What 802 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Kia Soul EV

My car just stopped without warning.. Kia dealership states it need a catalyst converter and 02 sensor.. no engine light came on.. it just stopped.. after they put an software for 50000 incase the engine fail.. well my catalyst converter fail.. without any warning

NHTSA ODI 11427312

SEEMS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF AND WHEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY CANT FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAN STAY ON FOR DAYS AND THE ENGINE RUNS RUFF. WHEN THIS IS TOLD AT THE DEALERSHIP THEY SAY THEY CANT FIND ANYTHING. THIS LIGHT IS ON WHEN THE CAR IS RUNNING WEATHER ITS SITTING STILL OR DRIVING.

NHTSA ODI 11405811

WHILE DRIVING ON THE NJ TURNPIKE AT NIGHT TIME, I WENT TO CHANGE FROM THE RIGHT LANE INTO THE MIDDLE LANE AND THE CAR STALLED NOT ABLE TO PICK UP SPEED. AS THE CAR STALLED THERE WAS A FAST MOVING TRUCK WHICH WAS COMING AND THAT WAS ABLE TO SWITCH LANES FORCING ME TO MOVE INTO THE LAST LANE WHICH MADE THE CARS BEHIND ME HAVE TO COME TO A SUDDEN STOP. I THEN HAD TO PUT ON MY HAZARDS AND SLOWLY MOVE BACK OVER TO THE SHOULDER. ONCE COMPLETELY STOPPED I SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. AFTER WAITING FOR SOME TIME I STARTED THE CAR AGAIN, BUT NOTHING CHANGED. I REMAINED IN THE RIGHT LANE WITH HAZARDS ON AND DROVE THE CAR NOT BEING ABLE TO GO ABOVE 40 MPH. EVENTUALLY THE CAR GOT BACK TO DRIVING NORMAL RIGHT BEFORE ARRIVING HOME WHICH WAS ABOUT A 40 TO 50 MINUTE RIDE. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND I LEARNED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THIS IS AFTER TAKING THIS CAR TO BE LOOKED AT TWICE AND BEING TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING FOUND. NOW I FIND THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON THE CAR (NHTSA ID: 19V120000), BUT IT SAYS THAT MY VEHICLE IS NOT AMONGST THE VEHICLES RECALLED.

NHTSA ODI 11403147

WHILE SITTING IN TRAFFIC MY CAR BEGAN TO SHAKE AND THEN STALLED AND TURNED OFF. IT WAS ABLE TO RESTART AND THEN LATER WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE IT BEGAN TO STOP ACCELERATING WHEN I PRESSED THE GAS. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT TO THE SHOULDER FROM THE LEFT LANE AS CAR SLOWED TO A STOP AND THE BREAK PEDAL LOCKED UP. THE CAR WOULD NOT TURN ON ANY MORE. AFTER MECHANIC INSPECTION, THEY REPORTED THAT A PISTON HAD MELTED IN THE ENGINE AND BECAUSE THE OIL HAD DRIED UP, EVEN THOUGH THE CAR HAD ITS LAST OIL CHANGE TWO MONTHS AGO.

NHTSA ODI 11399895

I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT NIGHT AT ABOUT 75 MILES AN HOUR ON CRUISE CONTROL. I WAS PASSING A SEMI WHEN ALL THE SUDDEN MY CAR DOWN SHIFTED AND STARTED LOSING POWER. I QUICKLY HAD TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DEAL WITH THIS AND GET OFF THE FREEWAY. I CONSIDER MYSELF AN EXPERIENCED DRIVER, BUT IF MY KID WAS DRIVING THE CAR WHEN THAT HAPPENED...

NHTSA ODI 11399170

AFTER TAKING MY CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP FOR A RECALL AND AN UPGRADE TO COMPUTER SOFTWARE, I WAS TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH AND LOST POWER TO THE ENGINE WHILE IN THE MIDDLE LANES OF TRAFFIC. I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND UPON THE COMPLETION OF AN INSPECTION, THEY SAID THE VEHICLE IS SAFE TO DRIVE AND POWER WAS RESTORED. I WAS NOT OFFERED A LOANER CAR, AND HAD TO WALK OR USE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION FOR SEVERAL DAYS. I AM NOW EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE AGAIN. I CANNOT TRAVEL OUT OF TOWN WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF THE SAME THING HAPPENING AS A SAFETY MECHANISM TRIGGERS. I HAVE TO FIND MY OWN MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION AND ONLY TRAVEL LOCALLY. IF THIS HAPPENS AGAIN WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY WITH MORE TRAFFIC I COULD BE INVOLVED IN A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THEY HAVE ALSO NOT OFFERED ANY FORM OF COMPENSATION FOR MY TIME LOSS WITH MY VEHICLE. THIS IS VERY DIFFICULT TO DEAL WITH FROM DAY. WHEN THE SAFETY MECHANISM TRIGGERS, THE VEHICLE WILL BARELY DO 35-45 MPH. IT TAKES MORE THAN 15 SECONDS TO ATTAIN THAT SPEED WHICH IS NOT SAFE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC OR MODERATE TRAFFIC. THE CAR WILL START AS NORMAL; HOWEVER, WITH TRYING TO TAKEOFF THE VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATE AS NORMAL. PRIOR TO THIS 'UPGRADE' THE VEHICLE NEVER HAD ISSUES WITH ACCELERATION.

NHTSA ODI 11398153

I WAS ON THE FREEWAY IN THE FAST LANE AND MY CAR STARTED ACTING LIKE IT WANTED TO STALL. THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON BRIEFLY AND WENT AWAY. I HIT THE GAS TO TRY TO GET OVER TO THE RIGHT LANE SO THAT I COULD EXIT THE FREEWAY AND NOTHING WAS HAPPENING WITH THE RPM IT WOULD NOT GO OVER 2 AND I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO STALL ON THE FREEWAY. I WAS SO UPSET AND FINALLY MADE IT TO AN OFF RAMP. WHEN I STOPPED AT THE OFF RAMP THE CAR WAS SHAKING AND MAKING A TERRIBLE NOISE LIKE IT WAS GOING TO JUST EXPLODE. I CONTEMPLATED STAYING OFF THE FREEWAY AND TAKING THE STREETS BUT I WAS NOT IN A GOOD AREA SO I GOT BACK ON THE FREEWAY AND STAYED IN THE RIGHT HAND LANE TO EXIT AND HEAD STRAIGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THEM AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAPPENED TO ME. THEY SAID IT WAS A CYLINDER THAT WAS MISFIRING AND THAT THEY REPLACED IT. WELL I WAS DRIVING YESTERDAY AND THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND MY CAR WANTED TO STALL AGAIN AND IT HAD ONLY BEEN A WEEK SINCE THEY SUPPOSEDLY FIXED IT. I TOOK THE CAR IN AND AGAIN THEY BLAMED IT ON THE OIL AND ARE NOW SAYING THAT MY ENGINE MAY BE BURNING THE OIL FASTER THAN IT SHOULD AND IF THAT IS THE CASE THEY WILL NEED TO REPLACE THE MOTOR. THE CAR HAS ME ON EDGE AS I DRIVE MY KIDS AND GRANDKIDS EVERYWHERE. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THIS CAR AT ALL ANYOMRE. I FEEL LIKE THE ENGINE CAN GIVE OUT AT ANYTIME WITHOUT WARNING.

NHTSA ODI 11397460

AS I WAS PULLING OUT TO GO TO WORK,I NOTICED THE RPM INDICATOR WENT UP TO 51000 RPM.I HAD NOT HAD THIS ISSUE BEFORE.THE CAR ONLY HAD 18000 MILES ON IT WHEN I BOUGHT IT. IT HAS 19500 MILES NOW.I WAS ON THE MAJOR HIGHWAY IN AUSTIN TEXAS AND COULDN'T GO AFTER THAN 50 MPH.I ALMOST GOT HIT DRIVING .IN THE PAST,I HAD MY KIA SPORTAGE REPAIRED WITHOUT ISSUE. I AM GOING TO THE KIA SERVICE CENTER IN THE AM. I WILL EVERYONE KNOW THE OUTCOME

NHTSA ODI 11391125

FIRST, A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND MY ENGINE TEMPERATURE GAUGE STOPS WORKING PROPERLY. IT STARTS TAKING ABOUT 15 MINUTES FOR MY ENGINE TEMPERATURE GAUGE TO SHOW THE ENGINE IS WARMED UP. AFTER ABOUT TWO DAYS THE ENGINE LIGHT GOES OFF BY ITSELF. SO I FINALLY GET AN APPOINTMENT AT THE KIA DEALERSHIP TODAY. THEY SAY THEY NEED TO PUT AN UPDATED PROGRAM INTO MY KIA SOUL'S COMPUTER..THAT SEEMED TO FIX THE ISSUE ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP. I DRIVE AWAY GO TO A STORE WHEN I COME OUT OF THE STORE AND GET BACK INTO MY CAR AND PULL OUT OF THE PARKING SPOT MY CARS CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AGAIN. I TAKE IT TO AUTO ZONE TO GET THE CODE READ. THIS TIME THE CODE IS P0420. I CALL THE DEALERSHIP 800-995-4203 AND THE SERVICE ASSOCIATE MARTY TELLS ME TO BRING MY KIA SOUL BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. WHEN I GET THERE HE SAYS THEY ARE NOW GOING TO CHARGE ME $109.95 AN HOUR TO DIAGNOSE WHAT IS WRONG WITH MY CAR. AT THIS TIME I AM IN THE WAITING ROOM FEELING LIKE I'M BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF BY THESE PEOPLE BUT I HAVE NO OTHER OPTION AND I DON'T HAVE ANYWAY OF KNOWING WHAT, IF ANYTHING, IS ACTUALLY WRONG WITH MY CAR. NOT TO MENTION ALL THIS HAPPENS BETWEEN 59000 AND 60000 MILES ON MY CAR AND THE WARRANTY EXPIRED AT 60000 MILES.

NHTSA ODI 11389978

WHEN I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THE CODE THAT POPPED UP WHEN I USED MY READER TO READ THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT THAT POPPED UP TWO DAYS BEFORE THANKSGIVING. IT SAID IT WAS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE KIA LADY TOOK MY VIN AND SAID THERE WAS NO RECALLS BUT EVERYONE WITH MY CAR WAS CALLING IN ABOUT IT. AND THE PART ITSELF IS 1200 DOLLARS. HOW MANY OTHERS HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE EXACT SAME THING WHICH ALSO SAYS IT CAN RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL. AS A MOTHER WITH A TODDLER WHO CHOSE THIS CAR BASED ON ITS AFFORDABILITY AND SAFETY FEATURES. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. THERE NEEDS TO BE AN ISSUE RECALLED IMMEDIATELY. THE CAR IS A 2016 KIA. THERES SHOULD BE NO REASON THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY 3000 DOLLARS TO REPLACE A PART THAT EVERYONE'S HAVING TO REPLACE OR YOUR CAR WILL LITERALLY BREAK DOWN FOR GOOD. THE PO50A CODE.

NHTSA ODI 11383429

CAR STOP WORKING AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER BLEW

NHTSA ODI 11378175

MY CAR EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER. MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO TRAVEL OVER 50 MPH. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT OR CODE THROWN. BROUGHT TO KIA DEALERSHIP AND AFTER 3 WEEKS DISCOVERED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS CLOGGED AND MELTED. REPLACED 90 DAYS AGO. SECOND IS NOW DESTROYED AND MELTED. WANTS TO INSTALL THE THIRD. SAYS MOTOR IS FINE, NOT RUNNING RICH OR LEAN. NOTHING THEY CAN DO FOR ME AND THEY JUST HAVE TO KEEP UP WITH THIS $3,000 REPAIR EVERY 3 MONTHS AS IT FAILS. VEHICLE IS COMPLETELY UNSAFE TO DRIVE. CONVERTER BEING CLOGGED CAUSES IT TO SHUT DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY. KIA SAYS NOTHING THEY CAN DO, JUST NEED TO KEEP REPLACING THE CONVERTER EVERY FEW MONTHS. A CONVERTER RATED TO LAST 10+ YEARS. HIGHLY UNUSUAL. SPOKE TO OTHER MECHANICS AND THEY BELIEVED THERE WAS A RECALL ON MY CONVERTER FOR THIS REASON BUT MY BIN SHOWS NO RECALL. PLEASE HELP.

NHTSA ODI 11375739

I WAS ON MY INTO WORK AND MY VEHICLE STARTED TO SLOW DONE ON THE HIGHWAY. I WAS TOLD SOMETHING POPPED OUT UNDER NEATH MY VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SMOKE. SOME SORT OF A ROD THAT MUST OF CAME OFF. I HAD THIS TOWED TO OUR COMPANY MECHANIC AND THEY SAID THAT I MIGHT HAVE TO REPLACE THE WHOLE ENGINE.

NHTSA ODI 11363979

CATILAC CONVERTER. KIA REFUSED TO FIX SAYS NOT A RECALL. BUT 2017 KIA MANUFACTURING SAYS IT'S A RECALL AND NOW MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARS AND THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED

NHTSA ODI 11361223

8/1/20 DRIVING ON HWY 231 AT 65MPH WHEN MY CAR FELT LIKE IT WAS STALLING, PULLED OVER AND TURNED ENGINE OFF.IT WOULD CRANK BUT ONLY GO APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH OR REV TO ABOUT 2000 RPM, THEN JUST PUTTER OUT. AT TUFFYS WHERE IT WAS SAID "NOTHING WAS CODING". SAID NEEDED KNEW FUEL PUMP FOR $1600. THAT WAS REPLACED BUT WAS NOT THE ISSUE.HE SAID THERE IS AN ACTIVE RECALL ASSOCIATED W/ CAR AND TO GET IT TO THE LOCAL KIA DEALERSHIP.I IMMEDIATELY STARTED RESEARCHING AN FOUND RECALL 19V120000, I CALLED KIA 800# AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO RECALL ASSOCIATED W/ CAR AND THAT THEIR SEARCH IS VIN SPECIFIC AND WAS NO ACTIVE RECALLS ON THIS CAR. I CONTINUED TO RESEARCH, CALLED BACK AND YES INDEED THERE WAS A RECALL. CAR ARRIVED THERE FRIDAY 8/7/20 AT 9:30 AM. SPOKE W/ CHUCK AND WAS NOT GIVEN ANY DETAILS THOUGH I CALLED HIM DAILY.FOLLOWING FRIDAY(8/14/20) I SPOKE W/ JARED WHO SAID THEY WERN'T SURE BUT IT WAS LOOKING LIKE POSSIBLY A RECALL ISSUE BUT THAT THEY WEREN'T SURE AND TO CALL BACK AND THEY COULD GET ME SET UP W/ A RENTAL CAR BECAUSE THE ENGINE LIKELY NEEDED REPLACING. AN HOUR AND A HALF LATER A WOMEN LEFT ME A VOICEMAIL ASKING ME TO GET RECEIPTS OF ALL OIL CHANGES DONE ON VEHICLE. I STILL HAD NO EXPLANATION ON WHAT WAS WRONG WITH MY CAR.GAVE 2 RECEIPTS BUT WAS NOT REALLY SURE THE PERTINENCE IF THIS WAS A MANUFACTURE RECALL. KIA SAYS THE ONLY RECALL WAS FOR A SYSTEM UPDATE. WHEN ASKED HIM IF THIS HAD BEEN DONE HE SAID NO. BUT I HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN TOLD BY ROBERT AT 1800 KIA THAT THIS HAD BEEN DONE.I TOLD JARED THIS AND HE SAID "WE PROBABLY JUST TOLD TECH SUPPORT THAT" WHEN I DEMANDED TO KNOW IF SYSTEM UPDATE HAD BEEN DONE HE PUT ME ON HOLD, THEN REPLIED '"OH WELL THAT WAS JUST DONE". HE SAID BUT NONE OF THIS HAS ANYTHING TO DO W/ UR CAR. WHEN ASKED WTF THE ACTAL PROBLEM WAS HE SAID ENGINE WAS KNOCKING DUE TO MY LACK OF MAINTENANCE AND NEEDED A NEW ENGINE BUT IN NO WAY DUE TO A RECALL

NHTSA ODI 11350152

I HAVE A 2016. KIA. SOUL WITH CONSTANT PROBLEMS I NOW HAVE A CATALOG CONVERTER PROBLEMS AND WANT TO KNOW IF ITS ON RECALL BECAUSE. I HAVE HAD THIS VEHICLE LESS THAN 3 YEARS AND CONSTANT SERVICE CHECKS. MY SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AND WHEN. I TOOK IT TO SERVICE THEY RAN A CHECK AND. I WAS TOLD IT WAS A CATALOG CONVERTER AND ITS EXPENSIVE HI KNOW PEOPLE WITH. KISS FROM 2015 AND UP AND NEVER HAD ANY TROUBLE 91ST ALL 18TH THEIR CARBS. IS THE. KIA I AM DRIVING A FLOODED OUT AUTO FROM A DIFFERENT CITY. I AM ON A FIXED INCOME AND CAN'T CONTINUE TO AFFORD TO PAY FOR SERVICE ESPECIALLY ON A SORT OF NEW AUTO.

NHTSA ODI 11310517

VEHICLE LOST POWER WHILE DRIVING ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON STEERING WHEEL GOT HOT

NHTSA ODI 11306615

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR IN A SHOPPING MALL PARKING LOT THE VEHICLE STOPPED RUNNING. THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM OF THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. NO ELECTRIC POWER IN THE VEHICLE WOULD WORK. THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER SYSTEM IN THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. I WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE CAR. THE LIGHTS, RADIO AND POWER WINDOWS DID NOT WORK. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO KIA COUNTRY (SAVANNAH, GA) ON 12/23/2019. CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THEY WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR. CONSUMER CONTACTED MANUFACTURER TO SEE IF VEHICLE WAS COVERED UNDER NHTSA #19V120, RECALL #SC176. CONSUMER IS STILL WAITING ON A RESPONSE FROM THE MANUFACTURER. *DL

NHTSA ODI 11297390

RECENTLY, I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH MY PUMPING GAS INTO MY CAR. EVERY TIME I ATTEMPT TO PUT GAS IN, IT OVERFLOWS AS IF IT IS FULL, BUT IT'S NOT. THE GAS CAP NO LONGER CLICKS WHEN ATTEMPTING TO CLOSE. I CAN ONLY PUT IN NO MORE THAN $5 INTO MY TANK.

NHTSA ODI 11267934

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EMITTED A STRONG FUEL ODOR INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE FOR OVER TWO MONTHS. ALSO, WHILE FUELING THE VEHICLE, FUEL SPILLED ONTO THE GROUND. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.

NHTSA ODI 11265773

ON 8/4/19 I WAS HEADING TO WORK WHEN MY CAR DECIDED NOT TO GO ANYMORE. I WAS AT AN INTERSECTION MAKING A LEFT TURN WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR DID NOT WANT TO ACCELERATE. I COULD NOT GET PASSED 3000 RPMS. FELT THE ENGINE REV UP BUT WOULD ONLY GO 30 MPH. AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS ME, BECAUSE THE WHOLE RIDE EVERYTHING WAS SMOOTH SAILING AND THEN THIS HAPPEND OUT OF NOWHERE. SO I GAVE IT A LITTLE MORE GAS AND COULD FEEL THE ENGINE STRUGGLING. I CAME TO THE NEXT RED LIGHT AND WHEN I STARTED TO GIVE GAS IT JUST JERKED AND I ROLLED INTO THE NEAREST GAS STATION. IMMEDIATELY SHUT THE CAR OFF AND CHECKED THE OIL. BECAUSE AS I ACCELERATED AT THE NEXT LIGHT ONCE GREEN THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON AND KEPT BLINKING. I JUST CHANGED IT TWO MONTHS AGO! THERE WAS NO SMOKE OR BURNING SMELL. NO OIL UNDER CAR OR ANY OTHER FLUID. I HAD TO HAVE CAR TOWED HOME, LATE TO WORK BECAUSE I GOT A RIDE IN. CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY WANTED TO CHARGE ME 6 TO 8 THOUSAND FOR A NEW ENGINE ONCE DIAGNOSED. MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. THERE ARE 79,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE BEEN READING ARTICLES ABOUT THE SAME THING HAPPENING TO ME. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE EXACT SAME ISSUES BUT FOR A 1.6L. MINE IS A 2.0. WHY ISN'T THE MANUFACTURER TAKING ANY INITIATIVE TO LOOK INTO MY SIZE ENGINE WHEN I'M HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS. I DONT HAVE 6 TO 8 THOUSAND FOR THIS. PLEASE INVESTIGATE. PLEASE TELL ME I HAVE SOME SORT OF CHANCE OF GETTING ANYTHING FIXED AT THE DEALERSHIP.

NHTSA ODI 11243417

GAS MILEAGE STATED IS NOWHERE EVEN CLOSE TO WHAT'S STATED ON EITHER CITY OR HIGHWAY. I WOULD GUESS 10-15% OFF

NHTSA ODI 11205900

1ST ISSUE THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP CAME ON. CAR HAS 44K MILES ON IT. THE CAR HAS LOSS OF POWER AND CUTS OFF WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE. THE GAS MILEAGE HAS DROPPED CONSIDERABLY AND THE ENGINE IS RUNNING EXTREMELY HOT

NHTSA ODI 11205897

PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE CPO BACK IN AUGUST 2018 WITH MY WIFE. APPROXIMATELY IN NOVEMBER, COMPUTER TRIPPED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. TOOK IT IN BECAUSE IT HAD TURNED OFF ON ITS OWN AND I FOUND IT ABNORMAL. SERVICE CENTER REPLACED THE CLOGGED CATALYTIC CONVERTER. STARTING IN DECEMBER, A FOUL SMELL BEGAN TO DEVELOP INSIDE THE CAR AND SLOWLY GOT WORSE IN JANUARY. I CLEANED AND PURGED THE ENTIRE CAR MULTIPLE TIMES TRYING TO FIND THE SOURCE SINCE IT HAD GOTTEN TO THE POINT THAT IT SMELLED LIKE ROTTEN EGGS. TOOK IT IN IN FEBRUARY FOR THIS ISSUE AND THE CRUNCHING SOUND THE FRONT BEGAN MAKING WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS AND RAMPS. AT THE SAME TIME, WE ALSO REPORTED TO THE SERVICE CENTER THAT POWER WOULD BE DAMPED WHILE UNDER LOAD AND GOING UP HILLS. AFTER I GOT BACK THE CAR, THEY HAD REPLACED THE SWAY ARM LINKS AND TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NO SMELL. CALLED KIA CORP TO REPORT THE ISSUE AND THEY SENT OUT A TECH. THEY ENDED UP REPLACING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AGAIN AND THE FRONT STRUTS. CRUNCHING SOUND FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION REMAINS AS WELL AS THE SMELL. CONTACTED KIA CORP AGAIN AND REQUESTED THEY BUY BACK THE CAR BEFORE WE SEEK LEGAL COUNSEL AND SUE THEM UNDER THE CALIFORNIA LEMON LAW BUT ARE GIVING USTHE RUN ABOUT. THE PERSON I SPOKE WITH DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE THAT HIS OWN COMPANY WAS GOING TO RELEASE A NEW RECALL REGARDING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER BEING OVERHEATED UNTIL I POINTED IT OUT. DURING HIS WHOLE TIME, MY WIFE AND I WERE TREATED AS IF WE WERE CRAZY AND THEY KEPT SAYING THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE AND HAVE YET TO FIX ANY OF THE ISSUES.

NHTSA ODI 11192701

THIS IS REGARDING HIGH EXHAUST GAS TEMPERATURES THAT MAY DAMAGE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND POTENTIALLY OTHER PARTS, DEALERS ARE SUPPOSED TO UPGRADE SOFTWARE ON ALL KIA SOULS EVEN IF NOT RECALLED. THE KIA DEALERSHIP IN WARRENTON OREGON SAYS MY CAR DOESN'T NEED IT, I STRONGLY DISAGREE AND WANRYTHIS SOFTWARE UPDATED ASAP!

NHTSA ODI 11184198