Vehicle not part of nationwide recall bursts into flames while being driven

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - Dan Beasley will never forget the call from his wife on November 23, 2022.

“She called crying saying, ‘Come get me, my car’s on fire,” Beasley said.

Beasley rushed to Russell Road in West Nashville but was warned by his wife not to get too close.

“She said, ‘Don’t come past the car because it’s exploding, it’s burning,” Beasley said.

Knowing his wife was safe, he arrived to find his 2019 Kia Sorento and some of the underbrush surrounding it on fire.

“It was just a big pile of smoke, you know, exploding, 25-foot flames up in the air,” Beasley said.

Beasley said his wife had no idea the car was even on fire when she was driving.

“She was flagged down by some people behind here on McCrory Lane. They had noticed some flames coming from underneath the car. They said, ‘Ma’am, you need to get out of your car, it’s on fire.’ The next thing you know it’s all up in flames. That’s how fast it happened,” Beasley said.

What stunned the couple was that they had just purchased the vehicle four months prior.

Shortly after the fire, they received a recall.

But there was an almost immediate problem: their vehicle didn’t contain the specialized hardware that is the subject of the recall.

And it still caught on fire.

The recall the Beasley’s received referenced that certain 2016 to 2020 My Sorento vehicles could have a defect causing a fire.

That model joins other vehicles, Kia Tellurides and Hyundai Palisades 2022-2022, which are mentioned on signs on the parking garages of the Nashville Downtown Library and the Public Square Courthouse garage for having the potential to catch on fire.

A closer examination of the recall for the 2019 Kia Sorento, it specifically states that if it has a tow hitch hardware, you should park it away form other vehicles or structures.

But if your 2019 Kia Sorento does not have the tow hitch, the recall reads, “no further action is required.”

Beasley’s 2019 Sorento did not have a tow hitch, and it still caught on fire.

“Drive a car and catch it on fire, that’s not something that should be on the market,” Beasley said.

The recall states that debris and moisture contamination on the two hitch hardness module printed circuit board may cause and electrical short circuit and increase the risk of a fire.

So if Beasley’s model didn’t have the hardware, what prompted it to catch on fire?

“That tow hitch recall is one of many ways a fire can start in a vehicle,” said Michael Brooks, the executive director for The Center for Auto Safety. “All they can do is rely on Kia to be honest with the process.”

Brooks’ non-profit is researching why Kia vehicles of certain years and models are catching fire, questioning if there may other reasons for what is causing the flames.

Beasley said he immediately contacted his dealership and Kia corporate, and an investigator came out to study the burned shell of his vehicle.

In an email to WSMV4 Investigates, a spokesman for Kia corporate wrote, “The vehicle was inspected by a professional fire investigator on 12/12/2022. Due to the extent of the damage to the vehicle, the exact cause and origin of the fire could not be determined.”

WSMV4 Investigates then wrote back, “Given that it didn’t have the tow hitch - is there any concern by KIA that it caught on fire?”

That spokesman did not respond to our question.

WSMV4 Investigates also reached out to Greenway Kia of Franklin, which sold Beasley the vehicle.

In an email, a spokeswoman for Greenway Kia of Franklin wrote, “”This particular vehicle was not built with the equipment that is the focus of the recall; and at the time we sold the vehicle it was not subject to any recall. Should Kia expand their recall, we will help facilitate any associated repairs for affected vehicles.”

WSMV4 Investigates will continue monitoring to see if KIA expands the recall.

If you’d like to see if your car is the subject of a recall, click here.

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