2021 Kia Soul
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 234 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 8th highest complaint count among 16 Soul model years with reports.
Of the 2021 reports, 12 involved a crash and 3 involved a fire. 5 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Engine and engine cooling, engine, hard parts internal/mechanicalFeb 17, 2025
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Seltos and Soul vehicles. The piston oil rings may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in engine damage.
Engine damage can cause a vehicle stall or fire, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Dealers will inspect and replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Dealers will also install piston-ring noise sensing system (PNSS) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 4, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC336.
Campaign 25V099000 on NHTSA.gov
EngineApr 13, 2021
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Soul, and 2021 Seltos vehicles equipped with 2.0L Nu MPI engines. The piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which may result in engine damage.
A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, oil may leak onto hot exhaust components, increasing the risk of a fire.
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the engine, free of charge. In addition, Kia will deploy Piston Ring Noise Sensing System (PNSS) software. The recall began June 11, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC209.
Campaign 21V259000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
234 reports, newest first.
Engine and engine cooling, Mar 10, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light remained illuminated, and the engine experienced excessive oil consumption. Eventually, while at a stop light with the Auto START/STOP activated, the vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the local dealer. The dealer indicated that the engine failed due to a loosened oil filter, which caused oil to leak from the engine. The contact was advised that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was later towed to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the piston rings were faulty and had caused the engine to fail. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V099000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 141,000.
Engine, Mar 9, 2025
The engine in my 2021 Kia Soul has been experiencing serious performance issues that align with Recall SC336. The vehicle frequently exhibits erratic RPM fluctuations while idling, and on multiple occasions, it's completely shut down while stopped at traffic lights or in traffic. When this happens, the vehicle does not restart immediately, leaving me stranded / creating a safety risk. I reported this issue to an authorized Kia dealership, but they refused to perform proper diagnostic tests related to the recall. Instead, they blamed a clogged air filter as the cause of the stalling. This explanation does not make sense. Why the Dealership’s Explanation is Incorrect: 1. A clogged air filter does NOT cause sudden stalling at idle or failure to restart. If an air filter were completely clogged, the engine would lose power under acceleration, not stall at idle. The engine requires very little air at idle, so a dirty filter would cause gradual power loss, not sudden shutdowns. 2. My symptoms match Recall SC336, which involves piston oil ring failure. Erratic RPMs, stalling, and failure to restart are all signs of compression loss or internal engine damage. 3. The dealership is refusing to conduct recall-related tests. I requested a PNSS (Piston Noise Sensing System) test and an oil consumption test, but the dealership refused. Instead, they tried to charge me for an air filter replacement, ignoring possible recall-related failure. Safety Risks: The vehicle stalls at stoplights and in traffic, increasing crash risk. The car fails to restart immediately after shutting down, leaving me stranded. Inspection Status: The vehicle is at the dealership, but they have not inspected it for recall-related failures. Kia Corporate was contacted but supported the dealership’s incorrect assessment. Warning Signs Before Failure: Erratic RPM fluctuations at idle began before the first shutdown. Check Engine Light was on but cleared but cleared by the dealership.
Engine, Mar 7, 2025
I am experiencing a serious safety issue with my 2021 Kia Soul. My vehicle is consuming excessive oil, which should not be happening under normal operating conditions. The check engine light is on, and while driving, the car suddenly shuts off and displays the battery symbol before losing power completely. This has happened multiple times, creating a dangerous situation where my vehicle loses power unexpectedly on the road. I took my car to a mechanic, who confirmed that the engine is consuming oil at an abnormal rate. The mechanic also informed me that there is a known recall on certain 2021-2023 Kia Soul models due to defective piston oil rings, which can cause excessive oil consumption, engine failure, and even fires. However, when I contacted Kia’s customer service and provided my VIN, they stated that my vehicle is not included in the recall, despite exhibiting the same symptoms. This is a serious safety hazard, as my vehicle is at risk of sudden engine failure while in motion. Kia has issued recalls for similar models, but my specific VIN has been excluded, even though I am experiencing the exact same defect. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this issue further to determine whether more vehicles should be included in the recall before this defect leads to accidents or injuries. I am available to provide further documentation, including inspection reports, oil consumption records, and any additional information needed.
Engine and engine cooling, Electrical system, Mar 6, 2025
The contact owned a 2012 Kia Optima. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V099000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal ticking sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that there was an abnormal burning electrical odor. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, no cause for the failure was found. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that on other occasions while the vehicle was idling, the RPM fell. The dealer and manufacturer were made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.
Engine, Mar 5, 2025
ON WAY TO WORK MY CAR STALLED ENTERING HIGHWAY TOOK CAR IN TO GET CHECKED THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT ..IT NEEDED OIL CHANGE .THAT WAS APPRO. 60000 MILKES...THEN JULY 2024 EXITING HIGHWAY IT STALLED AGAIN I HAD TO RESTART HAD IT CHECKED IT WAS ABOUT 72000 MILES THEY SAID SAME THING. THEN IN SEPT OF 24 IT STALLED AGAIN DAY AFTER OIL CHANGE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. i TOOK IN AGAIN THEY SAID ITS THE OIL PISTON RINGS SAID MY ENGINE NEEDS REPLACED AND ITS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. sO NOW ITS 8000 OR MORE MONEY TO REPLACE ENGINE. i HAVE KNOCKING SOUNDS LIKE SOMEONEONE IS THROWING JACK AROUND CAR...
Engine and engine cooling, Mar 3, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound emanating from the engine compartment. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the piston rings. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who confirmed the diagnosis. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V099000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); but the contact was informed that the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 62,000. The VIN was not available.
Engine and engine cooling, Mar 3, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V0999000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle suddenly stalled and shut off unintendedly. The contact restarted the vehicle and continued driving. There was a knocking sound coming from the engine compartment while driving at various speeds. The failure was intermittent. There were no warning lights illuminated. The dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 67,533. Parts distribution disconnect.
Engine, Feb 28, 2025
Consistent oil burning of about one quart per 1,000 MI I think an exact number would be .8 per 1000 occasional misfiring and stalling presumably due to improperly heat treated piston rings like other recalls
Engine, Feb 26, 2025
Engine failure of the 1.6 liter turbocharged GDI engine at 102,670 miles. Engine light went on while driving back on the Atlantic City Expressway and engine lost power reduced to 45MPH. Had car towed to dealer and was told the engine was no longer usable and had to be replaced. KIA engines are failing at an alarming rate and a recent recall of the same year KIA Soul is in effect. My KIA engine is not the recalled engine but my failure was pretty much the same as the 2.0 Liter engine. I think an investigation of my 1.6 liter turbo GDI should be made as well.
Steering, Feb 25, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while turning the ignition on and off, there was a knocking sound coming from the dashboard. After pulling into a parking lot, a red exclamation point illuminated the instrument panel, and the steering wheel seized. The contact was able to coast out of the way by driving forward. The vehicle was turned off and towed to the dealer. The dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure occurred two more times while driving at various speeds, and the vehicle was towed to the dealer each time. The dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The dealer informed the contact to return the vehicle if the failure recurred. The manufacturer was informed of the failure by the dealer and a case was opened. The manufacturer advised the dealer to replace the electric power steering module should the failure recur. The failure mileage was 53,000.
Engine, Visibility/wiper, Feb 23, 2025
Engine does not work properly. It is loud and car shakes. Dealership had me do maintenance and did not fix the problem. Rear windshield wiper pours out fluid and turns on with no reason. They say there is a short however it turns on and blocks my rear window view every while just driving, or using my turn signal, I have to mess with the switch while driving to finally get it to stop.
Electrical system, Service brakes, Engine, Feb 19, 2025, crash
We were going south on [XXX] about 25 mph intending to make a left turn onto [XXX] My wife said “slow down or you won’t make the turn” to which I replied “I am trying but it won’t slow down” As I applied the brakes to slow down to turn, instead the car started to speed up and I could not make the left turn. I continued down the road trying to slow down enough to attempt a left turn on to [XXX] But the car continued to go even faster, so I pumped the brakes trying to slow down and get the car to stop. Instead, the car kept speeding up faster. In seeing I was close to the end of the dead-end road I swerved to the right to avoid the parked Train cars at the end of the road only to crash into the corner of a building which stopped us. At which time I was rendered unconscious. Something caused the car to speed up excessively and the brakes were unresponsive and should be available for further inspections. Not being able to physically get the car under control put the safety of my wife, myself, and others at risk. In researching I have found that this problem has been reproduced in real time and experienced by multiple others in recent years. Our insurance company has had the cars EDR data inspected although further inspection is warranted. There were no prior warnings or symptoms of this problem until the above incident. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine, Feb 12, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Soul. The contact stated that during a routine inspection, the contact became aware that the oil level was low. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer to be diagnosed and the contact was informed that a more comprehensive diagnostic test was needed to confirm the cause of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V259000 (Engine); to the failure; however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 34,000.
Engine, Feb 11, 2025
Engine stopped on the highway and was found with no oil. Probably due to oil over consumption.
Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Visibility/wiper, Feb 8, 2025
Less than 24 hours after being purchased as a Kia factory certified pre-owned vehicle my daughter was driving. While driving headlights, wipers, and dash lights went out including infotainment/CarPlay map display on a rainy day. California requires headlights be on when wipers are used. Occurred while doing approximately 25 mph after going over a speed bump. When stopped and key was turned to ACC, they came back on. Issue did not return when vehicle was started again. Dealer has said they can find not fault. We have located threads for this issue with other Kia models on [XXX] . One common factor is they are key start, not push start models. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Fuel/propulsion system, Oct 22, 2024
My car has never had the gas mileage that is advertised; it’s always been about 3-4 mpg less than the 28 mpg city/31 mpg highway. Recently, I had multiple engine system failures with the plug-in check devices at places like AutoZone saying my ignition coils were misfiring, and after bringing it to the dealership twice for about 1.5 months each time for a total of 3 months, they replaced the fuel injectors and a few other parts the first time before releasing the car to me only to have the same errors come back within 24 hours and I ended up bringing it back only for them to tell me the entire fuel pump system is shot and needed to be completely replaced and all fuel flushed out. Both times I brought it in they claimed it was due to bad gas, but after talking to my insurance, my claim agent concluded it was not bad gas as newer cars like mine have internal sensors that will completely stop the car from driving or even turning on if bad gas is detected to prevent further damage and that’s never been the case for me. I’ve always been able to drive my vehicle and the only noticeable issue would be my fuel mileage. I’ve had the new fuel pump system for about a week now, and my fuel mileage is around 28-29 mpg, more than it’s ever been since I bought the vehicle back in November 2020. I’ve only ever had a max of 26 mpg no matter how or where I drive. I did find recalls on similar makes of cars with the same year as mine from both Kia and Hyundai, and I believe that the Kia Souls around 2020-2021 also have faulty fuel pump systems and should be recalled. I don’t know how many of them are out there, but despite only having 50k miles on my car, the bad gas diagnosis excluded it from the warranty and I had to pay out of pocket the $1,516.83 for the fuel pump system replacement and flushing of the ‘bad gas’ at the Kia dealership.
Power train, Engine, Oct 20, 2024
1.) We were driving to Nashville and once my car got around 70,000 mile my check engine light came on. Then my car started to make a humming noise. We pulled over to check the oil the oil was fine. Once we got back into the car and left the gas station the light started to blink. Yes 2.) We were on the highway, and if the engine could have blown up or we could've got stuck on the way there and back. Also, the where the car started to act up was around a bad neighborhood. 3.) Yes 4.) Yes 5.) The car started to hum but once my car hit 70,000 miles the check engine light came on and started to flash.
Other or unspecified, Aug 15, 2024
My car kept on breaking down and it happened twice. When i contacted the Kia customer service, they told me the wait time until i can get the car ready is about 2 months and until then im gonna have to either rent a car that they would pay $44 for, which is clearly not enough. I need to get to places, job and school. How am i supposed to afford for this or do anything about it. I want my car fixed and its also covered under the warranty since i bought it in 2021.
Engine, Jul 27, 2024
Week of July 22, 2021: - initial problem started with pulling into a slightly sloped driveway and car engine dying even though clutch down and braking. Acted as though clutch not pressed down. - running errands around town. When I initially started driving in first gear, very jerky (like I didn’t know how to drive stick). Lots of stop and go and continued driving this way. Heading home, when I let foot off gas, car died. I would have to start, while trying to come to stop. If I had to stop, I had to keep foot on accelerator so it wouldn’t die. When I started driving again, loss of power-so much that I had to make sure traffic totally clear if having to cross traffic. Every once in a while, while shifting, I could hear something loud in engine. - Immediately contacted Kia to get in for service…soonest available appointment is August 8, 2024. They had me check oil and barely any on dipstick. Car has only 23,750 miles. They told me that “it’s not unusual to have to put a quart of oil in every 1,000 miles”. Red flag to me…seems very excessive to need to do that on this new of a car. The service advisor also told me that it’s also not unusual to not have a warning light come on for low oil. I put in two quarts of what was used during last oil change and what is recommended - Mobil 1 5W20 full synthetic. When I started car, actually sounded worse and now the Check Engine light is on. The car is too dangerous to drive so called Kia Roadside Assistance and had it towed to dealer. Not sure when they will get to it to be able to determine problem but I am without transportation. Purchased an extended warranty when I bought the car - you think I should have a loaner. Seems like lots of Kia Soul owners having same issue.
Engine, Apr 29, 2024
I was travelling on [XXX] in highland Indiana when my engine stopped powering my car and I heard knocking inside. I smelled like and saw smoke everywhere INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Engine, Apr 2, 2024
Our vehicle is burning 1 to 2 quarts of oil every 1 thousand miles. They say this is normal but it seems excessive. I'm afraid the engine is going to die while driving it. This is dangerous and needs to be looked into. I'm not the only one with this issue.
Power train, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Mar 28, 2024
The vehicle experiences a complete loss of power when slowing to a stop before it powers off on its own. The car powers off while going down the road. The car experiences partial loss of power while on cruise control and the car will slow to nearly stopped. The immediate loss of power puts myself and others at risk as the car is now stopping unexpected on the highway. I have left numerous voicemails for service managers at the dealership it was purchased brand-new from 2 years ago. They have not reached out to me. I had an appointment at their dealership to have the car inspected to see if this was covered with my warranty and they explained my warranty was only 60k miles and my car is now at 65k miles. The car was shutting off and having power loss a week before the first indicator light came on, which was the engine light. The code pulled for that sensor was the P0171 sensor which measures air in the fuel system and it stated "bank 1 running lean". I have now taken the car to a local shop and they are advising there was no oil in the car and there are metal shards in the valves in the engine. Werner KIA is the only shop that has ever worked on my car or changed the oil and they have not advised me of any oil leaks at all.
Service brakes, Mar 3, 2024
At my last six month servicing the service person neglected to notice my annual inspection was due. He did, however, tell me my brake pads needed replacing. I asked how that was possible since the car had less than 10,000 miles on it. He went to check with the manager after which he came back and said my brakes were fine. I got a ticket two weeks ago for not having a current inspection. I tried to contact the dealer a half dozen times via phone and their chat feature. They did not get back to me as promised. I scheduled an inspection at a local station and the mechanic noticed when he took my tires off for rotating that my brake pads measured 5.32 seconds. There was no apparent reason for this unusual wear and tear. I tried again to reach the dealer to ask why there would be excess wear on the pads and again heard nothing back. I contacted Kia of America but they would only take a report until I got a diagnosis from a certified dealer. I reminded the rep that there would be a record from my last servicing of 11/23 but was put off with repetitions of the script they use. I am concerned that there is an issue with the rear brake installation on this car that could lead to a dangerous condition for drivers.
Exterior lighting, Feb 28, 2024
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed at night, he became aware that the headlamps were not functioning properly. The exterior lighting warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that a short in the electrical system resulted in exterior lights burning out and identified burned wiring. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 13,000.
Suspension, Power train, Electrical system, Feb 28, 2024
My vehicle at three months had transmission failure like many 2021 Kia souls after the repair I began to experience, mini electrical issues and steering issues which are very common for this model year. Most recently I have taken it in for electrical issues. My rear brake lights are not working the fuses burn and the wiring has burned. in addition, there is a bulletin that Kia put out to their dealers asking to repair suspension and steering problems on hundreds of thousands of vehicles but this is not a recall yet my vehicle experience the same symptoms and my vehicle was not repaired siding I was too close to the end of my warranty please see the last page the Kia bulletin regarding popping in the steering the dealer installed parts at purchase of the vehicle in 2021 and please see the brake light repairs Kia motors forced me to sign a disclaimer when the when the transmission went out siding, I would never complain about the vehicle. After submitting a case to the department of Justice in California, Kia instantly reopened my case. The wiring repairs were recorded on my invoices as #Warranty repairs, but when I call Kia motors themselves, they do not show any warranty repairs performed on my vehicle. I don’t understand why they are hiding this information. Again, please see the Kia bulletin in my attachments they did not repair my vehicle based on the bulletin.