10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 4 / 46
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 4 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 81,365 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
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« Read the previous 20 complaints
Car is going through all of its oil. Goes through approximately 1qt every 1,500 miles. When I first came across this problem the car was making a loud knocking sound, took it to the dealer and there was approx 1 quart of oil in the car. I only drove about 3,000 miles since the last full synthetic oil change. The dealership is telling me this isn't excessive and it is completely normal. I can only drive 1,500 miles until the oil is no longer showing on the dip stick. Currently still working with the dealership to prove there is a problem with these engines. I got a oil change approx 250 miles ago and have to drive 1,000 total and they will examine the car again.
- Clinton Twp, MI, USA
After receiving the recall notification, I took my 2014 Kia Soul into the Kia dealership to have recall repairs completed on 07/29/2019. The catalytic overheating protection engine control unit logic was upgraded; however, the check engine light came on a few days later indicating a problem with the catalytic converter. Local repair shop informed me that Kia should have completely replaced the catalytic converter under the recall. I have been attempting to resolve the issue with the Kia dealership and their corporate customer service department. But I've received nothing but the runaround (waiting on the dealership to respond to an email from corporate customer service department) for almost two months. Meanwhile, the engine continues to misfire and the car experiences a severe loss of power whenever accelerating.
- Estero, FL, USA
Check engine light keeps coming on code is po50A cold start idle air control system performance this had been going on sense Oct
- Myrtle Beach, SC, USA
I started hearing a rattling noise in my engine, I stopped to check my oil and it was extremely low. I changed my oil and oil filter then 2 days later I started hearing a metal on metal noise only when I started the car. I checked the oil again and it was low. My Kia Soul is a 2.0L engine, but the 1.6L engine had a similar recall. Low oil pressure light and sometimes the check engine will come on. My Kia has no signs of oil leaks but I've had to top off my oil too frequently
- Tulsa, OK, USA
My particular model of Kia Soul is not recalled under NHTSA campaign number 19V120000, however, I have had the catalytic converter replaced two times already and will most likely have to have it replaced a third time due the converter "internally melting." It's my understanding that model with the 1.6L engine has been recalled but the model with the 2.0L engine has not. The catalytic converters are failing just outside the warranty of 12K miles around the 15K mile mark each time. Every time the converter starts to fail, I'm not able to get enough power out of the engine to accelerate properly and have almost been in several accidents because of this. I've seen multiple other owners complain on forums about the same failure. I'm sure we would all like to see the additional vehicle models added to the recall.
- Charleston, SC, USA
Car is losing oil. Right at about the 3 month mark for it's next scheduled oil change, the check engine light will come on. This happened 3 months ago (October 2019) and I immediately changed oil. Just happened again a couple days ago right before it should be changed again. When checking the dipstick, there is no oil on it at all. It has dropped below any measurable amount. The car is garage kept with zero signs on leaking oil. I have not noticed any burning smells or smoke issues. The check engine light came on while driving on a city street less than a mile from home.
- London, OH, USA
Losing oil. No signs of leaks or cracks. Routine oil changes are done on it since ive owned it... it has bucked a cpl times for me when coming up to a stop. Dealership tells me they cant do anything until I get a check engine light
- Bristol, CT, USA
January 10th, 2020 my 2014 Kia Soul + lost power in acceleration while the vehicle was in motion. The vehicles dash lights only had the check engine, battery and oil light on. The vehicles temperature guage stayed consistently in the middle position at 50%. I had the vehicle towed to my local mechanic. My mechanic explained that the engine had locked up. He also noted the engine had no oil and the oil pan was dry... this is impossible. I change my oil religiously every three thousand miles. How is there no oil in the vehicle when I change it regularly? the vehicle only has 117,171 miles. The vehicle was not leaking oil. My driveway, where the vehicle is parked, has no signs of oil leaking. The area where I had the vehicle come to a rolling stop after it broken down, had no signs of oil on the ground. I notice that there are similar complaints on this website that are identical to mine. Please investigate. Vehicles that are only 6 years old should not have their engines lock up.
- Yukon, OK, USA
In March of 2017, engine failed and lost power while doing 50mph at 78K miles on the car. Was told by dean mccrary Kia of mobile, al that a rod bearing was knocking and engine locking up. I was current on all oil changes and maintenance, unfortunately I did not fall under the 100K mile warranty because the vehicle had 500 miles on it when I purchased and I wasn't considered the original owner. After a month of back and forth with Kia customer service was told that Kia engineers inspected it and found that piston rod broke and punctured the block and metal shavings were found in the oil pan. Kia finally said that they would "goodwill" the cost of the engine and reimburse the month that I was in a rental car, but that I would have to pay the $1040 in labor charges for engine replacement. I was also told that if the engine problem was ever recalled, I would be reimbursed for the labor charges. Immediately after the new engine was put in, I got a check engine light for P0420. Back to dean mcrary and they replaced the catalytic converter. I was temporarily happy yesterday to see a recall on the cat converter from April 2019 that showed it would cause the same engine problem. Called Kia customer service to see if I could be reimbursed the labor fees and was told that they would not that it is a totally different problem. My exact engine that failed was recalled by Hyundai and for other models of Kia's. I'm still dumbfounded that I have to eat this labor cost and don't know where to turn to. I have all the paperwork to show what happened for both the engine and the catalytic converter.
- Mobile, AL, USA
In October 2019, my car lost power and after getting it to karp Kia im rockville centre NY after much hassle karp Kia replaced the catalytic converter. Two days after I picked up my car I had my oil changed at jiffy lube. 3 days after the oil change, there was no oil in my car and the battery was dead. After I took the car back to the dealer and told them that the problem was exactly the same as the recall, they would not fix it because the engine is not a 1.6 but a 2.0 it is not covered under the recall. I have 59000 miles on the car. I saw where 2.0 engines on other Kia models were added to the recall but not the Soul. I also see other complaints on this website that are the same as mine. Please investigate and consider our complaints before someone dies. Fyi, I still have more than $10000 left on my car note.
- West Hempstead, NY, USA
I had the original 2.0L engine throw a rod even though I stayed up with its routine maintenance schedule. So I replaced it with a used motor that had 30000 less mi on it than the 65000 the original motor had on it. On the second motor the 1st piston disintigrated and fell into the oil pan. This was proceded by a ticking sound and eventually turned into a loud knocking sound and a intermediate loss in power, like a partially clogged catalytic converter. I highly recommend an investigation into the 2.0L engine as it is doing the exact same thing as the 1.6L engine was doing.
- Fairmont, WV, USA
My car is losing oil somewhere. Checked no leaks. Oil changed regularly and on time. Oil dip stick shows one quart low refilled. Drove car approximately 6 miles and light started flashing quickly. Parked checked oil and is once again low. No burnt oil smell but it has to be going somewhere.
- Pikeville, KY, USA
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Soul. While driving 50 mph on the freeway. The engine made a weird knocking noise and the vehicle slowed down. The contact smelled a burning odor, pulled off the highway, and had the vehicle towed to sunset Kia (3401 auburn way N, auburn, wa 98002, (855) 474-9626). The vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign number: 19V120000 (engine and engine cooling). The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and stated that the cause was not directly related to the recall because their scanner was not reading the catalytic converter code being damaged. Because of this, the dealer refused to repair the vehicle per the recall. The manufacturer provided a case number, but stated that the final decision would have to be made by the district parts manager. The failure mileage was 87,500.
- Auburn, WA, USA
Loud clacking noise and lost of power ## VIN passed ## Kia Soul 2014 ##
- San Francisco, CA, USA
On 05/07/2019, I took my car to joe myers Kia for a repair in regards to safety recall SC176. My catalytic converter was replaced and my car was returned to me on 05/13/2019. According to safety recall SC176 bullet 4, this recall was to prevent excessive exhaust temperatures, which could cause damage to the piston connection rod. Damage to this rod could puncture the engine block, allowing oil to escape and potentially contact a hot exhaust surface. Weeks after my car was repairs I noticed that my car was now burning oil at an excessive rate, and I was now replacing oil every 1,000 to 1500 miles. This issue continued from June through October. I had the car examined for oil leaks, but none could be found. After my 10/06/2019 oil and general service, it was suggested that there's a chance that oil was getting into the engine block. On 12/05/2019, my engine began to misfire and knock loudly while traveling on the highway at 70 mph. After getting the car off of the highway and into a gas station I checked the dip stick. It indicated that the engine did not have any oil in it, but the oil light never came on. I also had an oil service in October and had not done much driving since then. On 12/07/19 I towed my car to my mechanic and after examination informed me that pistons 3 and 4 were misfiring and were damaged. I contacted joe myers Kia, as they were the ones that recently repaired my car under recall SC176, and was instructed to bring the car to the nearest Kia dealership for examination. On 12/10/19 I towed the car to fredy Kia for an engine diagnosis and following day I received a call notifying me that my 1.6L engine threw a piston rod and I would have to get the engine replaced. The Soul only has 109,775 miles on it, is serviced regularly, and barely averages over 12,000 miles annually.
- Houston, TX, USA
I purchased this car used in Feb 2019. In Nov/Dec it began to lose power when driving and the engine light came on. I took it to several shops and it was finally diagnosed as a clogged catalytic converter. The engine is the 2.0 gdi. It seems that it's a common problem with these cars. I would like an investigation to add the 2.0 engines to the 1.6 engine recall.
- Northglenn, CO, USA
Having problems with the throttle body I first went to the dealership and the suggested that I clean it it was done twice as of today the light still comes on. The service department stated several people have been calling and complaining about this problem. In my years of owning a vehicle I have never had problems with a throttle body I figure the way this car idling goes it has a lot to do with it because it's not a stick shift but drives like one also this is a very expensive service and it's happening after the warranty which or should I be surprised but overall I think this issue should be looked at and examined to make this car more better (yes more better) when the car is staring for the first time it isles up very loud then calms down after each start afterwards it drives slower and the performance changes now it seemed so strange cause out of all the vehicles I've owned I've never had this problems plus it's not a hot rod.
- Ellenwood, GA, USA
My car has started to fail on the highway which I need to drive on daily. The engine is sluggish and gets no power past 3000 rpms. I have gotten regular maintenance on this car and feel that a new catalytic converter is not something I should have to buy when I have only had this car for 90990 miles or so.
- Liberty, SC, USA
Been getting regular oil changes on track. And on time. Last 2 oil changes I been noticing oil levels dropping low after 1000 to 1500 miles driven. No leaks no burning smell. Engine would be burning the oil. Twice Kia never noticed anything wrong. Now driving down highway engine light came on. Heard klacking aound and slowed down. Car lost acceleration for 5 minutes. After pulling out the highway it started sputtering acting like it was going to stall out like it had low oil. Again it was low. Added oil. This was after 800 miles driving. Still no leaks. Towed it to Kia garden grove California. They said I needed new engine. Oil filter had metal shavings said it sould be already in engine. Quoted me 12K. Car is 2014 and has 115K miles. It's worth 6K. Looking at everyone's else co plained you can clearly see an oil engine problem that might produce fires or engine breaking. Possible lubrication issue around 75K miles and on. There should be a recall on the engine
- Huntington Beach, CA, USA
- Lake Los Angeles, CA, USA