NHTSA Complaint #11307031 — 2015 KIA SOUL

UPDATE TO COMPLAINT FILES 31 JAN, 2020. 2015 KIA SOUL WITH 72004 MILES WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR FACILITY. UPON EVALUATION, MECHANIC STATED THAT THE PISTON/ROD HAD FRACTURED AND THE PISTON WAS FORCE INTO THE HEAD. TOTAL ENGINE REPLACEMENT WILL BE REQUIRED AS THE BLOCK AND HEADS WERE SEVERELY DAMAGED. THIS IS THE EXACT FAILURE MODE THAT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED ON OTHER KIA SOUL VIN NUMBERS. PREVIOUS EVENT DESCRIPTION:SEVENTEEN YEAR OLD DAUGHTER DRIVING HOME FROM SCHOOL IN 2015 KIA SOUL, WEDNESDAY, 29 JANUARY 2020. MIDWAY GOING UP A STEEP HILL ON A MAJOR BUSY HIGHWAY, THE CAR ENGINE STOPPED WHICH LEFT HER IN THE RIGHT HAND LANE OF A FOUR LANE HIGHWAY. HIGHWAY 64, FAYETTEVILLE, TN, LINCOLN COUNTY. THIS HIGHWAY IS A MAJOR ROUTE FOR LARGE TRACTOR TRAILERS. DAUGHTER TURNED ON EMERGENCY FLASHER AND EXITED THE CAR FOR SAFETY. SEVERAL PEOPLE CAME BY AND HELPED PUSH THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THIS PART OF THE HIGHWAY HAS A SMALL SHOULDER WITH GUARDRAILS DUE TO THE STEP DROP OFF. INTERNET RESEARCH DESCRIBES OTHER KIA VEHICLES WITH THE EXACT ENGINE FAILURE SYMPTOMS THAT RESULTED IN NUMEROUS RECALLS. THIS VEHICLE'S VIN DID NOT INDICATE A RECALL.