Kia Brake Recall Lawsuit Alleges HECU Malfunction Caused Vehicle Fire

Lawsuit claims Kia failed to notify the woman about a recall involving a defect that could cause brake failure and engine compartment fires.

A West Virginia woman has filed a product liability lawsuit alleging that a defective 2017 Kia Rio lost brake function and caught fire while she was driving, causing a crash that left her with severe burn injuries.

The complaint (PDF) was brought by Rebecca L. Williams in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on June 6. It names Kia Corporation, Kia America Inc. and Friendship Automotive Inc., doing business as Friendship Kia of Beckley, as the defendants.

Williams claims the Kia’s Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) short-circuited while she was driving, causing the brakes to fail and sparking a fire in the engine compartment. The malfunction led to a crash that trapped her inside the burning vehicle and left her with severe burn injuries, requiring multiple surgeries.

The HECU is a component of the vehicle’s anti-lock braking system that helps regulate brake pressure and stability functions. An electrical short within the unit can cause it to overheat, increasing the risk of an engine compartment fire.

In 2023, more than 3.3 million Kia and Hyundai vehicles were recalled due to faulty anti-lock braking system (ABS) modules and HECUs that may be prone to electrical shorts, increasing the risk of vehicle fires.

Kia Brake Fire Allegations

According to the complaint, Williams was on her way to a maintenance and service appointment in her 2017 Kia Rio on November 24, 2025, when she applied the brakes near the bottom of a mountain. At that point, the vehicle began smoking and failed to respond, causing her to lose control and collide with an embankment. After the impact, fire rapidly spread from the engine compartment into the cab of the vehicle, where she was trapped.

After being removed from the burning vehicle, Williams indicates she underwent multiple debridement and skin graft surgeries on her legs due to the severity of her burn injuries. She says that she is expected to have permanent scarring and suffer from related comorbidities for the remainder of her life.

The complaint notes that Williams brought the defective vehicle to Friendship Kia of Beckley for maintenance on nine separate occasions after purchasing it. However, she alleges she was never informed about the recall or the fire risks associated with the defective HECU.

As a direct and proximate result of these occurrences Williams indicates she has incurred, and continues to incur medical expenses, lost wages and loss of future earning capacity. She also says that she has undergone and continues to undergo great pain and suffering.

“Neither the Kia Defendants nor Defendant Friends Automotive properly notified Plaintiff of the recall. Thus, Plaintiff was unaware of the extreme risk of fire associated with driving the subject vehicle with the defective, recalled HECU.”

— Rebecca Williams v. Kia Corporation et al

The lawsuit raises allegations of strict product liability, negligence and breach of warranty. It seeks compensatory and punitive damages, pre- and post-judgment interest, reasonable costs and attorneys’ fees, and any other relief the court deems appropriate.

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