2011 Kia Soul bites the dust..

[BSeward]

We bought the car in 2011 brand new. 3000 mile oil changes, timing belt changed per the schedule. Every maintenance was done.
Belt snapped at 141,500 miles. The car was pretty rusty, but ran fine till it didn't. It went to the crusher.
Good things never last. I loved that car..

 

[benjamming]

Aftermarket or dealer timing belt?

 

[BSeward]

It was a Gates belt. I was gonna change it out this Spring. Never got that far.

 

[GSCJR]

@BSeward, at what interval was the timing belt changed?

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Yeah, timing belts suck

May your next car have a timing chain

I think the Kia Soul switched from a belt to a chain in 2012, just one year later

To replace the Soul, if you don't just get another Soul, a good choice would be the Corolla hatchback or an HR-V. If you do want another Soul, get one quick because they're discontinuing it!

 

[KCJeep]

It’s a bummer when you lose one like that. Daughter had a 15 she had to trade after two babies grew out of it. She still misses it. I helped her buy it, good father-daughter memory.

Nice car. One repair total.

 

[daves87rs]

Bummer

 

[Marcozi]

Thankfully most engines have a timing chain.

 

[Patman]

That is a bummer! One of the things I like about my 2016 Civic is that it uses a timing chain (and port injection!)

 

[supton]

Timing chains are great--as long as they are designed right.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Honda seems to do OHC chains well. My ford and the subaru sounds like they are grinding through the font cover, LOL

I wonder if the belt was even changed. or if changed, was it tensioned incorrectly. Is this a 60 K mi belt interval or 90?

 

[BSeward]

Did a belt change at about 75k miles. Used a Gates belt, with Korean made tensioner and water pump. I was ready to order a new belt kit for installation soon, but the Gates belt had other plans. I bought a 2019 Soul +, 2.0 engine, 6 speed automatic. 37,500 miles. I paid $12,000 and think I got a decent deal. Cars with much higher mileage are going for way more money around here.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Did a belt change at about 75k miles. Used a Gates belt, with Korean made tensioner and water pump. I was ready to order a new belt kit for installation soon, but the Gates belt had other plans. I bought a 2019 Soul +, 2.0 engine, 6 speed automatic. 37,500 miles. I paid $12,000 and think I got a decent deal. Cars with much higher mileage are going for way more money around here.

View attachment 267717

Yay you got it in green

 

[SC Maintenance]

I have never owned anything with a timing belt. However you seldom hear of them snapping. Or is that just me?

Timing chains can stretch or jump. There are no guarantees. Well maybe a cam in block inline 6 with gears.

 

[ElectroMechanoMan]

I changed a belt that snapped in a Ford Escort. Fortunately, they weren’t interference engines and it didn’t hurt anything. Chains have issues too. They are so long now that any wear can cause issues. That’s why mechanics recommend short oil change intervals and quality synthetic oil.

 

[supton]

I have never owned anything with a timing belt. However you seldom hear of them snapping. Or is that just me?

I never hear of them snapping either... other than maybe once, at most, hardly ever more than that.

I've had several. Two that I would have been too dumb to replace on. Wife had one that the dealer would have done at least once; then I had my VW and I had that done at least 3 times. At least on my Camry I could do that one, and it was non-interference to boot. I would not complain if I had to go back to a belt but it was as easy to do as that 5S-FE.

 

[GR_CoB]

Gates belt quality went downhill. I'm surprised yours lasted as long as it did. I owned multiple Toyota, Lexus, Honda, Hyundai engines with timing belts. And on forums for those vehicles almost every "broken timing belt" was made by Gates. Especially the blue Gates belts.

 

[Kruse]

Meanwhile, I've got a neighbor who has a '98 Ford Ranger with the 2.5/4 cylinder (2.3 variant) who has never changed his timing belt. It has over 250K miles on it. I kid him about it every few months, but since it's a non-interference engine, he's going to run it until it no longer does.

 

[k1xv]

With the Soul biting the dust, I guess the hamsters will have to start walking again.

 

[zzyzzx]

I have never owned anything with a timing belt. However you seldom hear of them snapping. Or is that just me?

I've had teeth strip off timing belts twice. Non interference engines (Ford) so no damage.