Rod bearing pop while driving on highway. Car stalls out. Only warning was oil light and battery light appearing. Rough idle and sluggish...sounds like it's going to blow .
2020 Kia Soul
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2020 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
160 reports with mileage · 218 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 235 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 89 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Engine complaints
235 reportsThe contact owns a 2020 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V259000 (Engine); however, the dealer informed the contact that the recall repair could not be performed because the test used to check the piston rings was faulty. The vehicle was remained at the dealer. The contact stated that the m…
Read full complaint
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V259000 (Engine); however, the dealer informed the contact that the recall repair could not be performed because the test used to check the piston rings was faulty. The vehicle was remained at the dealer. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Hi, my name is [XXX] . I was driving my car two Thursdays ago. When all of a sudden my engine light came on. I stopped to see an auto place. If it was a problem hHi, my name is [XXX] . I was driving my car two Thursdays ago. When all of a sudden my engine light came on. I stopped to see at an auto place. If it was a problem he t…
Read full complaint
Hi, my name is [XXX] . I was driving my car two Thursdays ago. When all of a sudden my engine light came on. I stopped to see an auto place. If it was a problem hHi, my name is [XXX] . I was driving my car two Thursdays ago. When all of a sudden my engine light came on. I stopped to see at an auto place. If it was a problem he told me I could drive it as long as it wasn’t blinking if it started to blank, bring it immediately to a garage which I did had it towed people were telling me it was my camshaft, blah blah blah they found no oil leak no burning oil then I took it to a Kia dealer which I have paperwork. They worked on the car. They said my battery was at 15% which I didn’t even get a light to say my battery was low nor did it tell me that there was a engine problem or there was no oil in my car until that one moment it happens so fast it ended up costing me a lot of money, IKEA and I want to know why this happened why my oil lights didn’t come on or anything and if these cars have problems at 130,000 miles when the dealer sells you this car he should warn you or if they found out later then they should have to send you a letter stating to have a checked, but I’ve gotten nothing. I just wanna know what I can do about this to make sure that my car is not gonna do it again or who do I contact to talk to about this problem? Thank you [XXX] [XXX] Or you can call me [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
My car randomly started stalling and turned off while I was in the middle of a busy intersection with both my children in the car. I had to turn on my hazards and turn off my car and turn it back on and press on the gas pedal. The car did that four times in less than 30 minutes. I am not the original owner of the vehicle, but th…
Read full complaint
My car randomly started stalling and turned off while I was in the middle of a busy intersection with both my children in the car. I had to turn on my hazards and turn off my car and turn it back on and press on the gas pedal. The car did that four times in less than 30 minutes. I am not the original owner of the vehicle, but the previous owner did have the cars camshaft repaired when I took it to the mechanic on 4/21 that was when I found out about the previous owner having the same issue as I am. I called Kia of America regarding the recall on 2020 Kia souls. They ignored my request and told me there was nothing they can do as my warranty was expired. I then proceeded to call carmax where I bought the car and was never informed that there was mechanical issues and that the car was safe. I did the research and saw there is a recall on 2020 Kia soul for improperly heat treated piston oil rings and that a damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash and that oil may leak into hot exhaust causing a fire.
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Soul. While the contact's daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact's daughter noticed an abnormally loud knocking sound coming from the vehicle. Additionally, there was smoke coming the exhaust and the vehicle was erratically shaking. No warning light was illuminated. The contact's un…
Read full complaint
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Soul. While the contact's daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact's daughter noticed an abnormally loud knocking sound coming from the vehicle. Additionally, there was smoke coming the exhaust and the vehicle was erratically shaking. No warning light was illuminated. The contact's uncle checked the oil pressure, and the engine low was extremely low. The contact arrived on the scene and added oil to the engine. The vehicle was driven to the contact's residence. The contact researched and identified an unrepaired recall repair under NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V259000 (Engine), which the contact stated was associated with the VIN. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed with a fuel system failure. The dealer confirmed there were metal shavings in the oil pan. The contact was informed of a fuel system failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated the dealer did not address the unrepaired recall repair or the failure due to the unrepaired recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact stated that the manufacturer confirmed the unrepaired recall associated with the VIN. The manufacturer was made aware of the discrepancy regarding the unrepaired recall repair, which the contact stated had been removed from the NHTSA database. The contact stated he had not received any updates from the manufacturer since the report was made a week prior. The failure mileage was approximately 69,000.
2020 Kia Soul with 55,000 miles on it had the check engine light come on. The car was promptly taken to the dealership where was determined that the combustion chamber had filled with oil which had soaked the spark plugs, causing the pistons to misfire and completely ruin the engine. The car had always been maintained with all m…
Read full complaint
2020 Kia Soul with 55,000 miles on it had the check engine light come on. The car was promptly taken to the dealership where was determined that the combustion chamber had filled with oil which had soaked the spark plugs, causing the pistons to misfire and completely ruin the engine. The car had always been maintained with all maintenance performed at a dealership with receipts for proof but since the car was a second owner and outside the warranty by 7 months, Kia wouldn’t replace engine despite 187k other Kia souls being recalled for similar issues because this vehicle wasn’t included in the recall. There is no reason for a car with only 55k Myles that had been properly maintained according to the owners manual to have an engine seals fail and flood it with oil and total the engine
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V259000 (Engine); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufactur…
Read full complaint
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V259000 (Engine); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. 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. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming a quart of oil every 1,000 miles. The contact stated that there were no visible leaks. While driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle failed to accelerate above 2,500 RPM. There was smoke coming from the vehicle. There wa…
Read full complaint
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming a quart of oil every 1,000 miles. The contact stated that there were no visible leaks. While driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle failed to accelerate above 2,500 RPM. There was smoke coming from the vehicle. There was an abnormal clunking sound coming from the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V259000 (Engine). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that a software update was needed. The contact was provided the cost for a diagnostic test. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 69,000.
2/7/25 went to Dublin CA KIA dealership requested engine diagnostic for engine light and burning oil @76,621 mileage they found code for catalyst efficiency PO42000, upper O2 sensor has failed, verified Cat Comb had no damage and wasn't clogged. inspected cylinder walls and found scoring on cylinder 1due to failed piston, recomm…
Read full complaint
2/7/25 went to Dublin CA KIA dealership requested engine diagnostic for engine light and burning oil @76,621 mileage they found code for catalyst efficiency PO42000, upper O2 sensor has failed, verified Cat Comb had no damage and wasn't clogged. inspected cylinder walls and found scoring on cylinder 1due to failed piston, recommended oil combustion test to return in 1000 miles to verify how much oil being burned topped off engine oil. 2/15/25 picked up KIA @76,622 mile drove home @76,637 2/27/25 @77,271 dipstick @ 3 dots -no oil added (634 miles driven) 3/8/25 @77,532 dipstick @ no dots -no oil added( 261 miles driven) drove local 3/10/25 drove to dealership @77,597 I've asked for written estimate ( they say its covered parts/labor free)) to have it writing- they are waiting for parts to replace. I'm a super commuter to San Francisco and will always check my engine oil b/c I could be serious injured or die
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with internal engine failure, and it was determined that the long block, CAT exhaust manifold, intake gasket…
Read full complaint
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with internal engine failure, and it was determined that the long block, CAT exhaust manifold, intake gasket, exhaust, and oil O-ring needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
Official recalls
121V259000 · Engine
Apr 13, 2021
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Soul, and 2021 Seltos vehicles equipped with 2.0L Nu MPI engines. The piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which may result in engine damage.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, oil may leak onto hot exhaust components, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the engine, free of charge. In addition, Kia will deploy Piston Ring Noise Sensing System (PNSS) software. The recall began June 11, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC209.
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
1DP22003 · Loss Of Motive Power
Opened Sep 12, 2022 · Closed Dec 12, 2023
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles spanning Model Years (MY) 2005-2021. The Petitioners cited examples of complaints indicating that the subject vehicles were experiencing rapid loss of engine oil due to oil drain plug back outs, resulting in loss of motive power and/or catastrophic engine damage. Additional complaints were provided which alleged that the oil drain pans lack sufficient structural integrity and are susceptible to cracking. The petition itself can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI number 11481745. On September 12, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Defect Petition (DP22-003) to evaluate the Petitioners’ request. The Petitioners have provided additional complaints within four supplemental letters dated January 31, 2023, March 21, 2023, May 23, 2023, and August 4, 2023. ODI’s evaluation included the review and analysis of the complaints and supporting information submitted by the Petitioners, as well as additional complaints submitted directly to NHTSA which referenced either the oil drain plug or a crack in the oil pan. After reviewing the available data, ODI has not identified evidence that would support opening a defect investigation into the oil drain pan assemblies of the subject vehicles. Based on a review of the available information, a loss of motive power resulting from an oil drain plug back out has not occurred between the initial sale of a vehicle and the completion of its first oil change. If during an oil change service, a technician fails to remove the existing drain plug gasket before installing a new gasket, it is likely that a proper seal between the drain plug and the oil pan will not be made. An improper seal between the drain plug and oil pan could lead to the backing out on the drain plug, resulting in the sudden loss of oil while driving. Additionally, the provided examples of oil pan cracks were localized to the immediate vicinity of the oil drain plug and/or appeared to be the result of direct-contact with a tool during servicing. There is no information to support that a vehicle-based defect exists relating to the oil pan assembly, and instead the documented incidents are related to the failure to follow the proper maintenance procedures during oil change service. In October 2023, Hyundai published a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) that provided detailed instructions for oil change service on its gasoline powered vehicles, specifically highlighting the need to remove and replace the existing drain plug gasket prior to reinstalling the drain plug. After a thorough review of the material submitted by the petitioner, the information already in NHTSA's possession, and the potential risks to motor vehicle safety implicated by the petitioners' allegations, NHTSA does not believe that a formal investigation is warranted. Therefore, the petition is denied. A Federal Register Notice (FRN) further detailing NHTSA’s reasons for denial of the petition will be published. The reference numbers for the complaints to NHTSA cited by the petitioner can be found in the petition submission documents in the public file for DP22-003. To review those complaints and the additional complaints ODI added to its evaluation which are cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
Illustration