10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
4 / 0
Average Mileage:
45,325 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.

2012 Kia Soul miscellaneous problems

miscellaneous problem

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2012 Kia Soul Owner Comments (Page 1 of 2)

problem #34

Apr 162023

Soul

  • miles

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

2012 Kia Soul 4dr wagon engine fail no warning lights sudden strange noise driving on highway with grandbabies. Heard a strange noise under hood then the vehicle lost acceleration and right before shutting down and dying the oil light came on and car went dead. No warning to any problem. Had the oil changed and double checked new oil was replaced. When I opened the hood and checked the oil their was no oil in vehicle it was as if it was drained out yet have no oil leaks to show it leaked out. If the oil disappears and no warning lights show no oil and car just dies on highway that is engine failure and burning up engine leading to fires and danger to drivers and passengers. 2012 Kia Soul 75,262 miles well maintained should not just be driving along engine malfunction and die and oil has disappeared. Let alone possibility needing new engine. Very scary and not safe to drive as the vehicle immediately dies on busy highway so by given no warning till last second the drivers behind me had no warning and luckily no accident was caused but possible it could be a serious problem. Apparently other people are having same engine issue reading online forum that several incidents missing oil and engine failure with little or no warning but hearing strange noise and engine shutting down and oil missing.

- Tulsa, OK, USA

problem #33

Feb 242022

Soul

  • miles
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.

- Arp, TX, USA

problem #32

Feb 102023

Soul

  • miles
Unknown. Piston rings have blown, oil leaking into muffler.

- Owatonna, MN, USA

problem #31

Oct 222022

Soul

  • miles

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

"play" and clicking noises in steering wheel have increasingly gotten much worse and noisier, clicking and clunking on turns. I feel like any moment my steering is going to go out and I am going to put everyone in my car and around me at risk. Called dealership and they said it is a common problem which I researched and found that the coupler in steering wheel fails. Kia used the same part in presvious years same model and even years afterward and those years were recalled but not my year. Makes no sense. The next issue was I was driving on the highway at 70 and all of a sudden lost power and car would not accelerate beyond a speed of 45 mph. Black smoke came out of my tail pipe and I limped home at 20 mph. Mo engine warning lights but I could smell something was hit like melted plastic. After letting the car sit a couple hours, I started it and it sounds like there is a hole in the exhaust all of a sudden. There lots of black ish grey soot under my car as if a balloon burst with soot in it from underneath the car somewhere. I called the dealer and described the issue and all they did was look up my vin and tell me there is no recall and that I must have gotten bad gas somewhere.

- Grandview, MO, USA

problem #30

Oct 012021

Soul

  • miles
Car started ticking, small repair shop told me it was engine lifters, I paid $2000 to replace them. After replacing the engine lifters the mechanic said it would be quite and stop making the ticking noise on idle and acceleration. However 5 months later it was still ticking, low power, brought it back in and they said I need to replace the engine lock block. This mechanical defect is a recall on my vehicles make model and year however it-€™s VIN is not under the recall. Car will stall, doesn-€™t want to accelerate quickly, will shake, and tap, or tick noise from the engine at start, and the entire time car is running, th ticking increases when I accelerate.

- Fergus Falls, MN, USA

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problem #29

Sep 302022

Soul

  • miles
I was driving on the highway and I went To pass someone and then all of the sudden my car did not switch gears when accelerating (which has always been an issue) and a big cloud of white smoke came out of my exhaust. My car has always had issues switching gears but this time was bad. I checked all of my fluids, they were fine and my car wasn-€™t over heated. Once I started My car again it was fine and no smoke came out but it is still struggling to switch gears. I just Took my car to get my tires changed and looked at for any issues last week and they changed my tires and said my car had no issues. I know 2012 Kia Soul 1.6 engines just got recalled for similar issues. I also Looked up to see if anyone else with the same car had this issues and a lot of people have had this happen to them.

- Mcsherrystown , PA, USA

problem #28

Jul 222022

Soul

  • miles

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

The electrical system on this vehicle is severely malfunctioning. Once the engine is started it will not allow me to take it out of gear. All of the indicator lights are on and flash. It is unsafe because the Kia dealership service center doesn't know how to fix it. I don't think it's safe to drive because what if I put it in drive & it would not stop or shift to neutral.

- Birdsboro, PA, USA

problem #27

Dec 302021

Soul

  • miles
Loss of power to brakes while braking at low speed resulting in a crash, air bag deployment and blowout of driver airbag. Driver sustained chemical burns, and abdomen bruising. The fire department extinguished a small fire. The KIA is a almost total loss.

- North Port, FL, USA

problem #26

Jan 112022

Soul

  • miles
KIA did a "PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN" as a work around for a recall on the Kia Soul. they were in the middle of this when our engine did the problem that they are "Improving, " Dealership won't do the improvement saying we have no open recalls, but we keep getting the letter telling us to do the product improvement campaign. Engine is failing due to this issue, but dealership just wants us to replace engine. KIA won't replace since we didn't do the PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN that the dealership said we aren't eligible for. PLEASE HELP. I have all letters from KIA.

- Sugar Grove, IL, USA

problem #25

Sep 012021

Soul

  • miles
Steering clicks and feels loose when turning. Inspected by a repair shop and they said it was the steering coupler. It's my understanding this is a issue with most kia souls. This should be a recall item but 2012 year was not included. Very unsafe as steering can fail. Make this a recall.

- Jackson, MO, USA

problem #24

Nov 152021

Soul

  • miles

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

Still the original owner or our 2012 Kia Soul and experiencing issues with the flex coupler in the steering column. As with other 2012 owners why is there no recall for this year unlike the other Kia and Hyundais make and models??

- Louisville, KY, USA

problem #23

Oct 112021

Soul

  • miles
engine piston fails, while drive metal from the piston where internal parts out and vehicle breaks down. no warning lamps illuminated

- Lawrence, MI, USA

problem #22

Sep 012021

Soul

  • miles
Steering has clunking sound and loose feeling while turning the steering wheel. Research would suggest steering coupler faulty. This same part has been recalled in other Kia models but not in the particular model I own.

- Mebane, NC, USA

problem #21

Jul 272021

Soul

  • miles
Steering wheel vibrate uncontrollable when driving

- Ladson , SC, USA

problem #20

Jul 212021

Soul

  • miles
ESC light problem

- Sugar Land, TX, USA

problem #19

Oct 202020

Soul

  • 170,000 miles
My car shut off in the middle of gas station won't crank back

- Gretna, FL, USA

problem #18

Jan 282021

Soul

  • 92,680 miles
Within ten minutes of driving the car, it stalls when stopped at lights, stop signs, etc., geared in drive and low idle under normal driving conditions. When restarted it proceeds at a slow crawl and will not accelerate or will accelerate normally in 15 to 30 seconds. Had oil, oil filter and engine air filter replaced but did not correct the problem. Engine light comes on when it stalls. After six times of dying and not accelerating, it is now parked in driveway and fear it is too dangerous to drive. These incidents happened within one week with no prior operation issues. I have read countless complaints on this issue from other Kia Soul owners but no resolves, just astronomical repair bills with no fixes and no help from Kia, dealerships or the government.

- Vacaville, CA, USA

problem #17

Sep 162020

Soul

  • miles
While driving car is randomly stalling. Visited several service include Kia service as well nobody knows whats wrong. It's dangerous to drive when during driving the car just stalls all of the sudden.

- Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA

problem #16

Jul 162020

Soul

  • 89,000 miles
Refrigerant oil leaking from ac compressor

- Las Vegas, NV, USA

problem #15

Jun 052020

Soul 4-cyl

  • 150,214 miles
About 2 weeks ago my car died at a stoplight for the first time. All along there is no indicator lights. Then died while driving 3 days later at 35 mph. I went to an auto zone to get a check on its computer but they wouldn't do anything due to the corona virus. Drove it a few days, it died again at the stoplight. It began to do this every few days.no indication when it would shut off and no indicator lights. I called to see if there was a recall and there wasn't, I also checked online.when it died I would have to wait just off the road or at busy intersections for a few minutes and keep trying. Then after a few times I started noticing it would die at the intersection and then my RPM indicator would not work then the car would shut off while I was driving, I would fight with it to start or it would start normally and everything worked for a while again. I called the dealer made an appointment, they said nothing was wrong but one mechanic asked what year that there was a recall on other vehicles..today June 5th when I was stuck at an intersection I used my phone to record that it started after a few minutes and then when I drove it I had to floor the gas and the RPM indicator wasn't working at all. Then I was driving finally got it to speed and it died in the road at 55 while driving luckily I coasted off the road.after a minute I taped where I was, how the car was pulled off crooked and then it started normally, no indicator lights, RPM worked and I got home. The car dealer said he probably knew what it was due to the other recalls but it would be expensive. I cannot afford a repair don't want to die either. If other cars were recalled mine needs to be. It's only a matter of time before I am in an accident because my car just dies whenever it wants to. I do not know how to upload off my phone but will gladly have someone do it soon to report it again.

- Umatilla, FL, USA

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