NHTSA Complaint #11320360 — 2017 KIA SOUL

MILEAGE 75,000 AND THE ENGINE THREW A ROD THROUGH THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE BLOCK AND THROUGH THE OIL PAN. I PURCHASED THE CAR WITH ABOUT 22,000 MILES. I'VE DRIVEN THE CAR LESS THAN 2 YEARS AND HAVE PUT ABOUT 50,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE MAINTAINED THE VEHICLE ACCORDING TO MANUFACTURER SPECIFICATIONS WITH REGULAR OIL CHANGES EVERY 5000 MILES. I HAVE NEVER HAD THE CHECK ENGINE OR OIL LIGHTS COME ON SINCE I'VE OWNED THE VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE ABOUT 80 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ON, THE CAR STRUGGLED AND FELT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO STALL OUT, LIKE IT WASN'T GETTING GAS OR THE ALTERNATOR WAS FAILING. THE CHECK ENGINE AND OIL LIGHT CAME ON AND SMOKE WAS BILLOWING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I HAD TO DRIVE FOR ABOUT HALF A MILE OR SO TO THE NEAREST EMERGENCY PULL OFF AND TURNED OFF THE CAR. WHEN I WAS FINALLY BRAVE ENOUGH TO POP THE HOOD, THERE WAS OIL SPRAYED ALL OVER THE ENGINE BAY, A SMALL PUDDLE ON THE GROUND, AND NO OIL IN THE ENGINE. I HAD IT TOWED TO MY LOCAL GARAGE AND WAS TOLD THAT THE ENGINE BLEW THE CONNECTOR ROD OUT OF THE ENGINE BLOCK AND THROUGH THE OIL PAN. MY VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS ISSUE BUT THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ON 2012-16 KIA SOUL FOR THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. IT CANNOT BE A COINCIDENCE THAT MY VEHICLE HAS THIS PROBLEM AS WELL. MY LOCAL KIA DEALERSHIP HAS SAID I CAN BRING IT IN, PAY THE $100 DIAGNOSTICS FEE, AND THEY'LL DECIDE IF IT CAN BE COVERED SINCE THE WARRANTY HAS LAPSED. SINCE I AM THE SECOND OWNER, I DO NOT HAVE THE 100,000 MILE 10 YEAR WARRANTY. THE WARRANTY IS REDUCED TO 3 YEARS 60,000 FROM THE ORIGINAL (FIRST OWNER) PURCHASE DATE.