2019 Kia Soul

I am writing upon instruction of Minnesota Attorney General Ellison's Office regarding my stolen Kia. Our 2019 Kia Soul was was purchased less than a year ago from a dealership. In the last year, the Kia Soul has been stolen twice. Both times we incurred significant expenses to repair the car's broken windows and disassembled steering column. We also experienced huge inconveniences to arrive at work since we were without the vehicle for over a month each time. To make matters worse, our insurance company increased our rates each time the car was stolen. I now fear the car will be simply uninsurable when the policy reups. The only support we have seen from Kia is receipt of an anti-theft steering lock ("club"). This device is worth about $25. It is an insult given the expenses we have incurred. We just got the car back from the autobody shop today. I remain very concerned about putting this car back on the street. We do not have a garage or can afford off street parking. The car is principally used by our son who lives in an apartment in Minneapolis. We have heard of many instances when the car's windows are smashed even when an anti-theft device is on the steering wheel. I believe a vehicle recall is the only fair alternative. I realize that Ellison's office is pursuing a class action suit with this goal. Please support that campaign and help us address this entirely impossible situation. If we try to sell this vehicle, we will lose nearly five thousand in value since it was purchased last year. We have already incurred about $3,000 in addition to insurance increases. Yet, I am sure we have any other option than selling it if our insurance either refuses to insure or jacks our rates even higher than they did last year. Sincerely, [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Rear Windshield Spontaneously Shattering - 11:10pm EST August 20th. I left my residence and approached my car from behind in the parking lot. It was dark but my rear windshield was definitely in one piece and had not previously had any damage. I opened the driver door. As I sat in the seat, I heard what sounded like pebbles spilling. I looked behind me and noticed that the entire rear windshield had shattered and fallen out. This could have caused great harm and surprise especially while driving on the freeway, or with passengers in the back seat. A police report was collected.

The vehicle stalls when trying to pick up speed and when trying to accelerate from a traffic light or stop sign. The vehicle also gets stuck in park and the release button does not work and takes it takes a long time to get the car out of park when it is stuck. The signals also go out at any given time and this problem can last up to an hour.

I was backing out of a parking spot. As I tried to brake in order to slow down and turn my car around to leave the lot, the brake seemed to be stuck against the floor and wouldn't work, the steering wheel also locked, and I couldn't shift from reverse to drive or park. Before I knew it, my car had rolled back and came to a stop on a metal pole, causing moderate damage to the back corner of the driver's side.

DELAY THROTTLE RESPONSE. WHEN DRIVING AND YOU NEED TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE TAKES SEVERAL MINUTES TO RESPOND AND YOU HAVE TO PUT THE PETAL TO THE FLOOR. NO REACTION TO ACCELERATE THE CAR BUT RPMS IN RED. ALSO WHEN STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT , STOP SIGN ETC AND GO TO GO THE CAR DELAYS AGAIN AND YOU HAVE THE GAS PETAL TO THE FLOOR AND AGAIN RPMS IN RED AND YET CAR NOT MOVING CAUSING HIGHLY SEVERE SAFETY ISSUES WHEN DRIVING AND PUTS CONSUMER AT RISK. WE BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW STARTED IN JUNE OF 2020 WITH THIS ISSUE AND HAD 22, 000 MILES ON IT. STILL HAPPENING IN ALL 3 DRIVE MODES ECO, NORMAL AND SPORT. DEALERSHIP TOLD US JUST DON'T DRIVE IN ECO WELL NOW ALL MODES DO IT.

CAR WAS PARKED UNDER CARPORT ALL NIGHT. GOT IN THIS AFTERNOON TO GO GROCERY SHOPPING, STARTED CAR, CLOSED DRIVER'S DOOR AND THE REAR HATCHBACK WINDSHIELD EXPLODED. IT DID NOT IMPLODE, IT EXPLODED. NO BODY DAMAGE, NO TREE LIMB, NO ROCK, NOTHING HIT OR TOUCHEF THE CAR WHILE UNDER CARPORT. CAR WAS STATIONARY WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I TOOK PICTURES AND VIDEO WITH MY PHONE.

THE KIA BACKUP CAMERA DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY WHEN ITS DARK. YOU CANNOT SEE ANYTHING YOU CANT DISTINGUISH A GARBAGE CAN FROM A PERSON. I WENT TO THE DEALER WITH THIS PROBLEM AND THEY SAID THIS THE WAY THEY ARE. I BELIEVE THIS PROBLEM IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I CHECKED OTHER KIA SOULS AND THEY HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. WHEN IN TOTAL DARKNESS THE PROBLEM GETS EVEN WORST.