NHTSA Complaint #11113971 — 2018 KIA SOUL

FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE HAS A SIGNIFICANT HESITATION PULLING AWAY FROM A STOP SIGN/REDLIGHT ETC. AS YOU PUSHING THE GAS PEDAL DOWN, IT HESITATES THEN ACCELERATES HARD. HAS 340 MILES ON IT AT THIS TIME. DEALER AND KIA STATE THIS IS NORMAL FOR THE NEW TRANSMISSION/TURBO DESIGN. EVEN THE SERVICE MANAGER WAS SHOCKED WHEN HE DROVE IT SAYING HE WOULD NOT HAVE BOUGHT IT. I WOULD THINK THIS PROBLEM COULD BE RESOLVED WITH A PROGRAMMING UPDATE. MY CONCERN FOR SAFETY IS TO PART: 1ST, ANTICIPATING THE VEHICLE MAY GO WHEN IN FACT IT HESITATED TO PULL OFF CREATES AN ANTICIPATION EVENT. 2ND, THE HARD ACCELERATION WHEN IT ENGAGES COULD RESULT IN REAR-ENDING SOMEONE. THE ATTACHED DOCUMENTS REPRESENT THE WORK ORDER AND DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW TRANSMISSION. THIS IS A BULLETIN EXPLAINING THE DRIVABILITY CONCERNS, HOWEVER, IT DOES NOT REFLECT THE HESITATION ISSUE.