NHTSA Complaint #11277685 — 2015 KIA SOUL

REGARDING OUR RECENT COMPLAINT NUMBER: 11251884. (ENGINE BLEW UP.) RECALL 19V120000 DESCRIBES THE SAME SYMPTOMS WE EXPERIENCED, ALONG WITH THE SAME YEAR AND ENGINE, BUT OUR VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. PLEASE INCLUDE OUR VIN IN THE RECALL AND COMPEL KIA TO MAKE US WHOLE FOR THIS ENDANGERMENT. DEFECT DESCRIPTION: KIA MOTORS AMERICA (KIA) IS RECALLING CERTAIN 2012-2016 KIA SOUL VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 1.6L GASOLINE DIRECT INJECTION (GDI) ENGINES. HIGH EXHAUST GAS TEMPERATURES MAY DAMAGE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN ABNORMAL ENGINE COMBUSTION AND DAMAGE TO ONE OR MORE OF THE ENGINE'S PISTONS AND POSSIBLE PISTON CONNECTING ROD FAILURE. INFLUENCEDBY: ENGINE | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR RECALLNUMBER: 19V120000 OUR COMPLAINT FOLLOWS. RECALL'S "ABNORMAL ENGINE COMBUSTION" IS BETTER DESCRIPTION THAN MECHANIC'S "VVT" GIVEN WHITE SMOKE AND LACK OF OIL PRESSURE DROP PRECURSOR TYPICAL FOR VVT PROBLEM. "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." *JS