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.
Power train, Engine, Jan 8, 2024
About several months ago the car was skipping. I was told it was a coil. I had it replaced. It then drove fine. Then in Christmas Day it started again and the engine light came on once again. I took it to a mechanic and he thought it was the plug for the coil. They changed it and it did it again. He said that with Kia and Hyundai cars there is always problems like this. He said he fixed a Kia with the same problem as mine about a week ago. As a matter of fact last week when I went to get the oil changed at another place before I took to them (the last place) there was another man in there who also described his car was doing the same. I was surprised when he said he had a Kia soul. That’s why I took it to this last mechanic who could do the work. He said it would cost me anywhere from three to five thousand dollars because the motor would need to be replaced. So apparently this is a problem with Kia soul motors. My car app said something about the trans. I can get the form of where the coil was fixed. I just got the call and have not picked it up yet.
Power train, Other or unspecified, Engine, Dec 28, 2023
While driving at 55 miles per hour, the engine suddenly ceased, emitting black smoke, causing components to melt and necessitating the replacement of the short block. Consequently, the catalytic converter is now malfunctioning, likely due to the misfires the engine experienced.
Engine, Dec 27, 2023
The engine consumes excessive oil, dropping it into the catalytic converter. This clogs the catalytic converter and causes it to overheat, creating a fire hazard. The car is on its 3rd catalytic converter in 5 years. The current one clogged in 18 months. My research indicates that this is a common issue because the rings in the gdi engine do not seat well, causing the excessive oil consumption. I've been without my car for 10 weeks, as of now, while it sits at the dealer, unable to be driven. It began at 39000 miles, then at 96000, now at 109000. But Kia won't do anything because it hasn't thrown a rod and is now past the 100k mile warranty. This entire situation should be covered under the Theta II recall, but they get out of it by requiring a connecting rod or piston failure. The dealership service manager agrees that faulty rings and oil consumption IS a piston failure, but Kia does not.
Service brakes, Dec 16, 2023
Catastrophic failure of rear brake line. Rusted through. Started noticing changes to braking on my way home from the dealer after an oil change. There were no warning lights. Thankfully I was at home in the driveway when ALL of the brake fluid leaked out. I had to have the car towed to the dealer. Both rear brake lines were replaced. Had I been driving I would have lost brakes. Not only did no warning light come on, but the dealer also gave me a green on my brake inspection about 15 minutes prior to this happening. Total bill- just over $1000.
Engine, Dec 12, 2023
I own a 2015 Kia Soul. I am the second owner of this vehicle. I was notified by KIA of a service bulletin for having the software update to the ECU done to allow the knock sensor to put the car in limp mode if it detects knocking. I had the update done and now 1 year later the car went into limp mode and the notification was a P1326. I took to local dealer and they performed a bearing clearance test. The car passed the bearing clearance test but lower engine knocking is still present causing the P1326 Code / Limp Mode. The Local dealer said that the engine should be replaced. The Local Dealer and KIA Customer Service said the only way that KIA would replace engine is by failing the test. I do not feel safe putting my daughter back in this car and I do not think that I should have to pay for an engine that has known issues with metal shavings potentially blocking oil ports as described in the Kia Bulletin. Please assist!
Electrical system, Engine, Nov 28, 2023, fire
The engine warning light and catalytic converter malfunction. The car is not currently available for inspection. The car exploded after turning the engine over. The car became disabled on the busy highway while driving at night and the car exploded in flames thereafter. Yes the problem was confirmed by the dealership The vehicle was inspected by insurance representatives, fire dept and police Yes the check engine light appeared several times, was checked and reappeared several times thereafter. I made a purchase of a car 9/15/23, The warning lamp appeared a few days later.
Engine, Nov 27, 2023
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Engine(yes) How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The engine has the same knocking noises) which indicated the onset of excessive connecting rod bearing wear in the engine. And it sent the vehicle into a limp mode which was the same as the 2.4 liter engines. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? NO, unable to get in contact with corporate as of 11/22 which is when the problem was identified. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Not recently Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? Yes, but the code was for a misfire, which a mechanic changed with OEM parts before the next code.
Engine, Nov 21, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and attempting to accelerate, there was an abnormally loud sound coming from the engine compartment as if the engine was revving to accelerate; however, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was unable to exceed 20 MPH and was towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be taken apart and inspected. The mechanic determined that the compression was low in the engine and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the repair was not covered under warranty. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000.
Electrical system, Nov 20, 2023, fire
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while parked, the entire instrument panel had become inoperable and the vehicle had started to smoke. The origin of the fire was unknown. The check engine and electrical warning light were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to New York Auto. The vehicle had been diagnosed by an independent mechanic. The contact was informed that the failure was due to an electrical issue. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000. The VIN was not available
Engine, Nov 20, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact became aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V750000 (Engine) associated with the VIN from Carfax. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine made a knocking sound. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the dealer declined to perform the recall repair due to a lack of service history receipts. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 93,500.
Engine, Nov 19, 2023
We kept or Kia well maintained. We was driving out of town doing 65MPH and suddenly the engine caused the car to suddenly drop to 10MPH. The engine light came on. Luckily there was no other vehicles on the road. We was able to pull off the road and have the car towed to a mechanic shop. The engine light reads for an emissions error but so far the mechanic has replaced air filter, Cadillac converters, plugs and a bunch of other stuff that we requested to be done hoping it wasn’t the engine even though the mechanic knew it was because of his past experience working on these Kias. Not only did I have to purchase a new vehicle but the Kia is still at the mechanic shop nearly a month of being there and costing us money. We was told that the engine to replace it has been discontinued and that if we found a used one in a junk yard that it would be unsafe and unwise to use. Not only did the engine failure put my family at risk physically if other vehicles would have been on the road at that time but had financially hurt us as well.
Steering, Wheels, Fuel/propulsion system, Nov 18, 2023, crash
Car has an heavy gas smell like when the car is started ,has to crank up and car shakes when it’s started steering is off and etc.
Engine and engine cooling, Nov 17, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate and independently decelerated to 20 MPH. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the failure was due to metal shavings in the oil. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000
Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Nov 14, 2023
For the past two years my 2015 Kia Soul has been rapidly burning through oil. I’m having to get full oil changes every 2 months with me also adding additional top offs every few weeks. I’ve been getting the run around from KIA about this issue. I brought it in two years ago for an engine recall. The dealership in EAST MEADOW LONG ISLAND was a complete joke. They charged me a few because my check engine light was on, the reason I was there! They said my engine was fine and nothing was related to the recall. Lately I have been noticing a stalling when going up a hill and the car has trouble accelerating over 40mph. It stalled the other day while I was trying to merge on the highway. I am so sick of this car and will likely sell it at a loss. Currently has 99,000 miles on it.
Engine, Nov 7, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V750000 (Engine). The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle began shaking. The contact stated that she observed a knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. The check engine and the low oil level warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,107.
Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Nov 1, 2023
I took my car to a Kia dealership after the engine recall in 2020, and again this year. In 2020, they told me there wasn't anything they could do without the code. It seems very much like Kia are manipulating these recall rules. My car is making the rod noises and squealing noises related to this recall. It often loses power around 65 miles an hour. They charged me $75 for a diagnostic, and attempted to charge me $2750 for a catalytic converter repair that they said was unrelated to my engine issues. They're wrong, it was absolutely related to my engine issues. Cat converters don't cause rod noises. I'm deeply upset and angry, because I feel like I've been chasing Kia for at least 2 of the 6 years that I've had this car, and I'm really tired of getting screwed by these big companies using our system against us. I have to pay the bank, the car dealership, and the government, but nobody has my back when KIA sells me a faulty engine? They're sponsoring every major sporting event with the value they're stealing from us. They lie about engine codes. They lie about their diagnostics. I've owned a bunch of cars. I know what an engine sounds like when it's dying. They told me "it's under warranty until 150k. Bring it back if it dies." THIS IS CRIMINAL. I've been forced to pay full value of this vehicle, for a vehicle with a faulty recalled engine. I can't resell it with this engine unless I take a massive loss. I already filed a complaint with the NHTSA about this in 2021. I am filing another complaint, because Kia hasn't resolved the issue yet. Someone is going to be responsible for this, and I'm never going to give up. I want my engine replaced, and I want criminal charges brought against the exes at this company. I'm deeply affecting my emotional state, and frankly, I'm saddened by the fact that I can get suckered into buying a 5 star vehicle (NHTSA rating) only to be met with this chaos.
Exterior lighting, Oct 24, 2023
Headlights flicker off and sometimes just for a second, sometimes stay off and will usually come back on if i turn them off and on again. But then it happens again. I took it to my mechanic who could not figure it out. Couldn't afford to do much so i have not been able to drive at night for a year as it's very dangerous. I called Kia and since my car is out of warranty and apparently no sort of recall for this (despite me seeing lots of complaints with the same issue) i can't afford to do anything. I'm beyond upset. I love the car otherwise. Date below is when it started, but it is ANYTIME it's driven.
Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Oct 10, 2023
I believe the recalls for the ‘Engine’ and the ‘Engine and engine cooling: Exhaust system: Emission control: Catalytic convertor’ apply to the continuouse issue I’ve been having with my car. I was told it’s not affected but I believe it is. I have an oil leak somehow but its not leaking outside the car, there are no oil stains in the driveway. When the oil starts to get just a little low the car starts wanting to stall and doesn’t resolve when oil is put in . Days of not driving seems to resolve it. There have been burning smells and white smoke. This has been happening frequently for years and we get regular oil changes at the Kia Dealership. I’m afraid if one of the recalls is actually the cause that we could be affected by it while we’re being told our VIN isn’t included in the recall
Engine, Oct 3, 2023
Currently on 2015 Kia Soul the A/C Heat Exchanger as well as radiator behind it have lost the heat exchanger fin materials between the fluid conducting pipes. This is causing an over pressure condition in the A/C for the car and causing car to run hot and also potentially damage radiator behind it. The radiator is also suffering same issue where exchanger materials between fluid pipes is falling out. I have video of A/C exchanger and if you look closely, you can also see the radiator is suffering similar heat fin materials loss. This is across the exchanger from one side to the other. This is what I would call a manufacturing defect/failure of the exchanger due to poor manufacturing processes. This is not limited to my 2015 Kia soul (96K miles) as my son has a 2016 Kia soul and is starting to see same issue happen with only 49K on car. I have video of his heat exchanger as well.
Engine, Sep 30, 2023
The catalytic converter on my 2015 KIA soul had spontaneously went out. There were really no warning signs of a problem, it just one day stopped in the middle of me driving on the road. I had to make it over to the side of the road to safety and the car had to be towed to my dealership; which is where they told me the catalytic converter was clogged and had to be replaced entirely. An over $2,000 job they were telling me. The warranty apparently did not cover this. But I did hear of there being a recall or safety issue having to do with this model cars engine. I have experienced this problem and it caused my car to stall out in traffic, multiple times. This was not due to my carelessness; as I had taken the car for regular maintenance and oil changes. This caused me to be at a complete loss of the car, as I'm not able to pay for the repair right now, and the dealership has told me selling the vehicle back wont work because it isnt worth anything to them. Now I've been in a catch 22 as the car isnt paid off and I still owe more than the car is even worth at this point. With the repairs costing as much as they have and do now.
Engine, Engine and engine cooling, Sep 27, 2023
My 2015 Kia Soul + is only at 68,000 miles and is burning oil. It is using synthetic oil and had to add 2 quarts and then again another quart before I brought it in to KIa dealer needing oil again way before the suggested 5000 miles. They want me to write down more specific mileage before they willing to check the problem.
Electrical system, Sep 26, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V218000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Engine, Sep 14, 2023
My car is burning oil fast! I had an oil change August 20,2023 and my oil like started flickering. My mom checked the oil on today September 14, 2023 and there was none. My Uncle is a mechanic he checked it and there was no oil. We put oil in the car and he did not see a leak. It was taken to valvoline and they don’t see a leak. Uncle thinks oil is just burning up.
Engine, Sep 13, 2023
I was driving, and on my way back home the engine stopped working suddenly, oil leaked everywhere and I believe a rod blew. It exposed all my oil and it could have potentially injured or killed us. The only warning was the check engine light but that wasn't visible until 1 min prior to the incident. White smoke was visible after the incident, my biggest concern is that the oil could have caused a fire and killed someone.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Sep 13, 2023
Headlights turn off after using the turn signal switch. Started happening once in a while but now it happens not only after using the turn signal switch but the headlights will turn off for a few seconds and then turn back on. Other times they will just flicker for several seconds. This is a SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. The headlights turning off or flashing at night is not a safe way of driving. There are many reported cases of this issue on the Kia Owners Portal so they can't say they didn't hear about it. I would think I could take it into Kia to have them replace the turn signal switch since that is the only thing that makes sense. And I can recreate the issue by wiggling the switch. (This is not related to the light sensor since I do not have automatic headlights.) Why hasn't there been a safety recall issued??? This has been happening for over a year and I just try to drive only during the day until Kia is forced to fix the problem. That is no longer possible as I am now working nights. What are my options to have this resolved without costing me any money??? Please have someone reach out to me at [XXX] to assist me in my research. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)