2017 KIA SOUL EV Complaints

My 2017 KIA Soul EV battery has not been holding a full charge since the beginning of April. The dealer was notified in early May that the charges were seeming to cut off early & provided with a log of charging/driving. We waited, then were told that a replacement battery would be ordered, installed, & considered under warranty. Diagnostic tests were run, we were advised. We were told that the car was safe to drive, although with about 50% of the mileage available (50-51 miles). The final paperwork (vehicle registr.) copy was filed on May 18. Now we have received a safety recall notice. I am afraid to drive the car, having seen news of what loss of life can happen a fire breaks out while driving! My dealer has not offered me help with an interim rental car to date, although I have requested this several times, specifically yesterday - June 6, 2023. At this writing, I have been told that "the battery is on order, however, no specific info on shipment date or date expected" is available. "It will come on the barge," was the last statement, hard to believe in this day & age of electronic records. I have stopped driving the car, have talked with my insurance company, & will call the dealership again about the matter. I am most unsatisfied. I have a record of numerous calls back & forth with my KIA dealer, service dept. manager.

Original factory installed driver's side seat heater shorted out, caused fire and burned a hole in the seat back. This thermal event was reported to Kia Customer Service on March 16, 2023. Kia has not responded back for over 2 months, to address this issue. Kia case no. 15394468. Same problem with Kia Soul in Canada resulted in a recall to address the problem. Afraid to use the passenger side seat heater, as another short and fire can occur.

I first reported an issue with the car rolling while in park back on 8-23-22 (NHTSA complaint #11480710). It has rolled while in park 4 times on 05-21-2022, 8-16-2022, 8-30-2022 and again on today 01-10-2023. I took the car into the Kia Dealership on 09-26-2022 at the instruction of [XXX] from Kia's Corporate U.S. Headquarters. [XXX] coordinated having a Kia engineer fly out to look at my car. Unfortunately, none of the issues were resolved. I reached back out to [XXX] who put me in touch with [XXX] ([XXX] manager) @ [XXX]. I spoke with [XXX] for 15 minutes on 10-31-2022. He agreed to have [XXX] arrange for my car to be looked at again and all issues resolved, however [XXX] has not followed up with me and has not been responding to my emails (please see the attached email transcript). INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

The car rolls with the transmission gear placed in PARK. Kia USA has repeatedly failed to acknowledge the problem or respond to my multiple communications regarding this issue. Kia USA has failed to offer an inspection of the problem. There are no warning lights, messages or other symptoms.

Power failure going high speed decreasing from 45mph. Had disengaged cruise control and attempted to change lanes and prepare to turn at intersection after exiting off highway. Also happened a week prior in town in neighborhood. No cruise control was involved and going low speed under 35mph. Had to shut power off completely to re-start EV. Previously had dealer run diagnostics following first incident. Recall gradual power loss incidents past four months but was uncertain what was cause.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 KIA SOUL EV. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND RESTARTED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. ALSO, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED TO THE FLOORBOARD; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO KIA OF CERRITOS (18201 STUDEBAKER RD, CERRITOS, CA 90703, (562) 860-2424), BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,606.

MY ALL ELECTRIC HAS A B MODE TO SHIFT IN. SIMPLY PUT IT ENGAGES THE GENERATOR FULLY WHEN YOU LET OFF THE GAS PEDAL SO YOU CAN GENERATE ELECTRICITY. HOWEVER, WHEN YOU DO THIS THE CAR BRAKES QUITE QUICK, SO QUICK IN FACT THEY CALL THIS TYPE OF DRIVING ONE PEDAL DRIVING DUE TO THE FACT YOU VERY SELDOM TOUCH THE BREAK EXCEPT FOR A FULL STOP. THE PROBLEM IS THE BREAK LIGHTS DON'T GO ON UNLESS YOU PUT YOUR FOOT ON THE BREAK. MY CONCERN IS THE CAR BEHIND ME. IF HE IS NOT PAYING ATTENTION AND DOES NOT REALIZE I AM SLOWING DOWN AT SUCH A RAPID CLIP BAD THINGS CAN HAPPEN, ITS ALMOST THE SAME AS HAVING DEFECTIVE BRAKE LIGHTS. MY RECOMMENDATION IS TO HAVE THE BREAK LIGHTS COME ON WHEN YOU FOOT IS FULLY OFF THE GAS PEDAL TO AVOID AND REAR END COLLISIONS FOR ALL CARS THAT HAVE THIS FEATURE. THANK YOU

THE LOCKED DOORS CAN BE OPENED WHEN DRIVING. THIS IS AN ALL ELECTRIC VEHICLE WITH NO KEY TO REMOVE FROM THE IGNITION AND NO NOISE FROM THE ENGINE AND VIRTUALLY NO FEED BACK THAT THE CAR IS RUNNING EXCEPT BY LOOKING AT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. I PULLED INTO A CONVENIENCE STORE PARKING LOT AND WAS DISCUSSING WITH MY WIFE WHO WAS TO GO INTO THE STORE. HER DECISION WAS I HAD TO GO INTO THE STORE. WITH OUT THINKING AND WITHOUT PUSHING THE BUTTON TO SHUT OFF THE CAR. I OPENED THE LOCKED DOOR AND STARTED GETTING OUT WHILE THE CAR WAS STILL RUNNING AND IN DRIVE. LUCKY I WAS QUICK ENOUGH TO GET IN AND STOP THE CAR. YES I SHOULD AND WILL BE MORE CAREFUL BUT I FEEL THIS IS A SERIOUS HAZARD THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED. THE IRONY OF THE THING IS WHEN YOU START DRIVING THE DOORS LOCK, AND WHEN YOU PUT IT IN PARK THEY UNLOCK. A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY BUT AT LEAST YOU KNOW WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH A ROBBER CAN'T RUN UP TO THE CAR AND GET IN. I THINK ALL EV'S SHOULD HAVE LOCKS THAT DON'T UNLOCK UNTIL YOU PUT THE CAR IN PARK THANK YOU.