Battery Recall for cars with E400 high-voltage battery.

[JejuSoul]

Here's another poll from the US Kia Soul EV Facebook page.
The original author created a better poll than the one above but it got distorted.
Hence as above we can't really trust any of this data.
But it's interesting nevertheless.
Is it really true that all replacement packs in the US are re-manufactured.
So many people have spoken about their packs coming from Korea that I had assumed some were new packs.

 

[ksoul2084]

Percentages are nice but what are the number of actuals responses for each category?

 

[JejuSoul]

Is it really true that all replacement packs in the US are re-manufactured.

No. It is not true. Some of the replacements in the US are new packs.
I looked through the old threads to find an example and found this one.

 

[JejuSoul]

-
October 2023 :I took the car to Kia for the recall today. They replaced the BMS together with a new wiring harness.
It took 3 hours. The new software hasn't triggered a warning.

I have now got the EV Warning / Limp Mode.
Took the car to Kia.
They said a new software update would be available in a couple of weeks.
Until then I keep the car.
It's fine to drive around town. Just have to go slowly up the hills.

Clearly this software bug affects all the E400 batteries not just the re-manufactured packs.

 

[andrew1joe]

I have now got the EV Warning / Limp Mode.
Took the car to Kia.
They said a new software update would be available in a couple of weeks.
Until then I keep the car.
It's fine to drive around town. Just have to go slowly up the hills.

Clearly this software bug affects all the E400 batteries not just the re-manufactured packs.

Does this mean that everyone that got the BMS update will eventually go into limp mode until the next software update?

 

[JejuSoul]

Presumably all the cars with version 1 of the BMS upgrade that went into limp mode will want version 2.
The cars that had version 1 but didn't go into limp mode yet may as well wait to see what the version 2 actually does.
For those who have never done the upgrade at all I won't advise. I cannot say wait because this is an important safety recall.

 

[andrew1joe]

Presumably all the cars with version 1 of the BMS upgrade that went into limp mode will want version 2.
The cars that had version 1 but didn't go into limp mode yet may as well wait to see what the version 2 actually does.
For those who have never done the upgrade at all I won't advise. I cannot say wait because this is an important safety recall.

Sorry if I missed it but once you enter limp mode, I am assuming it’s limited by kW and not absolute speed? What is the limit for power?

 

[Locuturus]

I’m a little concerned since I can’t even find my battery pack part number on the forums anywhere. I have a 2016 that just had a warranty replacement of a battery pack.

On my service report it says that they used 1x 37510-E4252R which I assume is a remanufactured one, but below the line Part# says 37510-E4250.

It also mentions a Transport Canada (Transportation Safety Board) reference number TSB ELE12202301 that I can’t seem to find on the interwebs. The tech mentioned following this at the beginning and at the end of the repair. Checking Canada’s recall listing doesn’t show any electrical recalls apart from the one in March 2023. Is there some differences between the US and Canadian models?

But judging from JejuSoul’s last post the 2014-2017 models don’t have E400 cells anyway…kind of worried since my warranty for the drivetrain+battery expires July 2024.

 

[JejuSoul]

...
On my service report it says that they used 1x 37510-E4252R which I assume is a remanufactured one, but below the line Part# says 37510-E4250.

...

37510-E4252R is a re-manufactured pack for the 2014-2017 models with a battery heater. :- Remanufactured Pack Assembly Batt - kia (37510-E4252R)
Kia assumes these packs have E400 cells, so they are included in this recall.
Your car has had the BMS upgrade. That is why it has a new wiring harness.

Also this is not the first time that we cannot find the Canadian TSB reports. (Technical Service Bulletins) .
Example :- Recalls/Technical Servise Bulletins
Can someone in Canada point us to their site. In the US it is NHTSA.

I found the Transport Canada page with the recall. Canada : Motor Vehicle Safety Recalls Database
But it does not have the same number as printed on your receipt. (Similar though)
Transport Canada Recall # 2023-181 "On certain electric vehicles, there could be a problem inside the high-voltage battery. As a result, the high-voltage battery could short circuit while driving." It states this recall applies to 2,176 cars.
The TSB is the instruction sheet for technicians on how to do this fix. It is the link to this I have not found.

 

[Locuturus]

Thanks JejuSoul! I assume that means they already did the fix since at the time of pickup there wasn’t any more recalls that they needed to do?

 

[andrew1joe]

But judging from JejuSoul’s last post the 2014-2017 models don’t have E400 cells anyway…kind of worried since my warranty for the drivetrain+battery expires July 2024.

I wouldn’t worry about warranty expiring. Recalls are not impacted by warranty.

 

[Bearcat]

Sorry if I missed it but once you enter limp mode, I am assuming it’s limited by kW and not absolute speed? What is the limit for power?

My car wouldn't go above 20 kW with the pedal floored.

 

[Bearcat]

My battery was new, in 3 weeks after SC267 I got turtle mode and DTC P1ad1. Definitely SC267 kill the car, now my car at the dealer and KIA engineers don't know what to do with it.

I'm experiencing the same issues as you and read out the P1AD1 DTC. I talked today with the service manager at our local Kia dealer. He says I'm not alone with my problems: there are 4-5 Soul's in my local area with the same problem as well as numerous others around the state. He indicated there is no update to the dealers on any fixes that the Kia engineers have been working on. Plus, once they figure out what is going on, if it has actually damaged the battery, then you would have to wait in line for an available replacement battery that numerous other folks are already in line for. I'm hoping (and guessing) that it is solely a software issue that can be cleared up quickly once they understand what is happening but no guarantees. Bottom line, it could be a very long time before I get my car back from the dealer. Too bad - I love the car and miss driving it (with no loaner available to me in the meantime).

 

[BEC]

Well....my 2016 is now at the dealer for the BMS software/wiring harness recall (and the latest parking brake one, I suppose). My service adviser is not aware of another version of the software coming.

He also said something disquieting....something about battery packs being so hard to get that Kia is buying some of the cars back. I didn't press him for further details, but will when I see him again (hopefully Friday or Saturday when my car has been updated). In the meantime we have a new Kia Niro hybrid in the driveway. Since my other vehicle is now also a hybrid (Ford Maverick) it is interesting to see the difference between them in what information they give as well as how smoothly the whole electric/ICE/combo thing works. But that's for another forum, not here.

I really didn't want to take it in, based on what I've read here. We got a new pack in November of 2022 and the car has been fine except for an unrelated HVAC problem. The Soul suits our use case well and if the consequence of the "upgrade" is that we wind up in the queue for a new battery again, or selling the car back to Kia with no way to get another, well....neither my wife nor I will be happy about that.

The Niro was pleasant enough on the 10.5 mile trip home from the dealer, but the prospect of getting a full EV version of it doesn't make me all that thrilled.

Oh - and I just checked the paperwork. I got a remanufactured pack in November of 2022.

The nationwide hold on Soul EVs mentioned in post 137 has me more than a little bit concerned.

 

[kimdavi]

I have now got the EV Warning / Limp Mode.
Took the car to Kia.
They said a new software update would be available in a couple of weeks.
Until then I keep the car.
It's fine to drive around town. Just have to go slowly up the hills.

Clearly this software bug affects all the E400 batteries not just the re-manufactured packs.

Is there a new BMS update? Could you please share the source of this information? what specific change does this update address? Will an official release announcement be made?

My 2015 Soul Battery recall experience has been ongoing for 6 months. BMS Update (Sept)| Warning trigger (Oct) | Battery Replacement (Oct)| Warning trigger (Nov) | Sitting idle (Dec) 3 months at dealership with zero communication. My patience has run out at this point.

 

[andrew1joe]

Knock on wood but so far no limp for me with BMS update. 2018 and never had my battery pack replaced.

 

[JejuSoul]

My car has had the second BMS update.
I am out of limp mode.
This was just a software update to the BMS.

 

[kim]

I just got an recall. I got my battery changed in september 22, with part number 37510E4250R - I tough these were E420, but maybe i'm wrong.

So BMS update, and a recall for parking brake. Anyone know what they will do? I have seen its something to do when shifting to park when vehicle is not fully stopped.

 

[kimdavi]

My car has had the second BMS update.
I am out of limp mode.
This was just a software update to the BMS.

Exciting news. Did they upgrade you with the newer BMS harness? Please share details.

 

[uspurs]

My car has had the second BMS update.
I am out of limp mode.
This was just a software update to the BMS.

Is there any way of identifying which software update / version this was? I had the SC267 recall last Friday, so maybe there's a chance I have the newer, 'good', version