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Block heater location and install

17K views 10 replies 7 participants last post by  GeekOnTheHill 
#1 ·
I am curious if anyone knows the location of the block heater on a 2010 Soul 2u with a 2.0 litre. The vehicle was originally purchased in Nova Scotia and not equipped with a block heater. Here in Northern Ontario it is pretty much a requirement. Photos and or videos would be greatly appreciated. To my knowledge, the heater is a dry fit style.
 
#2 ·
the block heater is available from your local Kia dealer MSRP - $55.33 Kia Soul Accessories | Kia Canada, unless someone on here has installed one, your local KIA dealer service department will be able to help you.

It would be helpful for us for future questions and comments to expand on your Location description by saying Northern Ontario (or your town or city) as Ontario is a very big province and questions as to location like this for example can make a big difference on response.
Also please fill out your Drives detail with "2010 Soul 2u" to save you having to keep repeating it and again make it quicker for us to respond - thanks.

I live in southern Ontario and haven't had any need for a block heater so can't help you in that respect, but we do get quite a bit of snow at times :sneakiness:

 
#6 · (Edited)
have had no problems in snow with my stock tires (I don't have snow tires and contrary to tester_02's comment its nowhere near the worse car I've driven in snow with OEM tires, that was on old rear-wheel drive vehicles), however, to be clear its because I'm retired and when we get lots of snow I simply do not drive in it when I can avoid it, but when I have driven in it, I find no problem, I just drive according to the conditions at the time and along with the ESC and using it manual mode, I seem to overcome most situations. The only time I've been stuck is in my own driveway. But any areas where you in get a lot of snow and do a lot of driving in it I would highly recommend snow tires.
 
#5 ·
I live in Alberta. The Soul handles the snow pretty decently with snow tires. Traction control seems to work very well.
I ran a week with stock tires in the snow and it was almost the worst car I have driven in the winter.
Even in extreme weather, everything seem to work well. The plus side is the heated strip on the wipers that melts the snow the builds up, along with the heated steering wheel. The only bad amenities I noticed was that in extreme cold, the heated seats seem to malfunction (wont turn on). You have to let the car warm up a bit, then try them again (full motor off before you can try again it), I never found it on the manual, but my friend said it's mentioned in the manual. I've never seen it in any other car, and the time when you really need it, it does not work.
 
#7 ·
the wiper de-icer is a new standard feature on Canadian 2014 models (don't have it on mine, but had it on my 08 Rondo, so glad to see its made it to the Soul, its a great feature and very handy at times), but actually its a embedded wire (like the wires on your rear window) at the lower part of the windshield that heats up when activated.

I would have it checked with regards the heated seats. When I turn on mine (after starting the car) within 1/2 km I can feel the heat and make use of that before the engine can get to normal operating temperature - it is so nice! I've never encountered a problem in regardless of the temperature and sometimes its been -30C to -40C below or worse with the wind chill. The same situation on '08 Rondo. As you say that is when you need it the most.
I notice on your model it will be a 3-stage setting (I only have two) are you sure you haven't toggled it to the off or low position? The other thing that it mentions in the manual is "when pressing the switch for more than 1.5 seconds with the seat warmer operating, the seat warmer will turn off" - maybe you are holding the switch too long and your turning it off again. There is nothing in the manual saying it won't operate till the vehicle warms up - that kind of defeats its purpose. However, once in operation it can turn off or on depending on the seat temperature. Myself I've always turned it off as it gets quite warm and find I don't need it.
I would never purchase a vehicle without heated front seats.
 
#8 · (Edited)
For about 20 years, I had to drive Company Cars with NO SNOW tires, in every kind of bad weather. (freezing rain, ICE, Snow, Sleet, Rain, etc.)
On the rear wheel drive vehicles, I would visit the parts dept and load up the car with all the really HEAVY parts I could find, and then drop the tire pressure on the driven tires and then go on as usual, but maybe at lower speeds.

On the FWD cars, in later years, It's almost impossible to put more weight over the driven wheels, but you (I) can still drop off some tire pressure to get more rubber on the road. Flamers...don't bother! I've done it more times than I can count and "IT WORKS GREAT!".

I do the same thing here in FL. when working in this danged Florida Sugar Sand. At 18-20 psi, my Kelly Explorer tires work like tractor tires.
If I had to take a trip up North and got caught in a snow storm, I'd do the very same thing.....drop off some front tire pressure and then slow down and drive defensively.
I have no doubt that my Gertrude would do just fine in snow, without snow tires.
I carry a small 12 volt air compressor in the back of my car, so I can restore normal tire pressure when I'm back on dry pavement.

It's just a thought......

:cool:
EDIT: Block heater? Never had one. I did use a Dip-Stick heater some, years ago. That's only marginally effective.
At -40 degrees with a high wind, I did put a 1000W electric heater directly under the oil pan on my car. That kept it toasty warm all night.
I had NO garage or even a car port to break the wind. My cars always had to sit out in the open, in my driveway.
 
#9 ·
The heated seat on mine is a 2 stage. When it get's REALLY cold (-35C or colder), the seat can go into a blinking mode where it does not work (just blinks). If I let the car warm up, then turn off the car and start again, it has worked again. This happened to me a few times. I talked to a friend and he said he read in the manual it states this happens. I will look at the manual myself and see if I can find it.

The Soul started for me all the time, no matter the weather. I can agree with people's comments that it's not really needed (lighter oils, stronger battery, direct injection). The car will start, but I personally believe you are just making it harder on the engine. Warming the oil makes it easier for the engine at the cold temperatures.

Honestly without the snow tires when I got the car (mid November last year), it was cold and snowy. I felt it handled much worse than even my Mazdaspeed 3. When I put the tires on after a week, I found the car to be pleasant to drive all winter long. My worst car even is probably because I drove it for 2 days in bad weather before I parked it until the tires were available. It's not that it gets stuck, but that stopping on slick roads was terrible.

De-Icer is a feature I now want for all my vehicles. When the snow in coming down on a cold day, all my past cars iced up at the bottom. The Soul melts it off and keeps going. The aerofoil wipers in the winter are much to be desired though.
 
#10 ·
I just want to follow up on the winter drive-ability.
Now that it's getting to freezing temperatures in the morning here, I can see that these stock tires are not the best.
During acceleration I am already seeing it slipping and not gripping. My guess is that the tires are a bit on the hard size. Great for longer life, but not as good for cold weather. That is what I was seeing before my winter tires were on last year (icy roads/stock tires=fail).

Luckily winter tires make it a decent winter car.
 
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