NHTSA Complaint #11297904 — 2014 KIA SOUL

IN MARCH OF 2017, ENGINE FAILED AND LOST POWER WHILE DOING 50MPH AT 78K MILES ON THE CAR. WAS TOLD BY DEAN MCCRARY KIA OF MOBILE, AL THAT A ROD BEARING WAS KNOCKING AND ENGINE LOCKING UP. I WAS CURRENT ON ALL OIL CHANGES AND MAINTENANCE, UNFORTUNATELY I DID NOT FALL UNDER THE 100K MILE WARRANTY BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HAD 500 MILES ON IT WHEN I PURCHASED AND I WASN'T CONSIDERED THE ORIGINAL OWNER. AFTER A MONTH OF BACK AND FORTH WITH KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE WAS TOLD THAT KIA ENGINEERS INSPECTED IT AND FOUND THAT PISTON ROD BROKE AND PUNCTURED THE BLOCK AND METAL SHAVINGS WERE FOUND IN THE OIL PAN. KIA FINALLY SAID THAT THEY WOULD "GOODWILL" THE COST OF THE ENGINE AND REIMBURSE THE MONTH THAT I WAS IN A RENTAL CAR, BUT THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY THE $1040 IN LABOR CHARGES FOR ENGINE REPLACEMENT. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT IF THE ENGINE PROBLEM WAS EVER RECALLED, I WOULD BE REIMBURSED FOR THE LABOR CHARGES. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE NEW ENGINE WAS PUT IN, I GOT A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FOR P0420. BACK TO DEAN MCRARY AND THEY REPLACED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. I WAS TEMPORARILY HAPPY YESTERDAY TO SEE A RECALL ON THE CAT CONVERTER FROM APRIL 2019 THAT SHOWED IT WOULD CAUSE THE SAME ENGINE PROBLEM. CALLED KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE TO SEE IF I COULD BE REIMBURSED THE LABOR FEES AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY WOULD NOT THAT IT IS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT PROBLEM. MY EXACT ENGINE THAT FAILED WAS RECALLED BY HYUNDAI AND FOR OTHER MODELS OF KIA'S. I'M STILL DUMBFOUNDED THAT I HAVE TO EAT THIS LABOR COST AND DON'T KNOW WHERE TO TURN TO. I HAVE ALL THE PAPERWORK TO SHOW WHAT HAPPENED FOR BOTH THE ENGINE AND THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER.