IllustrationWHEN I ACCELERATE MY CAR MAKES A LOUD HUMMING NOISE AND WILL NOT SHIFT - THEN WHEN IT FINALLY DOES SHIFT IT FLUCTUATES SPEED AND DOESN'T MAINTAIN SPEED. IT'S NOT SAFE GETTIN ON THE EXPRESSWAY OR WHEN YOU CHANGE LANES AND TRY TO KEEP UP WITH TRAFFIC AROUND YOU. AT FIRST IT WOULD BE SOMETIMES. NOW IT IS MORE CONSTANT
2016 Kia Soul
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Soul years
Owner complaints for the 2016 Kia Soul are substantially higher than the model-year median of 225.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Soul years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
320–25K
3825–50K
7750–75K
9375–100K
108100–150K
14150K+
362 reports with mileage · 448 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine. Review the 555 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 105 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 83 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
28 crash reports35 fire reports17 injury reports
Power Train complaints
61 reportsLAST YEAR I TOOK MY CAR TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP TO REPROGRAM THE PCM DUE TO THE RECALL NOTICE RECEIVED IN THE MAIL RELATED TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER OVERHEATING ISSUE. EVER SINCE I GOT THAT DONE, I NOW EXPERIENCE VERY HIGH IDLE IN COLD TEMPERATURES. THERE WAS NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT SINCE LAST YEAR UNTIL TODAY WHEN IT DROPPED BELOW…
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LAST YEAR I TOOK MY CAR TO A LOCAL DEALERSHIP TO REPROGRAM THE PCM DUE TO THE RECALL NOTICE RECEIVED IN THE MAIL RELATED TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER OVERHEATING ISSUE. EVER SINCE I GOT THAT DONE, I NOW EXPERIENCE VERY HIGH IDLE IN COLD TEMPERATURES. THERE WAS NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT SINCE LAST YEAR UNTIL TODAY WHEN IT DROPPED BELOW 50 DEGREES. THE CODE IS P050A AND KIA HAS NO RESOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM.
LAST MONTH I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR AN ECU UPDATE WHICH KIA IS CALLING A 'PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN' FOR THE CARS COMPUTER SYSTEM TO PUT IT INTO LIMP HOME MODE, NOW A MONTH LATER WHILE ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK WHEN I TURNED ONTO A STREET 2 NIGHTS IN A ROW THE OIL LIGHT WAS FLASHING BUT WENT OFF AFTER I MADE IT THRO…
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LAST MONTH I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR AN ECU UPDATE WHICH KIA IS CALLING A 'PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN' FOR THE CARS COMPUTER SYSTEM TO PUT IT INTO LIMP HOME MODE, NOW A MONTH LATER WHILE ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK WHEN I TURNED ONTO A STREET 2 NIGHTS IN A ROW THE OIL LIGHT WAS FLASHING BUT WENT OFF AFTER I MADE IT THROUGH THE TURN, AND I CHECKED THE OIL LEVEL THE SECOND NIGHT AND THE DIPSTICK HAD LITTLE TO NO VISIBLE OIL ON IT BUT THE OIL LIGHT STILL DOES NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN DRIVING OR WHEN IDILING ONLY WHEN TURNING WITH MOMENTUM, BUT THE 2.0 ENGINES ARE KNOWN TO DESTROY THEMSELVES DUE TO ROD BERING DAMAGE AND THAT UPDATE THEY DID SERVED TO FIVE AND EARLY ALERT AS TO WHEN IT DETECTS KNOCK BUT THESE ENGINES ARE ALSO KNOWN TO BURN OIL AND THE 2014-2015 MODEL YEARS ARE RECALLED FOR ENGINE FIRES BUT KIA SHOULD RECALL ALL THESE ENGINES SINCE THEY BURN OIL AND ARE DANGEROUS TO DRIVE BECAUSE THE OIL LIGHT IS NOT ILLUMINATING WHEN THE OIL IS CRITICALLY LOW AND NOW ENGINE DAMAGE MAY ALREADY BE PRESENT ON TOP OF THE KNOWN DEFECT IN THESE ENGINES.
CAR STOP WORKING AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER BLEW
ON A HIGHWAY AT SPEED, SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER ACCOUNT PISTON CONNECTING ROD FAILURE WHICH PUNCTURED THE ENGINE BLOCK WITH TOTAL LOSS OF OIL WHICH GREATLY INCREASES RISK OF FIRE FROM HOT EXHAUST COMPONENTS. VERY SIMILAR TO KIA'S SC176 RECALL, BUT THIS SPECIFIC VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THAT RECALL.
WAS DRIVING CAR AND IT LOST POWER WHILE ON HIGHWAY. CAUSING CARS TO SWERVE TO AVOID HITTING ME. AFTER GOING TO SHOP FOUND OUT IT WAS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. CAR WAS ALSO BURNING OIL AND MISFIRING. HAD THE 3 AND 4 COIL RELPACED ,SPARK PLUGS , BUT STILL NOT ABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT US CAUSING OIL TO BURN. CAR HAD REGULAR OIL C…
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WAS DRIVING CAR AND IT LOST POWER WHILE ON HIGHWAY. CAUSING CARS TO SWERVE TO AVOID HITTING ME. AFTER GOING TO SHOP FOUND OUT IT WAS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. CAR WAS ALSO BURNING OIL AND MISFIRING. HAD THE 3 AND 4 COIL RELPACED ,SPARK PLUGS , BUT STILL NOT ABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT US CAUSING OIL TO BURN. CAR HAD REGULAR OIL CHANGES. KIA BASICALLY SAID THAT AFTER I FIX THE COILS CAR WOULD BE FINE . WELL IT'S NOT STILL DOING THE SAME THING. I WAS INFORMED THAT IT JUST NEEDS A NEW ENGINE. KIA HAS REFUSED TO HONOR WARRANTY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO EXCEED 45 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT AND TOWED TO DAYTONA KIA DEALER, LOCATED AT 510 N NOVA RD, DAYTONA BEACH, FL 32114, WHERE THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO EXCEED 45 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT AND TOWED TO DAYTONA KIA DEALER, LOCATED AT 510 N NOVA RD, DAYTONA BEACH, FL 32114, WHERE THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO RETRIEVE AN ERROR CODE. THE CONTACT PERFORMED A VIN SEARCH AND BECAME AWARE THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V120000 (ENGINE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER BACK AND WAS INFORMED THAT WITHOUT THE ERROR CODE, THAT ONLY THE ECU UPGRADE WOULD BE PERFORMED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE CODE (P0420) WAS NEEDED IN ORDER TO REPAIR THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 119,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED TO 20 MPH INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED NUMEROUS TIMES FOR THE VEHICLE TO RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO S…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED TO 20 MPH INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED NUMEROUS TIMES FOR THE VEHICLE TO RESPOND. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO STEVE SCHMITT KIA LOCATED AT 11655 NEW HALLS FERRY ROAD, FLORISSANT, MO 63033, TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 90,000.
THE VEHICLE HAS 59,000 MILES AND IS CONSUMING OIL AT A HIGH RATE. A FAULT LIGHT CAME ON PUTTING THE CAR IN LIMP MODE WHERE IT REFUSES TO ACCELERATE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS HAD THE VEHICLE WITH NO RESOLUTION FOR NEARLY A MONTH. THERE ARE REPORTS OF FIRES AND OTHER FATALITIES WITH THIS MODEL AND THE RECALL NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED IN ORDE…
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THE VEHICLE HAS 59,000 MILES AND IS CONSUMING OIL AT A HIGH RATE. A FAULT LIGHT CAME ON PUTTING THE CAR IN LIMP MODE WHERE IT REFUSES TO ACCELERATE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS HAD THE VEHICLE WITH NO RESOLUTION FOR NEARLY A MONTH. THERE ARE REPORTS OF FIRES AND OTHER FATALITIES WITH THIS MODEL AND THE RECALL NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED IN ORDER TO FORCE KIA MOTORS TO BUY-BACK THESE CARS.
DRIVING TO WORK FROM LUNCH MY CAR STALLED AND THEN COMPLETELY STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE ENGINE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING AND THEN MY CAR STARTED TO MOVE AGAIN BUT IT WAS SLUGGISH AND SLOW. IT WONT GO PAST 45 MILES BEFORE SLOWING ALL THE WAY DOWN. I HAD GOT MY CAR RECALLED THREE DAYS BEFORE, THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG …
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DRIVING TO WORK FROM LUNCH MY CAR STALLED AND THEN COMPLETELY STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THE ENGINE LIGHT STARTED FLASHING AND THEN MY CAR STARTED TO MOVE AGAIN BUT IT WAS SLUGGISH AND SLOW. IT WONT GO PAST 45 MILES BEFORE SLOWING ALL THE WAY DOWN. I HAD GOT MY CAR RECALLED THREE DAYS BEFORE, THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE ENGINE/TRANSMISSION AT THE TIME OF THE RECALL. NOW THREE DAY LATER MY CARS STUCK IN LIMP MODE SHOWING A P0326 CODE.
Official recalls
219V120000 · Engine; Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:emission Control:catalytic Convertor
Feb 22, 2019
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Kia Soul vehicles equipped with 1.6L Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) engines. High exhaust gas temperatures may damage the catalytic converter, possibly resulting in abnormal engine combustion and damage to one or more of the engine's pistons and possible piston connecting rod failure.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Piston damage may result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash. A broken connecting rod may puncture the engine block allowing engine oil to escape. The leaking oil may contact the exhaust, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will upgrade the Catalytic Overheating Protection Engine Control Unit logic to prevent overheating of the catalytic converter. In addition, the catalytic converter will also be replaced if it has been damaged. Depending on the extent of any damage, the engine may also be replaced, free of charge. The recall began April 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC176.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Engine
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Kia Soul vehicles equipped with 1.6L Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) engines. High exhaust gas temperatures may damage the catalytic converter, possibly resulting in abnormal engine combustion and damage to one or more of the engine's pistons and possible piston connecting rod failure.
Consequence: Piston damage may result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash. A broken connecting rod may puncture the engine block allowing engine oil to escape. The leaking oil may contact the exhaust, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will upgrade the Catalytic Overheating Protection Engine Control Unit logic to prevent overheating of the catalytic converter. In addition, the catalytic converter will also be replaced if it has been damaged. Depending on the extent of any damage, the engine may also be replaced, free of charge. The recall began April 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC176.
Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:emission Control:catalytic Convertor
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Kia Soul vehicles equipped with 1.6L Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) engines. High exhaust gas temperatures may damage the catalytic converter, possibly resulting in abnormal engine combustion and damage to one or more of the engine's pistons and possible piston connecting rod failure.
Consequence: Piston damage may result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash. A broken connecting rod may puncture the engine block allowing engine oil to escape. The leaking oil may contact the exhaust, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will upgrade the Catalytic Overheating Protection Engine Control Unit logic to prevent overheating of the catalytic converter. In addition, the catalytic converter will also be replaced if it has been damaged. Depending on the extent of any damage, the engine may also be replaced, free of charge. The recall began April 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC176.
17V608000 · Steering
Sep 29, 2017
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Soul and Soul EV vehicles. The pinion plug may allow the pinion gear to separate from the steering gear assembly.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: If the pinion gear separates, steering will be lost, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and secure the pinion plug or replace the steering gear assembly, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 16, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC155. Note: This recall supersedes campaigns 14V-332 and 15V-736. Vehicles previously remedied under those numbers are being recalled again under this campaign.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1EA21003 · Engine Fires
Opened Dec 22, 2021 · Closed Feb 5, 2024
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine
On March 29, 2019, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened two Preliminary Evaluations (PE19-003 on Hyundai and PE19-004 on Kia) to broadly investigate incidents of non-crash fires (regardless of origin or operational status of the vehicle) on various model year Hyundai and Kia vehicles. During the PE investigations, Hyundai and Kia issued several recalls to address vehicle fires, including those due to engine failures involving various engine types. The remedies for the engine failure recalls typically involve engine inspection (to detect existing damage), and if necessary, engine replacement. Additionally, both manufacturers have been installing an engine control software modification known as Knock Sensor Detection Software (KSDS) which is intended to detect impending engine failure, alert the driver, and limit engine power (to lessen likelihood of engine failure).KSDS is being installed under recalls and non-safety field actions, and both companies have extended limited engine warranties (see recall files). On December 22, 2021, ODI upgraded PE19-003 and PE19-004 to this Engineering Analysis (EA21-003, covering both Hyundai and Kia) to evaluate the scope of the prior recalls related to engine failures/fires and the efficacy of the recall remedies for the recalls, as well as the long-term viability of related programs and non-safety field actions being conducted by Hyundai and Kia. The former issue involved approximately 550,000 MY 2013 Hyundai Elantra, MY 2011 Kia Sorento, and MY 2012-2015 Kia Rio. The latter issue involved approximately 2.5 million recalled vehicles, which have been identified as displaying potential remedy concerns: Hyundai recalls 15V-568, 17V-226, 20V-746, and 21V-727; and Kia recalls 17V-224, 19V-120, 20V-750, and 21V-844. Regarding the recall scope issue, among all of the scope vehicles identified at EA opening, ODI found only the MY 2011 Kia Sorento vehicles equipped with both the Theta II 2.4L 4-cylinder Multi-Point Injection (MPI) and the Lambda II 3.5L 6-cylinder MPI engines experienced relatively high rates of reported fires. In December 2023, Kia issued recall 23V-877 that will cover about 80,000 MY 2011 Kia Sorento vehicles equipped with the Theta II 2.4L MPI engines. The remedy will involve an inspection, and if necessary, a replacement of the engine, as well as the installation of KSDS. It should be noted that in 2021 these vehicles were included in a KSDS product improvement campaign with warranty extension. For the MY 2011 Sorento vehicles equipped with the Lambda II 3.5L engines, ODI believes that future engine failures/fires involving these vehicles will likely be due to a lax in adhering to the proper or scheduled engine maintenance (regular engine oil changes), rather than a design or manufacturing engine issue. Regarding the issue of the efficacy of the recall remedies, ODI found the majority of the recalled Hyundai and Kia vehicles, by model, experienced lower reported fire rates after the remedies were applied. Furthermore, ODI found that for most vehicles that did not receive the recall remedies, by model, experienced relatively high fire rates. To address this problem, Hyundai informed ODI in December 2023, that it will renotify all of its owners covered by the Hyundai recalls of engine failures/fires every 8 months for the next 3 years. In December 2023, Kia stated that it will renotify the majority of its owners every 8 months for the next 3 years.Several previously recalled Kia models are excluded from the renotification due to their lower reported rates of engine fires. Overall, the renotification actions will help to increase the recall completion rates, thus reduce the frequency of engine fires in the future. In view of the recall action being taken by Kia and renotification actions being taken by both Kia and Hyundai, ODI is closing this Engineering Analysis. Also, both companies have been released from the 2020-iniated Consent Orders (Kia since November 2022 and Hyundai since November 2023). The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.