NHTSA complaint: 2014 KIA SOUL — UNKNOWN OR OTHER
ON JANUARY 20, 2020 I WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 50 MPH ON EL MIRAGE RD WHEN SUDDENLY THE CAR LOST POWER. I NOTICED THE SPEED DROP AND TRIED PRESSING THE GAS TO GAIN POWER AND SPEED AGAIN THEN I HEARD A LOUD POP. I LOOKED IN MY REARVIEW MIRROR AND THERE WERE HUGE FLAMES AND OIL SPLATTERED ON THE BACK WINDOW. I QUICKLY GOT OUT OF MY CAR AND THE FLAMES IN THE BACK WERE STILL THERE BUT DYING DOWN AND THERE WAS SOMETHING ON FIRE UNDER THE CAR. I HAD TO USE A BOTTLE OF JUICE TO PUT OUT THE FIRE UNDERNEATH THE CAR. IF I DIDN'T HAVE THAT JUICE I'M ALMOST POSITIVE THE WHOLE CAR WOULD HAVE CAUGHT ON FIRE. I STARTED DOING RESEARCH AND SAW THAT KIA SOUL 2014 HAD A RECALL BECAUSE OF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER OVERHEATING CAUSING THE PISTON RODS TO BREAK AND PUNCTURE THE ENGINE BLOCK CAUSING AN OIL LEAK ONTO THE HOT EXHAUST SYSTEM WHICH CAUSES A FIRE. THE RECALL NUMBER IS SC155. THIS RECALL SUPERSEDES CAMPAIGNS 14V-332 AND 15V-736. I HAD TAKEN MY KIA SOUL TO GET A NEW CATALYTIC CONVERTER BASED OFF THE FIRST RECALL IN NOVEMBER. THEY MUST HAVE PUT ANOTHER FAULTY CATALYTIC CONVERTER IN BECAUSE THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. I GOT THE CAR TOWED TO THE RALLY KIA DEALERSHIP IN PALMDALE, CALIFORNIA AND IT IS CURRENTLY STILL THERE. THEY TOOK 2 DAYS TO GIVE ME A RESPONSE ON IF THE CAR WOULD GET FIXED WITH THE RECALL AGAIN. THEY SAID MULTIPLE MECHANICS HAD TO CHECK IT OUT TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED. THEY SAID IT HAPPENED BECAUSE I DIDN'T PUT OIL IN THE CAR WHICH CAUSE A PISTON ROD TO BREAK AND PUNCTURE THE ENGINE
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation