NHTSA Complaint #11365951 — 2020 KIA SOUL

2020 KIA SOUL PURCHASED IN MARCH OF 2020. VEHICLE STARTED TO DEVELOP A MILD "TICKING" NOISE FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT THAT PROGRESSIVELY BECAME WORSE AND WORSE AT THE END OF OCTOBER 2020. ON 10/11/2020, THE VEHICLE DEVELOPED A CONSIDERABLE GRINDING/CLICKING NOISE FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, BUT WAS STILL DRIVABLE. WE WERE STOPPED AT A STOPLIGHT THAT AFTERNOON WHEN THE VEHICLE ATTEMPTED TO LURCH FORWARD, BUT WAS STOPPED BY THE BRAKES BEING APPLIED. THE VEHICLE MADE A SCREECHING NOISE VERY BRIEFLY, AND DIED. VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO BE RESTARTED, AND HAD TO BE PUSHED TO A PARKING LOT. ON ATTEMPTING TO RESTART THE VEHICLE A FEW MINUTES LATER, THE ENGINE TURNED OVER, MADE SOME VERY CONSIDERABLE GRINDING NOISES AND SHUT OFF AGAIN. ALL DASH INDICATOR LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. KIA ROADSIDE TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP, AND I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM THEM AT ALL. I HAVE CALLED 2-3 TIMES, AND WAS ONLY TOLD TODAY BY A SECRETARY THAT IT APPEARED THE VEHICLE NEEDS A WHOLE NEW MOTOR. I STILL HAVE NOT BEEN DIRECTLY COMMUNICATED WITH BY THE SERVICE ADVISOR. HAD THIS FAILURE OCCURRED ON THE FREEWAY AT SPEEDS, THE END RESULT COULD HAVE BEEN VERY DIFFERENT.