10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 50
Injuries / Deaths:
5 / 0
Average Mileage:
61,203 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2015 Kia Soul engine problems

engine problem

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2015 Kia Soul Owner Comments (Page 1 of 26)

problem #516

Oct 102023

Soul

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

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

- Deltona, FL, USA

problem #515

Aug 132023

Soul

  • miles
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.

- Howell, NJ, USA

problem #514

Aug 312023

Soul

  • miles
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.

- Oswego, IL, USA

problem #513

Sep 252023

Soul

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

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.

- Floral Park, NY, USA

problem #512

Sep 142023

Soul

  • miles
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.

- Cincinnati, OH, USA

problem #511

Sep 112023

Soul

  • miles
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.

- Jackson, TN, USA

problem #510

Sep 012023

Soul

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

My engine has had many issues stemming from a bad engine Kia of Irvine has avoided fixing they have charged for fixes under warranty and ignored code p0420 since 2018. After much push Catalytic engine was replaced replaced in 2021. I had noticed burning smell from engine along with low oil but was denied an oil consumption and pushed out of extended warranty with minor fixes. Told repeatedly it was all wear and tear. Car is currently in shop with 157000 miles after going limp on the freeway luckily with slow traffic. After being -??fixed-?? on Tuesday 9/05/23 for a bad crank shaft sensor I drove it to pep boys straight out of the shop for scan and found ABS issue 1631 transmission failure and a failed emissions warning not fixed. Took car back right no explanation and asked that I leave my car once again. I have called to No communication from the shop And now I have just been informed they misplaced my key and have not yet inspected it.

- Anaheim , CA, USA

problem #509

Aug 152023

Soul

  • miles
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power and started to vibrate violently. The contact was able to safely reach her destination. Upon visual inspection of the engine compartment, the contact became aware that the engine oil level was extremely low. The check engine and low oil warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the engine required an engine flush. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

- Irving, TX, USA

problem #508

Aug 292023

Soul

  • miles
The car stalls constantly and has been going on for years. Kia had claimed to have fixed the problem that they had fixed the problem however they never did because the car has been continuing to stop in the middle of the road. This car is very dangerous and it has no recalls on it. The catalytic converter is a problem and even though it has been a problem for Kia souls mine is not listed in the recall. Needless to say that this has put me and my child in immediate Life-threatening danger multiple times.

- Brick , NJ, USA

problem #507

Aug 152023

Soul

  • miles
My catalytic converter went out on my Kia while driving unexpectedly and I have heard of a lot of other Kias in my year have the same issue.

- Aurora, CO, USA

problem #506

Aug 192023

Soul

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

My engine failed while my wife and I were riding in the vehicle, putting our safety at risk.

- Norwich , CT, USA

problem #505

Aug 162023

Soul

  • 218,000 miles
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number 20V750000 (Engine) and the vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The driver was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle stalled and failed to restart. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed that coolant had intruded into the engine had caused damage to the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but was unable to assist. The failure mileage was 218,000.

- Lake Elsinore, CA, USA

problem #504

Aug 082023

Soul

  • miles
I own a 2015 kia soul 2.0 GDI engine, was coming home, the car surged twice and started knocking. I imediatly pulled over and killed the car. Had the car checked, spun the number 3 cylinder connecting rod bearing. Went from running perfict to torn up engine, it's a shame I.ve taken very good care of this car. Synthetic oil every 5 thousand miles. Called kia they said my car isn't on the list. The guy who did the inspection said it's the exact same problem on multiple vehicles, same exact problem, number three cylinder, connecting rod bearing. 136,000 miles.

- Husser, LA, USA

problem #503

Mar 172021

Soul

  • 138,000 miles
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the vehicle had been idling roughly. The contact stated that the engine would vibrate and shake the entire vehicle while stopped at a traffic signal. The contact stated that she was adding amount of engine oil to the vehicle every week. The contact had received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V750000 (Engine). The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer who diagnosed and determined the engine had passed a mandatory engine test. The contact was not advised if the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) software had been updated. The contact stated that following the recall, the engine failure recurred. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 138,000.

- Brooklet, GA, USA

problem #502

Jul 012023

Soul

  • 120,000 miles
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, there was a rattling sound present coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle failed to properly accelerate, and the vehicle stalled on several occasions. Additionally, the vehicle had experienced excessive oil consumption. The vehicle was diagnosed at the local dealer and determined that the catalytic converter was clogged and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet 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: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 120,000.

- Duluth, GA, USA

problem #501

Jul 032023

Soul

  • miles
3 time same time going 60 and speed drop 40 fast almost some hot from the back in freeway was a miss fire what was fix but the 3 time show a code p1326 Is problem w the motor.

- Lancaster, CA, USA

problem #500

Jul 172023

Soul

  • miles
The engine has sounded bad for a year or more and it's been consuming oil at a rate of 1/2 to 1 quart per month despite having only 80,000 miles on the vehicle. For the past couple of months the vehicle has increasingly struggled to maintain speed on the highway or to climb hills. The engine has to rev well higher than normal and it's loud. I've also found oil slicks in the garage for the first time. Three weeks ago, on Interstate 64 near Cross Lanes, WV the vehicle lost the capacity to continue down the highway. I had to pull over just after the crest of a hill and was stuck there in a scary situation for about 40 minutes. The dealer there in WV says the catalytic converter has failed and it will be $3500 to fix it. At no time has the check engine indicator activated. The manufacturer says my VIN is not included in NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V120000. The dealership in Columbus, which I has spoken to last summer told me the engine, which has seem troubled to me for a year or more does not, at least yet, qualify for remedy under NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V750000. At last contact the manufacturer is looking in to authorizing out of warranty assistance, but there are no guarantees and we may very well be on my own when it comes to remedying these serious and expensive problems with the 2015 Kia Soul.

- Plain City, OH, USA

problem #499

Apr 182022

Soul

  • miles
Recall for catalytic converter failure not fixed. Dealer claimed to fix but lied. My catalytic converter is failing and Kia refused to fix it with previous recall appointments. Now it could result in major engine or a fire. Took it in multiple times and dealer failed to resolve the issue. A year later and my car won-??t go over 40 mph.

- Kansas City, MO, USA

problem #498

Aug 092023

Soul

  • miles
Vehicle emissions test failure P0420 catalyst system efficiency below threshold bank 1 this is the 3rd failure for the same reason and the part has been replaced twice. Once under warranty and a second one in December 2022. Kia hasn-??t done anything to fix the problem, and is opting for a catastrophic failure and possible harm to myself and family. Please help

- Elkridge , MD, USA

problem #497

Jul 072023

Soul

  • 119,000 miles
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle would not properly accelerate with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over on the side of the road and shut off the vehicle. The contact waited until the vehicle cooled down and the vehicle was restarted; however, the vehicle was not operating normally. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 119,000.

- Cleveland, TX, USA

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