NHTSA Complaint #11301559 — 2020 KIA SOUL

VEHICLE RPM BEGAN FLUCTUATING WHILE ON CRUISE CONTROL IN RAINY WEATHER. SWITCHED TO MANUAL (SPORT MODE) CONTROL AND THE PROBLEM LESSENED. VEHICLE BEGAN TO LOOSE POWER AND WAS SHIFTING RANDOMLY BETWEEN GEARS AUTOMATICALLY, EVENTUALLY REDLINING WHILE MAINTAINING 74MPH. A LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED AND NEARLY CAUSED A COLLISION ON INTERSTATE 10 AS MY SPEED FELL DRAMATICALLY. I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE NEAREST EXIT BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF 5TH GEAR. WE WERE STRANDED IN A THUNDERSTORM FOR SEVERAL HOURS AND DEALERSHIP OFFERED NO HELP. AAA SAVED THE DAY, GOT THE VEHICLE BACK, AND THEN THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO ISSUE A RENTAL CAR FOR SEVERAL DAYS AFTER THE INCIDENT. PLEASE BE AWARE THAT IF THE TRANSMISSION FAILS AT INTERSTATE SPEEDS, THE RISK OF INJURY IS HIGH AND DO YOUR BEST TO GET OFF THE MAIN ROAD AS SAFELY AS POSSIBLE. DEALERSHIP HAS SINCE ISSUED A RENTAL CAR AND INFORMED ME THAT A TRANSMISSION WOULD BE RE-MANUFACTURED. FOR MY VEHICLE. I AM NOT AFRAID TO DRIVE A BRAND NEW VEHICLE ANYWHERE AWAY FROM HOME.