A Kia Rio owner alleges that a brake failure in her 2017 vehicle led to a crash and fire that trapped her inside, prompting a lawsuit against Kia and a West Virginia dealership. At the center of the case is a recalled hydraulic electronic control unit (HECU), the same component involved in a September 2023 recall covering nearly 1.8 million Kias across the US.
Crash Allegedly Followed Complete Brake Failure
According to the lawsuit, Rebecca L. Williams was driving her 2017 Kia Rio to a service appointment at Friendship Kia of Beckley on November 24, 2025. As she traveled down Spruce Mountain on Clear Fork Road, Williams says smoke began pouring from the vehicle when she applied the brakes.
Williams alleges that the brakes failed completely, leaving her unable to stop before the Rio crashed into an embankment. She claims a fire then broke out under the hood and spread into the cabin, trapping her inside the vehicle.
The lawsuit says both front doors became jammed following the crash. Williams’ mother, who was driving behind her, attempted to help, while bystanders also rushed to the scene. According to the lawsuit, a passerby eventually used a coal shovel to break the rear window and pull Williams from the vehicle.
Williams was taken to a local hospital and later airlifted to a burn center, where she reportedly required multiple skin grafts and burn treatments.
Lawsuit Links Kia Rio Fire to Recalled HECU
Williams filed the lawsuit in the US District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia against Kia Corporation, Kia America, and Friendship Automotive, which operates Friendship Kia of Beckley.
The lawsuit alleges that the HECU installed in Williams’ Rio was vulnerable to electrical shorts. The component controls the vehicle’s ABS, stability control and traction control systems.
Williams’ lawsuit cites Kia’s September 2023 recall, identified as NHTSA campaign 23V-652. The recall warned that an electrical short inside the HECU could cause an engine compartment fire whether the vehicle was parked or being driven.
The recall included 2011-2017 Kia Rio models among more than one million affected vehicles.
Williams says she purchased her Kia Rio from the same dealership in April 2018 and returned it there nine times for service. Despite those visits, she alleges that she was never informed about the recall or the associated fire risk.
The lawsuit also alleges that the vehicle’s firewall failed to prevent the fire from spreading from the engine compartment into the cabin.
Williams Seeks Damages in Kia Lawsuit
Williams is seeking damages based on product liability, negligence and breach of warranty claims. The allegations have not been proven, and the court will determine the outcome of the case.
Recall Notices and Vehicle Safety
The lawsuit also raises questions about whether vehicle owners receive recall information in time to have affected components repaired.
Automakers typically send recall notices by mail, while dealerships are expected to address recalled problems when vehicles are brought in for service. Williams alleges that neither occurred in her case, despite her Rio returning to the same dealership multiple times after the recall was issued.
The case remains unresolved, but the allegations underscore the importance of checking for recalls, particularly when a vehicle has changed owners. Keeping manufacturer contact information current can help ensure that recall notices reach the vehicle’s current owner.
