Kia Soul problems, help!

D-Dawg · Postby **D-Dawg** » November 11th, 2013, 10:18 pm

Hey tuners, my family recently bought a new 2013 kia soul. There's a few problems with it and I wanna know if anyone else experiencing the same problems:

Firstly, the brakes (well I think it's coming from the brakes) makes a sharp grinding noise when stopping, not slowing down but literally coming to a complete stop. And it's even more annoying in traffic. When we carried it to get serviced, the company first said it was the 'wax on the rotors' and they'd try and adjust it. They just made it worse, the second time we carried it to get serviced, we told them it's still making the noise then they said that it's the brakes locking against the forward movement of the car and they can't fix it. Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't that what ABS supposed to counteract? And we asked another owner if they had the same problem and they said after a month, the noise was eliminated.

Secondly, fuel economy. Before we got it serviced, the eco mode worked perfectly. There was actually a difference in fuel economy. With it off, the car averaged about 8.9L/100km. With it on it averaged about 8.1L/100km. With the tiptronic, it had an even better average of 7.4L/100km. But since the first service, it's been completely messed up. With the eco mode, the car get worse fuel economy that with it off. And it's been stuck in the range of 9L-10L/100km.

Thirdly, jerky transmission. Again, before the first service, it worked perfectly. Then after the first service, I noticed a whirring noise when changing from 'park' to 'drive' or tiptronic. And when trying to accelerate, it's like the transmission can't make up it's mind on which gear to select.

I just wanna know if anyone else who owns the 2013 model of the kia soul is experiencing the same problem and what you did about it. Cuz it seems like the maintenance crew don't know wtf they doing. Bess we did buy RORO and done cuz even used cars don't have those problems lol. And any advice is appreciated. Thanks!

Postby **Team Loco** » November 11th, 2013, 11:13 pm

Well what you have described sounds like a vehicle that was roughed up a bit. Or you may have just gotten a lemon. But all the issues are typical symptoms of aggressive driving habits

D-Dawg · Postby **D-Dawg** » November 12th, 2013, 8:58 am

Team Loco wrote:Well what you have described sounds like a vehicle that was roughed up a bit. Or you may have just gotten a lemon. But all the issues are typical symptoms of aggressive driving habits

I'll admit, I do drive a bit hard on the highway sometimes. It could've caused the jerky transmission, which I'll address right away but the brakes have been making that noise since the day we got it, before I started pressing down that right pedal a bit.

FullStop · Postby **FullStop** » November 12th, 2013, 9:54 am

Contact consumer affairs.

Pointman-IA · Postby **Pointman-IA** » November 15th, 2013, 10:02 pm

You using Super Unleaded or Premium?

I know this won't affect the whirring noise from the transmission you getting but overall performance with respect to the fuel.

We have the Kia Rio and some weird stuff began happening when we switched from Premium to Super Unleaded.

Remember the firm had an ad on the daily newspaper indicating that the Soul & Rio could take the Super Unleaded with a minor drop in performance? Seems as though that minor is a BIG MINOR.

Yesterday, I decided to full up with Premium Unleaded and the car began running as the day we drove it out the showroom.

I am looking to sell it to go back Euro. I don't like the idea that there isn't a temperature guage.

JStaples · Postby **JStaples** » November 16th, 2013, 8:23 am

I think the grinding brake noise is a general glitch with a lot of kia vehicles. We own the 2013 cerato and I hear that grinding sound sometimes when stopping. But its no so loud...yet!

I know someone with the kia sportage and when they stop...you hear this LOUD! grinding sound whenever they touch the brakes when driving.. so think you are not alone with the brake issue.

JStaples · Postby **JStaples** » November 16th, 2013, 8:27 am

The brakes make the same sound as when I do an under wash on my pick-up...I guessing it's probably some type moisture being deposited there or something:?::-?

i am an idiot · Postby **i am an idiot** » November 16th, 2013, 9:16 am

Pointman-IA wrote:I am looking to sell it to go back Euro. I don't like the idea that there isn't a temperature guage.

Lol. I highly doubt that.

FullStop · Postby **FullStop** » November 16th, 2013, 9:20 am

JStaples wrote:The brakes make the same sound as when I do an under wash on my pick-up...I guessing it's probably some type moisture being deposited there or something:?::-?

could be the rotors. Might have a high propensity to rust up quickly. maybe a poor choise of metal.

joe_d_boss · Postby **joe_d_boss** » November 16th, 2013, 9:53 am

Maybe you all should try aftermarket rotors and brakes when the service life of your current set is over.

DjDaniel · Postby **DjDaniel** » November 16th, 2013, 12:58 pm

Why not reset the ECU and see if the Economy mode works again? Just take out the Neg battery terminal for about two minutes and then put it back on. Drive it for a while and the computer should re map the transmission.

The brakes problem sounding like the rotors are damaged or maybe change your type of brake pads.

Pointman-IA · Postby **Pointman-IA** » November 16th, 2013, 1:54 pm

i am an idiot wrote:
Pointman-IA wrote:I am looking to sell it to go back Euro. I don't like the idea that there isn't a temperature guage.

Lol. I highly doubt that.

We have the previous models as company rentals and they dont have a temperature gauge.

cinco · Postby **cinco** » November 16th, 2013, 3:40 pm

Drive it back there tell them figure it out and return to u when its sorted. Get management involved and get a letter stating all issues are resolved when they are complete.

D-Dawg · Postby **D-Dawg** » November 16th, 2013, 10:26 pm

Pointman-IA wrote:You using Super Unleaded or Premium?

I know this won't affect the whirring noise from the transmission you getting but overall performance with respect to the fuel.

We have the Kia Rio and some weird stuff began happening when we switched from Premium to Super Unleaded.

Remember the firm had an ad on the daily newspaper indicating that the Soul & Rio could take the Super Unleaded with a minor drop in performance? Seems as though that minor is a BIG MINOR.

Yesterday, I decided to full up with Premium Unleaded and the car began running as the day we drove it out the showroom.

I am looking to sell it to go back Euro. I don't like the idea that there isn't a temperature guage.

We did switch to Super and I noticed a lil pinging noise on a cold start but it dissipates once it warms up, which I think is normal. In terms of performance though, I noticed a drop in hp too but not too much though. But then again, I use the tiptronic a lot so that probably makes up for the missing hp.
You have the new Rio? Cuz that kinda weird to not have a temp gauge.

D-Dawg · Postby **D-Dawg** » November 16th, 2013, 10:29 pm

JStaples wrote:I think the grinding brake noise is a general glitch with a lot of kia vehicles. We own the 2013 cerato and I hear that grinding sound sometimes when stopping. But its no so loud...yet!

I know someone with the kia sportage and when they stop...you hear this LOUD! grinding sound whenever they touch the brakes when driving.. so think you are not alone with the brake issue.

I really thought it was me alone yes. The grinding noise, for me, does usually be louder when the rotors cold but after driving for a while it does get a tad bit softer. But still reaaaal annoying in traffic.

D-Dawg · Postby **D-Dawg** » November 16th, 2013, 10:32 pm

JStaples wrote:The brakes make the same sound as when I do an under wash on my pick-up...I guessing it's probably some type moisture being deposited there or something:?::-?

Could be, but even if it was moisture, it should've dried up after driving for a while and warming up the rotors.

D-Dawg · Postby **D-Dawg** » November 16th, 2013, 10:37 pm

ghostbusters wrote:could be the rotors. Might have a high propensity to rust up quickly. maybe a poor choise of metal.

Perhaps so.

joe_d_boss wrote:Maybe you all should try aftermarket rotors and brakes when the service life of your current set is over.

Really might have to go in that direction if I don't have another choice. Tryna avoid having that spend that kinda $$ though x_x

D-Dawg · Postby **D-Dawg** » November 16th, 2013, 10:45 pm

DjDaniel wrote:Why not reset the ECU and see if the Economy mode works again? Just take out the Neg battery terminal for about two minutes and then put it back on. Drive it for a while and the computer should re map the transmission.

The brakes problem sounding like the rotors are damaged or maybe change your type of brake pads.

Thanks, I'll try that and see if it works.

cinco wrote:Drive it back there tell them figure it out and return to u when its sorted. Get management involved and get a letter stating all issues are resolved when they are complete.

I did that for the brakes issue, they said the brakes noise can't be fixed. Still will try doing that for the other issues.

cinco · Postby **cinco** » November 17th, 2013, 4:36 pm

D-Dawg wrote:
DjDaniel wrote:Why not reset the ECU and see if the Economy mode works again? Just take out the Neg battery terminal for about two minutes and then put it back on. Drive it for a while and the computer should re map the transmission.

The brakes problem sounding like the rotors are damaged or maybe change your type of brake pads.

Thanks, I'll try that and see if it works.

cinco wrote:Drive it back there tell them figure it out and return to u when its sorted. Get management involved and get a letter stating all issues are resolved when they are complete.

I did that for the brakes issue, they said the brakes noise can't be fixed. Still will try doing that for the other issues.

Get them to write that in a letter that it cant he fixed and contacy kia global with your case