The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds or while shifted into park(P), there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle had been taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed as needing a Product Improvement Code before the failure. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The contact stated that a rental vehicle was paid for out of pocket. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling); and the contact was informed that the vehicle was repaired prior to ownership in 2020. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 117,000.

- Marietta, GA, USA

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact heard an abnormal clunking sound coming from underneath the vehicle. In addition, the RPMs increased to 3,000 and the vehicle lost motive power. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road. The contact turned the vehicle off. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle started. However, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the RPMs increased to 3,000 again. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate above 20 MPH. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with catalytic converter failure. The contact was informed that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that the repair was not covered under any unknown recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. In addition, the contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling). However, the contact was informed that the repair was already performed on the vehicle and was not covered under warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 97,945.

- San Antonio, TX, USA

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V608000 (STEERING); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The vehicle remained at the dealer unrepaired. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, while driving at 40 MPH, the transmission seized and failed to function as intended. The vehicle stalled, and after several attempts, the vehicle was restarted. The contact continued to drive at slow speeds. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was diagnosed with catalytic converter failure. The contact was informed that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (ENGINE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING), but the failure persisted. The contact was informed that the recall part for the steering was not available. The dealer informed the contact that the catalytic converter was still under the previous recall and there would be no charge. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and informed the contact that the catalytic converter was not covered and that there would be an out-of-pocket expense. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

- Norwalk, CA, USA

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine, and the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that while the vehicle was accelerating, an abnormal sound could be heard coming from the engine. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and the contact was provided with DTC: P0014 and P0013. The contact stated that the check engine light was turned off, and the camshaft was replaced; however, the failure persisted. Additionally, the contact stated that the horn had failed to function as intended. The vehicle was taken to a different independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with electrical failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000(Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was unknown.

- Stonecrest, GA, USA

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated and the engine overheated. The contact turned off the vehicle and allowed the engine to cool down. The contact performed an inspection under the hood and noticed that the oil pressure was low. The contact drove the vehicle to the nearest gas station and added oil. The contact stated that the check engine warning light then turned off; however, two days later, the failure reoccurred. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of oil and oil needed to be added every two to three days. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact stated that in March 2025, the catalytic converter failed and was replaced. The contact stated that due to the failure, the vehicle had been taken to several dealers and independent mechanics for diagnostic testing. The independent mechanic informed the contact that, upon inspecting the spark plugs and the pistons, there was oil residue was visible on the spark plugs and pistons; however, there was no visible indication of an oil leak. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact referenced a recall; however, the VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.

- Columbus, OH, USA

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that after a recent oil change, the vehicle began to hesitate while depressing the accelerator pedal. In addition, white smoke was coming from the exhaust pipes with the check engine warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact pulled over to the shoulder of the road before being able to drive the vehicle to the residence in LIMP Mode. The vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic where the oil change was performed, and the mechanic discovered a leak in the engine and advised the contact to take the vehicle to a dealer for assistance. The contact made an appointment with the dealer. The contact then stated that an abnormal odor started coming from the vehicle and chose to stop driving the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

- Plainfield, NJ, USA

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the engine hesitated while turning over, with black smoke coming from the exhaust. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact scanned the vehicle with an OBD2 scanner for an unknown error code related to the catalytic converter. The vehicle was taken to a local AutoZone, where it was diagnosed with a catalytic converter malfunction. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to the VIN not being associated with any recalls. In addition, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

- Tallahassee, FL, USA

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.

- Covington, GA, USA

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle shut off after the engine became hot. The engine and oil lights were illuminated. The vehicle failed to restart. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the Oxygen sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that the catalytic converters needed to be replaced. Additionally, there was oil leaking from the vehicle. The DTC displayed was P0240. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 11,322.

- Covington, GA, USA

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle failed to start on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the catalytic converter had failed and needed to be replaced. The dealer replaced the part free of charge but charged a fee for the labor. The contact stated while driving 45-50 MPH two weeks later, the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the road where the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to another dealer, Raceway KIA of Conshohocken (402 Ridge Pike, Conshohocken, PA 19428), where it was diagnosed. The dealer informed the contact that the crankshaft was damaged due to a faulty recalled catalytic converter being installed on the vehicle during the previous repair. The dealer informed the contact that the previous dealer should have repaired the vehicle under NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling), free of charge. The dealer determined that the catalytic converter and the crankshaft needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,500.

- Phoenixville, PA, USA

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the engine warning light illuminated and was flashing. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the ECU update was not enough to repair the vehicle. The dealer recommended that the fuel injector be replaced. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who confirmed that the fuel injector needed to be replaced. After further diagnostic testing, it was determined that there was no compression in cylinder #3 and the piston ring was blown. The vehicle was towed back to the local dealer to check the electrical connections. The dealer offered to attach a used ECU. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000. The VIN was not available.

- Livingston, TX, USA

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power, failed to accelerate, and stalled. The check engine warning light was flashing. The contact pulled over and checked the oil level. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the pistons were not operating correctly. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was previously taken to an independent mechanic, who replaced the engine. The manufacturer was contacted, opened a case, but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

- Herrin, IL, USA

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the contact was informed that the engine was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact was referred to the manufacturer who later referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

- Utica, MI, USA

The contact called on behalf of a consumer who owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment and the vehicle lost automotive power. The contact pulled over and allowed the vehicle to cool down for several minutes for the vehicle to return to normal operation. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an auto repair shop to be diagnosed; however, the diagnostic result was unknown. The contact researched and became aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 126,000.

- Lenexa, KS, USA

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH and attempting to accelerate, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the vehicle and the vehicle lost motive power. No warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over to the shoulder of the road to restart the vehicle; however, the engine failed to turn over. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer where it was diagnosed, and the dealer related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the contact was informed that the vehicle could not be repaired due to the Knock Sensor repair not being performed. The contact stated that the notice was sent to the incorrect address and the repair was not performed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 107,000.

- Ocala, FL, USA

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 - 35 MPH, the vehicle started to decelerate independently. The contact pulled to the side of the road and the vehicle lost motive power. The contact waited approximately 30-minutes before restarting the vehicle. The vehicle started but lost power immediately thereafter. The vehicle was towed to a certified mechanic where it was diagnosed that the catalytic converter had failed. The contact was informed that the engine was consuming one quart of engine oil per 150 miles driven. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and opened a case regarding the failure. The failure mileage was 116,000.

- Little Neck, NY, USA

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that upon servicing the vehicle, he became aware that the vehicle was abnormally low on oil, considering that he had previously performed an oil change within 4,000 miles. The contact also stated that he observed oil pooling underneath the engine compartment. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and after an oil consumption test, it was determined that the engine was consuming 1-quart of oil every 1,000 miles, placing the vehicle well below the recommended oil change interval of every 6,500 miles. The dealer also diagnosed a failure with the oil gasket. The contact was informed that due to the failures, the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 74,000.

- Williamstown, NJ, USA

Engine start failing becoause of the catalytic converter issues.

- Grand Rapids, MI, USA

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The driver was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who observed that the engine was knocking, and diagnosed a failure with the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. 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 but did not assist. The failure mileage was 161,000.

- Charlotte, NC, USA

The contact-??s son owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle shifted into LIMP Mode. The contact stated that the knock sensor warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who confirmed and cleared the LIMP Mode status for the vehicle to be driven to the dealer. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle, and the contact was informed that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that knock sensor warning light became illuminated again and the vehicle was taken back to the dealer. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced due to piston damage. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling) as a possible solution; however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 71,667.

- Cabot, PA, USA