Jul 3, 2025
When Tina Betterson picked up her 2019 Kia Optima from the dealership following engine repairs, she expected to drive home with some peace of mind.
But instead, she found herself recording a terrifying video just hours later as her car had burst in flames in her driveway. Betterson’s daughter, who was initially trapped inside the car when the fire began, was able to escape before the car was engulfed in flames.
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"She’s like ‘Oh my god, I can't get out," Betterson told WFMY News 2, describing the terrifying moment when her daughter was briefly trapped in the burning car. “She then said she heard a click and the door opened and she jumped out.”
The harrowing incident left the family without a vehicle, thousands of dollars in debt and locked in a dispute with the dealership over who's responsible for a car repair gone horribly wrong.
Major repair turns into a fiery nightmare
Betterson had reportedly taken her car to a local Kia dealership in Greensboro, North Carolina weeks earlier due to an issue with oil consumption. The mechanics at Kia wound up replacing the engine in Betterson’s car before she picked it up and drove it 10 miles back to her home.
That’s when the fire broke out, giving Betterson and her daughter the scare of a lifetime. Thankfully, Betterson’s daughter managed to free herself before the car was completely engulfed in flames, and Greensboro firefighters responded quickly and managed to get the blaze under control.
When Betterson contacted the dealership's service manager about the incident, he couldn't provide an explanation for what happened to Betterson's car.
“The service manager… he didn’t know what to say, truthfully,” said Betterson.
Making matters worse, it took Kia four months to complete its investigation, which eventually found that an “improperly routed wiring harness contacted hot AC lines, melting insulation and leading to the electrical event which ignited nearby combustibles."
WFMY News 2 reporters spoke with several car dealerships about standard protocols for replacing an engine, and every one reportedly said a car should be test-driven for at least 50 miles following major engine work. Betterson's car, however, was reportedly test-driven for just five miles before it was returned to her.
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"You [the dealership] told me you test drove it, and it literally caught fire within 10 miles of me driving home," said Betterson. “This could have been an unimaginable tragedy. Thank God this is not a personal injury case that I’m sitting here talking about today.”
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Taking legal action
While the dealership provided Betterson with a rental car and covered approximately $6,000 in rental fees during the investigation, this situation has put Betterson in a tough financial position.
“I finally said to my insurance, go ahead and pay it off so this doesn’t appear on my credit,” said Betterson, who filed a claim with her insurance company after months of back-and-forth with Kia.
After WFMY News 2 reporters contacted Betterson’s dealership, its insurance agreed to cover the remaining $3,500 balance on Betterson's car loan. But Betterson has refused the offer as she believes the dealership hasn't done enough to fix the situation. Betterson has also indicated that she plans to pursue legal action against the dealership for negligence.
For now, she joins the ranks of drivers fighting for accountability after repairs gone wrong, warning others about the potential dangers lurking under the hood even after professional work has been done.
How to protect yourself from a similar nightmare
Betterson's experience highlights how vehicle repairs can sometimes turn into a disaster. While rare, post-repair vehicle fires are particularly concerning because they often occur when drivers believe their vehicles have just been made safer.
For drivers worried about finding themselves in a similar situation, here are a few precautions you can take before agreeing to major car repairs:
- Get a written estimate before any work is done on your car
- Ask about post-repair inspection protocols, including test-driving distances
- Request documentation of all work performed, including parts replaced
- Consider having a second opinion from an independent mechanic for major repairs
- Understand your auto insurance coverage for post-repair incidents
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Cory Santos is a finance writer, editor and credit card expert with over seven years of experience in personal finance. Having lived and worked worldwide, Cory now calls South Florida home, helping consumers find their ideal credit card and offering impartial and approachable advice to help them navigate their best financial lives. Cory joined Wise Publishing from BestCards, with bylines in numerous digital publications across North America, including AOL, MSN, Yahoo Finance, the Miami Herald, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and more. When he isn't scouring for the latest credit card deals and offers, Cory can be found working on his various historical research projects, jogging, or hanging out with his cats, Bentley, Cougar, and Pumpkin.
