NHTSA Complaint #10284471 — 2010 KIA SOUL

WITHIN A WEEK OF TAKING DELIVERY ON 7/24/09, THE INTERIOR AND MOST ESPECIALLY THE DOOR SKINS WERE ALREADY ACQUIRING MARKS AND SCRATCHES - A SLIGHT FINGER NAIL SCRATCH REQUIRED A SPECIAL PRODUCT TO REMOVE ETC. THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS. 1. WHEN RELEASING THE CLUTCH PEDAL THERE WAS A NOISE THAT SOUNDED LIKE A CABLE THAT HAS SINCE BECOME MORE CONSISTENT. ON 8/3/09, I HAD AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE CABLE CONNECTED TO THE THROW-OUT BEARING WHICH WAS SAID TO BE NORMAL. HOWEVER, THIS CABLE NOISE HAS NOT BEEN NORMAL WITH ANY OF MY OTHER MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS, NOR IS IT PRESENT IN ALL KIA SOULS. 2. I BEGAN TO NOTICE A KNOCKING SENSATION COMING THROUGH THE SHIFTER HANDLE WHEN SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR ALONG WITH A GRINDING SOUND WHEN DOWNSHIFTING INTO 2ND GEAR. THERE IS ALSO A SLIGHT JOLT WHEN SHIFTING INTO 2ND GEAR - IT IS NOT A SMOOTH TRANSITION LIKE THE OTHER GEARS. 3. WHEN AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT WITH THE CAR IN NEUTRAL, THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THE CAR WILL NOT GO INTO 1ST GEAR, AND WANTS TO GO INTO 3RD GEAR WHICH USUALLY TAKES A COUPLE OF TRIES BEFORE IT WILL GO INTO 1ST GEAR. 4. THERE HAS BEEN EXCESSIVE ENGINE REVVING 2X NOW. THE FIRST OCCURRED AFTER I CAME OUT OF REVERSE - THE SECOND WAS WHEN I TRIED TO GO INTO 1ST GEAR BUT ENDED UP IN 3RD GEAR AND BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO NEUTRAL. 5. THE LAST ISSUE CONCERNS EXCESSIVE WATER AND DIRT ACCUMULATING IN THE ENGINE. AFTER WASHING MY CAR, I POPPED THE HOOD AND NOTICED THE HOOD LATCH IS ALREADY STRIPPED DOWN TO THE METAL AFTER ONLY BEING OPENED AND CLOSED 4-5 TIMES. THE ENGINE DESIGN SEEMS TO ATTRACT POOLS OF WATER IN CERTAIN AREAS, WHICH ALSO OCCURS WHEN IT RAINS, AND THERE IS CONCERN OF PREMATURE RUST. SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT FOR 9/15 TO HAVE THE OIL CHANGED AT 1000 MILES AND TO GET THESE ISSUES ADDRESSED BUT HAD TO SCHEDULE A 3RD APPOINTMENT BECAUSE THE DEALER NOW NEEDS TO KEEP THE CAR FOR 5 HOURS SO THE OUTCOME IS PENDING. *TR