← New search

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 →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

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

What owners actually said

810 reports
Mileage unknown · Feb 5, 2024
Fuel/propulsion System

Catalytic converter failing. First began failing in December 2023. Took to have serviced. Told to put cataclean in my gas tank. Check engine light went off. Check engine light came back on again. Same code for catalytic convertable. Was told that it was a possible O2 sensor, or possibly be the catalytic converter. Then I was n…

Read full complaint

Catalytic converter failing. First began failing in December 2023. Took to have serviced. Told to put cataclean in my gas tank. Check engine light went off. Check engine light came back on again. Same code for catalytic convertable. Was told that it was a possible O2 sensor, or possibly be the catalytic converter. Then I was notified other 2016 Kia soul have had the exact same issue with a faulty Cadillac converter failing and effecting performance and causing engine damage. This was a Kia dealership that notified me of this. However even though I have a 2016 Kia soul, and there’s already a recall on Catalyatic converters for 2016 Kia soul, I was told I’d need to pay out-of-pocket for a new catalyatic converter because my car wasn’t on the recall list. Other models the 2016 Kia soul have also failed. The recall needs to be extended to all models of the 2016 Kia soul. This is a bigger issue than Kia is admitting. Because the dealerships all know that the 2016, Kia souls have faulty catalytic converters. The dealership sold me the 2019 Kia soul back in 2021 and did not reveal that. There was a major issue with the catalytic converters for all the Kia soul 2016 models. They simply told me there were no recalls, but that didn’t mean that it wasn’t gonna pop up with issues for this model because they’ve had issues. Of course this was not revealed by the sales person, but rather the service department manager when I begin having issues with my 2016 Kia soul for other things. Now the catalytic converter in my car is going out, but it should be a part of the recall, because it is causing issues for not only the O2 sensor, but the car in general.

NHTSA ODI #11570153

Mileage unknown · Feb 4, 2024
Engine

2016 Kia Soul (50300 miles):The day after service at dealer car emitted smoke from tailpipe, which it had not at any time before. They diagnosed with borescope as cylinder scoring and needed engine replacement. I bought it used so 5 year warranty was expired. I contacted Kia America, who had spoken to dealer, and was told warran…

Read full complaint

2016 Kia Soul (50300 miles):The day after service at dealer car emitted smoke from tailpipe, which it had not at any time before. They diagnosed with borescope as cylinder scoring and needed engine replacement. I bought it used so 5 year warranty was expired. I contacted Kia America, who had spoken to dealer, and was told warranty was expired. I towed it back home. I could drive it but emits lots of smoke and will seize at some point and cause a safety hazard to me and others which Kia seems fine with. For now it safely parked unless it spontaneously catches fire as other Kia's have done. It has the NU 2.0 engine which, as you are aware, has a history of disastrous issues and lawsuits regarding the combustion chamber, including rod bearings, piston rings and excessive oil consumption. These problems can cause death and injury through fires and stalled engines. They should not be allowed to specify individual parts for recall, when any defective part in the combustion chamber can cause total engine failure. A safe engine, when maintained at a dealer should not need replacement after 7 years and 50000 miles. These problems come to light after several years and had I known about them I never would have bought a Kia. I thought their 10yr warranty was because they believed in their quality not because they knew customers were going to need it. I have now seen the complaints and TSBs that have been issued regarding this engine and Kia has not chosen to do the right thing without being forced, probably because it would put them out of business. I believe that even a replacement engine would be susceptible to the same problems. How can I sell a car to someone knowing that it could result in their death or injury? It is time to hold them accountable regardless of the effect on their business. New logos and marketing have not improved their quality or safety. They have, however, made them more popular. Which means there are many more dangerous vehicles on the road.

NHTSA ODI #11569735

Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 2024
Electrical SystemEngineFuel/propulsion SystemFire

INCIDENT: [XXX] Driving from [XXX] to [XXX] Notice a slight gasoline smell in the car. I figured it was traffic smog. [XXX] I noticed the inside of the car still smelled of gasoline. Looked up on Google to see if this was an underlying issue. My quick search led me to believe that it was severe. Firestone Complete Auto Ca…

Read full complaint

INCIDENT: [XXX] Driving from [XXX] to [XXX] Notice a slight gasoline smell in the car. I figured it was traffic smog. [XXX] I noticed the inside of the car still smelled of gasoline. Looked up on Google to see if this was an underlying issue. My quick search led me to believe that it was severe. Firestone Complete Auto Care [XXX]: After a quick lookup on Google, I called my local Firestone via Bluetooth to see if they had an opening today. When I talked to a worker describing my concerns, they told me there were no openings that day and that tomorrow ([XXX]) they were available. I booked an appt for [XXX] at 10 a.m. When I finished talking to FireStone, I was driving through [XXX] . Driving through [XXX] to get back home ([XXX]): I stopped at a light that intersects between [XXX] and [XXX]. I noticed that the hood had smoke coming out and saw flames. I quickly grabbed my important belongings and tried to direct traffic behind me to go around me. I called 911, gave my location, and described the incident, and then they called the fire department. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI #11569390

95,000 miles · Jan 30, 2024
Engine And Engine Cooling

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, there was an abnormally loud sound coming from the catalytic convertor. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine and Engine Cooling), and the vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the Catalyt…

Read full complaint

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, there was an abnormally loud sound coming from the catalytic convertor. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine and Engine Cooling), and the vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the Catalytic Overheating Protection Engine Control Unit logic needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. Additionally, the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that the catalytic convertor had failed. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired because the warranty had expired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.

NHTSA ODI #11568832

Mileage unknown · Jan 28, 2024
Engine

I went in to Kia Dealership in early 2023 because my Catalytic Converter was popping up on the OBD computer. I saw that it was under recall. So i scheduled a recall appointment with a Kia Dealership near me. Now months later, the CAT is popping up on OBD computer again. I scheduled another appointment with kia but they told me t…

Read full complaint

I went in to Kia Dealership in early 2023 because my Catalytic Converter was popping up on the OBD computer. I saw that it was under recall. So i scheduled a recall appointment with a Kia Dealership near me. Now months later, the CAT is popping up on OBD computer again. I scheduled another appointment with kia but they told me that they wanted to charge me $109 to look at me car and also that since all Recalls have been completed that they wont change my cat under recall. So I have no idea what they actually did to my car but they never replaced the catalytic converter that was under recall. and now i may be stuck having to pay for this issue my self

NHTSA ODI #11568285

Mileage unknown · Jan 26, 2024
Engine

The engine and catalytic converter failed while driving on the highway started slowing down and making a sound

NHTSA ODI #11568087

Mileage unknown · Jan 17, 2024
Engine

Kia didn't thoroughly inspect my car in response to recall 19V101which would have caught a damaged catalytic converter. Kia updated the code in 2019 but did not replace my catalytic converter and is now unwilling to honor the recall repair necessary. My catalytic converter is now damaged with the same symptoms identified in t…

Read full complaint

Kia didn't thoroughly inspect my car in response to recall 19V101which would have caught a damaged catalytic converter. Kia updated the code in 2019 but did not replace my catalytic converter and is now unwilling to honor the recall repair necessary. My catalytic converter is now damaged with the same symptoms identified in the recall. Kia is insisting that I cover the costs associated with the repair.

NHTSA ODI #11566042

Mileage unknown · Jan 16, 2024
Engine

Engine stalling/losing acceleration. 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. The engine stalls and loses acceleration spontaneously dur…

Read full complaint

Engine stalling/losing acceleration. 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. The engine stalls and loses acceleration spontaneously during driving. This will lead to a failing O2 sensor, not sure which comes first. My car would lose power on the freeway and making Left hand turns leading to near crashes. The problem has been confirmed by a repair shop. No warning lamps were triggered not sure if this is also part of the problem, it does not trigger a warning light.

NHTSA ODI #11565834

Mileage unknown · Jan 10, 2024
Engine

My family decided to purchase a 2016 Kia Soul and it was a great car until it stalled on me on a highway, and funny enough I was helping my father on his vehicle on the highway. I had this car towed to Raceway Kia at Freehold NJ , who provided a KDKS software update to the engine. A short time later, the car had to be sent again…

Read full complaint

My family decided to purchase a 2016 Kia Soul and it was a great car until it stalled on me on a highway, and funny enough I was helping my father on his vehicle on the highway. I had this car towed to Raceway Kia at Freehold NJ , who provided a KDKS software update to the engine. A short time later, the car had to be sent again and they performed an oil consumption test. By this time, my car was near the warranty expiration of 100k and they stated that since I performed this, that if there were problems with my vehicle, they would fix it. Fast forward and now I am experiencing a knocking in my car and it is losing acceleration/ power. I sent my Kia Soul to another dealer, Matt Blatt Kia at Toms River. They diagnosed the engine and stated that there were no engine problems or codes and that I need a new catalytic converter that costs over $3000. This is not fair because there is research that supports that because there is engine problems with this model, this could contribute to catalytic converter problems. I am aware there is an ongoing settlement that qualifies my 2016 Kia Soul, and know that others have had their engines replaced. Links: [XXX] [XXX] What should I do next? I do have the receipts with line by line itemized suggested repairs. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI #11564633

Mileage unknown · Jan 5, 2024
Electrical SystemEngineSteering

Certainly. I own a 2016 Kia Soul, and recently I've become aware of some serious issues with the vehicle that are deeply concerning. It has come to my attention that the car is experiencing piston damage, which could potentially result in engine stalling, thereby significantly increasing the risk of a crash. Furthermore, there i…

Read full complaint

Certainly. I own a 2016 Kia Soul, and recently I've become aware of some serious issues with the vehicle that are deeply concerning. It has come to my attention that the car is experiencing piston damage, which could potentially result in engine stalling, thereby significantly increasing the risk of a crash. Furthermore, there is a possibility that a broken connecting rod may puncture the engine block, leading to the escape of engine oil. This could not only cause significant damage to the engine but also poses a serious safety hazard. In the worst-case scenario, the leaking oil may come into contact with the hot exhaust system, significantly increasing the risk of a My 2016 Kia Soul has been causing me a lot of trouble. Every 5-6 months, it needs a tune-up, and it frequently starts making loud noises from the engine. The car also has a concerning habit of skipping, and at times, it won't go faster than 20 miles an hour. This unreliable performance has put me in dangerous situations, including being side-swiped due to the vehicle randomly cutting off while driving. In an effort to get to the bottom of these issues, I had a diagnostic test run on the car, and the results were troubling. The codes that came up include P1326 for the glow relay stuck on the power train system, as well as anti-lock codes What is particularly distressing about this situation is that despite the severity of these potential risks, Kia of Pendleton has refused to address the issue and rectify the problems with my vehicle. This lack of action is extremely worrying, especially given that I regularly travel with my two kids in the car. The safety of my family is paramount, and the fact that we have almost been involved in crashes twice due to these issues is deeply troubling. I am reaching out for assistance and resolution in this matter. The safety of my vehicle and the well-being of my family are at stake, and I urgently need a response and a plan to address these serious safety concerns.

NHTSA ODI #11563734

Official recalls

2

19V120000 · 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

1

EA21003 · 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.