MY CAR HAS 64,700 MILES ON IT. I WAS ACCELERATING TO GET ON THE HIGHWAY GOING ABOUT 50 MILES PER HOUR ALL OF THE SUDDEN I HEARD A POOF NOISE WHITE SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE CAR AND I LOST ALL POWER
2018 Kia Soul
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2018 Kia Soul do not stand out strongly from 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
80 reports with mileage · 138 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 140 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 31 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
218 reportsTHE CRUISE CONTROL SOMEHOW AFFECTS THE ENGINE AND OR TRANSMISSION WHEN IN CRUISE IT SPEEDS UP WITH OUT PRESSING ON THE GAS THE MPR GOES WAY OVER 4 MPR THEN I CANCEL THE CRUISE AND RESET IT AND SAME THING HAPPENS THIS IS ON HWY
ON JANUARY 22, 2021, VEHICLE FELT SLUGGISH WHEN ACCELERATING. SOON AFTER, LOUD NOISE FROM ENGINE AND ENGINE DIED. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, AND WAS DIAGNOSED WITH ENGINE FAILURE AT 75K MILES. DEALER STATED SEVERAL ENGINE FAILURES IN THE YEAR MODEL CURRENTLY BEING SERVICED. USED ENGINE WITH 12 MONTH WARRANTY WAS PRICED AT $910…
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ON JANUARY 22, 2021, VEHICLE FELT SLUGGISH WHEN ACCELERATING. SOON AFTER, LOUD NOISE FROM ENGINE AND ENGINE DIED. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP, AND WAS DIAGNOSED WITH ENGINE FAILURE AT 75K MILES. DEALER STATED SEVERAL ENGINE FAILURES IN THE YEAR MODEL CURRENTLY BEING SERVICED. USED ENGINE WITH 12 MONTH WARRANTY WAS PRICED AT $9100.
JANUARY 21ST 2021, WENT TO A DEALERSHIP IN MIAMI AND PURCHASED A USED KIA SOUL PLUS. JANUARY 26TH 2021, AFTER LEAVING THE POST OFFICE CAR SLOWED DOWN AND CAME TO A STOP. OIL LIGHT WAS GLITCHING PRIOR TO THAT DAY. CAR WAS IN DRIVE AND COULDN'T SHIFT GEARS TO PARK OR NEUTRAL. HAD TO PUSH THE CAR INTO A PARKING LOT AND SIT. TOOK T…
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JANUARY 21ST 2021, WENT TO A DEALERSHIP IN MIAMI AND PURCHASED A USED KIA SOUL PLUS. JANUARY 26TH 2021, AFTER LEAVING THE POST OFFICE CAR SLOWED DOWN AND CAME TO A STOP. OIL LIGHT WAS GLITCHING PRIOR TO THAT DAY. CAR WAS IN DRIVE AND COULDN'T SHIFT GEARS TO PARK OR NEUTRAL. HAD TO PUSH THE CAR INTO A PARKING LOT AND SIT. TOOK TO A KIA DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPLACED OIL GASKET. TOOK THE CAR HOME FEW DAYS DRIVING TO AND FROM WORK. FEBRUARY 9TH CAR BROKE DOWN AGAIN WHILE TURNING INSIDE PARKING SPOT. CAR BATTERY LIGHT AND OIL PRESSURE LIGHT WAS BOTH ON. CAR WENT BACK TO KIA DEALERSHIP THURSDAY 11TH. KIA LOOKED AT THE CAR STATING OIL SLUDGE WAS ALL INSIDE THE ENGINE AND REPAIRS WILL COST $9,000. USED CAR IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY.
JUST BOUGHT CAR, 33,000 MILES, WAS DRIVING AND TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED, INTERNAL MECHANICAL DAMAGE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER GETTING AN OIL CHANGE AND DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL METALLIC SCRAPING SOUND COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO PULL OVER WHEN THE CHECK OIL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE SHUT-OFF AND FAILED TO RESTA…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER GETTING AN OIL CHANGE AND DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL METALLIC SCRAPING SOUND COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO PULL OVER WHEN THE CHECK OIL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE SHUT-OFF AND FAILED TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT RELATED TO THE RECENT OIL CHANGE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO KIA OF BOWIE (16620 GOVERNOR BRIDGE RD, BOWIE, MD 20716, (301) 820-7500) WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MECHANIC REFERENCED A RECALL FOR 2014/2015 MODEL YEARS HOWEVER, THE 2018 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES WERE NOT INCLUDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND CONFIRMED THAT THE CONTACT'S MODEL YEAR VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
I WAS DRIVING MY 2018 KIA SOUL WITH 89,000 MILES ON IT AND ENGINE MADE A RATTLE NOISE IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY A LOUD CLUNK NOISE OUT OF THE BLUE. DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH AND HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES, AFTER THE NOISE THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY DIES. I COAST INTO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND THE ENGINE IS LIGHTLY SMO…
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I WAS DRIVING MY 2018 KIA SOUL WITH 89,000 MILES ON IT AND ENGINE MADE A RATTLE NOISE IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY A LOUD CLUNK NOISE OUT OF THE BLUE. DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH AND HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES, AFTER THE NOISE THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY DIES. I COAST INTO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND THE ENGINE IS LIGHTLY SMOKING AT THIS POINT. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE KIA DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY TELL ME THE ENGINE IS BLOWN AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, THE SHOP MANAGER ALSO STATES THAT THE 2018 KIA SOUL SHOULD HAVE AN ENGINE RECALL IN HIS OPINION BECAUSE HE STATED THAT THE ENGINE THE 2018 SOUL USES IS THE SAME ENGINE THAT IS IN OTHER KIA VEHICLES WITH RECALLS ON THEIR ENGINE. I HAVE RELIGIOUSLY PERFORMED ALL RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE AND OIL CHANGES AT MANUFACTURES PRESCRIBED TIME.
WAS DRIVING ON A MAIN ROAD AND THE CAR JUST STOPPED. IT GAVE NO WARNINGS OR MADE NO NOTICES. IT JUST STOPPED WORKING. I HAD TO PUSH THE VEHICLE TO A SAFE AREA AND CALLED AAA TO COME AND TOW THE CAR TO MY HOME. MY HUSBAND WENT TO START IT AND SAID BATTERY WASN'T GOOD SO WE BOUGHT A NEW ONE, THEN HE STATES THE STARTER WAS BAD SO W…
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WAS DRIVING ON A MAIN ROAD AND THE CAR JUST STOPPED. IT GAVE NO WARNINGS OR MADE NO NOTICES. IT JUST STOPPED WORKING. I HAD TO PUSH THE VEHICLE TO A SAFE AREA AND CALLED AAA TO COME AND TOW THE CAR TO MY HOME. MY HUSBAND WENT TO START IT AND SAID BATTERY WASN'T GOOD SO WE BOUGHT A NEW ONE, THEN HE STATES THE STARTER WAS BAD SO WE REPLACED IT, THEN WE FINALLY GOT IT TO START ONLY TO HEAR THE CAR MAKE A LOUD SLAPPING SOUND. THE CAR DOESN'T DRIVE AND THE ENGINE HAS FAILED. I AM THE SECOND OWNER SO THE WARRANTY JUST RAN OUT. I HAVE ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR 18 MONTHS. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO HAVE OIL CHANGES AND KEEP IT CLEAN. I HAVE TAKEN REALLY GREAT CARE FOR THE CAR AND I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY IT NEEDS A NEW ENGINE, WHEN IT'S A 2018 KIA. ENGINES SHOULD LAST A LONG TIME.
THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON WITH ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEMS AS THE CAUSE OF THE ISSUE I HAVE HAD IT TO THE DEALER 5 TIMES NOW. STILL ON FOR THE 6TH TIME NOW!!!! I WAS TOLD THAT THE RECALL WOULD FIX THIS AND IT HAS NOT
2 INSTANCES HAVE OCCURRED. 1. IN REVERSE, THE CAR MOVED FORWARD AND NEARLY HIT A WALL. 2. IN REVERSE, THE CAR MOVED FORWARD AND NEARLY HIT ANOTHER CAR. THEN PUT IN NEUTRAL TO PUSH BACK. BUT CAR MOVED FORWARD IN NEUTRAL AS WELL. LET THE CAR SIT FOR A HALF HOUR. AND IT SHIFTED INTO REVERSE CORRECTLY AGAIN.
Official recalls
122V031000 · Air Bags
Jan 25, 2022
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Sedona, Soul, Soul EV, 2017-2018 Forte, and 2017 Forte Koup vehicles. The Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) cover may contact a memory chip on the printed circuit board and damage the electrical circuit. Circuit damage may result in deactivated air bags that will not deploy in a crash.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the ACU, and either update the software or replace the unit, as necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 21, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC226.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
Illustration