NHTSA Complaint #11321805 — 2016 KIA SOUL

I WILL START THIS REPORT WITH SAYING HOW UTTERLY APPALLED I AM WITH THE "SERVICE" THAT KIA HAS PROVIED REGARDING THIS SAFETY ISSUE. I WAS DRIVING MY 2.0 LITER 2016 KIA SOUL AT 70MPH ON A HIGHWAY WITH MY CHILD IN THE BACKSEAT WHEN MY ENGINE SEIZED AND STARTED KNOCKING. IT SLOWED DOWN TO 40MPH WITHIN SECONDS AND IT IS ONLY BY THE GRACE OF GOD THAT I WAS ABLE TO PULL THE CAR OVER AND TURN ONTO A COUNTRY BACKROAD BEFORE IT JUST SHUT OFF COMPLETELY. WE IMMEDIATELY HAD IT TOWED TO A BODYSHOP OPTIMISTIC THAT IT WAS JUST A MINOR ISSUE. TURNS OUT WE COULDNT HAVE BEEN MORE WRONG. LOW AND BEHOLD THE ENGINE HAD A PISTON ROD THAT FELL OUT OF PLACE CAUSING THE KNOCKING AND THE ENGINE TO START LEAKING OIL AT AN ACCELERATED RATED THROUGH THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE BODYSHOP WAS NICE ENOUGH TO CHECK FOR RECALLS FOR US AND FOUND ONE THAT FITS OUR ISSUES EXACTLY. BUT WHAT DO YOU KNOW ITS ONLY FOR THE 1.6 LITER ENGINE AND OURS WONT BE COVERED BECAUSE ITS A 2.0...EVEN THOUGH ITS THE SAME PROBLEM. SO WE THEN GO ON TO FILING A CLAIM WITH KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND PAID TO HAVE TO CAR TOWED TO A KIA DEALERSHIP SO THEY COULD DIAGNOSE WHAT WE ALREADY KNEW. AGAIN HOPEFUL THAT THEY WOULD SEE THE ISSUE AND OFFER TO PAY FOR IT UNDER GOODWILL SINCE IT IS SO COMMON A PROBLEM THROUGHOUT MOST ALL OF THEIR CARS. I WAS BESIDE MYSELF WHEN THEY CAME BACK AND SAID THAT IT WASNT THE SAME PROBLEM AT ALL, EVEN THOUGH THIS MIRRORS THE RECALL ISSUES TO A T. WELL WE ESCALATED THE CLAIM THROUGH CONSUMER AFFAIRS THEY CAME BACK AND STILL DENIED THAT THIS WAS AN ISSUE WITH THEIR CAR. WE ARE NOW HAVING TO LOOK AT TAKING LEGAL ACTIONS TO GET THIS TAKEN CARE OF BECAUSE US BEING A YOUNG COUPLE WITH CHILDREN WE DO NOT HAVE THE $8,000-$12,000 IT WILL TAKE TO REPLACE AN ENGINE THAT SHOULD HAVE NEVER BLOWN. WE KEPT UP WITH OIL, IT WAS UNDER 80,000 MILES, AND HAD NOT HAD ANY ISSUES PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. PLEASE RECALL THIS.