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
821 reports, newest first.
Exterior lighting, Feb 13, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, while making a right turn, the right turn signal blinked extremely fast. The contact stated that while making a left turn, the left turn signal blinked normally. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was scheduled for a diagnostic test. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 73,000.
Engine, Feb 10, 2026
I have put my 3rd Catalytic Convertor on this car. It looses power going uphill. Which is not safe. Just had 3rd on replaced yesterday Feb. 9, 2026. The mechanic said there is too much oil going to the engine. Mechanic said next thing would be replacing the engine. Why does my 2016 not have a recall on the engine.
Power train, Feb 7, 2026
I paid almost 3,500 dollars and Kia kept my car two months and I’m still having transmission issues and now they are asking for service receipts. After I picked up my vehicle from the original transmission repair I was back in less than 7 days because transmission was roughly jumping in gear and shifting horribly with burning smell. The technician noticed the problem and immediately took my car to the back but they kept my car another 30 days saying that they did an update and now I’m stuck suffering with a struggling transmission. My mpg has drastically dropped on this vehicle to a 9.6 and that is not normal. I paid cash and Kia need to help me in any way. They are trying to wait until the 12,000 mile warranty runs out and leave me stuck and that’s not fair when I’ve been complaining since I picked up the car the second time but they won’t assist me now. My Vehicle experiences delayed transmission engagement, RPM increases without acceleration, hesitation, and loss of fuel economy. Dealer refuses diagnosis unless complete failure occurs. This creates unpredictable vehicle response and loss of power concerns. Transmission hard shifts and jerks violently during gear changes and acceleration, causing loss of smooth power delivery and unsafe vehicle behavior.
Engine, Jan 25, 2026
The vehicle is suffering from excessive oil consumption (over 1 quart per 1,000 miles) and a recurring P0420 (Catalyst Efficiency) code. This is a documented precursor to catastrophic engine failure and engine compartment fire in the 2.oL Nu GDI engine. The engine's oil consumption is poisoning the catalytic converter, causing it to clog. This creates extreme exhaust backpressure, leading to sudden loss of motive power (stalling) while driving. This defect poses an unreasonable risk of a high-speed collision and fire if oil comes into contact with the hot exhaust manifold. Due to current extreme winter conditions (-20F with wind chill), a sudden engine stall or seizure creates a life-threatening emergency. I no longer feel safe operating this vehicle, as an engine failure in these temperatures could leave me stranded without heat in sub-zero weather.
Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Jan 24, 2026
While driving on a road trip from Charleston, South Carolina to Florida in January of 2023 the factory installed catalytic converter failed (front facing) clogging the exhaust system and damaging the engine (engine now experiences blow by and pistons rings have been damaged). A recall for the overheating of the catalytic converter was marked as repaired before I bought the car. However, I believe that either the update was not done to the on-board computer or that a damaged catalytic converter was not replaced. This directly led to the subsequent failure in question and has since damaged my engine. At the time of the incident, an investigation of both catalytic converters revealed heavy sediment deposits and the core of the filtering component of the front facing unit had become so corroded that a chunck of it had broken loose and become lodged in the connecting hose that linked it to the rest of the exhaust system, leaving the entire system blocked. Because I bought the car used, I wasn't aware of the recall history at the time of purchase. Nor was I given a vehicle history report or receipts for any work that had previously been done. When I pulled a vehicle history report shortly after the incident I was unable to accertain what the actual repairs to the car were previous to my ownership, just that it had been taken to a Kia dealership for service with dates listed. The issues still remain and I am unable to afford the lengthy and very expensive repairs suggested by multiple mechanics to correct them. I also still owe money on the note as the result of having to deal with a predatory business to secure financing in the first place. I hate to think I was taken advantage of but I can't help but feel like the catalytic converter should have been changed during that previously marked recall repair and clearly wasn't. Please help me figure out what went wrong here and if possible help me remedy this situation, especially if there was indeed fraud involved. Thank you
Engine, Jan 19, 2026
Engine knock engine failure
Other or unspecified, Engine, Jan 11, 2026
They have a recall on the catalytic converters for the 1.6 engines but not the 2.0. I have had to have mine replaced two times in a year. There is definitely a problem. The second time it almost caught fire due to glowing red cause it got so hot. The same problem is happening to the 2.0 engines just like the 1.6 engines, but nothing is being done.
Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Other or unspecified, Jan 9, 2026
The Instrument Cluster, the Speedometer and "NOW" the Odometer are not working--absolutely dead. "NOW" is in caps because to my surprise I noticed just recently that the Odometer is not working. In April 2021, after several weeks of waiting for the repairs to be finished, a Kia dealer, PEAK KIA in Colorado replaced the Instrument Cluster because of the faulty Speedometer. (This repair was done after several months of back and forth to more than one Kia Dealer about this problem. Unlike now where the Speedometer is dead, not moving at all, at that time it would stop working periodically, perhaps when my car was cold or not. It took several months of dealing with Kia dealerships to acknowledge that it was a problem.) Right after the replacement in 2021, I texted the PEAK KIA mechanics-representative, named Trevor, that it was still a problem, not working every now and then. He replied in a text "What?" and that he would check with his technician. He never got back to me with an answer, and would not return my phone calls.) Since that time, I've been dealing with this infrequent or sometimes-problem. Note, I work from home so I do not drive my car every day, only once or twice a week. However, just recently before and around the holidays, I noticed first that the Speedometer was dead, the needle was not moving at all during the entire time of driving, instead of every now and then. And closer to the holidays, I was shocked, noticing that the Odometer was NOW not moving. This had never been the case before. To date, I only have a Powertrain Warranty(?) left that expires in December 2028. I called Kia, the manufacturer, the other day and reported the above information. They said too bad, they will not cover it because the warranty for that 2021 repair expired 12 months after the repair, something I did not know. My concern is whether the Kia Dealer, Arapahoe Kia--where I usually go , will or should cover it. Plus, I feel this is a serious safety issue.
Other or unspecified, Dec 30, 2025
I went into the store come out of the store and got in the driver seat shut my door and the rear windshield exploded. I looked it up online and there are other customer complaints of the Kia soul with the same issue of the rear window exploding I called Kia and they told me even if the warranty was still good on my vehicle that it would have to go under inspection and it still would be an if he situation because other factors could be making the windshield explode Kia was unhelpful rude and did not want to help with the problem
Engine, Dec 23, 2025
Greetings, I have a base 2016 kia soul manual transmission that I thought was under safety recall for its engine, but when I search it says 0 unrepaired recalls, when I look this up it does claim my vehicle had this problem, but I never had a dealer fix it, I did contact the one I got it from a couple of years ago and asked if my vehicle qualified for the recall since it already has 200,000 miles on it but they never got back to me, did they just claim to fix it, because it has not been worked on. Still runs great at 300,000 miles but if the engine has a safety issue that might catch on fire then I want to get it addressed regardless of its high mileage
Steering, Forward collision avoidance, Dec 17, 2025
Several times in the past year the power steering has spontaneously failed requiring significant Force to stabilize the vehicle and creating an obvious Hazard while driving. The forward Collision system indicates there's a fault while this occurs. Sometimes this is cleared by cycling the power on and off. The vehicle has been inspected by the dealer who indicated they cannot locate the source of the problem. Even a casual search / look at Community Bulletinboards online indicates that this is a much larger problem that Kia refuses to address. https://www.kia-forums.com/threads/loss-of-power-steering-when-driving.84792/
Engine, Dec 17, 2025
A. Safety Defect and Failure Sequence I am filing this complaint because my Kia Soul, which is subject to the widespread engine defect and extended warranty under the Hyundai/Kia Class Action Settlement, suffered a catastrophic failure immediately following dealership intervention. Responsible Action: I brought the vehicle to the authorized Kia dealership on September 25th the instant the Check Engine Light illuminated for the very first time. The vehicle was driven to the dealership under its own power. Triggering Event: The dealership performed the required engine-related software update (Knock Sensor Detection System, KSDS) and routine service. Immediately following this service, the engine went into limp mode and ceased functioning, requiring a complete engine replacement. This sequence strongly suggests the failure was either caused by the known defect covered by the recall or was triggered by the software update itself. Manufacturer Denial: Kia is denying the claim under the Class Action Extended Warranty (which provides a lifetime or 15-year/150,000-mile warranty) using the unsubstantiated and unjustifiable excuse of "damage done prior to bringing the car in." B. Manager Misconduct and Manufacturer Bad Faith The Service Manager, Braden Anaya, has demonstrated calculated deception and bad faith, resulting in severe financial and logistical harm: Fraudulent Promise: The manager explicitly promised me the engine replacement would be approved if I titled, registered, and insured the vehicle. Relying on his direct word, I incurred a financial loss of $800 in fees for an unusable vehicle. Documented Deception: After a long delay, Mr. Anaya sent a formal denial email on December 5th confirming Kia would not cover the engine replacement. Despite this formal denial, he then contacted me and demanded "trust and patience," claiming he was actively fighting the claim for the following three weeks. This was an intentional stall and clear act of deception. Logistical Negli
Electrical system, Dec 13, 2025
When the steering wheel tilt is adjusted while driving, the vehicle experiences a complete electrical shutdown — dashboard goes black and the engine may shut off. Electrical power may return when the steering wheel position is changed again. Because this involves a total loss of power while the vehicle is in motion, I am concerned about driver safety and would like this addressed as soon as possible.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Dec 3, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds or while shifted into park(P), there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle had been taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed as needing a Product Improvement Code before the failure. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The contact stated that a rental vehicle was paid for out of pocket. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling); and the contact was informed that the vehicle was repaired prior to ownership in 2020. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 117,000.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Dec 2, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact became aware that there was oil leaking from the engine near the spark plugs while checking prior to the warning light being illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the head gasket needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the vehicle was still leaking oil, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was constantly adding oil to the engine. The contact had taken the vehicle back to the same dealer and was advised that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced, and a tune-up was needed. The catalytic converter was not replaced, and the contact stated that the engine was still leaking oil. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact had taken the vehicle to several independent mechanics and was advised that the engine needed to replace, however the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 177,000.
Power train, Other or unspecified, Nov 21, 2025
Transmission failed when mileage was at 88,000 miles and is not opererational to drive. After taking car to a pirate auto shop the mechanic informed me it showed codes P0753 and P073, and informed me the transmission fluid had metal debris inside it. This is a known defect from this specific Kia model. Then took it to the Kia Dealership in Chula Vist, for diagnostic, they informed me P073 code shown up and recommended to replace the transmission. This is known defect that is associated with the Kia Soul manufacturer, and is related to the recall. My safety was put at risk when I was driving and after I stopped at a red light the car was in drive and would not accelerate when I pressed the gas, this problem was confirmed by the dealership with diagnosis paperwork. Their was no warning when this issue occurred, additionally Kia corporate refuses to accept responsibility for their manufacturer defect.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Nov 17, 2025
While driving my 2016 Kia Soul on the highway, the vehicle suddenly began shaking and immediately lost power. The check engine light came on and the car would not accelerate, even when pressing the gas pedal. This happened with no prior warning. I had to coast to the shoulder in moving traffic, which created a safety concern. The engine then stalled completely and would not restart. The vehicle was towed to Findlay Kia in Las Vegas. Their technicians diagnosed a major internal engine failure. The repair report shows zero compression in cylinder 2, a cracked intake valve, oil contamination, and extensive internal engine damage requiring a full engine replacement. Diagnostic trouble codes included P0300, P0302, P0303, and P0326. There were no earlier symptoms, no overheating, and the vehicle has been properly maintained. The failure was sudden and left the car completely inoperable. I opened Case #[XXX] with Kia Corporate. They reviewed all documents, service records, and the dealer’s findings. Although they did provide assistance in reviewing the case, the final outcome was not in my favor, and they declined to cover the repair. This is concerning given the history of engine-related issues and recalls involving Kia Souls from similar model years, particularly involving sudden engine failure and loss of power. My vehicle remains inoperable at the Kia dealership. The sudden loss of power while driving presents a clear safety risk. Based on my experience and the dealership’s findings, I believe this engine failure is safety-related and should be evaluated further by NHTSA. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Air bags, Nov 14, 2025, crash
AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY
Electrical system, Service brakes, Engine, Nov 3, 2025
I was driving in the carpool line to Anaheim with my daughter, the car starts pulling and make a noise in the front part and start loosing speed, from 75 miles per hour to 40 miles per hours in 2 minutes. I drove to the safety zone but in high risk to a crash. All the sensor lights on in the front part. And the steering feels hard, no movement. We feel so stressed and unsafe. The police officer help us and The 511 towing help this was on October 16th. We pay $830 dlls to the AAA to bring the car to San Diego.
Other or unspecified, Oct 28, 2025
I was driving on Interstate I-40 when the closed sunroof spontaneously shattered. Nothing external or internal hit the sunroof. Due to the explosive noise, I was distracted and almost wrecked. Luckily, no one was injured, and no property was destroyed other than the shattered sunroof. This is an extremely unsafe issue and needs prompt attention to rectify before someone gets seriously hurt!
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Oct 22, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact heard an abnormal clunking sound coming from underneath the vehicle. In addition, the RPMs increased to 3,000 and the vehicle lost motive power. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road. The contact turned the vehicle off. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle started. However, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the RPMs increased to 3,000 again. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate above 20 MPH. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with catalytic converter failure. The contact was informed that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that the repair was not covered under any unknown recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. In addition, the contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling). However, the contact was informed that the repair was already performed on the vehicle and was not covered under warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 97,945.
Engine, Oct 21, 2025
Car was purchased from dealership August 25, 2025 on September 19, 2025 at about 9:38 PM. Car experienced catastrophic engine failure due to an active recall/campaign that was not disclosed to buyer for an ECU problem. This problem caused total brake failure in the power brake system, forcing buyer to swerve across three lanes of traffic into breakdown lane.
Engine, Oct 21, 2025
Had 3 oil consumption test 2 oil leak repairs, low to no oil each time, now car is stalling , Catalytitic Converter problem, yellow engine light is blinking, Kia of Newton New Jersey need to fix my car.
Engine and engine cooling, Oct 21, 2025
Catalytic converter may become damaged due to overheating caused by and excessive increase of exhaust gas temperatures.
Steering, Engine and engine cooling, Oct 20, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V608000 (STEERING); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The vehicle remained at the dealer unrepaired. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while driving at 40 MPH, the transmission seized and failed to function as intended. The vehicle stalled, and after several attempts, the vehicle was restarted. The contact continued to drive at slow speeds. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was diagnosed with catalytic converter failure. The contact was informed that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (ENGINE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING), but the failure persisted. The contact was informed that the recall part for the steering was not available. The dealer informed the contact that the catalytic converter was still under the previous recall and there would be no charge. 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 and informed the contact that the catalytic converter was not covered and that there would be an out-of-pocket expense. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.