NHTSA Complaint #11329556 — 2015 KIA SOUL

ON MAY 11, 2018, WE PURCHASED A USED 2015 KIA SOUL FOR USE BY OUR DAUGHTER, WHO WAS IN COLLEGE IN AT THE TIME. IT CAME WITH A MANUFACTURER'S WARRANTY, WHICH WE WERE ADVISED EXPIRED ON APRIL 27, 2020. WE PURCHASED AN ADDITIONAL EXTENDED CNA NATIONAL WARRANTY CORP. WARRANTY FROM THE DEALER, CARMAX. THE CAR HAS BEEN REGULARLY MAINTAINED, AND HAS BEEN SERVICED FOR ALL RECALL ITEMS THAT WE HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED OF BY KIA. ON MARCH 1, 2020, OUR DAUGHTER MOVED TO SAN FRANCISCO, AND HOUSED THE VEHICLE AT OUR HOME IN PETALUMA, CA. DUE TO BEING SHELTERED IN PLACE DURING THE PANDEMIC, THE CAR SAT IDLE AND WAS NOT USED AGAIN UNTIL SHE RETRIEVED IT IN MAY. ON MAY 10, 2020, ON HER WAY BACK FROM PETALUMA TO SF, WHILE TRAVELING SOUTH ON HIGHWAY 101 A 'CHECK ENGINE' LIGHT WENT ON AND SHE BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE A LOSS OF POWER IN THE VEHICLE. IT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE PAST 40 MPH, AND SO SHE EXITED THE HIGHWAY AND CALLED AAA. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO OUR LOCAL AUTO REPAIR SHOP IN PETALUMA. THE COST OF THE TOW WAS $276. WHICH WAS NOT COVERED BY EITHER AAA OR THE WARRANTY. AN INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE, PERFORMED BY OUR MECHANIC ALONG WITH THE WARRANTY INSPECTOR, DISCLOSED THAT 3 OF 4 OF THE CONNECTING ROD BEARINGS HAD BROKEN AND THE CAR WAS NO LONGER OPERABLE. DUE TO RESULTING DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE, THE ENTIRE ENGINE ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE REMOVED AND REPLACED. WE RECEIVED A REBUILT ENGINE PER THE TERMS OF THE EXTENDED WARRANTY, NOT A NEW ENGINE. THE CAR WAS IN THE SHOP FOR OVER A MONTH WHILE THE INSPECTION, WHICH NEEDED TO BE PERFORMED WITH THE WARRANTY INSPECTOR PRESENT, COULD BE ARRANGED AND A REPLACEMENT ENGINE COULD BE FOUND. *TR