LONG READ AHEAD!!!

This saga is never ending. My faith in the Auto Industry is just severely damaged by this entire ordeal. Here is a gigantic post about what I have been through in the last 10 weeks with my 2017 KIA Soul+. Mind you I've driven this car for 4 years and hadn't had any major mechanical problems. The car has just under 73,500 Miles on it. It has 2 year old tires, replaced all 4. It has a brand new battery in after I purchased one in Aug of '21. It's only needed minor front brake work but this issue right here is just unbelievable!

11/07: Filled up with gas at Walmart Neighborhood Market on Timberlake Rd, just put in about half a tank, don't usually do that but I did for some reason that day. Shortly thereafter I drove to Target on the way there as I was driving up a hill my engine sputtered and I lost power. It only lasted maybe 5 seconds but it's never done that before. The rest of the way to Target there are no issues. I was meeting someone there that day to buy movies. After the meet I started the car up and there was hesitation from the ignition but it quickly turned over. As I pulled out of the parking lot the engine started to sputter hard and I smelled gasoline really strongly inside of the car. I pulled over quickly behind Target and shut the car off. I then proceeded to call the Tow Truck. I got my car towed to Larry's Tire & Automotive off of Candler's Mtn Rd, their Forest store near where I live just did an Oil Change, Tire Rotation and State Inspection to my car in Oct, so I felt comfortable with their business. I was assured by the staff there I would receive a call from them once they found out what was wrong and a very nice young gentleman gave my mother and I a ride home.

Larry's kept my car from 11/07 - 11/10. What they did was diagnose my car, clean the injectors, add a fuel treatment to the gas tank and replace an O2 Sensor that had gone bad. I was also told that they would run the car to make sure any bad gas that might be in the tank cleaned could be cleaned out of the engine. When I brought my car to Larry's it had a half a tank of gas in it. When I picked it up that day, it STILL had half a tank of gas in it! The cost for what was done to it was $546!!!!!

I then proceeded to drive my car from 11/10 - 11/15. In that time span I drove to Salem in back, which is over 120 miles round trip and also stopped and filled up with gas, this time getting a full tank and getting it from a Gas Station that was Tier 1 Certified. I was told earlier not to trust Gas Stations that weren't Tier 1 so now I fill up at Shell, 76 and Exxon and avoid places like Sheetz and Walmart for gas. I had my car back just 5 days when all of a sudden the sputter was back as Mom and I were driving to Madison Heights to go shop at a Big Lots there. Same thing happened as before I was driving up a hill and lost power and my car sputtered. I got to Big Lots but was shaken up by this again. I thought this was behind me. I mean for $550 dollars it better be. I called Larry's and told them what happened. They asked if I could bring it in, so I luckily it started and I was able to drive it to their shop without incident.

Larry's kept it this time from 11/15 - 11/16. They decided to replace my Car's Battery but this time did so without calling me. I also spoke with the Manager on the phone who exclaimed to me that with his 20+ years in the business he assured me that everything was fine with car. He even drove it himself to Madison Heights and back without issue. I told him that I found it odd that my Battery was bad considering I just bought a Battery back in late Aug of 2021 from KIA of Lynchburg, I also paid $294 for it. But I was told once again not to worry and that this new battery they installed I would not be charged for.

I then proceeded to drive the car somewhat cautiously but eventually I stopped thinking about it until Thanksgiving. At this point I had my car back for the longest I had it in a few weeks. I had driven it from 11/16 - 11/24. When on Thanksgiving I was driving it to see my girlfriend in Salem and just as I was about to turn onto one of the main roads to get there. Route 460, my engine sputtered again. I pulled over filled the gas tank up, it was at a quarter of a tank then. I started it, it started right up and as I pulled out of the Exxon station and onto Route 460 I lost all power and had to quickly pullover. Luckily I was able to coast into a Dollar General parking lot and again called good ol Mitchell's Towing, a really lovely company to be honest. This time I was desperate for a shop I could rely on as Larry's was out of the picture so in my desperation I called a car friend and they recommended to me a shop called Pitt Stop Automotive, which is off of Timberlake Rd. So that's where I told the Tow truck to take it but because it was the holidays no one would call me about my car until after Thanksgiving. I went home and ate myself into a Turkey coma.

Pit Stop Automotive was a real prize piece. This is what I get for listening to supposed friends about where I should take my car. Pitt Stop kept it from 11/24 - 12/15! In that time span they assessed that the High Pressure Fuel Pump needed replacing as well as new Injectors. The pump alone was quoted to me at $1200 before labor. I could buy the pump from KIA of Lynchburg for $800!!! Also this shop has no receptionist and one mechanic to service at least a dozen vehicles. Had I known that I wouldn't have taken it there. My patience was wearing thin. They tell me they're not sure their computer can properly diagnose my car and they never called me back when they said they were going to. Finally I reached my boiling point and went over there and took my car back. But not before paying firstly. In the time span of nearly 3 weeks they managed to somewhat Diagnose my car and replace the Spark Plugs. And it cost me $300!!!! Although in this shops defense the cost was double what I paid and he knocked it down to $300 plus my cost included the fee to tow the car to KIA and the owner offered to fix my car for half of whatever KIA of Lynchburg is offering, it was a huge gesture on the owners part but based on the quality of service I received I just couldn't accept it.

KIA of Lynchburg had my car from 12/15 - 12/29. In that time span their computers and their Master Mechanic said that my Catalytic Converter was about to fail and so because of the low miles on the vehicle it was covered under the Emissions Warranty and so there would be zero cost for everything this included installation! Finally a break, I was feeling so relieved at this point. The wait would finally be worth it. Also on the write up on the Service Ticket it said that it had been driven and that loss of power had been resolved. Key word here is "Resolved" if you in were in my shoes and you had all of these car issues in a short time span would you be given any sort of piece of mind when a dealership that specializes in your make of car says the issue has been "Resolved"? I sure hope so. Because the issue had been "Resolved" I went on a date that night in town with my girl and I rested the car on Friday but that Saturday, New Years Eve, I was on the road to her place back in Salem. I was already on Route 460 and had the Cruise control on for a bit and now I was coming into some traffic near Bedford's Walmart when. Sputter, sputter, sputter and no power. I quickly pulled over into Auto Zone. The car wouldn't start for awhile after I turned it off. I already called Mitchell's who were on their way. Finally I got the car to start and immediately smelled gasoline, so I shut it off. I had the car towed back to KIA of Lynchburg. They couldn't get to it until the 3rd because their service dept was closed on the day after New Years? I mean why?

KIA of Lynchburg had my car a second time from 12/31 - till today 01/17, so far. Supposedly my car is to be ready today. I am not at all optimistic. According to KIA who once again "Resolved" the issue, my car needs a High Pressure Fuel Pump, sounds familiar. The cost for everything will be $1,200! When going to pickup my car, on whatever day that happens to be, I will be bringing in my last service ticket and showing them that putting the word "Resolved" on a ticket is not smart, especially if the issue is still ongoing. I never in a Million years thought this would be so hard to fix. I still owe $3,500 on this car. Another year and a half of car payments. In the span of 10 weeks of my nightmare I had my car back and running for a full 15 days. 5 days in a row, 8 days in a row, 2 days in a row. It's cost nearly $2,100 to diagnose and fix or replace parts that may not need replacing. I've made 3 Car Payments in this time span which are $205.49 a month.

UPDATE!!!! Got a call from KIA today 01/18/23 at 3:30 in the afternoon. I answered thinking that my car was ready. It was ready alright, ready for the scrap yard. It had caught on FIRE!!!! during a test drive by the mechanics after installing the new High Pressure Fuel Pump. Well it's a good thing I decided to go over there because the dealership said the fire wasn't real bad and that there was some damage. SOME DAMAGE??? Look at my pics, there isn't some damage the damn thing is totaled and currently I am in the process of filing a claim with my Insurance to get this worked out. The dealership used 5 Fire Extinguishers and then the Fire Dept came and doused the fire with foam. It's a total loss now.

Bottom line, it took 3 different shops to figure out how to go about fixing this major issue. Luckily the mechanic wasn't harmed and neither was I. As I would've been driving it this weekend to see my GF and on roads traveling in excess of 65-75 mph and if this happened I may not be here to type all of this. I have lost all respect for KIA, which according to a Marine friend of mine, says that he will never buy their cars because KIA stands for Killed in Action, which very nearly happened.

Update from Jan 29, 2023 Car was deemed not liable or negligent at the KIA dealership by KIA's Insurance. My Insurance Erie will be sending me a check for my loss. This was an Engine Fire that resulted in a total loss during a test drive after an installation of a new High Pressure Fuel Pump. But because the fire melted my engine, no cause could be found, says KIA's Insurance.