NHTSA Complaint #11662642 — 2015 KIA SOUL

Vehicle Information: 2015 Kia Soul Issue Summary: My 2015 Kia Soul experienced a sudden engine failure while I was driving. The check engine light began flashing, and the vehicle went into limp mode, drastically reducing power and creating an immediate safety risk on the road. The dealership diagnosed the issue and found a knock sensor code (P1326), which confirmed the need for an engine replacement. This was especially alarming because the knock sensor had already been replaced during a previous service, as part of Kia’s known effort to address this widespread engine defect. Despite this, my extended warranty claim was denied by Kia due to a lack of full maintenance receipts. These records, along with my original sales contract, were stored in the glove compartment and stolen when the vehicle itself was stolen and later recovered — a theft tied to the well-documented vulnerability of this vehicle model, which is now the subject of a class action lawsuit. This complaint is now part of an open file with the Washington State Attorney General’s Office (File #[XXX]). From my research and the many comments I’ve received online, this is not an isolated issue — it appears Kia is denying a growing number of valid warranty claims in similar ways, despite clear evidence of engine failure tied to a known defect. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6