NHTSA Complaint #11251884 — 2015 KIA SOUL

PURCHASED USED WITH APPROX 30K MI FROM KIA DEALER. HAD OIL CHANGED APPROX EVERY 4K MI. HAD OIL CHANGED AT 131,157 MI ON 5/9/2019. ON 6/28/2019, WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE AND ENGINE STARTED MAKING TERRIBLE NOISE WITH SEVERE SYNCOPATED VIBRATIONS AND SAW SOME SMOKE/STEAM COMING FROM RIGHT (PASSENGER) SIDE OF HOOD/ENGINE. PULLED OVER AT IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE OFF RAMP. MILEAGE WAS 135,191. MECHANIC SAID ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND PROBLEM WAS LIKELY CAUSED BY SOME ASPECT OF THE VARIABLE VALVE TIMING NOT ACTUATING IN ORDER TO PROPERLY TENSION THE TIMING CHAIN. TOWED VEHICLE TO KIA DEALERSHIP AND THEY CONFIRMED ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WE DROVE THE CAR REGULARLY FOR 100,000 MI WITH NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS AT ALL, MAINTAINED IT FAITHFULLY, AND IT FAILED INSTANTANEOUSLY. THAT INDICATES A DESIGN FLAW. IF I HAD BEEN TRAVELING IN TRAFFIC, THE SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER COULD HAVE BEEN INJURIOUS OR FATAL.