2019 Kia Soul EV

On July 2, 2020, Kia America Inc. (Kia) filed safety recall 20V-389 for model year (MY) 2015-2016 Kia Soul EV vehicles. This recall was in response to allegations of unintended vehicle movement while in Park and provided updated electronic control unit software for the electronic parking brake logic as the remedy. The updated logic, which was included during production for MY 2017-2019 Kia Soul EV vehicles, automatically activates the electronic parking brake when the vehicle is powered off while the gear shift lever is in the Park position. On September 10, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a Recall Query (RQ23-005) to investigate allegations of unintended vehicle movement while in Park in MY 2015-2019 Kia Soul EV vehicles. At the time that the investigation was opened, ODI had received 3 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) and additional Early Warning Reporting data involving reports of unintended vehicle movement in MY 2017-2018 Kia Soul EV vehicles. One of the VOQs submitted to ODI reported a rollaway collision with a fire hydrant, which occurred after the operator had parked and exited the vehicle. Following the opening of this Recall Query, ODI and Kia participated in a joint inspection the vehicle which had been involved in a rollaway collision. During the inspection, the subject vehicle exhibited the alleged defect, rolling both forwards and backwards while shifted into Park with the electronic parking brake not engaged. The subject vehicle's electronic parking brake logic performed as designed during the inspection and the vehicle experienced no unintended movement while the electronic parking brake was engaged. In its November 21, 2023 response to ODI's information request, Kia provided customer complaint and warranty claim data for 19 unique VINs which relate to the alleged defect in the subject vehicles. Kia separately made ODI aware of one additional allegation of vehicle rollaway that resulted in a collision with another vehicle. This collision was reported to Kia following their cutoff date for the information request response. Kia stated that based on its investigation, the subject vehicles' parking mechanism can be damaged if the gear shift lever is shifted to Park prior to coming to a complete stop. If the parking mechanism is damaged and the electronic parking brake is not engaged, unintended vehicle movement while in Park may occur. However, based on ODI's analysis of the available information, it is apparent that not all allegations of the subject defect which have been investigated by Kia have had evidence that the parking mechanism was damaged. At this time, the root cause of the alleged defect is not yet confirmed. On October 19, 2023 Kia filed safety recall 23V-724 for MY 2015-2019 Kia Soul EV vehicles. The new recall remedy provides update electronic parking brake logic that automatically activates the electronic parking brake when the gear shift lever is in the Park position, regardless of whether the vehicle is powered on or off. At this time, NHTSA has not received any reports of electronic parking brake failure for the subject vehicles, but will continue to monitor following this investigation. In view of the recall action being taken by Kia, ODI is closing this Recall Query. The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.

The contact owns a 2019 Kia Soul EV. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started shaking abnormally. The contact drove the vehicle out of the street and into a parking space. Additionally, the contact stated that on two occasions the cellphone charger cord melted in the charger port while the cellphone was charging. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The contact was informed that the transmission failed, and the transmission needed to be replaced; however, a diagnostic test had not been completed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 73,000.

NHTSA ID

11564480

Incident

Dec 23, 2023

Mileage

73,000 mi

Please note this was in our driveway and we have a video of the incident. Driver parked the car on slight hill and engaged the parking break and exited the vehicle. The car was still "On". Driver opened the door and reached in and pushed the ON button to shut down power. The brake disengaged by itself, car rolled, knocked down and almost rolled over driver. Rolled into street in oncoming traffic. Damage to door, slight injury to driver who was nearly run over.

NHTSA ID

11564307

Incident

Jan 7, 2024

BRAKE FAILURE CAUSING WRECK, COMING ON TO A RED LIGHT, HIT BRAKES AND CAR DID NOT SLOW DOWN. I SWERVED TO MISS HITTING THE CARS IN FRONT OF ME, THINKING HITTING SOMEONE FROM BEHIND WOULD CAUSE A NUMBER OF INJURIES. I MISSED BOTH OF THESE CARS, BUT HAD TO RU N A RED LIGHT. THERE WAS ONE CAR IN LEFT HAND TURN LANE ON THE RIGHT. I THOUGHT IF I COULD GET THROUGH THE INTERSECTION I MIGHT COULD LET THE CAR SLOW DOWN ON ITS OWN IN A FIELD ACROSS THE STREET. THE CAR IN THE TURN LANE BLOCKED MY VIEW ON ONCOMING TRAFIC. A TRUCK GOING 45 OR 50 MILES PER HOUR HIT ME IN RIGHT FRONT TOTALING MY CAR AND CAUSING ME SOME BACK AND NECK INJURIES. I HAD MY SEAT BELT ON AND MY FOOT WAS STILL ON THE BRAKE. THE AIR BAGS WORKED PERFECTLY, BUT MY CAR WAS DESTROYED. BOTH VEHICLES HAD TO BE TOWED OFF NON DRIVABLE . I WILL GET PHOTOS LATER. I HAD A PROBLEM EARLIER IN THE WEEK, WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL ALMOST GOING TO THE FLOOR BEFORE THE CAR WOULD STOP.

NHTSA ID

11222050

Incident

Jun 23, 2019

Mileage

450 mi

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SUBSEQUENT REPAIR ACTION: HIGH-VOLTAGE BATTERY PACK ASSEMBLY REPLACEMENT (SC267Z REV 2) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information to replace the high-voltage battery pack assembly (HV BPA) on certain 2015-2019MY Soul EV (PS EV) vehicles produced from July 15, 2014 through September 28, 2018. After completing SC267 with the latest battery management system (BMS) software upgrade, the subject vehicles may subsequently require the replacement of the HV BPA due to MIL ON with a BPA related DTC(s).

PITSTOP: TECHNICAL OPERATIONS: EXTERNAL DAMAGE TO ULTRASONIC SENSOR: This Pitstop provides information related to Parking Distance Warning (PDW) alerts and repairs involving ultrasonic sensors. The PDW system alerts the driver while parking, by calculating distance based on the difference in signal transmission and reception times between the vehicle (ultrasonic sensor) and an object. The membrane film of the ultrasonic sensor is used for object detention and can be damaged by stone chips or foreign substances while driving. Damage to the cover of the ultrasonic sensor can also lead to damage to the internal circuit. As a result of this external damage, the PDW system may not receive the proper signal from the ultrasonic sensor. In some cases, the system may cause a false alarm, no alert, or phantom warnings by a “Warning Lamp’ to be displayed on the cluster. The ultrasonic sensor membrane film should be always inspected for external damage and if any part replacement should be treated as a general repair, not as a warranty claim repair for this concern. (Please note that this Pitstop only applies to models/trims that are equipped with the ultrasonic sensors.)

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: TRANSMISSION FLUID APPLICATION GUIDE - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information relating to the correct transmission fluid type and fill quantity requirement for each Kia model. A flush is required ONLY when a transmission is replaced, and the transmission oil cooler is transferred to the new transmission.

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE ACTION: KIA CONNECT MODEM RESET (SA611) - This bulletin outlines the procedure for resetting the modem in certain 2016-2025MY Kia vehicles listed on page 3 that are equipped with Kia Connect Services. The affected vehicles may encounter the following issues: remote Start/Climate Control function not working, vehicle Status on the Kia Access App not updating, connected routing not functioning properly.

VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: OWNER NOTIFICATION (SC267A) - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia is conducting a Voluntary Service Campaign to update the vehicle's battery management system (BMS) software to the latest version in certain 2018-2019 MY Soul EV vehicles.

VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: DEALER PRINCIPAL MEMO (SC267A) - This document is the announcement to the dealer principals that Kia is conducting a Voluntary Service Campaign to update the battery management system (BMS) software to the latest version on certain 2015-2017 MY Soul EV vehicles manufactured from July 15, 2014 through June 30, 2017 that had their BMS previously replaced and updated (under SC267) and certain 2018-2019 MY Soul EV vehicles manufactured from July 3, 2017 through September 28, 2018 that only had their BMS software previously updated (under SC267).