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.
The series of events leading to my theory of what is wrong with my 2012 Kia Soul: 1. Steering coupler replacement in March of 2021 left my steering wheel sideways instead of straight, air bag light remains on, and traction control light as well. The after-market (I assume) cruise control is automatically on when car is started. Must turn off manually. 2. U-joint connecting to steering column fell onto my feet while driving in December of 2021. I slid it back on, but it slipped off approximately 4 more times in the next month before it was strongly secured. 3. Alignment performed in February 2022. Approximately 2 weeks after the alignment, my car started stuttering, if you will, prior to shifting into third gear. Then, again, prior to each shift into the higher gears. It stalled a few times in response to this action. While accelerating, the car begins to jerk severely, as if the brakes are being pumped. It doesn't do this immediately, but only begins once it's warmed up. Several sensors have been replaced. Fuel filter replaced. It's a standard, but the transmission was replaced after I purchased it in 2018. After hooking up to the code scanner at the parts store, the Steering Tilt Sensor is the code shown. My theory is this: When the steering coupler was replaced leaving my steering wheel in the turned position, and then aligning it with it in the wrong position, that threw the tilt code. Maybe it's jerking because it thinks I'm turning when I'm not, and it could possibly be engaging the abs to slow me down while it thinks I'm turning. Would I be wrong in assuming that if I get the steering wheel straightened, get another alignment, and clear the steering tilt sensor, my car will act normal again? I am uncertain what system or part failed, but it is definitely available to be inspected. I could have died when the u-joint fell off if I hadn't been almost to a stop sign every time. The problem continues, but has not been addressed or confirmed by a dealer.
Upon my last service at the dealership they told me my oil was low. This was the first time ever having to add oil. I continued to monitor the issue. Last week we drove the car approx 50 miles home. The next morning the car would not start at all. We had it towed to the dealer and they told me the engine is gone. The car has 97,000 miles and has been maintained myself for the last 6 years using synthetic oil.
Tried starting the car one morning and the entire dashboard is black. No readings for any of the gauges and shifter stuck in park. Car was drivable after releasing the gear with the shift lock release, but nothing on the instrument cluster working. Couldn't see odometer, fuel gauge, heat gauge because it wasn't moving or lit up.
I just bought my car in April and with registration papers I received recall papers stating 2 recalls for my vehicle I didn't think it was legal to sell vehicle without having it fixed.?? next I. take my vehicle to Kia dealer on Monday August 3 to fix recalls they.said.no codes show.. I drive home 45 MINIaway. Car dies. Inext morning.it.dies.again wont start.. I looks under the hood and there.is a.wire buring through my fus box which was not there before and now I have no.power to my vehicle and something isn't right I know that wire wasn't there before.
Car is in P as rk. Car is not moving. Car is not already started. Often the car won't start. Interior lights come on when key is placed in ignition, but wont turn over. You have to wiggle the shifter or turn the steering wheel. It will eventually start. Car gurus has over 150 identical complaints. It appears it's a coil of some type. Multiple vehicles various years. He dealerships often just recommend replacing starter or battery. But the issue remains. It's a product defect. Should be a recall.
- Manhattan, KS, USA
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No engine warning lights on. At random, engine will lose power, but does not quit. No matter how much you try to accelerate, car only reaches approximately 30 mph. Observed to happen after turning ignition key and nothing happens. However, occurrence is random, and no engine warning code is given. Mechanics find nothing wrong, due to no warning code.
After work on 4/30/19, I was speaking with the parking deck attendant. The car was in drive, but I had my foot on the brake. It started shaking and sounding rough, as if it were struggling to stay on. I drove it for a few miles, but was afraid to drive more than 35 or so mph. It was shaking and making noise the entire way. I only drove on the interstate to the next exit, so that I could find an open parking lot just in case it cut off on me. I called aaa and got a tow home due to the lateness of the hour. The next morning, aaa towed me to a aaa car care facility and I let them do repairs. I was told that ignition coil # 4 was bad and had to be replaced, and that it would be better to replace all 4 coils. I only had enough money to replace the bad one, plus the spark plugs and air & cabin filters that the mechanic recommended. He said that the other 3 coils should be replaced as soon as possible.
Where do I start, my 2012 Kia Soul has about 86,000 miles and has experience issues over the past few years. It started a few years ago where I changed my left brake light and discovered it was an ongoing issue where bulb is burnt and have to replace about twice yearly. Second, sometimes when I go to crank my car it would start faintly then stall out and I will have to retry again until it cranks correctly. This having also been occurring for a few years. Third, within this past year I've experienced A/C control problems. When I go to turn it on it wont do anything, no defrost/blowing/hot/cold nothing. Then I would proceed to keep trying to turn off and on and out of no where it just starts on its own. Sometimes it's scary especially when I need to defrost my windows and it decides not to work. Took it to sun auto repair shop and they couldn't figure it out and said and I quote "it has a high failure rate", whatever that means. Fourth, the passenger side window will not respond to the driver side control button. Dont know if it's an electrical issue. This has also started within this past year. Finally, about a few months ago my steering while started making this annoying clicking sound when I turn the steering wheel left to right. That is while driving and parked or stopped. It just keeps clicking every movement, bumps and turns. Suddenly I recieved a letter about this given warranty recalling my vehicle to get fixed. Now I'm questioning whether or not if my other problems are common in other vehicles and is on the roll to recall
Received a letter from Kia stating to have my steering checked out. I am hearing a popping noise when I turn left in the steering. It pulls to the right when driving the Kia dealership is saying there's nothing wrong. But there's got to be something going on and they keep trying to tell me that there's nothing wrong. Also there's a suspension noise coming from the rear when I go over a great or anyting even a small little dent in the road it sounds like the whole back end of my car is going to fall apart another issue with the brakes when I apply the brakes my lights dim on the inside of my vehicle then when I go the lights will go bright again.
Car was great until it reached the 100000 mile mark. Then it loses all power and dies while going 65 to 70 mph on freeway! it is going to get me killed! when happens, the RPM gauge quickly plummets to zero and remains there at zero after I get it restarted. After it sits for about 15 minutes it starts fine with the RPM gauge giving an actual reading. This is happening about 3 times in a 25 mile span!
My 2012 Kia Soul (base) with the 1.6L gdi recently had a problem on I-80 traveling between des moines, ia and denver, co. (there had been no prior symptoms) after reaching around 65 mph, the engine began misfiring emmiting obd error code 0336 indication a bad crankshaft position sensor. I stopped at the nearest autozone, bought a appropriate replacement, and installed the part in the parking lot. Upon ignition, the car immidiately began misfiring and died. On the second attempt, the car started and misfired; but it sent the same 0336 code then the tachometer died. Although the techometer died, the engine continued to idle (and run) without further misfires. Upon seeing this, I figured it was the cam shaft position sensors (as the symptoms are very similiar). I found, and replaced both engine mounted cam shaft position sensors, but no new symptoms untill I test drove the vehicle. During the test drive, the vehicle emmited 3 obd codes, and didnt start misfiring until the tachometer went over 3500 RPM. By then, I was doing a highway test on I-80 outside Lincoln, ne, and the car just died at around 55-65 mph. It emmited code 0336 for a bad crankshaft position sensor, 0565 for cruise control on signal malfunction (I have the base model, so there is no cruise control), and 0517 for battery temperature circuit malfunction. I managed to get the vehicle off the interstate, and back home where the problem changed again. Now it misfires untill the tachometer hits 3500, then the tachometer dies and the vehicle appear to run normal (dispite the reoccuring odb2 codes 0366, 0517, and 0565) it appears the engine heated up enough to burn out a brand new crankshaft position sensor, and cause problems with the battery. (and possibly the ECU as it now reports my non-existant cruise control is malfunctioning)
Was going down ten, Kia can't determine if my power steering want bout while going down the highway going 55, and then hitting a deer. The body work has been fixed but my vehicle has no power steering. Power steering is not responding - mdps will not communicate with vehicle. Failure in electronic mdps at top of steering column. They checked all connectors, and no physical damage to column itself. Found C1503 -ESC/ecs (esp) error and C1687 - time out vsm2 (mdps) failure. Diagnosis says I need a power steering column and motor assembly. Geico refuses to cover this saying it's a common electrical power steering issue with Kia's. if these are messing up electronically while driving this year for 2012 should be recalled. It feels as if insurance has found a loophole to not cover Kia Souls with power steering. I also saw a corrosion issue recall and my car was from Ohio which I lived there years with it before moving to Virginia. No one at the newport news Virginia Kia even mentioned the recall for my VIN #, I found it while registering my Kia online.
Car would not start, it was found that the wire covers and wires were disinigrated. It was taken to shop and repaired. Then two weeks later happened again, then again on 5/10/18 the car would not start again. Vehicle was towed to shop and mechanic had advised that it was the same issue but different location, this time was worse and was told that if the vehicle would have started that it would have possibly caught on fire and endangering the safety to myself and other occupants. Was also informed that Kia uses a soy based peanut oil coating for the wires. He informed that this would attract animals. I have spent over $900 for these repairs. The mechanic advised that Kia is aware of this and there are no recalls as far as he is aware of.
12/28/17 purchased car from Kia dealership. 1/27/18 I was driving approx 50 mph down a county road and the drivers side windshield panelling flew off. The passenger side is loose as well. I am told no way to secure passenger side it just has to be replaced as well. Also noticed a loud screeching coming from driver side every time I apply the brake. 2/3/18 neighbor was driving behind me down a city street and called to tell me rear driver side tire appeared wobbly. 2/6/18 dealership said bad wheel bearing and replaced but still had not ordered panelling. Also said noise was fine it was just caused by metallic structure of brakes and have to deal with it. 2/7/18 the stereo will turn on but everything is back to factory presets and no sound comes out of speakers.
Dashboard lights came on and car wouldn't start. Had car towed to Kia of bowie md., who did a diagnostic and replaced electrical panel which cost estimated $200 dollars including diagnostic. Kia of bowie never called and when I finally contacted someone a week later, they stated the steering column was out and would cost approximate $2000 and that's the part. Car has only 70.000 miles.
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Soul. The contact stated that there had been several failures that progressed since purchasing the vehicle. The radio shorted out and was replaced by the dealer (southside Kia, 9401 atlantic blvd, jacksonville, fl 32225, (904) 400-6650). Also, the odometer displayed an improper reading and the steering column was extremely tight, making abnormal noises. In addition, the steering wheel was difficult to turn left or right. The vehicle was taken to the dealer more than three times, but the radio failed again and the driver's seat belt failed to properly restrain. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it currently remains for service. The manufacturer was notified of the failures and indicated that they would provide a follow-up response. The contact received no solution yet from the manufacturer. The approximate failure mileage was 68,000.
My car's heater assembly control has failed and in doing so my car's heater defaulted to cold and face making it impossible to defrost the windshield. Kia wants an astronomical fee to diagnose the problem and even more for the part and installation.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Arp, TX, USA