NHTSA Complaint #11337796 — 2016 KIA SOUL

I LEASED A 2016 KIA SOUL ! FOR MY DAUGHTER. AT THE END OF THE LEASE (AUGUST 2018), I PAID PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM THE KIA. 31 MAY 2019 WHILE DRIVING HER CAR THE ENGINE SEIZED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. IT WAS TOWED TO DUTCH MILLER KIA OF CHARLOTTE. THE CAR HAD 51,188 MILES. AFTER A WEEK THE DEALER TOLD US THE CAR WASN'T GOING TO BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I THEN FILED A COMPLAINT WITH KIA CUSTOMER RELATIONS WHO REVIEWED THE CASE AND DID NOTHING TO HELP. I SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER, BRANT BLACKWELDER WHO AGREED TO SPEAK WITH THE DISTRICT SERVICE MANAGER TO SEE IF THERE WAS ANYTHING THAT COULD BE DONE. ON 26 JUNE, THEY STATED THEY WOULD EXTEND A "GOOD FAITH" OFFER OF REPLACING THE ENGINE, BUT I WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LABOR ($1,700 ESTIMATED). DURING THE 3 MONTHS IT TOOK TO REBUILD THE ENGINE, I WAS FORCED TO PAY FOR ALTERNATE TRANSPORTATION AND PAID $1,517.47 IN RENTAL CAR AND LYFT FEES. THE CAR HAS HAD REGULAR OIL CHANGES AS DIRECTED BY THE MAINTENANCE MINDER. THE LAST OIL CHANGE WAS IN JANUARY WHEN THE VEHICLE HAD 44,586 MILES (6,6602 MILES AGO). THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS THE ENGINE WAS LOW ON OIL: THE MAINTENANCE MINDER, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, NOR THE LOW OIL LIGHT EVER CAME ON. DURING MY CONVERSATION WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER ON 25 JUNE, HE ADMITTED THAT KIA ENGINES HAVE A PROBLEM WITH BURNING EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF OIL EVEN AFTER AS LITTLE AS 2,000 MILES FROM AN OIL CHANGE. AT NO TIME DID KIA DISCLOSE THIS ISSUE OF ENGINES BURNING OIL TO ME OR OTHER OWNERS. WHILE THIS CAR HAS THE 2.0-LITER ENGINE THAT ISN'T CURRENTLY UNDER RECALL, I BELIEVE THIS IS A SIMILAR CASE TO THE 379,000 KIA 1.6-LITER ENGINES THAT HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY RECALLED. KIA IS SIMPLY PASSING THE BLAME ON TO CUSTOMERS FOR A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THEIR FAULTY ENGINES. THIS ISSUE IS SIMILAR TO THE 1.6L ENGINES NEEDS TO BE RECALLED.