Kia Soul Complaints

5,626 consumer complaints on file.

#11695348October 23, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
On 10/23/25, my car caught fire due to the ABS module.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11694981October 22, 2025
ENGINE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact heard an abnormal clunking sound coming from underneath the vehicle. In addition, the RPMs increased to 3,000 and the vehicle lost motive power. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road. The contact turned the vehicle off. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle started. However, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the RPMs increased to 3,000 again. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate above 20 MPH. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with catalytic converter failure. The contact was informed that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that the repair was not covered under any unknown recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. In addition, the contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling). However, the contact was informed that the repair was already performed on the vehicle and was not covered under warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 97,945.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11695109October 22, 2025
ENGINE
The vehicle has a piston ring issue and I received a re all letter but to no avail because this website has not recognized the recall
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11695075October 22, 2025
ENGINE
I was driving back from Cleveland Oh to Columbus oh, the car started to slow down on its own , the engine light came on,and the car started to shake, and back firing. I made back home took care of to a certified mechanic shop for diagnostics. I just got an oil changed two days before this happened the mechanic noticed there was no oil in my car, it Was in my piston rings. They told me there was a recall on my year Kia for the piston . I called Kia, they said they couldn’t find a recall for my car. If there was a recall sc336 for Kia souls and seltos. I asked if the dealer could honor the recall on my vehicle they said no because the recall didn’t include my vin number
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11694653October 21, 2025
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR
Catalytic converter may become damaged due to overheating caused by and excessive increase of exhaust gas temperatures.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11694710October 21, 2025
ENGINE
Vehicle: 2019 Kia Soul 2.0L GDI VIN: [XXX] Mileage: 92,200 The engine and connecting rod bearings failed — a known defect in Kia’s Theta II GDI engines. The vehicle began making a loud knocking noise and would stall when turning to start the engine within days of purchase. This is consistent with the same defect addressed in Kia’s KSDS / PI2107 Product Improvement Campaign and Theta II Engine class-action settlement. Component failed: Engine. The engine is available for inspection. Safety risk: The engine stalls unpredictably, creating a major risk of collision or being stranded in traffic. The stalling has occurred more than once, and the car is unsafe to drive, per Moritz Kia. Confirmed by: Moritz Kia Fort Worth, which diagnosed internal engine failure and quoted $6,230 for replacement. Kia Consumer Affairs refused to open a case or perform the recall, claiming it was “past due,” though the vehicle is within the 15-year/150,000-mile lifetime warranty coverage. Maintenance history: CARFAX confirms regular oil and filter changes, most recently on 05/30/2025, proving the vehicle was properly maintained. Inspection: Completed by Kia dealership; no outside inspection yet. Warning symptoms: Engine knocking and stalling Summary: Kia is refusing recall service and case creation despite this being a known manufacturing defect, not a maintenance issue. The KSDS system only detects failure after it occurs and does not fix the defect. This creates a continuing safety hazard for consumers. Kia consumer affairs dates of contact and reference numbers: 09/11/2025-#2563091, 10/15/2025-25603091 INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11694765October 21, 2025
ENGINE
Had 3 oil consumption test 2 oil leak repairs, low to no oil each time, now car is stalling , Catalytitic Converter problem, yellow engine light is blinking, Kia of Newton New Jersey need to fix my car.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11694788October 21, 2025
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, ENGINE
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Soul. The contact received a recall letter related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact stated that while driving 40-45 MPH, the vehicle lost power and stalled. The vehicle was restarted. The engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who retrieved DTC: P0420; which was related to the catalytic converter. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where the software update was completed, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 177,238.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11694797October 21, 2025
ENGINE
Engine stopped do to zero oil no light came on warning me and I checked the oil a month pryer. Had the oil changed two months before.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11694829October 21, 2025
ENGINE
Car was purchased from dealership August 25, 2025 on September 19, 2025 at about 9:38 PM. Car experienced catastrophic engine failure due to an active recall/campaign that was not disclosed to buyer for an ECU problem. This problem caused total brake failure in the power brake system, forcing buyer to swerve across three lanes of traffic into breakdown lane.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11694601October 20, 2025
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, STEERING
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V608000 (STEERING); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The vehicle remained at the dealer unrepaired. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while driving at 40 MPH, the transmission seized and failed to function as intended. The vehicle stalled, and after several attempts, the vehicle was restarted. The contact continued to drive at slow speeds. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was diagnosed with catalytic converter failure. The contact was informed that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (ENGINE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING), but the failure persisted. The contact was informed that the recall part for the steering was not available. The dealer informed the contact that the catalytic converter was still under the previous recall and there would be no charge. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and informed the contact that the catalytic converter was not covered and that there would be an out-of-pocket expense. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11694369October 19, 2025
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Rcall SC176 I have tried multiple times to schedule the required recall repair for my Kia, but my local dealer has not responded to phone calls or emails. I cannot travel to another state to complete this recall. Kia has not provided a reasonable option to complete the safety repair. I am requesting assistance to get this recall completed safely and locally, and at no cost.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11694328October 18, 2025
ENGINE
The engine has absorbed an insane amount of oil the last several weeks, and this week it burned 1/2 quart of oil in four days- it was fully filled to 1 quart monday and by Friday of the same week was halfway gone. Otherwise it has worked well. Other Kia souls in the area are selling for much more money even if they have the same or more miles on them, but because mine needs an engine rebuild due to piston ring issues, it is worth much less than it should be. And there are no available recalls even though this is a known issue for Kia souls.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11694046October 17, 2025
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
The contact owns a 2018 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, while depressing the accelerator pedal, the front of the vehicle suddenly jumped. The contact was unsure if any warning lights were illuminated during the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was not available.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11694084October 17, 2025
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the engine was making a grinding sound while the vehicle was being started. Additionally, the contact stated that the engine oil had to be changed every week. While receiving an oil change, the contact was informed that the engine seemed to be defective, and the contact was referred to the dealer for assistance. While the vehicle was idling at a red light, the vehicle suddenly stalled without warning. The contact shifted to park(P) and made two attempts to restart the vehicle before being able to continue driving. While decelerating to come to a stop at a red light, the vehicle stalled a second time. The contact shifted into park(P) and several attempts were made before the vehicle restarted. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V099000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was taken to the dealer who had installed the piston-ring noise-sensing system software and determined that the remedy was completed, and that the engine did not need to be replaced. The dealer also informed the contact that the heck engine warning light had failed but had been repaired and should properly illuminate whenever needed. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11693758October 16, 2025
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the vehicle had shut off on several occasions while driving in traffic or while stopped at a stoplight. The contact stated that while the air conditioning was activated, the engine made an abnormally loud thumping sound before the vehicle shut off. The contact was able to restart the vehicle after shifting to park; however, the vehicle hesitated after restarting. The contact activated the hazard lights while the vehicle was off in traffic. The contact stated that there were no visible leaks, and no warning lights were illuminated during the failure. The message "Shift to Park and Restart Engine" was displayed and flashing. Upon investigation, the contact discovered that the failure might be related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V259000 (Engine). The contact sought assistance from an independent mechanic, who was unable to assist. The local dealer was called, but the contact received no answer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted regarding the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11693943October 16, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Paint is bubbling and peeling off in large sections down to the primer coat. The paint is shedding. Paint does not appear to have adhered to the E-coat.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11693567October 15, 2025
ENGINE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Soul. The contact, who was an independent dealer, purchased the vehicle for resale. The contact researched and identified an unrepaired recall under NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling) associated with the VIN. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the dealer declined to repair the vehicle. The contact was informed that, because of missing or incorrect VIN information, the repair was declined. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11693573October 15, 2025
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
In June 2024, my 2014 Kia Soul (VIN: [XXX] ) experienced a sudden engine failure without warning. I was driving on a busy road when the engine began sputtering and quickly stalled. The vehicle became inoperable and had to be towed. I had it inspected at a Kia dealership, who diagnosed the issue as complete engine failure but have not provided me with a full diagnostic report despite multiple requests. This type of failure is consistent with the known defects in the Theta II engine that have triggered recalls and extended warranties in similar Kia models. Although Kia has denied coverage for my vehicle, I believe this is a related safety issue. The vehicle stalled unexpectedly, creating a hazardous condition on the road. I was traveling with my toddler in the back seat and felt our safety was at risk. I am submitting this complaint because I believe this failure is not an isolated incident and should be investigated. Kia has refused to acknowledge a defect, but the symptoms match those in previous recalls for other Soul and Forte models with similar engines. I have also attached documentation showing service history and repair costs, and I am happy to make the vehicle available for inspection. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11693344October 14, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the contact informed the dealer of an attempted theft of the vehicle and that the ignition was damaged. The dealer informed the contact that the repair could not be performed. In addition, the contact stated that the dealer had not inspected the vehicle. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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