2013 KIA SOUL Complaints

THERE WAS A CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN EVERYTIME IT MOVED EVEN A FRACTION OF AN INCH. AS I WAS DRIVING TO WORK ONE MORNING, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP ON ME WHILE I WAS CHANGING LANES. IT WAS ONLY FOR 5-10 SECONDS BUT IT SCARED ME. IT WAS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS MAKE MODEL AND YEAR FOR THE EXACT SAME ISSUE. MY CAR MISSED IT BY A FEW DAYS, LITERALLY. SEVERAL CERTIFIED TECHS, INCLUDING THE KIA DEALERSHIP TECHS ALL CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS SIMILAR TO THE RECALL WITH STEERING COLUMN ISSUES. THE DEALERSHIP FIXED IT BUT I HAD TO PAY FOR IT.

FOR THE PAST 6 MONTHS I HAVE BEEN TO THE CAR DEALER FOR HEADLIGHTS AND OTHER LIGHTS OUT ON THE CAR AS WELLL AND THE STEERING COLUMN IS MAKING CLICKING NOISES.

ON APRIL 3RD, 2018 AFTER STOPPING AT A STOP SIGN MY CAR WOULD NOT MOVE WHEN STEPPING ON THE GAS PEDAL. THEN IT STALLED OUT AND WOULD NOT START. HAD HELP COME WITHIN 30 MINUTES AND WHEN WE TRIED TO START IT AGAIN, IT DID START AND I DROVE IT HOME. NO ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON. MY HUSBAND CHANGED THE CRANK SHAFT SENSOR AFTER RESEARCHING ONLINE FOR THE PROBLEM AND TALKING TO MECHANICS ABOUT IT. RAN FINE UNTIL MAY 1, 2018, AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY IN CRUISE CONTROL DOING 65MPH MY CAR SUDDENLY STARTED SLOWING DOWN. I HAD NO TROUBLE LIGHTS ON. I PULLED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY AND PUT IT IN PARK. WHEN I REVVED THE GAS PEDAL THE RPMS WENT UP. I SAT FOR A MINUTE AND THEN PUT IT IN DRIVE AND WHEN I RELEASED THE BRAKE IT STARTED TO ROLL FORWARD. I WAITED FOR THE TRAFFIC TO CLEAR THEN GAVE IT GAS AND I WAS ABLE TO GET BACK ON THE FREEWAY AND BROUGHT THE CAR HOME SAFELY. WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS WRONG BUT WITH NO TROUBLE LIGHTS COMING ON THE DASH AND BEING UNABLE TO HAVE A SCANNER CHECK IT D/T NO TROUBLE LIGHTS COMING ON WE ARE CLUELESS. PLEASE CHECK INTO THIS, IT WAS VERY SCARY BEING ON THE FREEWAY AND HAVING THIS HAPPEN.

CLUNK NOISE SIMILAR TO RECALL AFFECTING 2014-2016 VEHICLES, STEERING SEEMS LOOSE AND A CLUNKING NOISE IS HEARD , THE NOISE OCCURS IN PARKI OR IN MOTION

I SUDDENLY STARTED HEARING A KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM MY STEERING COLUMN. I NOTICED IT WHEN I WOULD MAKE U-TURNS AND WHEN PARKING INTO A PARKING LANE. AFTER A DAY OR TWO, THE KNOCKING BEGAN TO BE MORE FREQUENT. I CAN BE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY OR STATIONARY AND THE KNOCKING WILL OCCUR WITH A SLIGHT TURN OF THE STEERING WHEEL ALSO CAUSING BY WHEEL TO BE VERY LOOSE. I DROPPED MY VEHICLE OFF AT THE LOCAL KIA DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THEY RECOMMENDED THE STEERING COUPLER BE REPLACED. I DECLINED SERVICES AT THAT TIME AND TOOK MY VEHICLE TO ANOTHER KIA DEALERSHIP. ALL I DID WAS PULL INTO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT LANE AND SPOKE TO A SERVICE DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEE EXPLAINING WHAT ISSUES I AM HAVING WITH MY STEERING AND HE IMMEDIATELY SAID " I DON'T EVEN HAVE TO LOOK AT YOUR CAR I KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS; IT IS THE STEERING COUPLER, WE SEE THIS ALL THE TIME BUT KIA WILL NOT RECALL THE SOUL MODEL FOR THIS ISSUE." I THEN WENT HOME AND RESEARCHED KIA VEHICLES TO FIND THE OPTIMA VEHICLES HAD THE SAME ISSUE AND WERE RECALLED. I THEN CALLED THE CUSTOMER SERVICE 1-800 -333-4542 AND SUBMITTED A COMPLAINT STATING I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING AND ASKED WHY THIS ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED ON SOULS AS I SEE MANY COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND OTHER KIA MODELS HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. MY INFORMATION WAS TAKEN AND I AM EXPECTING A CALL WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS FROM THE DEPARTMENT PARTS AND SERVICE MANAGER AS THE WARRANTY EXPIRED AFTER 60,000 MILES AND I CURRENTLY 66,815 MILES. I BELIEVE KIA SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS ISSUE SINCE THEY ARE AWARE OF THIS ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THEIR PRODUCT!

AS I WAS DRIVING ACROSS, WITH A GREEN LIGHT, A SIX LANE (PLUS ADDITIONAL TURN LANES) CITY STREET AT PERHAPS 25 MPH, A DRIVER RUNNING HER RED LIGHT STRUCK MY VEHICLE BROAD SIDE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. I DO NOT KNOW HER SPEED BUT CAN SAY THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG AND BOTH FRONT AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, THE SPEED LIMIT ON THE ROAD SHE WAS TRAVELING IS 40 MPH. THE REASON FOR THIS REPORT IS THAT THE IMPACT CAUSED THE REAR VIEW MIRROR TO SNAP OFF AND BECOME AN AIRBORNE MENACE. THE MIRROR GAVE ME A LARGE LUMP JUST ABOVE MY RIGHT EYE AND CAUSED A CONTUSION ON MY RIGHT CHEEK THAT AFTER BLEEDING PROFUSELY NEEDED FOUR STITCHES TO CLOSE. I WAS LUCKY. THE JAGGED EDGE THAT CUT MY CHEEK WAS ONLY A COUPLE INCHES FROM MY EYE AND POTENTIAL BLINDNESS. THE MIRROR'S (MODEL ZTVHL3) PHYSICAL CONNECTION FAILED AT THE JUNCTURE OF THE BALL JOINT AGAINST THE WINDSHIELD AND THE METAL CONDUIT AT THE REAR OF THE MIRROR. THE METAL WAS UNABLE TO WITHSTAND THE FORCE OF THE SIDE IMPACT AND TORQUED OUT OF SHAPE. THE WIRING ALONE WAS UNABLE TO HOLD THE MIRROR IN PLACE, AND THE MIRROR WENT AIRBORNE.

BATTERY REPLACED 2/18. INSTALLED W/ ROTORS & BRAKE PADS BY DEALERSHIP AFTER THIS MY CAR WOULD NOT START. IT WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY. IT WOULD NOT EVEN MAKE A NOISE. ALL THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS WENT ON. ALARM WORKED (INSTALLED BY DEALERSHIP). I GOT OUR OF CAR LOCKING IT & TRIED TO START MANUALLY, STILL NOTHING. 1 OF THE TIMES I TRIED IT THE RADIO WENT ON. AFTER APPR. 6X'S THE CAR STARTED BUT IDLING EXTREMELY LOW. KIA DEALERSHIP GOT THE CAR THAT DAY, THEY HAD CAR FOR 9 DAYS & COULD NOT REPLICATE ISSUE. I GOT CAR BACK 3 WKS LATER SAME ISSUE. CLOCK HAD BEEN BEHIND 20ISH MIN THAT WK. I THOUGHT IT WAS ODD. 3/18/18 (SAME WK CAR TIME WAS OFF), I TRIED STARTING MANY X'S. EVERYTHING WAS THE SAME, I NOTICEDI WHEN DASHBOARD LIGHTS ON,I DON'T HAVE. RADIO WOULD GO ON & OFF. I CALLED KIA,CAR WAS NOT STARTING, I WAS HAVING IT TOWED TO THEM. MADE VIDEO OF TRYING TO START CAR.THE CAR IS AT THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN. THEY MENTIONED REPLACING IGNITION. IF YOU GOOGLE KIA SOUL STARTING ISSUES, THERE ARE PAGES OF THEM. ALL WITH SAME DESCRIPTION. DEALERSHIP COULD NOT REPLICATE ISSUE. THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG ELECTRICALLY IN SOME OF THE SOULS. IT DIDN'T APPEAR TO BE LIMITED TO ANY PARTICULAR YEAR. DEALERSHIPS KNOW ABOUT THIS ISSUE, DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO AND RANDOMLY REPLACE THINGS. DIDN'T FIX ISSUE. PEOPLE ONLINE STATED THEY GOT SO FRUSTRATED AND TRADED IN VEHICLE. I HOPE IT DOES NOT COME TO THAT WITH ME.THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL OR REMEDY FOR THIS SITUATION. IF YOU GOOGLE IT YOU WILL GET SO MANY PAGES ON THIS ISSUE WITH KIA SOUL, ALL YEARS. SO THE PROBLEM IS UNKNOWN, COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE HARM. I HAVE A VERY CLEAR SHORT VIDEO 1MIN 30 SEC.

MY SOUL BEGAN TO MAKE A TERRIBLE NOISE AT 52,000 MILES. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER BECAUSE WE HAD PURCHASED THE ADDITIONAL WARRANTY TO EXTEND IT TO 100,000 AND WAS TOLD THE ENGINE BEARINGS HAD FAILED. THE MECHANIC AT THE DEALERSHIP SAID HE DIDN'T SEE MUCH SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE AND COULDN'T SEE A REASON WHY KIA WOULD DENY THE CLAIM. ALTHOUGH THE OIL HAD BEEN CHANGED APPROPRIATELY WE COULDN'T PRODUCE ALL THE DOCUMENTATION ON THE SPOT. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP TOOK VIDEO AND SENT IN TO KIA, WE WERE TOLD THAT KIA WOULD NOT HONOR THEIR WARRANTY AND WE WERE ON OUR OWN.

THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME LOOSE WITH MUCH "PLAY" IN STEERING AND A CLICKING NOISE FROM THE STEERING LOCK. THIS HAPPENS BOTH STATIONARY WITH THE CAR ON IN PARK AND WHEN DRIVING. I HAVE HAD ALIGNMENT AND SUSPENSION CHECKED AND IT IS NOT APPARENTLY THE ISSUE. APPARENTLY THE STEERING SHAFT BECOMES LOOSE WHERE IT IS COUPLED WITH THE STEERING GEAR/RACK. THIS LOOSE STEERING IS VERY DANGEROUS AS WHEN STEERING AROUND CURVES THE CAR STEERING ACTUALLY PULLS ON THE ROAD SO I NOW GO MUCH SLOWER AROUND CURVES THAN IS POSTED ON SPEED SIGNS TO AVOID LOOSING CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE. WHEN I GO OVER UNEVEN ROADS OR BUMPS THE CAR ALSO SHIFTS AND PULLS AS I DO NOT HAVE FULL CONTROL OVER THE STEERING. WHEN I BRAKE AT SPEEDS OVER ABOUT 40MPH I NOTICE THAT THERE IS ALSO THIS SAME PLAY IN THE STEERING SO I MAKE SURE I AM CONSIDERABLY A FAR DISTANCE BEHIND ANOTHER VEHICLE IN ORDER TO STOP SLOWLY. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM WITH THE 2012 KIA SOUL AND HAVE NOTICED UPON RESEARCHING ONLINE THAT THE KIA OPTIMA HAS A SIMILAR PROBLEM WHICH WAS EVENTUALLY RECALLED FOR REPAIR.

SO I AM ACTUALLY SHOCKED THAT THERE'S NO COMPLAINT LOGGED HERE ABOUT THIS, YET IT SEEMS TO BE EVERYWHERE ALL OVER THE INTERNET. OUR 2013 KIA SOUL (AND THIS HAPPENS WITH MORE THAN JUST OUR YEAR) WHEN MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE DOOR AJAR INDICATOR COMES ON, ON THE DASH PANEL, AND THE IGNITION KEY RING THAT ILLUMINATES, AND ALSO ILLUMINATES THE DOOR/MAP LIGHTS IN THE CENTER CONSOLE. YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO JUST BE MAKING A RIGHT TURN FOR IT TO COME ON. IF YOU TOUCH (NOT HIT IT OR BE FORCEFUL) THE DRIVERS DOOR PANEL, YOU CAN MAKE IT COME ON, AND SOMETIMES IT GOES RIGHT OUT AND SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T. I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SAY "MAKE SURE THE DOOR IS CLOSED TIGHTLY!" WELL THE DOOR IS CLOSED. ALL 4 DOORS AND THE HATCH ARE SECURELY CLOSED, AND IT'S ONLY THE DRIVERS DOOR. IT WILL NOT DO IT WHEN THE VEHICLE IS NOT RUNNING, IT ONLY DOES IT WITH THE KEY IN THE IGNITION, AND THE VEHICLE RUNNING. I AM SHOCKED THIS IS NOT A RECALL. I HAVE SEEN THIS WITH OTHER SOULS DATING BACK TO 2009! I AM RELUCTANT OF TAKING THE DOOR APART, BUT I MEAN SERIOUSLY!