NHTSA Complaint #11404578 — 2020 KIA SOUL

THE CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW FROM A KIA DEALER IN JUNE OF 2020. IN MARCH OF 2021, WITH ABOUT 12,300 MILES THE FOLLOWING HAPPENED. WAS DRIVING THE CAR NOT ON THE FREEWAY AND THE CAR STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. BEFORE THE CAR STOPPED, NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE EVER DISPLAYED. ONCE THE CAR STOPPED, I WAS ABLE TO GET IT RESTARTED AND MOVED IT A VERY SHORT DISTANCE WHERE I PARKED IT. AFTER THE RESTART, THE ENGINE LIGHT AND OIL LIGHT WERE ILLUMINATED. THE CAR STOPPED AGAIN, WHEN RESTARTED, JUST THE OIL LIGHT ILLUMINATED. I PARKED THE CAR AND CALLED KIA ROAD ASSISTANCE AND IT WAS TOWED TO A KIA DEALER. I WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALER TODAY THAT THE CAR NEEDED A NEW ENGINE WHICH WOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. EXPECTED REPAIR TIME IS AT LEAST THREE WEEKS AS THE ENGINE HAS TO BE SPECIAL ORDERED. I REITERATE THAT NOT ONLY DID NO WARNING LIGHTS EVER CAME ON UNTIL THE INCIDENT I DESCRIBED. KIA'S UVO ALSO SENT ME REGULAR EMAILS TELLING THE THE CARS HEALTH WAS PERFECT! THE WAY THAT THE CAR JUST STOPPED AND DIED WHILE DRIVING COULD HAVE BEEN VERY DANGEROUS IF I WAS NOT ON A STREET WITH A LOW SPEED LIMIT.