MY REAR SEAT AND NOTICED A 3-4 INCH GAP FROM THE SEAT AND THE BASE OF THE SEAT, ALSO IT HAD A LARGE LUMP. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP THE FOLLOWING DAY ON MAY 24, 2024.VEHICLE IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. IT'S CURRENTLY AT THE KIA DEALERSHIP IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES. AS AN UBER DRIVER MY LIFE AND THE LIVES OF MY PASSENGERS AS WELL AS FAMILY MEMBERS HAS BEEN PUT IN DANGER. UNKNOWN. MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN INSPECTED FOR THIS ISSUE ON 10/26/2023, 05/24/2024, AND 09/24/2024. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALERSHIP. THE EARLY PART OF JULY I TOOK A TRIP TO SEE MY MOM IN ARIZONA APPROX. 280 MILES AWAY FROM MY RESIDENCE. AS I WAS DRIVING BACK HOME ON [XXX] I NOTICED WHAT I THOUGHT WAS SMOKE COMING FROM THE DRIVER SIDE OF MY VEHICLE. I PULLED OVER AND GAS WAS HISSING AND SPILLING OUT OF THE FUEL TANK. I THOUGHT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THE FUEL CAP SO I WENT TO PURCHASE A NEW FUEL CAP. I TRIED TO PUMP MORE GAS BUT I WASN'T ABLE TOO. I REPLACED THE FUEL CAP AND RETURNED TO MY MOTHERS HOME BECAUSE AFTER I REPLACED THE CAP THE FUEL WAS STILL COMING OUT OF THE GAS TANK. I HAD TO PAY $1,000.00 TO HAVE MY CAR TOWED BACK TO CALIFORNIA. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

A couple of days before taking my vehicle to get serviced, I started noticing some concerning factors about an issue going on with the vehicles fuel system. When putting fuel in my car, the gas odometer wouldn't match with what the car was marking the gas miles to be. It would fluctuate throughout the day, in the morning it would mark 174 miles of fuel and in the afternoon it would somehow say I had 215 miles of fuel when I never added more fuel to my call. Also when I opened the gas tank I saw white smoke come out from the tank. My back seat also popped out of the clips that kept it in place. It was very apparent while doing research online of the issues I was going through, that other have similar issues, all leading to the fuel tank expanding. The service center at my local Kia claimed their not 1 but 2 recalls on the vehicles and unfortunately the sensor in the fuel tank needed an update, but because my gas tank expanded while they checked it out, they said they couldn't simply update the sensor as my whole fuel system had to be redone. I have tried to reach out to Kia since I do not have a vehicle to commute to work and it is essential I get the issue resolved with my car. I don't know how long this process will take either since no one provides clear time frames or how the process will go. I am pretty much out of a car for over 6 days and still don't know if it can be repaired or what can be done with my vehicle in the condition it is in.