In Time for Halloween, Kia to Harvest 340,000 Souls

Halloween is coming up and Kia is getting into the spirit of things by harvesting a few Souls. Over 300,000 of them, to be exact.

According to a report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a pinion gear in certain 2014 – 2016 Kia Souls and Soul EVs is at risk of separating from the steering assembly.

The pinion plug on 342,381 Kia Souls and Soul EVs manufactured between July 21st, 2013 and September 30th, 2015 may not be secured correctly, says the NHTSA. If the pinion gear separates, there is an excellent chance that steering will be lost. In the understatement of the year, the federal agency states that the loss of steering will increase the risk of a crash. Thanks for that helpful tip, NHTSA.

Kia will notify owners of the affected vehicles by mail. They can bring their car to a dealer for inspection where the garage will either secure the pinion plug or replace the steering gear assembly, whichever is necessary, free of charge. Drivers may hear a clunking noise from the steering rack while turning the steering wheel. Not sure if your Soul is at risk of losing its steering? Bring it to the dealer just to be sure.

Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. To speed the process along, it will be helpful for Soul owners to know that Kia’s number for this recall is SC155. Kia is not aware of any injuries associated with the issue, according to a company statement given to the industry publication Automotive News. It estimated that 1 percent of the vehicles in the recall could have the defect.

This same flaw was identified in November 2015, at which time Kia performed repairs on affected vehicles. Attentive owners of the affected model who already paid for a repair should be reimbursed by Kia.

Last year, Kia sold 145,768 of the subcompact machines in the United States, only 1,365 fewer than in 2015 — the model’s best year since its introduction. For the 2018 model year, the Soul makes like Prince and changes its top trim level into a symbol. The ! (“Exclaim”) model is available with Kia’s 1.6L turbocharged mill, making over 200 horsepower.

The recall is expected to begin November 16th, 2017.

[Image: Kia Motors]