8.4

pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$1,500
Average Mileage:
56,250 miles
Total Complaints:
5 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. not sure (4 reports)
  2. replace exhaust system (1 reports)
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This problem may be covered under warranty. Ask your Kia dealer.

problem #5

Apr 202019

Soul LS

  • Automatic transmission
  • 62,137 miles

The engine light came on when I was in Michigan, and there was a noise that made it sound like the engine was missing. I didn't want to drive back to Toronto like that so I went to the local Kalamazoo dealer. They did an engine check, flushed some lines, and I drove it back. Since then, I have been in numerous times to deal with the check engine light. Each time, I forked over a lot of money for different reasons, none apparently covered by the warranty.

Last time they claimed it was electrical even though there was a cap that needed replacing to stop a leak they claimed was causing the recurring engine light problem. After their last check, my phone would also no longer work, so I had to repeatedly go in there to try and fix that. I had to rent a car and was charged for a day because they claimed I kept the car over for 2 days. It's my word against theirs, and they prefer theirs.

Thousands of dollars, insulting service. And stories that can't be validated.

- Maryanne N., Toronto, ON, Canada

problem #4

Mar 012020

Soul

  • Automatic transmission
  • 45,000 miles

3/5/2020: Received my car today and the answer I got was 100% unacceptable. I've lost time from work and have a bill for car rental and now am a owner of a car that the actual creators do not know and have no idea how to fix. Beyond disappointed that I was sold a car that is un-fixable 

The exact quote from the the engineer at KIA Advice 1: It is recommended to clean throttle body, upgrade PCM grounds, and preform CAP discharge, however, unfortunately DTC PO5OA is being researched and we do not have a resolution available at this time, there is not ETA. Please reset the engine adaptive values and return the vehicle back to the customer. 

- Mary A., NILES, IL, US

problem #3

Mar 012020

Soul

  • Automatic transmission
  • 45,000 miles

Code error po5oa has come up for the 3rd time. All three times it's been at the dealer and this time it seems like it will be there days. It's March now and this started in Oct of last year. So in a few months and 3000 miles I've been to the dealer 3 times and so far nothing.

The dealership says it's contacting the engineers and I'm waiting for an answer. The dealership also says that Kia will no longer pay for a loaner car so I'm left to get one on my own.

I have contacted Kia consumer affairs and I get NO answers from them either. I question consumer affairs about a rental and I get answers like probably will be taken care of.

I've been looking online and everything has come up to fix this from cleaning the throttle body to a computer up date. Has anyone ever fixed this problem?

- Mary A., NILES, IL, US

problem #2

Jan 152019

Soul EQ

  • Automatic transmission
  • 54,000 miles

I BOUGHT THIS CAR BRAND NEW FROM RICART. TAKEN IT IN FOR OIL CHANGES AS NEEDED PER KIA RECOMMENDATION ON OIL CHANGE STICKER. THE 1ST TIME I HAD A KNOCKING ISSUE WAS LESS THAN 30000 MILES. KIA SOUL WOULD LURCH FORWARD WHEN SITTING STILL WITH FOOT ON BRAKE PEDAL. ALSO, IT MADE STRANGE SOUNDS FROM UNDERNEATH WHEN I ACCELERATED.

TOOK IT IN TO KIA. SEEMED OK FOR ABOUT A YEAR. SAME PROBLEM WITH SOUNDS & LURCHING I WENT BACK TO RICART ... SEEMED OK WHEN I LEFT THE SAME DAY NO CHARGE KIA WARRANTY WORK. AGAIN REMIND YOU THIS IS 3RD TIME SAME ISSUES ... RICART ASSURED ME IT IS FIXED...(LOL). NOPE, THIS PAST FRIDAY JULY 5, 2019 I WAS ABOUT 2.5 MILES FROM HOME THE SAME NOISE UNDERNEATH..ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I GOT IT HOME. CALLED RICART IN MORNING ON JULY 6TH SPOKE TO SERVICE TECH HE ASKED ME HOW MANY MILES I TOLD HIM RIGHT AT 64000 HE CHUCKLED & SAID "OH YOUR CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY." I TOLD HIM THE 3 TIMES PRIOR THAT I CAME THERE TO HAVE THIS SAME ISSUE FIXED IT WASN'T OUT OF WARRANTY.

I ASKED HIM WHAT HAD RICART DONE THE THREE OTHER VISITS HE REPLIED "WE RESET THE PISTON 1.. TIMING.. CAMS PER KIA SUGGESTION". HE SAYS IT WAS A BAND AID FIX...AND SORRY.

AAA TOWED IT TO A CONFIDENT LOCAL GARAGE HE JUST INFORMED ME THE ENGINE NEEDS REPLACED.. THAT THERE IS PISTON PROBLEMS AND NO MATTER HOW MANY OIL CHANGES THIS WAS A FAULTY ENGINE AND KIA IS AWARE OF IT. I DO NOT HAVE 4000.00 FOR A NEW ENGINE FEEL LIKE KIA SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.

- Sandra M., Pataskala, US

problem #1

May 092016

Soul 2.4L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 75,000 miles

this is a new car and should have had better quality of parts. finally had it replaced in 2018

- Rebecca H., Palmdale, US