Up until this past Sunday, when my engine started knocking; I haven't had any problems with my 2019 Kia Soul. But that all changed when the engine started knocking on my way to work. No warning lights came on and the car was able to be driven on the Interstate, still running fine for the last 8 miles that it took for me to get to work. I called my husband to come look at the car while I was at work. First thing he checked was the oil level and came in to tell me it was not showing any oil on the dipstick. I was shocked because I regularly get the oil changed every 3,000 miles and had just gotten the oil changed a month prior.
We put 6 quarts of oil in the car and drove it to an oil change service center near my work, just 3.5 miles away. The car ran fine for 2 miles, but started knocking again and started smoking. Again, no warning lights came on. The service center did a diagnostic to see if there was an oil leak and did not find any. They recommended that I take the car to an auto service center that specializes in engines. I paid to have the car towed to an auto center we had used 8 years prior when we owned a Smart Car and that center did an awesome job with repairs on the Smart Car and were extremely thorough and honest with keeping the Smart Car serviced. The auto center called me the next day, after doing a diagnostic on the engine. They said the knocking was coming from the top of the engine and the camshaft/lifters were damaged due to running the car with no oil. They did some further research on the engine and discovered there was a class action lawsuit against Kia for motors due to the design of the engine that made it run oil through the engine, causing build up and damage to internal engine parts. Plus the lawsuit states that Kia did not install Oil level warning lights in these models and only put in an oil pressure light. I called the lawyers that did the lawsuit only to find out the deadline to apply ended in July,4 months ago. But they did tell me the lawsuit was for Kia motors that are 2.4 GDI and my engine is 1.6 GDI. But they said the same problems happen in both engine types. So the owner doesn't know the car is internally burning oil until it's too late. But no recall or reports about the known engine flaws had been shared.
Had I known this was a problem, I would have been checking the oil level of my car weekly or more often. The only fix that my service center found was that additives and cleaners needed to be run through the engine before every oil change, completely drain out all the debris and then run special oil cleaners after each oil change. But even with those procedures, it was not always successful and engine failure still happened due to the flaws in the engine. My service center called the national Kia parts center to find out how much it would cost to install a new engine and they were told that Kia has discontinued this engine and there is not a replacement engine available to put in my car. So I'm stuck with a car, which I have not paid off yet that has a blown engine and Kia discontinued the engine so I cannot get a new engine for it. I had bought an extended warranty for the car and they are willing to pay for a new engine, but cannot do anything until an engine is found.
Had vehicle at dealership getting clutch replaced. Following replacement, dealership informed me that the engine had developed a knock, likely due to a spun rod bearing. Would need new short block engine replacement. Not safe to drive. Approximately 70 other vehicles waiting for engines/related parts ahead of me in line.
- Cole P.,
Mobile, AL, US
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A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
Up until this past Sunday, when my engine started knocking; I haven't had any problems with my 2019 Kia Soul. But that all changed when the engine started knocking on my way to work. No warning lights came on and the car was able to be driven on the Interstate, still running fine for the last 8 miles that it took for me to get to work. I called my husband to come look at the car while I was at work. First thing he checked was the oil level and came in to tell me it was not showing any oil on the dipstick. I was shocked because I regularly get the oil changed every 3,000 miles and had just gotten the oil changed a month prior.
We put 6 quarts of oil in the car and drove it to an oil change service center near my work, just 3.5 miles away. The car ran fine for 2 miles, but started knocking again and started smoking. Again, no warning lights came on. The service center did a diagnostic to see if there was an oil leak and did not find any. They recommended that I take the car to an auto service center that specializes in engines. I paid to have the car towed to an auto center we had used 8 years prior when we owned a Smart Car and that center did an awesome job with repairs on the Smart Car and were extremely thorough and honest with keeping the Smart Car serviced. The auto center called me the next day, after doing a diagnostic on the engine. They said the knocking was coming from the top of the engine and the camshaft/lifters were damaged due to running the car with no oil. They did some further research on the engine and discovered there was a class action lawsuit against Kia for motors due to the design of the engine that made it run oil through the engine, causing build up and damage to internal engine parts. Plus the lawsuit states that Kia did not install Oil level warning lights in these models and only put in an oil pressure light. I called the lawyers that did the lawsuit only to find out the deadline to apply ended in July,4 months ago. But they did tell me the lawsuit was for Kia motors that are 2.4 GDI and my engine is 1.6 GDI. But they said the same problems happen in both engine types. So the owner doesn't know the car is internally burning oil until it's too late. But no recall or reports about the known engine flaws had been shared.
Had I known this was a problem, I would have been checking the oil level of my car weekly or more often. The only fix that my service center found was that additives and cleaners needed to be run through the engine before every oil change, completely drain out all the debris and then run special oil cleaners after each oil change. But even with those procedures, it was not always successful and engine failure still happened due to the flaws in the engine. My service center called the national Kia parts center to find out how much it would cost to install a new engine and they were told that Kia has discontinued this engine and there is not a replacement engine available to put in my car. So I'm stuck with a car, which I have not paid off yet that has a blown engine and Kia discontinued the engine so I cannot get a new engine for it. I had bought an extended warranty for the car and they are willing to pay for a new engine, but cannot do anything until an engine is found.
- Lisa S., Lawrenceburg, US