2015 Kia Soul
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 904 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the highest complaint count among 16 Soul model years with reports.
Of the 2015 reports, 36 involved a crash and 83 involved a fire. 32 people were injured and 1 person died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
EngineDec 2, 2020
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2013 Sorento, 2012-2015 Forte and Forte Koup, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, 2014-2015 Soul, and 2012 Sportage vehicles. An engine compartment fire can occur while driving.
An engine compartment fire increases the risk of injury.
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine compartment for fuel and/or engine oil leaks, perform an engine test and make any repairs, including engine replacement, as necessary, free of charge. In addition, Kia dealers will update the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) software, free of charge. The recall began January 27, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC200.
Campaign 20V750000 on NHTSA.gov
EngineFeb 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.
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.
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.
Campaign 19V120000 on NHTSA.gov
SteeringSep 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.
If the pinion gear separates, steering will be lost, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
Campaign 17V608000 on NHTSA.gov
Vehicle speed control, accelerator pedalMar 2, 2015
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Soul and Soul electric vehicles manufactured July 21, 2013, to January 8, 2015. A section of the accelerator pedal may bend and fracture.
If the vehicle has a bent or broken accelerator pedal, the driver may have difficulty accelerating the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will add a supporting rubber underneath the pedal stopper, free of charge. The recall began on March 24, 2015. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC116.
Campaign 15V123000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
904 reports, newest first.
Engine, Feb 6, 2022
My concern is probably a concern with all Kia owners with Gamma and Nu engines. I first noticed this issue after a CEL came up on the dash and then my car went into a Safety "Limp" Mode condition. I returned home and tried to diagnose why the car went into Limp Mode (acceleration limited to <2000RPM). I turned off the vehicle and restarted and restarted it to see if that would clear the CEL. That did not clear the issue. I then checked the engine oil and found that the oil level was below dipstick level. That was very odd as it had only been 3,100 miles since the last dealer oil change for the vehicle. That was when I began to read issues with the Kia engines and the excessive oil burning issues of the engines in question. For my current issue, I refilled the oil level and brought my vehicle to my mechanic who read the CEL as P1326 Knock Sensor Detection System which was brough on by the lack of engine oil. I was told by my Extended Warranty company that the engine was therefore in need of replacement. It was then that I brought my vehicle to a Kia dealership because this is an issue that has been brought up with Kia with other owners. The dealership could not replicate the issue. This I believe is due to the fact that I have been monitoring the oil level constantly and not letting the level fall below the minimum indicator. This though is not a solution Kia must admit the fault in their engines and come up with a solution to mitigate this fiasco. Having the purchaser continually add oil is not the solution.
Engine, Feb 4, 2022
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was a knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who was unable to examine the vehicle due to the large volume of vehicles that were also in for service for the same failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but had not yet responded to or rendered a decision to the dealer regarding the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 107,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Feb 3, 2022
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while she was driving from a complete stop, the accelerator pedal was depressed all the way to the floorboard however, the vehicle would not accelerate above 10 MPH. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that both catalytic converters had failed, and the vehicle was not drivable and was unsafe to drive. The independent mechanic advised the contact to take the vehicle to the dealer. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the repair could not be covered under the engine warranty or NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling) without service records; however, the contact provided the six service records that she had available at the time to the dealer. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 74,834.
Engine, Jan 31, 2022
My vehicle started losing power and was making a loud whomping sound. The check engine light came on and was blinking continuously. I believe the engine blew up. I was at safety risk because these vehicles have a history of starting on fire and also it was below zero. The manufacturer is aware of the history of engine failure and this is a new motor installed from the last one failing
Engine, Jan 31, 2022
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to exceed 40 MPH. The vehicle then stalled without warning and was parked on the side of the roadway. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were not yet contacted or notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 109,000.
Other or unspecified, Jan 23, 2022
I’m not sure what system failed and yes my car is available for inspection. My safety was severely put at risk because something started to let smoke fill the cab of my car and it was so bad that I had to roll all the windows down which still I could barely breath. My hands went purple as well as my arms. I felt very sick and weird. No one has looked at my car but I have an appointment on the 2nd of feb. 2022. There wAs a check engine light on and I took it to Kia and they said it was throwing a partial code for the emissions something.
Power train, Jan 23, 2022
Brought car to dealer because of recall SC176 and engine making noise. Which kia refuse to honor.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Jan 20, 2022
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving approximately 20 MPH, the engine hesitated and emitted smoke from the tailpipe. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was not diagnosed. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V750000 (Engine) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and the contact was awaiting a response. The failure mileage was approximately 74,000.
Other or unspecified, Jan 19, 2022
I am receiving no alerts from the computer in my vehicle warning me of a malfunction. It is available for inspection upon request. I am having issues accelerating after stopping at any light. As soon as the vehicle gets in 1st gear, a plume of smoke comes out of my exhaust. Five quarts of oil lasts the vehicle for only two days. I have had to replace multiple gas caps and PCV Valves. Lokey KIA claims it did the SC200 test on my vehicle and passed. I have had this issue since before the inspection. Now resulting in my car being a fire hazard.
Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Jan 16, 2022
Now when I just went to check my engine oil it smelled of gas and was starting to get pretty low. I just checked it 2 weeks ago and it Was fine. No one has ever inspected the vehicle and yes it is very available for inspection. Still my fuel consumption is terrible and now my oil is low low with a gas smell to it. No warning lights have ever came on and it seems to drive fine.
Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Jan 15, 2022, crash
After reading in my instructions Manuel about what might be causing my fuel consumption to be way to high I learned that the gas cap was suppose to click which it has not since we got the vehicle in December of 2021so I went and bought a gas cap and now it clicks like it’s suppose to. My fuel consumption is way to high right now I have filled this car up with gas so many more times then any other vehicle I have owned. When I put fuel in you can smell the fuel for the next two days and every now and again you get a whiff of engine coolant smell and a burning smell I’m not sure what the burning smell is because I’ve never smelled it before. Yes the vehicle is available for inspection. No one has inspected it still since my last complaint. And no there has been not a single warning light.
Engine, Jan 12, 2022
FROM: [XXX]January 12, 2022 [XXX] Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration www.safecar.gov Re: 2015 KIA SOUL Recall Consumer Complaint Recall Did Nothing to Remedy Oil Burning Problem Recall Letter Dated 1/25/21 Recall Number - 20V750 VIN - [XXX] Dealership Handling Recall on 1/3/22: Smail Kia 5094 US-30 Greensburg, PA 15601 724-471-5045 BACKGROUND: Car problems can be very devastating to senior citizens like us so it's a harsher impact on us when a dealership serves simply as a protective agent of the corporation it serves. As such, at KIA of Greensburg, PA we recently experienced, firsthand, the dealership protecting the corporation ahead of responsible consumers like us who have spent much money over the years diligently maintaining our 2015 KIA SOUL automobile to preserve it as long as possible. Despite timely oil changes throughout its life, the vehicle is now consuming oil. PROBLEM: [XXX] noticed a knocking sound in the engine of our 2015 KIA SOUL about 150 miles before our next scheduled oil change of December, 2021 at 111,000 miles. We have diligently changed our oil every 3,000 miles since the day we bought our 2015 KIA Soul brand new at Fette Ford of Clifton, NJ in December, 2014. Also, we have been diligently using quality synthetic oil for the past two years changing the oil whenever due. Our mechanic checked the knocking noise that [XXX] recently noticed in the engine before our scheduled oil change in December, 2021 and he discovered, for the very first time that he ever serviced our vehicle in over two years, that the engine was down two quarts of oil! He then did a very thorough inspection for oil leaks. None were detected. This oil consumption problem went unnoticed because it never manifested itself previously until December 2021. At the end of the last week in December of 2021, I contacted th INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Other or unspecified, Service brakes, Jan 12, 2022
The brake hosed per the dealer rusted out at the connection to the brakes and leaked all the brake fluid. Clearly in my mind this is a safety hazard as the car could not be safely driven. I am uncertain as to any other details
Engine, Jan 5, 2022
On December 20th I had a Cylinder 2 & 4 misfire. I had to get my vehicle towed to the KIA dealership where they kept my car for a week. I called to get an update and I was told that my engine was a total lost and I went over the 100,000 mile warranty so I would have to pay $5500 out of pick to replace my engine. I was given a phone number to call the KIA customer service. Once I reached an operator I learned that there was an engine recall 12-01-2020 and I was not notified of this recall and I also learned that there was a system update April 2021 that I was notified about either. I am a single mom of 3 with a full time job , I can’t just got out and buy a car. This is just ridiculous had I been notified maybe I would still have my car.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Jan 1, 2022
In the past year my 2015 Kia Soul has been loosing power, burning oil not leaking and if you have to drive more then 2 hours you have to put oil in it. The engine shakes we took it for a recall but the issue was never fixed.
Engine, Dec 27, 2021
Engine smells funny like something burning and has oil consumption, it has been took in for all recalls and still continues to smell like it does and burn oil.
Engine and engine cooling, Dec 27, 2021
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the Catalytic Overheating Protection Engine Control Unit logic was upgraded under NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine, and Engine Cooling) to prevent overheating of the catalytic converter. While driving at 70 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently began to stall. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that he continued to drive the vehicle, but the vehicle would not exceed 5 MPH. The contact pulled to the nearest parking lot and parked the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to Pep Boys who diagnosed that the catalytic converter had failed to cause an oil leak. The dealer and the manufacturer were not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 116,579.
Vehicle speed control, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Dec 26, 2021
Acceleration system/ on highway at high speeds It stay accelerating at very high rpms as it shifts into the next gear and it is consuming a very large amount of fuel at the same time. It is available for an inspection. It has not been inspected by anyone. While driving on the highway at high speeds I felt it was putting my family and myself at risk of crash or engine failure or being stuck on the side of the highway.
Engine, Dec 23, 2021
engine light started blinking and engine runs rough, as in limp mode. dealer has failed to schedule an appointment to address this recall in the past after several attempts.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Dec 22, 2021
The contact's daughter owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at 30 MPH, the engine oil warning light illuminated, and she heard abnormal sounds coming from the engine. The contact stated that as the vehicle began to stall, his daughter veered to the side of the road and parked the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who diagnosed the vehicle but did not inform the contact of the diagnostic result. The dealer advised the contact that they could not repair the vehicle as he had failed to complete the recall repair of NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine, and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they would follow up with the dealer and assist with the repair of the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle had been at the dealer since July 12th. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact was awaiting a call back from the manufacturer. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 99,600. Parts distribution disconnect. Car is still at the dealer hickory hollow Kia in Tennessee as of March 15 it will have been there for 8 months Kia says parts still on back order.
Engine, Dec 22, 2021
Excessive oil consumption burning a quart of oil every thousand miles , have taken it in to Buchanan Kia 119 Railroad ave. Westminster Maryland 21157 for them to run test and it has a recall for this issue and has not been fixed , they tell us that it is normal for a car to use a quart of oil every thousand miles ,being taken in on 7/21/21 ,9/09/21,10/04/21 ,for them to run test and they say it is normal . we have been complaining about this issue back at 60k. They do not fix the issue and there is a recall for this .
Other or unspecified, Dec 21, 2021, fire
I was driving on the highway when my car started to fill with smoke and stopped accelerating. Shortly after getting out the car started to become engulfed in flames. I believe it had something to do with the engine because that’s where the fire started before it began to spread. My safety was put at risk bc had I not gotten out of the car I could’ve been severely burned or even died. I had to stand in the middle of the highway while cars were flying past me and could’ve easily gotten hit. Kia has not yet determined the cause of the fire. I didn’t have any warning lamps before the fire.
Engine, Dec 16, 2021
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. The check engine warning light was blinking on and off. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that an engine replacement was needed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified but, no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 160,000.
Engine, Dec 10, 2021
Wed Dec 8,2021 - I was driving home after picking up take out when vehicle loses power upon acceleration. Check engine light begins blinking and vehicle monitoring system specifies an issue with the Engine Control Management System. I am able to limp home, turn off the car then turn it on again. Still have the blinking CEL and same message from vehicle monitoring system. I check the engine oil as it was making a clacking sound during driving but I did not think it was the engine oil because the car had just had a dealer oil change and inspection at 90,000 miles and I was at 93,100. The engine oil level was non-existent, so I refilled the oil to the working level on the dip stick. I start the vehicle again but the CEL was still flashing and acceleration did not go above 2,500 rpms. Fri Dec 10, 2021 - I bring it to my auto shop and have them diagnose the issue and am informed that the engine in my Kia is prone to excessive engine oil consumption. TSB-222 Excessive Oil Consumption -Nu/Gamma Engines. This I was unaware of and never brought to my attention by the Kia dealership that serviced my car, Citrus Kia in Ontario, CA and Riverside Kia in Riverside, CA. I had always brought my car in at 7,500-mile intervals for its oil change as specified in the owner's manual. I am then informed that because of the lack of adequate oil, some engine components are on the verge of failing, that I will need to replace my engine. This should be addressed by Kia and they should be responsible for this failure.
Other or unspecified, Dec 9, 2021
Daughters were stranded in middle of road ,, Car Dealer said everything was fixed not the case sent car back nothing was done had to tow to mechanic and they did the repairs as needed car is back in shop needing additional repairs that should have been done with original recall