2010 KIA SOUL Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 KIA SOUL. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND METAL FRAGMENTS DISCHARGED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A SHOULDER CUT THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 22,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 KIA SOUL. WHILE OPERATING THE AIR CONDITIONING, THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE WINDOWS BECAME FOGGED. ALSO, WHEN USING THE VENT TO DIRECT AIR TO THE FLOOR, CONDENSATION WOULD OCCUR ON THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS NORMAL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000.

AUDIO & BLUETOOTH SYSTEM HAVE FAILED. AUDIO SYSTEM PREVIOUSLY FAILED IN DECEMBER 2011 WITH 24291 MILES ON IT. AUDIO SYSTEM JUST BLACKED OUT AND DID NOT WORK. DEALERSHIP REPLACED RADIO AT THAT TIME UNDER WARRANTY. AT THIS TIME THERE IS A LOUD SCRAMBLED SOUND WHEN TRYING TO USE BLUETOOTH AND WHEN RADIO IS TURNED ON. BLUETOOTH DOES NOT WORK AT ALL. LOUD SCRAMBLING SOUND IS CONTINUOUS WITH SOME INTERMITTENT RADIO SOUNDS. I GOOGLED AUDIO PROBLEMS WITH THIS MODEL OF AUTO AND FOUND A YOU TUBE DEMO OF EXACTLY THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEM EXPERIENCED BY A PERSON IN JULY OF THIS YEAR. PROBLEM TURNED OUT TO BE A FAILED EXTERNAL AMPLIFIER. THERE ALSO WAS ANOTHER PERSON WHO HAD THEIR AUDIO SYSTEM FAIL AT 39,000 MILES. AMPLIFIER WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY ON THAT PERSONS VEHICLE AS CAR HAD OVER 36,000 MILES. HE WAS QUOTED A DIAGNOSTIC CHARGE OF $114, A $640 LABOR CHARGE AND A $825 AMP CHARGE. I NOTED IN THE 2013 CONSUMER REPORTS BUYING GUIDE THAT THE 2010 KIA SOUL HAD A MUCH WORSE THAN AVERAGE RATING FOR THE AUDIO SYSTEM. MAYBE THERE SHOULD BE SOME INVESTIGATION DONE ON THIS ISSUE AND POSSIBLY A RECALL GENERATED. I COULD CERTAINLY LIVE WITHOUT A RADIO BUT HAVE AN ISSUE WITH USING MY PHONE WITHOUT THE BLUETOOTH. *DT

I RECENTLY CAME OUT TO GET INTO MY HUSBANDS KIA TO FIND A FLAT TIRE. WHILE THIS IS NOT AN UNUSUAL EVENT IT WAS EXPENSIVE. I PURCHASED FOUR NEW TIRES, AND HAD THEM MOUNTED. THE MECHANIC MENTIONED THE UNUSUAL WEAR PATTERN ON THE BACK TIRES WHICH I HAD NOTICED AS WELL. THE TIRES WERE WEARING IN THE CENTER AND TO THE INSIDE EDGE OF THE TIRES. HE SUGGESTED THAT I TAKE THE SOUL TO THE DEALERSHIP SINCE THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO ALIGN THE VEHICLE ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURERS SPECS. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE FOLLOWING MORNING AT THE KIA DEALERSHIP TO DO SO. I HEARD THE MECHANIC SAY TO THE DEPT. MANAGER THAT THE CAR HAD ALREADY BEEN ALIGNED. AFTER A SHORT WAIT PERIOD THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVE CAME BACK TO ME AND SAID THAT THE REAR AXLE HAD SHIFTED TO THE SIDE BY APPROX. 1/2". I ASKED WHEN HE HAD SEEN THIS ON A VEHICLE, AND HE SAID AFTER AN ACCIDENT. I STATED THAT IT HAD NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT, AND MY HUSBAND PURCHASED IT NEW. THE ESTIMATE FOR THE REPAIR FOR PARTS, LABOR, AND A NEW ALIGNMENT WAS $1090.00. I AM CURRENTLY WAITING FOR KIA CONSUMER AFFAIRS TO RETURN A CALL TO ME ABOUT THE ISSUE. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A SIGNIFICANT DESIGN FLAW SINCE THE SLIGHTEST AMOUNT OF RAIN/MOISTURE ON THE ROAD CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO HANDLE VERY POORLY AT REDUCED SPEEDS OF 45 MPH. THIS DEFECT HAS NOW COST 852.00 FOR NEW TIRES, AND THEY WILL WEAR OUT IN THE SAME ODD WEAR PATTERN IF I DON'T REPLACE THE REAR AXLE, AND RE-ALIGN THE TIRES THAT I JUST PURCHASED. *TR

I OWN A PRE-OWNED 2010 KIA SOUL! WITH APPROXIMATELY 47K MILES, CLEAR TITLE AND NO ACCIDENTS. ON SUNDAY 12/29/13 MY CAR EXPERIENCED SUA (SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION). I WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, APPROACHING A ROTARY, WHEN MY CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. THE RPMS SPIKED UP TO 4000-5000 AND MY CAR LUNGED FORWARD AND THE ENGINE WAS RACING VERY LOUDLY. I HAD TO PUMP THE BRAKES MULTIPLE TIMES TO DECELERATE AND BRING THE CAR TO A COMPLETE STOP. THIS INCIDENT IS NOW THE 4-5TH TIME I HAVE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION (WITHIN 1 YEAR), USUALLY HAPPENING BETWEEN THE 35-45MPH RANGE. THE CAR WILL ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN (EVEN IF I'VE BEEN AT A COMPLETE STOP, IT WILL JUMP FORWARD WITH RPMS RUNNING ABNORMALLY HIGH) AND I'LL HAVE TO PRESS ON THE BRAKES SIGNIFICANTLY. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO LEV KIA IN FRAMINGHAM MA WHERE THEY RAN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST (12/30/13) AND APPARENTLY FOUND NO RECORDED "TROUBLE CODES" AND SAID THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM BEFORE AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT IF THEY CANNOT RECREATE THE INCIDENT. WITH SOME MINIMAL RESEARCH ONLINE, I WAS ABLE TO FIND OTHER KIA OWNERS REPORTING THE SAME ISSUE, INCLUDING ANOTHER 2010 KIA SOUL THAT RESULTED IN A SEVERE ACCIDENT DUE TO THE SPEED CONTROL. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY NOT A SECLUDED INCIDENT AND FURTHER RESEARCH MUST BE DONE. I FEEL UNSAFE DRIVING MY KIA SOUL! *TR

AUDIO & BLUETOOTH SYSTEM HAVE FAILED. AUDIO SYSTEM PREVIOUSLY FAILED IN DECEMBER 2011. AUDIO SYSTEM JUST BLACKED OUT . DEALERSHIP REPLACED AUDIO SYSTEM AT THAT TIME UNDER WARRANTY. AT THIS TIME THERE IS A LOUD SCRAMBLED SOUND WHEN RADIO IS TURNED ON AND BLUETOOTH DOES NOT WORK EITHER. GOOGLED AUDIO PROBLEMS REGARDING THIS MODEL OF AUTO WAS FOUND ON A YOU TUBE DEMO OF EXACTLY THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEM EXPERIENCED BY ANOTHER PERSON IN JULY OF THIS YEAR. THE PROBLEM TURNED OUT TO BE A FAILED EXTERNAL AMPLIFIER. IN DOING SOME FURTHER CHECKING ON THE WEB FOUND THAT ANOTHER PERSON ALSO HAD THEIR AUDIO SYSTEM FAIL AT 39,000 MILES IN 2011. AS AMPLIFIER WAS NOT COVERED AFTER 36,000 MILES HE WAS QUOTED CHARGES OF $114.00 FOR A DIAGNOSTIC EVAL, $640.00 LABOR FOR PUTTING IN A NEW AMP AND $825.00 FOR NEW AMP ITSELF. IN THE 2013 CONSUMER REPORTS BUYING GUIDE THE 2010 KIA SOUL HAS A MUCH WORSE THAN AVERAGE RATING FOR THE AUDIO SYSTEM. MAYBE THERE SHOULD BE SOME INVESTIGATION DONE ON THIS AUDIO ISSUE AND POSSIBLY A RECALL ISSUED. I COULD CERTAINLY LIVE WITHOUT A RADIO BUT HAVE AN ISSUE USING MY PHONE WITHOUT THE BLUETOOTH WHILE DRIVING. THERE SEEMS TO BE QUITE A FEW COMPLAINTS WHEN LOOKING ON THE WEB REGARDING AUDIO PROBLEMS ON THIS YEAR AND MODEL OF VEHICLE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MIDDLE REAR SEAT BELT RETRACTOR FAILED AND THE BRAKES MADE A NOISE WHEN DEPRESSED, CAUSING THE BRAKES NOT TO ENGAGE AT A NORMAL STOPPING DISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE FAILURES HOWEVER, THE DEALER DID NOR PERFORM A DIAGNOSTIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE 95,000.

MANUAL CLUTCH DEFECTIVE AT ONLY 13,300 MILES. CHECKED ONLINE, MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH KIA, MANY WITH EVEN LESS MILES. APPARENTLY KIA KNOWS THE CLUTCH IS DEFECTIVE AS THEY HAVE REPLACED SEVERAL (6) OF THE CLUTCHES PARTS IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR'S MODEL BUT THEY REFUSE TO HONOR THEIR WARRANTY BECAUSE THE CLUTCH IS A "WEAR AND TEAR ITEM". I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF A CLUTCH WEARING OUT AT ONLY 13,300 MILES. MY LAST MANUAL VEHICLE (JEEP) HAD 89,000 MILES WHEN TRADED IN AND STILL HAD THE ORIGINAL FACTORY CLUTCH. *TR

THE FACTORY PROVIDED KEYS FOR THE CAR ARE INTEGRATED REMOTE WIRELESS ENTRY KEY FOBS AND CONCEALED IGNITION KEY. TO REVEAL THE KEY, A BUTTON ON THE FOB IS PRESSED AND A SPRING LOADED ARM ROTATES THE KEY OUT OF THE FOB SO IT CAN BE INSERTED INTO THE STEERING COLUMN MOUNTED IGNITION SWITCH. ON THE DAY OF THE INCIDENT, AFTER PARKING THE CAR I WENT TO TURN OFF THE IGNITION BY ROTATING THE KEY FOB COUNTER CLOCKWISE. WHEN I DID THE ARMATURE THAT HOLDS THE KEY SNAPPED OFF LEAVING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AND THE ENGINE RUNNING. AS ONLY A SMALL PORTION OF THE KEY REMAINED EXPOSED, IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN THE ENGINE OFF AND I WAS NOT ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR AS NOT ENOUGH OF THE KEY PROJECTED TO APPLY ROTATIONAL FORCE TO. IT WOULD SEEM THE ABILITY TO TURN OFF THE CAR IN EMERGENCIES IS CRUCIAL TO SAFETY AND I FEEL THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL INVESTIGATION INITIATED. (FILED ON BEHALF OF MY WIFE, [XXX]) INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

IN THE MIDST OF RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC, I HAD TO SUDDENLY STOP. I APPARENTLY DID NOT STOP QUICK ENOUGH AND REAR ENDED THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. MY LEFT ARM TOOK PART OF THE SHOCK. I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 40 - 45 MPH. THE FRONT END OF MY CAR COLLAPSED, TO A POINT THAT THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR WOULD NOT FREELY OPEN. AT LEAST TWO OF THE AIRBAG SENSORS SHOULD HAVE BEEN AFFECTED. I HAVE PICTURES. *TR