2017 Kia Soul
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 272 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 7th highest complaint count among 16 Soul model years with reports.
Of the 2017 reports, 17 involved a crash and 14 involved a fire. 19 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Air bagsJan 25, 2022
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Sedona, Soul, Soul EV, 2017-2018 Forte, and 2017 Forte Koup vehicles. The Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) cover may contact a memory chip on the printed circuit board and damage the electrical circuit. Circuit damage may result in deactivated air bags that will not deploy in a crash.
Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Dealers will inspect the ACU, and either update the software or replace the unit, as necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 21, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC226.
Campaign 22V031000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
272 reports, newest first.
Engine, Feb 6, 2024
The car gave no warning, no lights or anything to tell me that there was something wrong with the engine. The engine started to knock very loud while I was driving on the freeway and completely failed. The car could have caught on fire or blew up while I was driving it or I could have gotten into a very bad accident. As soon as I had heard the knocking I immediately pulled over on the freeway dangerously while cars were speeding by me. There was no warning and the car was driving completely fine. I also saw that there was a recall for other years for the kia soul that had the same engine failures that mine had except that my car did not have a recall.
Engine, Feb 2, 2024
Engine blew
Power train, Air bags, Engine, Jan 31, 2024
Dear Officer, I'm writing to report the powertrain and engine issue on my Green Kia Soul 2017 with a 1.6L engine. The engine misfired when I was driving on Interstate 26 with my whole family (including my wife, mom, and 4-year-old daughter). The speed was down first with no signal and then the car started to shake strongly. It was extremely dangerous as it would very likely have made a collision from the back. I was so scared after that. I couldn't imagine the consequences if the car crashed due to a sudden engine misfire on the interstate. Thank Goodness, we are blessed as there was an exit that led us to get off the interstate. After towing the car to the dealer for a full inspection, I was told to pay at least $6,600 to buy a new engine to fix this issue without a warranty. I do need your help on the engine issue. More importantly, I hope no more similar safety events happening to other drivers and their families. I greatly appreciate your immediate attention and response. Thank you very much. Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine, Jan 2, 2024
Engine threw a rod
Engine, Dec 30, 2023
My Kias engine had been burning oil i learned at an oil change. I was informed the engine was burning a lot of oil and i had to replace it myself.. i then decided to do an oil consumption and engine test. Kia dealership checked my engine said it looked great but i was burning more than a quart of oil every thousand miles so i had to add it but that it was fine. 1.5 week later while i was driving my car began to violently shake on the highway and my engine light went on. I panicked in morning rush hour traffic and my engine sounded like it exploded. I had to tow it to Kia where they told me the entire engine needed to be replaced and there were multiple holes in the valves. I just bought this car in 2019.. less than 100,000 miles on this car this should NOT happen. This is wildly unsafe i could have killed someone’s or myself on the freeway that morning. Why is this happening and why is my engine not apart of the recall? It should not have exploded out of no where especially when i just added oil the Sunday before this happened. There is something wrong with the engine even though Kia told me it was just fine.
Equipment adaptive/mobility, Dec 27, 2023, crash
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while attempting to park on an incline, the vehicle experienced unintended acceleration which resulted in a crash. The contact crashed into a handicap ramp. The vehicle then unintended accelerated in reverse where the vehicle crashed into a cement pole and a bush. No warning lights were illuminated. A police report was filed. There were no injuries reported. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence pending another tow by the insurance company. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 12,114.
Engine, Dec 27, 2023
My vehicle check engine came on and it went into limp mode, and I was unable to accelerate over 60mph on my trip from Greensboro, NC to Wilmington, NC. I drove the entire 200 miles in the right lane with my flashers on. To have it towed would have cost me over $600, so I decided to drive. This was the third time this has happened to this vehicle in the past 12 months and each time Coastal Kia said it was fixed and it wasn't. They told me that the code that kept coming up was a knock sensor, but they told me that whatever was causing the knock sensor code was not covered under warranty. They refused to tell me what was causing the knock sensor code because they said that it would cost me too much money. They told me that the rod bearing test was negative, but they would not tell me what the actual problem was. Since they couldn't fix the problem, they did not charge me for labor, but they did make me pay the $1200 for the car rental. I immediately traded the vehicle in for a Honda Fit. Honda gave me $4500 for a trade in on my Kia Soul which, in my opinion, was worth at least $8000. I know that there was a class action suit against Kia that included my Kia Soul. I was hoping to get at least partial reimbursement for the financial loss of having to trade in my vehicle for less than what it was worth and for having to pay the full cost of the rental vehicle. The whole situation just seemed like some type of cover up, like they new what the problem was, but didn't want to make it public for some reason. Please see attached files. Thank You! [XXX] PS: your website would not allow me to upload a copy of the Kia invoice. Please tell me how I can submit the invoice to you by sending me an email to [XXX] . INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Other or unspecified, Engine, Dec 12, 2023
Car burns through oil like no other. I won’t even be half way through my 3000 miles and with no warning the car will be low on oil and stalling in the middle of Turning. Usually when turning left. Mechanic says there isn’t an issue. But no car should be made to burn oil excessively. I can’t even make it the regular 3000 miles. Engine light has come on multiple times. Now replorting catalytic converter issue assuming that’s related to the excessive rate of oil burning.
Engine, Nov 27, 2023
My daughter's car 2017 Kia Soul (with low milage) suddenly went into limp mode with no previous warning lights. No indication whatsoever of any issues. It just suddenly shut down. This happened on a freeway overpass in Dallas when traffic was moving at 70mph. All of the sudden, my daughter's car began to slow down dramatically and wouldn't speed back up. Freeway overpasses in Dallas are many, many stories above ground level, and traffic backed up behind her. This could have easily caused a catastrophic accident, but thankfully, she was able to limp off of the highway unscathed. Then my [XXX] daughter had to sit in her car on the side of a highway for hours until we could get her help. The problem? Kia's known, but ignored issue of burning oil. Despite her car being within the window of the oil change mileage, her car had burned through the oil on her trip home from college and was dangerously low. There was no warning that it was low until the car suddenly went into limp mode. Not only should Kia be responsible for fixing the manufacturing flaw for consumers that they are harming, they should be investigated for causing safety hazards on our roads. While my daughter is unharmed, this could have easily caused a huge accident and there are thousands of cars like hers burning oil unexpectedly and suddenly shutting down. The government needs to help as consumers do not have enough power. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, Nov 20, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle made an abnormal sound, the vehicle lost power and the engine became inoperable. The check engine and oil warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was diagnosed by an independent mechanic. The contact was informed that the failure was due to a faulty engine. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and determined that the VIN was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was 89,200.
Engine, Oct 26, 2023, fire
The contact owned a 2017 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving at approximately 70 MPH on the interstate, black smoke emanated from the engine compartment. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road and the flames of the vehicle grew larger. The contact exited the vehicle when suddenly it exploded. The low oil pressure, air bag, and ABS warning lights were illuminated. The fire department extinguished the fire. The police department was on the scene and confirmed that the fire department filed a report. There were no injuries sustained. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot where it was deemed destroyed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 109,000.
Engine, Oct 25, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Soul. The contact stated while his wife was driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The vehicle was towed to the residence and diagnosed by an independent mechanic who determined that the rod bearings had failed and caused damage to the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 68,000.
Engine, Oct 17, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that smoke entered the cabin of the vehicle. The contact stated she was able to safely drive the vehicle to the shoulder of the roadway. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The vehicle was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 80,806.
Engine, Sep 28, 2023
I HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE OIL LEAKS. I was told that the oil was leaking from my plug from Precision Tune Auto Care 312 W. Plaza Dr. Mooresville NC. 28117 phone ( 704 )799- 0874. My car had been losing oil and I was told that my plug was losing the oil. I
Engine, Sep 28, 2023, fire
The contact owned a 2017 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH, the vehicle started to smoke under the hood. The contact noticed that there was a fire under the hood. The fire was extinguished by the fire department. A police report was filed. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a lot. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 67,000. The VIN was not available.
Steering, Engine, Sep 27, 2023
While driving car began shaking, which lead to a puff of white smoke then blac smoke followed by car locking up in highway. Break petal would not move and when put in neutral power steering was gone every though car was on and everything else besides break worked. Turn on and off and car drive off again with strong shaking. When taken to mechanic I was told a spark plug melted into the engine and the shaking caused one of the ignition coil to become loose and oil to seep in. Now I am being told I need a new engine, all fluids where fine and oil had just been changed Thursday prior to incident, car is unsafe to drive because of random lock ups and extreme shaking
Engine and engine cooling, Sep 21, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The vehicle was restarted however, the failure reoccurred. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the alternator and determined that the catalytic converter was overheating. The alternator was replaced, but the independent mechanic declined to repair the catalytic converter. The contact was advised to consult with the dealer about the catalytic converter repair. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related it to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine and Engine Cooling), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 106,000.
Engine, Sep 17, 2023
Car has 41,900 miles on it. Engine rod blew through the bottom of the engine without warning 900 miles after last oil change. All maintenance records are with Kia and up to date. Denied a replacement because the car's VIN is not included in the past "Product Improvement Campaign". All symptoms of this engine breaking are in line with the previous years issues. Hoping there is a recall on these later years because there is no help right now.
Engine, Aug 31, 2023, fire
On 6/30/23 While exiting the highway and waiting at a traffic light he noticed smoke coming from the hood. As he proceeded through the intersection to pull over the dashboard lit up with many lights and then the power went out. He was able to coast to the side of the road. A Police Officer happened to be nearby and called the fire department. When they arrived and opened the hood the engine compartment was in flames. They put the fire out and then the car was towed to a storage yard. A claim was filed with the insurance who then had the car moved to the dealership for repairs. On 7/5/23 Upon arrival, the service advisor proceeded to do their normal intake, put the key in the ignition, and started the car which then burst into flames and became a total loss. The regular driver of the car is disabled and it takes him some time to get in and out of the car, if it had been engulfed in flames he would not have been able to get out as quickly as your average driver. The insurance and manufacturer both have inspected the car and determined it was an engine failure. The car had been to the dealership the week before for an oil change.
Engine, Aug 7, 2023, crash
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving 60-65 MPH, the vehicle started pulling to the right. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that she allowed the vehicle to pull to right lane as there was no traffic, and the vehicle struck the guard rail. The vehicle then stopped and made an abnormal banging sound. The vehicle was towed to a local Pep Boys, where it was diagnosed that there was a hole in the engine. The vehicle was then towed to an unknown dealer, where it was determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle was out of warranty and would be repaired out-of-pocket. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 113,845.
Structure, Jul 30, 2023
Paint on the car is delaminating and chipping off and the vehicle is becoming compromised due to the paint coming off the car. This has been confirmed by my dealership where I take the vehicle for service. Kia dealership has inspected the vehicle No, there are not warning lamps to tell me the paint is coming off the vehicle.
Engine, Jun 30, 2023
The engine of my vehicle began to make a knocking sound while driving, without a warning. It was diagnosed to be due to a broken rod and excessive cylinder clearance, leading to faulty engine, that needs replacement. Yes, it is available for inspection. Due to being stranded off the freeway for over 4 hours, over 300 miles from home, myself and 1 other person were left stranded overnight without a vehicle. We had to pay for an unplanned hotel room for the night and U-Haul to tow the car back home. We did not drive the car further, because we were worried about the possibility of the car and engine overheating or getting worse. Yes, the issue has been diagnosed by a AAA mechanic and Kia service mechanic, who notified me that this issue is common among many other Kias. The Kia service department notified me that I need the engine to be replaced, and that they will not be covering the charges. Additionally, a new engine rod knock sensor has been made for Kias, and I was never notified to get the sensor installed. The engine failure did not lead to any warning lights and when the issue first occurred, I stopped driving the car immediately to not make matters worse. In addition, this vehicle has been maintained regularly (following Kia guidelines), and has only 59000 miles.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Jun 21, 2023, fire
The car engine made a clamoring noise and sudden seized up and stopped in the middle of traffic. The hood started smoking and a good Samaritan passed by and alerted me to get out of car. I did and noticed puddle of liquid was in flames and soon the front of the car was also in flames.
Air bags, May 26, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V031000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Engine, May 25, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would not properly accelerate. The check engine warning light remain illuminated, and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer to be diagnosed and the contact was informed that the engine failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 183,000.