2016 Kia Soul
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 821 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 3rd highest complaint count among 16 Soul model years with reports.
Of the 2016 reports, 29 involved a crash and 35 involved a fire. 25 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
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
Representative owner complaints: fuel/propulsion system
83 reports, newest first. Show all
Fuel/propulsion system, May 6, 2019
GAS MILEAGE STATED IS NOWHERE EVEN CLOSE TO WHAT'S STATED ON EITHER CITY OR HIGHWAY. I WOULD GUESS 10-15% OFF
Power train, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, May 6, 2019
1ST ISSUE THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP CAME ON. CAR HAS 44K MILES ON IT. THE CAR HAS LOSS OF POWER AND CUTS OFF WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE. THE GAS MILEAGE HAS DROPPED CONSIDERABLY AND THE ENGINE IS RUNNING EXTREMELY HOT
Suspension, Fuel/propulsion system, Mar 31, 2019
PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE CPO BACK IN AUGUST 2018 WITH MY WIFE. APPROXIMATELY IN NOVEMBER, COMPUTER TRIPPED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. TOOK IT IN BECAUSE IT HAD TURNED OFF ON ITS OWN AND I FOUND IT ABNORMAL. SERVICE CENTER REPLACED THE CLOGGED CATALYTIC CONVERTER. STARTING IN DECEMBER, A FOUL SMELL BEGAN TO DEVELOP INSIDE THE CAR AND SLOWLY GOT WORSE IN JANUARY. I CLEANED AND PURGED THE ENTIRE CAR MULTIPLE TIMES TRYING TO FIND THE SOURCE SINCE IT HAD GOTTEN TO THE POINT THAT IT SMELLED LIKE ROTTEN EGGS. TOOK IT IN IN FEBRUARY FOR THIS ISSUE AND THE CRUNCHING SOUND THE FRONT BEGAN MAKING WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS AND RAMPS. AT THE SAME TIME, WE ALSO REPORTED TO THE SERVICE CENTER THAT POWER WOULD BE DAMPED WHILE UNDER LOAD AND GOING UP HILLS. AFTER I GOT BACK THE CAR, THEY HAD REPLACED THE SWAY ARM LINKS AND TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NO SMELL. CALLED KIA CORP TO REPORT THE ISSUE AND THEY SENT OUT A TECH. THEY ENDED UP REPLACING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AGAIN AND THE FRONT STRUTS. CRUNCHING SOUND FROM THE FRONT SUSPENSION REMAINS AS WELL AS THE SMELL. CONTACTED KIA CORP AGAIN AND REQUESTED THEY BUY BACK THE CAR BEFORE WE SEEK LEGAL COUNSEL AND SUE THEM UNDER THE CALIFORNIA LEMON LAW BUT ARE GIVING USTHE RUN ABOUT. THE PERSON I SPOKE WITH DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE THAT HIS OWN COMPANY WAS GOING TO RELEASE A NEW RECALL REGARDING THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER BEING OVERHEATED UNTIL I POINTED IT OUT. DURING HIS WHOLE TIME, MY WIFE AND I WERE TREATED AS IF WE WERE CRAZY AND THEY KEPT SAYING THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE AND HAVE YET TO FIX ANY OF THE ISSUES.
Fuel/propulsion system, Mar 4, 2019
THIS IS REGARDING HIGH EXHAUST GAS TEMPERATURES THAT MAY DAMAGE THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND POTENTIALLY OTHER PARTS, DEALERS ARE SUPPOSED TO UPGRADE SOFTWARE ON ALL KIA SOULS EVEN IF NOT RECALLED. THE KIA DEALERSHIP IN WARRENTON OREGON SAYS MY CAR DOESN'T NEED IT, I STRONGLY DISAGREE AND WANRYTHIS SOFTWARE UPDATED ASAP!
Service brakes, Fuel/propulsion system, Aug 6, 2018
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.
Fuel/propulsion system, Aug 4, 2018
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.
Fuel/propulsion system, Jun 14, 2018
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..
Fuel/propulsion system, Dec 17, 2017
I EXPERIENCE INTERMITTENT HESITATION WHEN PRESSING ON THE ACCELERATOR. IT FEELS LIKE THE CAR ISN'T DOWNSHIFTING CORRECTLY OR ISN'T GETTING ENOUGH FUEL IN ORDER TO PICK UP SPEED. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE KIA DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THEY SAID THEY DIDN'T FIND ANY PROBLEMS AND COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE ISSUE. THE CAR CONTINUES TO INTERMITTENTLY HESITATE WHEN ACCELERATING. THIS HAPPENS IN ALL DRIVING CONDITIONS.