What 802 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Kia Soul EV

I HAVE A 2016 KIA SOUL, FULLY LOADED MODEL. SIX MONTHS AFTER BUYING THE CAR FROM THE DEALER (BOUGHT NEW WITH 8 MILES), I BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH ACCELERATION, FROM A STOP OR SLOW. THE CAR WOULD HESITATE/LAG/ALMOST STALL FOR 2-5 SECONDS, BEFORE CATCHING AND STARTING TO SPEED UP. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER. THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. I STILL HAVE THE CAR AND I CONTINUE TO HAVE THE SAME ISSUES. I TAKE THE CAR IN FOR REGULAR OIL CHANGES AND EVERY TIME, HAVE MENTIONED THE ACCELERATION PROBLEM AND EACH TIME THEY SAY THEY CAN'T FIND WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT. THE LAST TIME I TOOK IT IN, ABOUT 4 MONTHS AGO, THEY SAID TO PUT GAS TREATMENT IN THE TANK AND IF I THE PROBLEM PERSISTS, THEN BRING IT IN TO HAVE THE CRANKCASE FILTER CHANGED (THIS IS THE UPSELL THEY'VE BEEN PUSHING ON ME FOR A YEAR NOW. I HAVE UNDER 30,000 MILES, MOST OF WHICH ARE CROSS-COUNTRY MILES. TODAY, I HAVE THE SAME ACCELERATION PROBLEM BUT THIS TIME AROUND, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS VERY SPONGY AND DIFFICULT TO SLOW, WHEN BREAKING TO PULL OVER. I PULLED OVER AND PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND LET IT IDLE TO LISTEN FOR ANY ODD OR UNFAMILIAR NOISES. THE CAR SOUNDED NORMAL. I SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER. THIS ACCELERATION ISSUE HAPPENS ON THE CITY STREETS, AS WELL AS THE HIGHWAY.

NHTSA ODI 11118177

WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A COMPLETE STOP THE VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATE. PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR A LITTLE OR A LOT DOES NOT MATTER. THE ENGINE DOES NOT PRODUCE RPM AND DOES NOT ACCELERATE FOR AROUND 3-5 SECONDS. THERE IS NOT AN ENGINE LIGHT ON. ALL OTHER ASPECTS OF THE VEHICLE WORK PROPERLY WHEN THIS HAPPENS. THE ISSUE IS INTERMITTENT, BUT IS ONGOING EVERY DAY. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DOING THIS FROM THE TIME IT HAD A LITTLE OVER 40,000 MILES. IT HAS 66,000 MILES NOW. I HAVE TRIED FUEL CLEANERS SEVERAL TIMES BUT THE LACK OF POWER IS STILL PERSISTENT. THIS HAPPENS WHETHER THE VEHICLE IS COLD OR HAS BEEN HOT SOAKED. IT VERY DANGEROUS WHEN PULLING INTO AN INTERSECTION OR CROSSING A ROAD AND THE CAR DOES NOT ACCELERATE PROPERLY. SOMETIMES WHEN I START ACCELERATING THE ENGINE STARTS TO BUILD RPM AND SUDDENLY IT WILL LOOSE ALL POWER. ABOUT FIVE SECONDS LATER IT COMES BACK WITH A SURGE IN POWER AND RPM.

NHTSA ODI 11115729

MY CAR, WHICH IS UNDER 5000 MILES, HAD ONE OF ITS FUEL LINES DECAY OR CHEWED BY AN ANIMAL. THE LOCATION OF THE DAMAGE WAS ON TOP OF THE ENGINE. BEFORE I DISCOVERED THE DEFECTIVE FUEL LINE, MY CAR HAD BEEN RUNNING JUST FINE, WITH NO WARNING INDICATORS IN THE DASHBOARD. THE FUEL WAS LEAKING OUT DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO THE HOT ENGINE, AS THE PART THAT WAS DAMAGED WAS NEAR THE TOP OF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS WHEN I DISCOVERED IT. THE SMELL OF GASOLINE WAS VERY STRONG BOTH IN AND OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. I WAS TOLD BY KIA THAT THIS WILL NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. FURTHERMORE, I WAS TOLD BY THEIR OWN CUSTOMER RELATIONS REPRESENTATIVE THAT THEIR FUEL LINES ARE MADE OUT OF A MATERIAL CALLED PARAFFIN, WHICH IS A WAX LIKE SUBSTANCE THAT ANIMALS LIKE TO CHEW. I WAS PERPLEXED AT WHY THEY USE A MATERIAL THAT IS EASILY DESTROYED FOR SUCH A VITAL COMPONENT IN THEIR VEHICLE..

NHTSA ODI 11101926

I EXPERIENCE INTERMITTENT HESITATION WHEN PRESSING ON THE ACCELERATOR. IT FEELS LIKE THE CAR ISN'T DOWNSHIFTING CORRECTLY OR ISN'T GETTING ENOUGH FUEL IN ORDER TO PICK UP SPEED. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE KIA DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THEY SAID THEY DIDN'T FIND ANY PROBLEMS AND COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE ISSUE. THE CAR CONTINUES TO INTERMITTENTLY HESITATE WHEN ACCELERATING. THIS HAPPENS IN ALL DRIVING CONDITIONS.

NHTSA ODI 11055101