What 802 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Kia Soul EV

ON SUNDAY, MAY 26TH, 2019, OUR KIA SOUL CAUGHT FIRE AS WE WERE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. MY FAMILY WAS IN THE CAR WHEN MY HUSBAND FELT THE CAR LOSE POWER. WE HEARD A KNOCKING SOUND BETWEEN US AND UNDER US, FORWARD BETWEEN OUR SEATS AND THE ENGINE. MY HUSBAND SAW SMOKE AS HE PULLED OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. A FEW SECONDS AFTER WE PULLED OVER, WE SAW FLAMES ERUPT FROM THE HOOD OF THE CAR. WE GOT OUR THREE KIDS OUT OF THE CAR AS FAST AS WE COULD AND RAN FROM THE CAR. WE CALLED 911 AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE CAME TO PUT OUT THE FIRE AND DIRECT TRAFFIC, AS AT LEAST ONE LANE WAS CLOSED. IN THE TIME IT TOOK FOR THE FIRST RESPONDERS TO ARRIVE, OUR CAR EXPLODED INTO A FIRE BALL.

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CAR WOULD LOSE POWER WHILE DRIVING AND COULD NOT REACH ANY SPEED OVER 65 WITH OUT THE RPM GAUGE GOING VERY HIGH. IT WOULD NOT COMPLETELY LOOSE POWER AND I CAN KEEP IT MOVING. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DID NOT COME ON AND THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE READ AS NORMAL. I GOT A SECOND OPINION ON THE CAR AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER.

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WHEN I PRESS THE GAS THE VOLTAGE IS HIGH AND AMPLIFIER MY HEART FEELS AS IF ITS GOING TO BURST MY KIDS NOSE BLEED AND THEY GET SICK WHEN AIR IS ON THE SMELL IS BAD IN CRUISE CONTROL AROUND CERTAIN VEHICLES IS SPEEDS UP ON ITS ON...I'VE NOTICED ALTERED PARTS AND THE INSURANCE INFO IS ALTERED MY BOYFRIEND [XXX] BOUGHT CAR 11/2019 FROM KIA OF GREER ONLY ONE OWNER THE MILEAGE ON PAPERS IS WRONG AND SO IT IS ONLINE...I HEAR SOMEONE IN AND OUT CAR AT NIGHTS BOYFRIEND SAID LEAVE IT ALONE MISSING ID SOCIAL BIRTHCERTIFCATES OIT DASH WHEN RUNNING OUT TO SEE WHO WAS AT CAR DOOR WAS LEFT OPENED THE CENTER OF MY HEAD BURNS WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE BECAME DIZZY 1/2019 ALMOST FEEL ASLEEP THE THING IS THE VEHICLE IS IN HIS NAME NOT MINE BUT INSURANCE HAS HIS DISABLED BROTHER DOWN AS PRIMARY DRIVER MY DRIVERS RECORD IS WRONG MY MOTHER ACCIDENTS OR ON MINE HER PHONE AND BREACHED OLD EMAIL WAS ON THE ACCOUNT ME AND KIDS ARE VICTIMS OF FOREIGN ORGANIZED CRIMES... INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

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I HAVE A RECALL ON MY 2016 KIA SOUL ENGINE CONTROL UNIT

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I GOT A RECALL NOTICE (NHTSA RECALL#19V120). BEFORE I COULD GET IT LOOKED AT AND CORRECTED, I HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR. I WAS ON AN INTERCHANGE BETWEEN HIGHWAYS AND THE CAR WOULD BARELY MOVE. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE KIA DEALER I BOUGHT IT FROM. THE SERVICE ADVISOR CALLED THE NEXT DAY AND TOLD ME MY CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS TOTALLY PLUGGED UP. IT SAYS IN MY RECALL NOTICE THAT A MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP "MAY: ILLUMINATE. MY MIL DID NOT ILLUMINATE. AND BECAUSE OF THIS AND THE "COMPUTER " SHOWED NO CODE THAT THEY WOULDN'T COVER IT UNDER THE RECALL. NOW I AM VERY IRRITATED. I DON'T CARE THAT MY MIL LAMP WASN'T ILLUMINATED, I DON'T CARE THAT IT DIDN'T SHOW A CODE, IT SAYS RIGHT ON MY RECALL NOTICE THAT THEY WILL UPGRADE MY COP ECU LOGIC TO PREVENT OVERHEATING OF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. EVIDENTLY THE DAMAGE TO MY CONVERTER WAS DONE BEFORE I COULD HAVE THE UPGRADE DONE. NOW THE DEVICE ADVISOR TOLD ME THAT THE COMPUTER SHOWED NO CODES, SO I'M CURIOUS HOW THEY NEW IT WAS THA CATALYTIC CONVERTER. I WOULD SAY THAT THERE IS EITHER A PROBLEM WITH THE COMPUTER SYSTEM OR KIA IS RUNNING SOME KIND OF A SCAM. THE SERVICE ADVISOR TOLD ME IT WOULD COST ME OVER 1200 DOLLARS PLUS THE TOW BILL TO FIX THE CAR, TOTAL OF 1400 + DOLLARS. I DON'T THINK IT'S RIGHT THAT I HAVE TO PAY FOR A CONSUMER SAFETY RECALL. IF I WOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY DOING 70 MPH WHEN THIS HAPPENED MY WIFE AND I COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN KILLED. I THANK GOD THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN..I TALKED TO THE SERVICE ADVISOR AND HE TOLD ME THAT THE COMPUTER SHOWED ABSOLUTELY NO CODES AT ALL. ACCORDING TO THAT MY CAR SHOULD BE RUNNING FINE, BUT IT IS NOT. SOMETHING IS WRONG IN THE COMPUTER SYSTEM TO NOT SHOW ANYTHING AND MY CONVERTER IS PLUGGED. THIS JUST IS NOT RIGHT. I WOULD APPRECIATE SOME ACTION ON THIS ISSUE. I HAVE A CASE NUMBER THROUGH KIA FOR THIS ISSUE. CASE NUMBER IS13177167. THEY SAID THEY COULD DO NOTHING ABOUT IT.

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TAMARA RECALL: MY CAR HAS BEEN LOSING OIL BUT DO NOT SEE OIL ANYWHERE. RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER REGARDING CATALYTIC CONVERTER NEEDING REPLACED. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP. THEY REPLACED THE CONVERTER, GAVE ME AN OIL CHANGE AND REPLACED A PRESSURE VALVE. FOUR DAYS AFTER I RECEIVED MY CAR BACK, THERE WAS NO OIL IN THE ENGINE. I TOOK IT BACK TO KIA AND THEY ARE REFUSING TO REPLACE THE ENGINE.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA SOUL. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER INDEPENDENTLY MOVED OUT OF THE DRIVE GEAR INTO NEUTRAL. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER MOVED TO THE LEFT OF THE DRIVE INDICATOR DESIGNATION AND THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROADWAY. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED FROM PARK INTO DRIVE, IT OPERATED NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DELAND KIA (LOCATED AT 2322 S WOODLAND BLVD, DELAND, FL 32720, (386) 734-7800) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE AND NO FAILURE CODES WERE RETRIEVED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 13150055. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

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GOT LETTER (4/12/2019) STATING THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER DID AS INSTRUCTED AND PUT IT IN THE COMPUTER. NOTHING. CALLED THEM TWICE STILL NOTHING. CASE NO. 13166847.THAT 'S ALL WE GOT

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I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK AND MY CAR STARTED MAKING A CLICKING SOUND. A COUPLE MINUTES LATER IT SLOWED DOWN UNTIL IT COMPLETELY STOPPED. I'M THANKFUL I WAS PULLING UP IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE BEFORE THE CAR COMPLETELY DIED. I REPLACED THE BATTERY BUT IT STILL WON'T CRANK. THE LIGHTS, RADIO, AND AIR CONDITIONING WORKS. I WAS TOLD IT MAY BE THE ALTERNATOR.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2016 KIA SOUL. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE SKID AND CRASHED. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED NECK AND BACK INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW LOT AND DEEMED DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFTER WAS NOT PROPERLY STAYING IN GEAR AND INADVERTENTLY VEERED TO THE LEFT. THE FAILURE WAS CAUSING THE CONTACT TO HAVE TO MANEUVER THE GEAR SHIFT AND APPLY THE BRAKES TO PREVENT A CRASH. DELAND KIA (2322 S WOODLAND BLVD, DELAND, FL 32720, (386) 734-7800) WAS NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR TEST DRIVEN TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE DEALER ASKED THE VEHICLE OWNER TO VIDEO RECORD THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS WAITING TO DETERMINE IF THE DEALER WOULD PROVIDE A LOANER VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

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

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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

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I WAS DRIVING HOME ON THE SEPULVEDA PASS WHICH IS A 45-50 MPH ZONE AND SUDDENLY MY CAR LOST POWER AND FROM GOING 45MPH I AS GOING UPHILL AT 10MPH. I THEN LOST ALL CONTROL AND MY BATTERY DIED. I GOT TOWED TO A MECHANIC AND SAID IT WAS AN ALTERNATOR PROBLEM AT FIRST THEN SAID IT WAS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. I THEN HAD A SENSOR CHANGE AND NEW BATTERY BOUGHT WHEN THOSE TWO THINGS WEREN'T THE PROBLEM.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA SOUL. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE UNINTENTIONALLY SLOWED DOWN TO A COMPLETE STOP WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE CHECK ENGINE AND OIL WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

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THERE IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER GETTING DAMAGED BY EXHAUST HEAT AND IT IS STILL NOT ON AN OPEN RECALL. MY CAR VIN IS SUPPOSEDLY NOT AFFECTED BY THE ISSUE, BUT I JUST HAD TO HAVE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND O2 SENSOR REPLACED FOR THIS ISSUE. THEY KNOW THIS PROBLEM CAN CAUSE FIRE OR SEVERE ENGINE DAMAGE IF LEFT UNCHECKED. I CAN PROVIDE THE REPAIR TICKET IF NEEDED.

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HAS A SMALL MISS IN THE ENGINE SINCE I BOUGHT IT JULY 2016. THE DEALERSHIP CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. JUST A SMALL HESITATION.

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MY CATALYTIC CONVERTER HAS GONE BAD I WAS TOLD ITS A RECALL ISSUE, YET HAS NOT BEEN REPORTED AND OTHER VEHICLES SAME YEAR AND MODEL HAVE REPORTED THE SAME ISSUE YET NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS MATTER DUE TO A LOT OF CAR OWNERS ARE PAY COSTLY REPAIRS FOR SEAMS AS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. THANK YOU

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TAKATA RECALL THE HEADRESTS ON BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER ARE TILTED WAY TOO FORWARD AND INTERFERES WITH YOUR VISUAL AND DRIVING, AND CREATES UNSAFE CONDITIONS. THE ONLY THING MY HUSBAND COULD DO WAS TO TAKE THEM OFF AND PUT THEM BACKWARDS WHICH STILL MAKES IT VERY UNCOMFORTABLE AND SOMETIMES PAINFUL TO YOUR NECK. THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN SINCE BOUGHT. NO ACCIDENTS AND WHILE DRIVING.

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WHILE TRYING TO DRIVE UP A SNOW COVERED ROAD I HAD SMOKE START COMING INTO THE CABIN OF MY VEHICLE. I WAS GOING TO PULL INTO A GAS STATION WHEN SOMEONE CAME RUNNING OVER AND STATED THAT THE UNDERSIDE OF MY CAR WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED AND THEN MY CAR WAS PULLED OFF THE ROAD. IT WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL GARAGE WHERE MY INSURANCE AGENT WENT TO LOOK AT IT. THE OIL WAS SO LOW THAT THEY WOULDN'T CHECK IT UNTIL IT RECEIVED AN OIL CHANGE. ONCE THAT WAS PERFORMED THEY WERE STILL UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE. THEY THEN HAD ME TOW IT TO A KIA DEALERSHIP. IT HAS BEEN AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR OVER A MONTH AND THEY HAVE DETERMINED THAT IT IS NOT A WARRANTY ISSUE. WHEN I INQUIRED AS TO WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT WOULD BE $110 DOLLARS TO DIAGNOSE THE VEHICLE. THEY FINALLY WENT OVER THE VEHICLE, BUT STILL NO ANSWERS TO WHY MY VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE AND IF IT COULD POSSIBLY HAPPEN AGAIN.

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I WAS DRIVING AND MY 2016 KIA SOUL STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY THE CAR BEHIND ME ALMOST CRASHED INTO ME AND BEGIN BEEPING. WHEN I PUSHED ON THE GAS IT WOULD HESITATE GIVING ME JUST ENOUGH TO GET TO THE SIDE OF THE RIDE. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED THE FIRST TIME THE DEALER REPAIRED THE LONG ENGINE BLOCK FREE OF CHARGE AT 66,000 MILES THIS TIME THE DEALER TOLD ME IT'S THE SAME EXACT THING WRONG BUT I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THEY ALSO SAID I DON'T HAVE REGULAR OIL CHANGES BUT I HAVE RECEIPTS FROM BOTH KIA DEALERSHIPS THAT I HAVE MY CAR SERVICED BUT THEY ONLY ARE GOING BY THERE RECORDS FROM THEY DEALERSHIP, I DO SEE THERE WAS A RECALL (SC176)ON THE ENGINES FEB 2019 AND WANT TO KNOW IF AND WHY MY VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. MY FIRST COMPLAINT ABOUT MY ENGINE WAS 2 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING IT. TO HAVE YOUR CAR STALL IN THE MIDDLE OF A HIGHWAY IS VERY SCARY AND A HAZARD TO EVERYONE

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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.

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WHILE ACCELERATING ON THE HIGHWAY THE ENGINE SUDDENLY STOPPED RUNNING AND WOULD NOT RESTART. AFTER OVER IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT A PISTON BROKE AND POKED THROUGH THE CRANK CASE CAUSING MAJOR OIL LOSS.

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MY CAR WAS NOT STARTING. I DO NOT DRIVE IT EVERYDAY AND BEGAN TO THINK IT WAS THE BATTERY. I HAD IT TESTED AT THE AUTO ZONE AND THERY SAID IT WAS GREAT NO PROBLEMS. SAID IT COULD BE THE STARTER BUT THOUGHT THAT ODD WITH AS FEW MILES AS ON IT. I ALSO NOTICE THE RECALL FOR THE STEERING ISSUE I WILL SCHEDULE AN APPT FOR. I ALSO HAVE A LIGHT IN MY DASH THAT STAYS ON ALL THE TIME.

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MY WIFE HIT A CAR (T BONED) THE FRONT OF THE CAR WAS TOTALED. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DIPLOID. SHE WENT IN THE HOSPITAL. THE S BELT WENT IN HER CHEST AND SHE HAS NECK AND BACK PAIN. I REPORTED IT TO THE KIA DEALER AND NEVER GOT AN ANSWER.

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