We have a 2010 Kia Soul that's driver door will not latch. This is not the first time this has happened. After you open the door and then try to shut it the door latch will not engage. Even if you try and engage the lock the door will not secure. The only fix that we have found so far is to take a key and insert it into the latch. With the key in the latch you move the key from the outside edge towards the passenger compartment. This has released the latch where it will catch. I can see this becoming a serious danger if the latch fails to secure when someone is driving and the door comes flying open. Even though it is the law to ware a seat belt in most places there are still those that don't. even beyond the seat belt issue many people would be startled by the door just flying open.

- Springfield, IL, USA

Within a week of taking delivery on 7/24/09, the interior and most especially the door skins were already acquiring marks and scratches - a slight finger nail scratch required a special product to remove etc. There have been a few intermittent problems. 1. when releasing the clutch pedal there was a noise that sounded like a cable that has since become more consistent. On 8/3/09, I had an appointment with the dealer and was told it was the cable connected to the throw-out bearing which was said to be normal. However, this cable noise has not been normal with any of my other manual transmissions, nor is it present in all Kia Souls. 2. I began to notice a knocking sensation coming through the shifter handle when shifting from 1st to 2nd gear along with a grinding sound when downshifting into 2nd gear. There is also a slight jolt when shifting into 2nd gear - it is not a smooth transition like the other gears. 3. when at a traffic light with the car in neutral, there are times when the car will not go into 1st gear, and wants to go into 3rd gear which usually takes a couple of tries before it will go into 1st gear. 4. there has been excessive engine revving 2X now. The first occurred after I came out of reverse - the second was when I tried to go into 1st gear but ended up in 3rd gear and brought the car back to neutral. 5. the last issue concerns excessive water and dirt accumulating in the engine. After washing my car, I popped the hood and noticed the hood latch is already stripped down to the metal after only being opened and closed 4-5 times. The engine design seems to attract pools of water in certain areas, which also occurs when it rains, and there is concern of premature rust. Scheduled an appointment for 9/15 to have the oil changed at 1000 miles and to get these issues addressed but had to schedule a 3rd appointment because the dealer now needs to keep the car for 5 hours so the outcome is pending.

- Newtown Square, PA, USA