NHTSA Complaint #11449319 — 2013 KIA SOUL

I purchased the 2013 Kia Soul used on 5/22/2021 and shortly afterward discovered water leaking into the front passenger side compartment and evidence that the leak was old. I brought the car to Fred Anderson Kia of Raleigh (kiaofraleigh.com) on 6/7/21, 6/25/21, and 7/20/21, and they incorrectly diagnosed the leak as an air conditioner hose. And then, after they replaced the hose, they thought it might be a windshield leak. After the unneeded air conditioner repair, they referred me out for windshield/water leak testing. McConnell Auto Glass (mcconnellautoglass.com) determined that the windshield was not leaking. The leak was coming in from substandard factory welding in the car frame. The car has never had frame repair on that side. My attempts to patch the bad weld joints with JD Weld caused the leak to continue to move across multiple failing car frame welds. The leak has damaged the interior of the car, grown mold, and exposed the electrical components to failure, rust, and fire. I contacted Kia Corporation (800 333 4542) on 1/12/22, 1/20/22, and 1/21/22. They have told me that Fred Anderson Kia will not return their outreach calls, and they would refer my case # 14586235 to the district manager for a callback -- which has not happened. They tell me the DM’s name and contact information are secret, so I can not call them. Q1: The frame welds. I have covered some of the leaking areas with JD Weld, but the welds are unaltered and could be inspected by removing the JD Weld. I also took several pictures. The leak is still present. Q2: The leak caused interior damage, including mold, and could damage electrical components due to moisture, rust, or fire. Q3: Fred Anderson Kia of Raleigh verified the leak but could not correctly diagnose it. McConnell Auto Glass verified the leak. Q4: Yes, Fred Anderson Kia of Raleigh on 6/7/21, 6/25/21 and 7/20/21 Q5: I noticed the wet carpet shortly after I purchased the car, but there is evidence of long-term damage.