NHTSA Complaint #11363529 — 2013 KIA SOUL

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID 19V120000: THE SC176 RECALL ON MY CAR WAS REPAIRED MAY 30, 2019. EARLIER THIS YEAR MY CAR BEGAN SHOWING THE SIGNS OF THE FURTHER DAMAGE NOTED IN THE RECALL DETAILS. IN APRIL 2020 MY CAR RANDOMLY STALLED WHEN IN MOTION ON A CITY STREET AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I WAS ABLE TO COAST OFF THE ROAD AND EVENTUALLY START THE CAR AGAIN. THE PANDEMIC PREVENTED ME FROM HAVING IT SERVICED AT MY KIA DEALERSHIP OR ELSEWHERE. SINCE APRIL, THIS HAS OCCURRED FIVE TIMES, BOTH ON CITY STREETS AND THE HIGHWAY WHILE IN MOTION. THE HIGHWAY EVENT WAS FRIGHTENING AS I WAS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC TRAVELLING AT 60 MPH. MY LOCAL ONE STOP OIL CHANGE RE-OPENED AND I WAS ABLE TO GET AN OIL CHANGE MAY 5, 2020 AT 110,431, THEN AGAIN ON AUGUST 24, 2020 AT 114,121 MILES AT ONE STOP (RECEIPT ATTACHED). A WEEK LATER MY ENGINE OIL PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON DESPITE THE RECENT OIL CHANGE. I ADDED OIL, BUT IN TWO WEEKS THE LEVEL IS AGAIN LOW AND I PUT IN 2 QUARTS. I TOOK IT TO THE KIA SERVICE CENTER SEPTEMBER 16, 2020 AT 115,179, AND THE OIL WAS AGAIN LOW AS SHOWN ON THE ATTACHED RECEIPT. KIA SERVICE WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE LOST OIL. ALTHOUGH MY CAR HAD THE REPAIR PERFORMED FOR THE RECALL, I'M AFRAID THE PISTON HAS BEEN DAMAGED, CAUSING THE ENGINE STALLS. MY OIL IS LEAKING OUT SOMEWHERE, SO I FEAR IT MAY BE THE BROKEN CONNECTING ROD THAT HAS PUNCTURED THE ENGINE BLOCK ALLOWING THE ENGINE OIL TO ESCAPE. THE KIA QUOTE FOR THE BRAKE, EXHAUST AND TIRE WORK WAS EXPENSIVE, SO I HAD A FRIEND'S EXPERT MECHANIC DO THE REPAIRS FOR LESS. HE WARNED ME THAT THE OIL WAS LEAKING OUT AND THE ENGINE MAY BLOW AND I'LL NEED A NEW ENGINE, AND STRONGLY SUGGESTED I SELL THE CAR BEFORE THAT OCCURS. I CANNOT, IN GOOD CONSCIENCE, SELL IT KNOWING THE RISK TO A NEW OWNER. I HOPE THIS EXPLANATION WILL LEAD TO KIA REPAIRING MY CAR PROPERLY.