Car stuck at dealer for 3 months awaiting warranty battery replacement (2017 Soul EV)

[JordanRieger]

Reading these posts is so disheartening. We really should sue somehow, even without a class action. I have to imagine small-claims court could be somewhat effective.

My case got escalated (I'm at 6.5 months without the car now) and they have been "preparing a buyback offer" for the last 8 days. I'm eagerly anticipating an insulting lowball offer that doesn't come close to fair compensation for not honoring the warranty; then I can take my next steps legally.

 

[ClayPete]

So you guys got yours back!? What did they do to fix it?

 

[spidermonkey]

Well I had a lively conversation with Kia corp. yesterday. To be honest it wasnt a conversation, it was me venting off seven months of frustration. To be clear, I have up until this point been very patient, polite and have actually maintained a sense of humor over the whole circus act. Yesterday not so much. Kia sold a car with a warranty, the warranty is for free parts and labor. Period. Full Stop. Nothing more. Those of you that got loaner vehicles received manna from heaven, you were lucky. Those of you that received compensation for fuel were lucky. They were very clear with me as to what Kias policy is, they were very clear as to what they wont do.

Kia is a faceless corporation, not a human being. Corporations are not capable of empathy and they are not legally bound to care. Corporations are entities that dont have a lawyer, they have a legal division. A whole floor whose sole purpose in life is to defend the corporations wealth. Just letting us borrow a vehicle from their vast inventory of vehicles diminishes the value of those vehicles, thus diminishes the over all value of Kia.

The take away from all of this is that we should be grateful that Kia is even considering honoring their warranty. Kias view is that it is our fault we purchased a fatally flawed vehicle from them. We were too cheap or too poor or just plain too stupid to understand that there are risks involved with purchasing a vehicle from a dealership. Kia feels that we are fatally flawed therefore deserve a fatally flawed car, and it is by their very grace alone that they honor the warranty at all.

The buy out isnt even enough to make a down payment on a car. The rental fees amount to a monthly car payment. That the batteries are finally in the United States awaiting quality control, that each of us have been moved to the top of the list, to the front of the line, that the engineers have made a break through, that we just need to save our receipts for compensation. All of this is lip service from a faceless corporation that lacks even the tiniest bit of integrity.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner! Its Kia. Kia wins. The corporation wins. Big money wins again. We are just suckers, marks and rubes. We could pray to God or write a letter to Santa and get better results.

It took me awhile to get there but I'm finally seeing it for what it is.
Thank you for listening.

 

[Nedhastings]

Reading these posts is so disheartening. We really should sue somehow, even without a class action. I have to imagine small-claims court could be somewhat effective.

My case got escalated (I'm at 6.5 months without the car now) and they have been "preparing a buyback offer" for the last 8 days. I'm eagerly anticipating an insulting lowball offer that doesn't come close to fair compensation for not honoring the warranty; then I can take my next steps.

I’m not sure how to get them to make their offer even after they receive our documents and say they’re working on it. Either they’re too busy or they’re instructed to hold off.

 

[pgeller]

Well I had a lively conversation with Kia corp. yesterday. To be honest it wasnt a conversation, it was me venting off seven months of frustration. To be clear, I have up until this point been very patient, polite and have actually maintained a sense of humor over the whole circus act. Yesterday not so much. Kia sold a car with a warranty, the warranty is for free parts and labor. Period. Full Stop. Nothing more. Those of you that got loaner vehicles received manna from heaven, you were lucky. Those of you that received compensation for fuel were lucky. They were very clear with me as to what Kias policy is, they were very clear as to what they wont do.

Kia is a faceless corporation, not a human being. Corporations are not capable of empathy and they are not legally bound to care. Corporations are entities that dont have a lawyer, they have a legal division. A whole floor whose sole purpose in life is to defend the corporations wealth. Just letting us borrow a vehicle from their vast inventory of vehicles diminishes the value of those vehicles, thus diminishes the over all value of Kia.

The take away from all of this is that we should be grateful that Kia is even considering honoring their warranty. Kias view is that it is our fault we purchased a fatally flawed vehicle from them. We were too cheap or too poor or just plain too stupid to understand that there are risks involved with purchasing a vehicle from a dealership. Kia feels that we are fatally flawed therefore deserve a fatally flawed car, and it is by their very grace alone that they honor the warranty at all.

The buy out isnt even enough to make a down payment on a car. The rental fees amount to a monthly car payment. That the batteries are finally in the United States awaiting quality control, that each of us have been moved to the top of the list, to the front of the line, that the engineers have made a break through, that we just need to save our receipts for compensation. All of this is lip service from a faceless corporation that lacks even the tiniest bit of integrity.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner! Its Kia. Kia wins. The corporation wins. Big money wins again. We are just suckers, marks and rubes. We could pray to God or write a letter to Santa and get better results.

It took me awhile to get there but I'm finally seeing it for what it is.
Thank you for listening.

I’d write that letter to Santa, just in case.

 

[uspurs]

I’m not sure how to get them to make their offer even after they receive our documents and say they’re working on it. Either they’re too busy or they’re instructed to hold off.

I am still 'discussing' what they're calling a 'goodwill' payment for us being without the car for 14 weeks last year - there is zero goodwill, from what I see. It took them 4 weeks to review what I submitted - 3 weeks longer than they promised.
Regarding the buyback issue - I don't see the calculation as being anything too complex that couldn't be calculated with a pretty simple spreadsheet template. They will never be in a hurry to pay out $s.
Just my view, of course - I wish you good luck.

 

[NRH]

We are in Florida and had a call from the dealer Friday to say our Kia is fixed - they have had it since November - apparently suddenly a software update that has solved all the problems and we can come pick the car up. This after submitting paperwork for Kia to buy it back.
I am sceptical the problem really is fixed but we shall see. If it is you should all be receiving calls very soon that your cars are fixed too.

 

[spidermonkey]

I keep trying to delete this post and it keeps not happening.

 

[Russwig]

My 2015 Soul has been in the shop since February this year. It awaits a battery based on Kia Corporate. Friday I got a message via email from some level that has exceeded previous contact. They wanted to know how my experience has been with my dealership and my car. I have now opened up a conversation with "someone" we shall see what happens as a result.

RW...

 

[pgeller]

I keep trying to delete this post and it keeps not happening

How "classics" are created.

 

[Bearcat]

We are in Florida and had a call from the dealer Friday to say our Kia is fixed - they have had it since November - apparently suddenly a software update that has solved all the problems and we can come pick the car up. This after submitting paperwork for Kia to buy it back.
I am sceptical the problem really is fixed but we shall see. If it is you should all be receiving calls very soon that your cars are fixed too.

Today I went into our dealer and spoke with the Service Manager to see about progress on my 2016 Kia Soul EV+. He indicated that they had just gotten some sort of software update from Kia and that they would be installing it on all of the cars in limbo and letting us know the outcome in 2-3 days. He called it the Turtle Mode fix. I am more that excited to see if this gets me back on the road without, I hope, and fire danger. I will report back on the outcome when I know more.

P.S. I have a reasonable buy-back offer from Kia for my vehicle and was just about to sign it but am now holding off until I see the outcome of the software fix mentioned above.

 

[spidermonkey]

My 2015 Soul has been in the shop since February this year. It awaits a battery based on Kia Corporate. Friday I got a message via email from some level that has exceeded previous contact. They wanted to know how my experience has been with my dealership and my car. I have now opened up a conversation with "someone" we shall see what happens as a result.

RW...

That is interesting. Have you ever heard the saying "Just because you are paranoid it doesnt mean they arent out to get you". Kia tells us they record the calls for quality assurance, I'll bet they played my rant for a group of supervisors over cocktails and concluded that they need to test the waters; see just how steamed everybody is. I'll bet a tuna fish sandwich and a snack sized bag of chips they wont reach out to me. They know exactly how I feel, they have a pretty good idea what my experience has been. They keep telling me to read the warranty and I keep telling them its in the glove box of my car seventy miles away. Sitting there for coming up on eight months now, probably covered in grime on four flat tires, a dead 12volt battery and full of mice.

The price of my car new right off the line was about $34,000, three years and seventeen thousand miles later it had been devalued to the $16,000 price tag I bought it for. Well that was the asking price, the out the door price was over $20,000. Anyway I expect them to offer me somewhere in the range of $8,000 in the buy back. Thats the reality of buying and selling cars. In the end I'm going to wait for the new battery. I guess I want the devil I know versus going out and buying another used car.

The warranty, similar to the recalls, is a document crafted by lawyers, it is designed to provide the bare minimum of service and serve as a shield to protect the corporation. If they told you the car will burn down your house and it does you were warned. They say they will fix your car free of charge and they will, they even mention "timely manner" in the notice. They didnt specify it would be geological time.

The auto industry has changed. When I was getting the walk through on my car they mentioned no spare tire, not even a doughnut. Because the battery takes up so much space they axed the tire and replaced it with a can of "fix a flat" and an anemic air compressor that sounds like an airplane taking off. That isnt going to work on the side of the highway with a shredded sidewall. Cars used to come with a full sized spare. The1983 rubber band powered BMW I sold came with not only a full sized spare with a matching aluminum basket weave rim, it came with a tool kit. Now the tool kit is a phone, car breaks down call Kia and wait for a tow. I bought into all of this. I'm not sure what I was thinking other than, fuel prices are staggeringly high and our fuel bill was killing any profits we were making. Not buying fuel and charging the car with solar panels made a difference.

Not to highjack the thread and make it all about me, it really is about us, all of us that bought into Kias first run at electric cars. We should have looked at the price tag and asked why? I personally should have kept the money and invested in a six or twelve month CD and just kept rolling it over. The interest would have taken the sting out of our fuel bill over the long term. I saw a shiny thing and had to have it and this is where I am. I make bad decisions, I am super good at it.

It is what it is man. It is what it is.
Thanks for listening.

 

[NRH]

Picked the soul up from the dealership. It is only a software update not a new battery. The dealership basically said they had no faith in the ‘fix’. So now it’s just a question of driving it and see how it goes.

 

[mariano3113]

Picked the soul up from the dealership. It is only a software update not a new battery. The dealership basically said they had no faith in the ‘fix’. So now it’s just a question of driving it and see how it goes.

My 2015 Soul EV + (110,400 miles) has been at dealer since Dec 14th 2023.

Had a 2024 Sportage AWD loander and now have a 2024 EV6 Light AWD loaner.

(Paper works says the loaner is $47 a day
Today makes 6 months ~$8,460 for the loaner charges according to paperwork)

I have owned the vehicle since 2017 when it had 30k miles on it...battery got replaced at 36k. (I've had a drive unit replaced due to a leak, several On-board Chargers, 2 charge ports, and AC compressor during the warranty time)
I have a $100 deductible warranty until 150k miles.

For this most recent Turtle mode after OBS and harness recall work : earlier in 2023 my Soul EV went from 30% to 0 dead crossing an intersection and would refuse to charge via AC.
Dealer had problems getting charged until they reflashed BMS and then it worked for about a month ...then vehicle wouldn't charge over AC anymore. Dealer replaced 3rd On-board charger so vehicles Fourth.

Then finally took on for Fire recall on Nov 22nd as my Lightning Pro was delivered at dealership next door so was convenient to leave with another EV when dropping it off.

Got vehicle back and 13 miles from Dealer Turtle mode came on at 93% with indicated 93 miles of range remaining. (Dec 14th was return to dealer day)

I will probably be awaiting actual fix, as I don't think I will get a decent buyback value due to high mileage. (However it is definitely costing someone for me to have a loaner this long. Put 6k miles on the Sportage and will most likely put more on the EV6. Saving me miles on Bolt and Lightning, while still charging at home.)

If they offer me 8k or more..then I will be taking the money and selling my 2017 Kia Niro Touring to replace with newer Kia or Genesis non-3 row EV that has wireless Apple Carplay/Android Auto
(Frustrating that the basic 8" screen Sportage had wireless Carplay/Android Auto (no wirelss phone charger) but the 2024 EV6 is still wired CarPlay/Android Auto w/wireless Phone charger.)***
Genesis GV70 Electric also didn't have wireless CarPlay/Android Auto, but EV9 did.

 

[JordanRieger]

Can anyone who has received a buyback offer tell us if they asked you to sign an NDA (non disclosure agreement) as a condition of the buyback?

 

[gnad]

I got a call on Friday saying that something has moved on my Kia 2017 under 50k in miles. Said it should be a couple of days. Anyone else?

 

[gnad]

Can anyone who has received a buyback offer tell us if they asked you to sign an NDA (non disclosure agreement) as a condition of the buyback?

I got a call on Friday and she said that there would be no buyback offer on my 2017

 

[NRH]

My 2015 Soul EV + (110,400 miles) has been at dealer since Dec 14th 2023.

Had a 2024 Sportage AWD loander and now have a 2024 EV6 Light AWD loaner.

(Paper works says the loaner is $47 a day
Today makes 6 months ~$8,460 for the loaner charges according to paperwork)

I have owned the vehicle since 2017 when it had 30k miles on it...battery got replaced at 36k. (I've had a drive unit replaced due to a leak, several On-board Chargers, 2 charge ports, and AC compressor during the warranty time)
I have a $100 deductible warranty until 150k miles.

For this most recent Turtle mode after OBS and harness recall work : earlier in 2023 my Soul EV went from 30% to 0 dead crossing an intersection and would refuse to charge via AC.
Dealer had problems getting charged until they reflashed BMS and then it worked for about a month ...then vehicle wouldn't charge over AC anymore. Dealer replaced 3rd On-board charger so vehicles Fourth.

Then finally took on for Fire recall on Nov 22nd as my Lightning Pro was delivered at dealership next door so was convenient to leave with another EV when dropping it off.

Got vehicle back and 13 miles from Dealer Turtle mode came on at 93% with indicated 93 miles of range remaining. (Dec 14th was return to dealer day)

I will probably be awaiting actual fix, as I don't think I will get a decent buyback value due to high mileage. (However it is definitely costing someone for me to have a loaner this long. Put 6k miles on the Sportage and will most likely put more on the EV6. Saving me miles on Bolt and Lightning, while still charging at home.)

If they offer me 8k or more..then I will be taking the money and selling my 2017 Kia Niro Touring to replace with newer Kia or Genesis non-3 row EV that has wireless Apple Carplay/Android Auto
(Frustrating that the basic 8" screen Sportage had wireless Carplay/Android Auto (no wirelss phone charger) but the 2024 EV6 is still wired CarPlay/Android Auto w/wireless Phone charger.)***
Genesis GV70 Electric also didn't have wireless CarPlay/Android Auto, but EV9 did.

When I returned the loaner yesterday the bill for Kia was $7500.

 

[yury]

Finally got my car yesterday, it is a little dirty, smells stale, but in working condition.

 

[Russwig]

So my 2015 Kia Soul got the software update for the latest corrections, and this took care of my "turtle mode". It's home now and in the driveway and waiting for a charge...

RW...