IllustrationMY SOUL HAS BEEN OVER HEATING,STALLING,AND BACK FIRING,EVEN HAD SMOKE COME FROM ENGINE 2 TIMES.HAS BEEN IN SHOP OVER 7 TIMES FOR THERMOSTAT ISSUE, THAT THEY SAID THEY CAN NOT FIX .PLUS MY CAR HAS BEEN IN A NUMBER OF TIMES FOR IT NOT HAVING ANY GET UP AND GO .IT HAS TO BE REALLY FAST TO GO UP HILLS .ON HIGHWAY OR MAIN ROADS .
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
What owners actually said
810 reportsTHE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT DOES NOT ENGAGE EASILY. THEY THINK THEY ARE BUCKELED UP UNTIL I POINT AT THE INDICATOR LIGHT, OR THEY BUCKLE UP AND IT JUST DOESN'T CLICK LIKE IT'S SUPPOSED TO AND THEY WILL PULL IT OUT AND TRY MULTIPLE TIMES UNTIL IT ENGAGES.. THIS IS ALL WHILE THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY.. I JUST DON'T WANT ANY SURP…
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THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT DOES NOT ENGAGE EASILY. THEY THINK THEY ARE BUCKELED UP UNTIL I POINT AT THE INDICATOR LIGHT, OR THEY BUCKLE UP AND IT JUST DOESN'T CLICK LIKE IT'S SUPPOSED TO AND THEY WILL PULL IT OUT AND TRY MULTIPLE TIMES UNTIL IT ENGAGES.. THIS IS ALL WHILE THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY.. I JUST DON'T WANT ANY SURPRISES IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT, I NEED MY PASSENGERS SECURED...
CAR WAS IN GOOD CONDITION AND WELL MAINTAINED ACCORDING TO MANUFACTURER'S SERVICE SCHEDULE. IT WAS LAST SERVICED ON 7/31/18 WHEN IT PASSED NYS INSPECTION. THE OWNER WAS INFORMED ON 9/18/18 @ 7:03 PM BY DAUGHTER THAT CAR STARTED MAKING A STRANGE SOUND ON 9/17/18. PLANNED TO HAVE DEALER CHECK OUT CAR ON 9/19/18. ON 9/18/18 @ APPRO…
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CAR WAS IN GOOD CONDITION AND WELL MAINTAINED ACCORDING TO MANUFACTURER'S SERVICE SCHEDULE. IT WAS LAST SERVICED ON 7/31/18 WHEN IT PASSED NYS INSPECTION. THE OWNER WAS INFORMED ON 9/18/18 @ 7:03 PM BY DAUGHTER THAT CAR STARTED MAKING A STRANGE SOUND ON 9/17/18. PLANNED TO HAVE DEALER CHECK OUT CAR ON 9/19/18. ON 9/18/18 @ APPROXIMATELY 8:35 PM, WHILE BEING DRIVEN ON THE LOCAL PORTION OF AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, THE CAR'S OIL LIGHT BLINKED ON AND OFF. A FEW MINUTES LATER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON. A FEW MINUTES LATER THE CAR ENGINE BEGAN TO SMOKE AND SMOKE CAME INTO THE CAR THROUGH THE AIR VENTS. THE DRIVER, MY DAUGHTER'S BOYFRIEND, PULLED OVER INTO THE BREAKDOWN LANE, TURNED OFF THE CAR, GOT OUT, STEPPED AWAY FROM IT AND THE ENGINE ERUPTED IN FLAMES. BY APPROXIMATELY 8:50 PM THE CAR WAS TOTALLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE CAR LOOKS LIKE IT WAS FIRE BOMBED.
MY HEADLIGHTS FLICKER WHEN I'M DRIVING. SOMETIMES THEY SHUT COMPLETELY OFF AND DON'T COME BACK ON FOR SEVERAL SECONDS. I NOTICE THE PROBLEM NOT WHEN I USE MY INDICATORS. WHEN I FLICK THE INDICATOR ON MY HEADLIGHTS FLICKER OFF AND ON.
THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT BELTS DO RETRACT AFTER THE ARE USED. THE PULL OUT BUT THEY WILL NOT RETRACT BACK IN THE SEAT BELT AREA
I HAVE A 2016 KIA SOUL, FULLY LOADED MODEL. SIX MONTHS AFTER BUYING THE CAR FROM THE DEALER (BOUGHT NEW WITH 8 MILES), I BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH ACCELERATION, FROM A STOP OR SLOW. THE CAR WOULD HESITATE/LAG/ALMOST STALL FOR 2-5 SECONDS, BEFORE CATCHING AND STARTING TO SPEED UP. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER. THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYT…
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I HAVE A 2016 KIA SOUL, FULLY LOADED MODEL. SIX MONTHS AFTER BUYING THE CAR FROM THE DEALER (BOUGHT NEW WITH 8 MILES), I BEGAN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH ACCELERATION, FROM A STOP OR SLOW. THE CAR WOULD HESITATE/LAG/ALMOST STALL FOR 2-5 SECONDS, BEFORE CATCHING AND STARTING TO SPEED UP. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER. THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. I STILL HAVE THE CAR AND I CONTINUE TO HAVE THE SAME ISSUES. I TAKE THE CAR IN FOR REGULAR OIL CHANGES AND EVERY TIME, HAVE MENTIONED THE ACCELERATION PROBLEM AND EACH TIME THEY SAY THEY CAN'T FIND WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT. THE LAST TIME I TOOK IT IN, ABOUT 4 MONTHS AGO, THEY SAID TO PUT GAS TREATMENT IN THE TANK AND IF I THE PROBLEM PERSISTS, THEN BRING IT IN TO HAVE THE CRANKCASE FILTER CHANGED (THIS IS THE UPSELL THEY'VE BEEN PUSHING ON ME FOR A YEAR NOW. I HAVE UNDER 30,000 MILES, MOST OF WHICH ARE CROSS-COUNTRY MILES. TODAY, I HAVE THE SAME ACCELERATION PROBLEM BUT THIS TIME AROUND, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS VERY SPONGY AND DIFFICULT TO SLOW, WHEN BREAKING TO PULL OVER. I PULLED OVER AND PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND LET IT IDLE TO LISTEN FOR ANY ODD OR UNFAMILIAR NOISES. THE CAR SOUNDED NORMAL. I SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER. THIS ACCELERATION ISSUE HAPPENS ON THE CITY STREETS, AS WELL AS THE HIGHWAY.
WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A COMPLETE STOP THE VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATE. PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR A LITTLE OR A LOT DOES NOT MATTER. THE ENGINE DOES NOT PRODUCE RPM AND DOES NOT ACCELERATE FOR AROUND 3-5 SECONDS. THERE IS NOT AN ENGINE LIGHT ON. ALL OTHER ASPECTS OF THE VEHICLE WORK PROPERLY WHEN THIS HAPPENS. THE ISSUE IS INTERM…
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WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A COMPLETE STOP THE VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATE. PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR A LITTLE OR A LOT DOES NOT MATTER. THE ENGINE DOES NOT PRODUCE RPM AND DOES NOT ACCELERATE FOR AROUND 3-5 SECONDS. THERE IS NOT AN ENGINE LIGHT ON. ALL OTHER ASPECTS OF THE VEHICLE WORK PROPERLY WHEN THIS HAPPENS. THE ISSUE IS INTERMITTENT, BUT IS ONGOING EVERY DAY. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DOING THIS FROM THE TIME IT HAD A LITTLE OVER 40,000 MILES. IT HAS 66,000 MILES NOW. I HAVE TRIED FUEL CLEANERS SEVERAL TIMES BUT THE LACK OF POWER IS STILL PERSISTENT. THIS HAPPENS WHETHER THE VEHICLE IS COLD OR HAS BEEN HOT SOAKED. IT VERY DANGEROUS WHEN PULLING INTO AN INTERSECTION OR CROSSING A ROAD AND THE CAR DOES NOT ACCELERATE PROPERLY. SOMETIMES WHEN I START ACCELERATING THE ENGINE STARTS TO BUILD RPM AND SUDDENLY IT WILL LOOSE ALL POWER. ABOUT FIVE SECONDS LATER IT COMES BACK WITH A SURGE IN POWER AND RPM.
MY CAR WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY AND HAD NOT BEEN RUNNING. I SHUT THE CAR DOOR TO GO BACK INSIDE THE HOUSE AND I HEARD A POP NOISE. THE FRONT PART OF THE PANORAMIC SUN ROOF HAD BROKEN AND SHATTERED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA SOUL. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE VEHICLE TURNED TO THE LEFT AND CRASHED INTO A CURB. THE INCIDENT DAMAGED ONE OF THE TIRES. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE LOCAL DEALER (SUPERIOR KIA, 260 W. MITCHELL AVE, CINCINNATI, OH) AND WAS AWAITING DI…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 KIA SOUL. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE VEHICLE TURNED TO THE LEFT AND CRASHED INTO A CURB. THE INCIDENT DAMAGED ONE OF THE TIRES. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE LOCAL DEALER (SUPERIOR KIA, 260 W. MITCHELL AVE, CINCINNATI, OH) AND WAS AWAITING DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 31,000.
MY CAR, WHICH IS UNDER 5000 MILES, HAD ONE OF ITS FUEL LINES DECAY OR CHEWED BY AN ANIMAL. THE LOCATION OF THE DAMAGE WAS ON TOP OF THE ENGINE. BEFORE I DISCOVERED THE DEFECTIVE FUEL LINE, MY CAR HAD BEEN RUNNING JUST FINE, WITH NO WARNING INDICATORS IN THE DASHBOARD. THE FUEL WAS LEAKING OUT DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO THE HOT ENGI…
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MY CAR, WHICH IS UNDER 5000 MILES, HAD ONE OF ITS FUEL LINES DECAY OR CHEWED BY AN ANIMAL. THE LOCATION OF THE DAMAGE WAS ON TOP OF THE ENGINE. BEFORE I DISCOVERED THE DEFECTIVE FUEL LINE, MY CAR HAD BEEN RUNNING JUST FINE, WITH NO WARNING INDICATORS IN THE DASHBOARD. THE FUEL WAS LEAKING OUT DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO THE HOT ENGINE, AS THE PART THAT WAS DAMAGED WAS NEAR THE TOP OF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS WHEN I DISCOVERED IT. THE SMELL OF GASOLINE WAS VERY STRONG BOTH IN AND OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. I WAS TOLD BY KIA THAT THIS WILL NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. FURTHERMORE, I WAS TOLD BY THEIR OWN CUSTOMER RELATIONS REPRESENTATIVE THAT THEIR FUEL LINES ARE MADE OUT OF A MATERIAL CALLED PARAFFIN, WHICH IS A WAX LIKE SUBSTANCE THAT ANIMALS LIKE TO CHEW. I WAS PERPLEXED AT WHY THEY USE A MATERIAL THAT IS EASILY DESTROYED FOR SUCH A VITAL COMPONENT IN THEIR VEHICLE..
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.