NHTSA Complaint #11301692 — 2014 KIA SOUL

ON JANUARY 20, 2020 I WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 50 MPH ON EL MIRAGE RD WHEN SUDDENLY THE CAR LOST POWER. I NOTICED THE SPEED DROP AND TRIED PRESSING THE GAS TO GAIN POWER AND SPEED AGAIN THEN I HEARD A LOUD POP. I LOOKED IN MY REARVIEW MIRROR AND THERE WERE HUGE FLAMES AND OIL SPLATTERED ON THE BACK WINDOW. I QUICKLY GOT OUT OF MY CAR AND THE FLAMES IN THE BACK WERE STILL THERE BUT DYING DOWN AND THERE WAS SOMETHING ON FIRE UNDER THE CAR. I HAD TO USE A BOTTLE OF JUICE TO PUT OUT THE FIRE UNDERNEATH THE CAR. IF I DIDN'T HAVE THAT JUICE I'M ALMOST POSITIVE THE WHOLE CAR WOULD HAVE CAUGHT ON FIRE. I STARTED DOING RESEARCH AND SAW THAT KIA SOUL 2014 HAD A RECALL BECAUSE OF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER OVERHEATING CAUSING THE PISTON RODS TO BREAK AND PUNCTURE THE ENGINE BLOCK CAUSING AN OIL LEAK ONTO THE HOT EXHAUST SYSTEM WHICH CAUSES A FIRE. THE RECALL NUMBER IS SC155. THIS RECALL SUPERSEDES CAMPAIGNS 14V-332 AND 15V-736. I HAD TAKEN MY KIA SOUL TO GET A NEW CATALYTIC CONVERTER BASED OFF THE FIRST RECALL IN NOVEMBER. THEY MUST HAVE PUT ANOTHER FAULTY CATALYTIC CONVERTER IN BECAUSE THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. I GOT THE CAR TOWED TO THE RALLY KIA DEALERSHIP IN PALMDALE, CALIFORNIA AND IT IS CURRENTLY STILL THERE. THEY TOOK 2 DAYS TO GIVE ME A RESPONSE ON IF THE CAR WOULD GET FIXED WITH THE RECALL AGAIN. THEY SAID MULTIPLE MECHANICS HAD TO CHECK IT OUT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED. THEY SAID IT HAPPENED BECAUSE I DIDN'T PUT OIL IN THE CAR WHICH CAUSE A PISTON ROD TO BREAK AND PUNCTURE THE ENGINE BLOCK, CAUSING AN OIL LEAK WHICH CAUSE THE FIRE. THEY ARE TRYING TO BLAME IT ON ME AND CHARGE ME $6,000 TO FIX THE CAR. THE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE. I HAD JUST PUT OIL IN IT THE NIGHT BEFORE HENCE THE OIL SPLATTER ON THE BACK WINDSHIELD. AND THE WAY THEY DESCRIBED THE PISTON ROD BREAKING AND THE OIL LEAK IS EXACTLY HOW IT IS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL. THEY SHOULD BE FIXING MY CAR WITH THE RECALL.