On the highway today, my 2013 Kia Hybrid started to lose power and the steering wheel started to stiffen. Lucky for me I was at kind of a good place on the interstate to at least pull over... I had to wait for tow truck to bring to Midas. They installed new standard battery (not the hybrid battery.. obviously). That didn't work. Now have to get it towed again... However, after reading online, it seems that the issue stems from a smart plug fuse within the hybrid battery that needs to be upgraded to the higher voltage fuse (part number 375f2-4r150). Hopefully this will work! I'm ordering the part, following a YouTube instructional video and will keep you posted on the outcome! Hopefully I save some people a bit of grief and a few thousand dollars when this happens to you!

I had just left home and just 2 blocks from my house my car died in the middle of a very busy intersection. It had to be pushed out of the middle of the street. (Dang, this car is heavy) I called Kia roadside who then dispatched a tow truck (whole different and scary story). He only took 4 hours, while I stood outside in 90+ degree heat. My car has now been at the Kia dealership for 17 days. I kept being told they can't figure out the source of the problem.

They charged both batteries and couldn't get the car to start or stay started. Once (somehow) they got the one engine to start but not the other which they haven't been able to duplicate and Kia says is impossible. I finally got a call today in which they said it is the external battery which of course is not covered by the factory warranty after 24 months and cost around $400. I can't understand why it took the dealership and the Kia technical team 17 days to determine the external battery is bad. I was not extended a loaner until yesterday and I was only given 2 days. I have had to rent cars to get back and forth to work or borrow a friends car. And I get very little information. NONE of this makes sense. No one will give me details on next steps and how long I am supposed to wait before another path is taken. I supposed if I call an attorney I would get more answers.

Not only did the car stop but after a while, there were a couple of beeps and clicks then the doors locked (which all my personal effects inside) and the tow truck driver charged me an additional $30 to unlock the doors.