Despite not being on recall list, 2nd Kia catches fire with driver behind wheel

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV/Gray News) - A driver in Tennessee says with the help of a good Samaritan they were able to escape their SUV before it burst into flames.

Jordan Luster told WSMV that she was behind the wheel of her 2016 Kia Soul on March 30 when she heard a noise and started to see smoke.

At first, she thought she could make it to the exit on Interstate 40 but then a driver caught her attention.

“I had a good Samaritan pull up beside me and say, ‘You need to get out of the car now,’” Luster said.

After pulling over on the side of the interstate, Luster said she barely got out of the car before it was engulfed in flames.

“It was just flames all up the front of my car,” Luster said. “It completely melted out the headlights, the inside. It destroyed the front end of the car.”

Luster checked her vehicle identification number through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to see if her specific vehicle was under any recalls.

But it was not.

According to WSMV, certain 2016 Kia Souls were under recall for possible fire risk but Luster’s VIN did not show any recall for her specific vehicle.

Luster said the day before the vehicle fire, she had her check engine light checked at Mike McHenry’s auto service shop.

McHenry told WSMV that his team replaced a spark plug and an ignition coil and also conducted a fuel injection service.

But there was nothing they found dangerous. McHenry said his computer system also showed that Luster’s vehicle was not under recall.

Luster is the second person to tell WSMV that their Kia vehicle caught on fire while driving.

Last November, Dan Beasley’s 2019 Kia Sorento caught fire as well.

Beasley’s Sorento was the subject of a recall for the potential to catch on fire but learned that his vehicle did not have a tow hitch, which was the main subject of the recall.

A letter from Kia reportedly showed that because Beasley’s Sorento did not have the tow hitch, he didn’t need to take any action. However, it burned so much that Kia investigators could not determine the cause.

Luster said she is dumbfounded about what to do now.

“They need to make it right. I don’t have a recall on my car,” Luster said.

On Thursday, Kia said the company will be sending an investigator to examine Luster’s vehicle.

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