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.
I was never informed about the issues with my 1.6 GI engine YEARS AGO. And now my engine went bad in my 2016 Kia soul and kia screwed me and won-??t cover fixing my car. I-??m so disgusted with kia and their customer service for not helping me or ever informing me.
On May 17, 2025, the engine in our 2016 Kia Soul seized up and was destroyed. It is within Kia-??s 10 year/100,000 mile drivetrain warranty. They are refusing to honor the warrant stating there was a recall on the vehicle that we never got fixed. The only unrepaired recall on this vehicle involves the steering, nothing to do with the motor. They are trying to escape the responsibility that they have promised to the American consumer.
My 2016 Kia soul had the engine white come on. I took it to have the computer read what the problem was. It came back engine knock sensor. I was told there was a recall on this and I needed to take it to an authorized Kia dealer. I took this to an authorized Kia dealer who told me that that was a faulty check engine light there was nothing wrong with the sensor, but my pistons were bad and I needed a new engine. Well, when I read further into the recall, it specifically said that this check engine sensor issue could affect the engine. My car just hit 100,000 miles. I had regular service. I now have a Kia who is sitting in front of my house not being able to be run. I truly feel that there is an issue that was not addressed when it was checked the check engine light indicated faulty knock sensor. This recall connected that there may be issues with the motor if this were the problem. I feel like I-??m being taken advantage of. I am currently without any transportation and cannot get any help. Is there anything you can do to help me?
Car started rapidly slowing while on the highway and would not accelerate. After taking it to the dealership they said the catalytic converter is clogged and will need replaced. Seems to be a common issue with this vehicle that is not always covered by recall for whatever reason.
My engine failed in a2016 Kia Soul.It is available upon inspection. My safety was at risk because the engine went bad all of a sudden. The vehicle has been inspected by a repair facility.Yes I went to a dealership and ask about knocking noise they didn-??t say anything about ksds and made me an appointment a week later.
My vehicle has stranded me twice due to the same issue-?"error code P1326, which I am regrettably too familiar with. It is apparently associated with the Knock Sensor Detection System and the possibility of defective piston oil rings
About a year ago I got my car serviced for the recall that was due to a potential issue with the catalytic converter overheating. High exhaust gas temperatures could damage the catalytic converter, potentially leading to abnormal engine combustion, piston damage, and even a fire. As of today 4/22/2025 I was told my catalytic converter needs to be replaced. I first noticed a check engine light 12/20/2024 and I got the code read from my local AutoZone. The code came back my catalytic converter. After doing some research I seen an active recall which I described as above. I scheduled an appointment at my local Kia Dealership which is also where I go the car. They got me in 01/2025 to service the recall. Here i am just a year past the recall and I've been told I need a whole new catalytic converter which is going to run me just over $1300.
In order to complete the Recall SC176 on my vehicle, I am required to submit comprehensive maintenance records. Since purchasing the car used in 2019, all routine maintenance-?"excluding tires and brakes-?"has been performed by the original selling dealership. However, that dealership is unable to provide the necessary documentation. As a result, the Kia dealership handling the recall is refusing to perform the required repairs, citing court-ordered terms that mandate maintenance record verification. Despite extensive discussions with Kia, there appears to be no alternative path forward without these records. This situation leaves me with two unacceptable options: continue driving a vehicle with a potentially hazardous, unrepaired engine, or reduce my household to a single vehicle-?"an outcome that would create significant hardship for my family. Additionally, because we are currently enrolled in a debt consolidation program, taking out any form of loan to replace this vehicle is not permitted. The lack of access to critical maintenance records, through no fault of my own, is now preventing the fulfillment of a safety recall and placing my family at risk. I am requesting immediate assistance in resolving this issue so that the recall repairs can proceed without further delay.
engine rod bearing issues, check engine light is on due to engine knocking from rod bearing and i can't pass state inspection due to check engine light. when the check enging light is on the vehicle can only be driven at speed of 30m/h. took the vehicle to kia dealer at roosvelt ave, york pa 17404 and repaires denied under warranty
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated while her husband was driving 45 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle failed to respond. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle failed to accelerate until the vehicle stopped. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with internal failure in an exhaust manifold. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that after the vehicle was repaired, approximately every 2,000 miles the oil warning light would illuminate. The contact stated that recently the check engine warning light illuminated. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 86,000.
I have been having to put catalytic converter cleaner in my car to keep it running. The catalytic converter is bad more than one of them actually. I have also been having to add oil every week almost because it burns through oil so fast. I was on the highway today and my car went down to 30 miles an hour because of the catalytic converter problem.
I haven't had an incident happen yet but my 2016 KIA Soul with the GDI engine is excessively using oil to the point this time I had to put seven and a half quarts in between oil changes. I only have 79,412 miles on it, I mainly just drive it to work and back. The oil is not visible in the driveway, I don't see smoke coming out, I had some emergency oil light that I have never seen light up before come on two different times. I ended up taking it to KIA for an oil change and diagnostic test and they told me it had an oil leak at the oil pan, I had that fixed by someone else but that hasn't helped on the oil consumption. I took it for an oil change 2 days ago and had them make sure I didn't have a leak before they changed my oil and they said it was good. I have a friend whose 2015 KIA Soul caught on fire and blew up right on the interstate, she barely made it out of her car in time. I'm very uncomfortable driving my car now, it seems like I put oil in it just about every time I put gas in it now. I was wondering if my car would be added to the recall soon? Thanks, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
This was recalled on many kia souls except my VIN is not showing this recall yet I received a letter stating that the Catalytic converter were being recalled. I now have to replace my converter and reached out to kia as to why my veichle which is a 2016 kia soul is not included
The vehicle stalled on the Interstate. The engine seized and the oil came came out a hole in the crankcase. Fortunately the driver was able to coast the vehicle into the emergency lane. A Kia dealer diagnosed the failure as throwing a rod due to rod bearing failure. Per a class action settlement [XXX] ), the vehicle's warranty was extended to 15 years/150,000 miles to cover failure due to the connecting rod bearing. The warranty claim was denied because the vehicle had not received the KSDS update. However: 1) The vehicle was bought and sold by a Kia dealer at the end of 2023. As the KSDS update was available in 2020 [XXX] ), the update should have been installed by the Kia dealer before offering the vehicle for sale. The current owner purchased the vehicle in January 2024. 2) The current owner registered with Kia and pursued the anti-theft fix (Kia sent her a club). Kia did NOT notify her there were other updates that needed to be performed on the vehicle. Kia did not do due diligence to have the KSDS update installed, either when Kia was in possession of the car at a dealer or by notifying the new owner when she registered the car and sought updates. It appears Kia is intentionally not performing the update or notifying owners so they do not have to cover the repair under warranty. Functionality of the KSDS update would have lit the check engine light and entered the vehicle into limp mode before catastrophic engine failure occurred, thus avoiding the dangerous situation of a vehicle stalling on the Interstate. By withholding this update, Kia is endangering lives. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
On 2/16/2025 I was on the Freeway when my check engine light came on and my car slowed down to 40 mph. I tired to get it to go faster and it did start to go faster but went right back to 40 mph. I got off the freeway as soon as possible. The car was towed to Kia dealer and was looked at the 2nd day after. I was told that it would probably need a new engine. They checked to see if the warranty was still good and I was told it was. When I came to pick up the car I was told it was fixed but that it would most likely brake down again and that Kia warranty would not fix it. I said to the service manager (so I am supposed to drive this car that is a safety issue because they won-??t fix it and he said yes.). I still can-??t believe that I was told to go ahead and drive my car!
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the temperature gauge indicated that the vehicle was overheating, and the vehicle lost motive power. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to restart. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the catalytic converter. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling); but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 111,000.
I have had my cat. Replaced and in 6 months it's clogged again. My car has no dash lights alerting for a problem but my cat. Keeps getting ruined and oil turns really black after having oil change done in a week. I'm unable to drive car it stalls out now that the cat. Is not working correctly. When it stalled out the first time was on freeway.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Canal Fulton , OH, USA