10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
25,867 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

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problem #15

Mar 012021

Soul

  • miles
My kia soul 2017 had a catalytic burnout in 2021. Looks like the recall till 2016 should have been extended to 2017. This still pose a danger to consumers with model 2017 and newer models for overheating catalytic.

- Clovis, CA, USA

problem #14

Feb 162023

Soul

  • miles
While sitting in line with brake applied the idle speed suddenly jumped up and car accelerated forward despite application of brakes. Without any change from me the RPMs suddenly dropped and car stopped again. The car moved a total of a quarter car length, which had I not been angled away from car in front of me would have caused a collision, and had I been at an intersection could have caused an accident or struck a pedestrian.

- Ewa Beach, HI, USA

problem #13

Feb 022023

Soul

  • miles
My kia has been having a issue with the check engine light on blinking after driving it over 30 miles... The car then slows down to 2rpm and I'm really concerned about this after 2other people I know are having that same problem.

- Norcross, GA, USA

problem #12

Feb 022023

Soul

  • miles
My kia has been having a issue with the check engine light on blinking after driving it over 30 miles... The car then slows down to 2rpm and I'm really concerned about this after 2other people I know are having that same problem.

- Norcross, GA, USA

problem #11

Jan 172023

Soul

  • miles
On 11/07/22 my car started to sputter & lose power while going up a hill, the incident only lasted a few seconds with no warning lights. Later that same day my car wouldn't start and when it finally did start it started sputtering, had no power with no warning lights, plus there was a strong smell of gas from inside the car. I had the car towed to a local shop. The shop cleaned the injectors, put a fuel treatment in the tank and replaced a bad O2 censor. 8 Days later on another hill it happened again. A hard sputtering followed by loss of power, still no warning lights but also no smell of gas. I drove it back to the same shop and after just one day the shop could not get my car to reproduce the same incident but was having difficulty starting it so they installed a new battery. 5 Days later on Thanksgiving my car sputtered hard while driving with no warning lights or smell of gas. I was barely able to get my car across 2 lanes of oncoming traffic in order to pull into a store's parking lot. I had it towed to a new shop. At this new shop it was diagnosed that the car needed new Spark Plugs, a new High Pressure Fuel Pump and new Injectors but the shop took 3 weeks to give me an estimate and so I went and retrieved my car and towed it KIA of Lynchburg, having only had the Spark Plugs replaced. Once at KIA, I was told I had a Catalytic Converter failure and it needed replacing. KIA said that it would be covered under Emissions Warranty. I had the part installed and 3 days later on New Years Eve as I was driving on the highway, I had to come to a stop due to a stop light and when I halted, the car again sputtered and I limped into a nearby parking lot and had it towed back to KIA. KIA tried to say it was Engine Failure this time but the Engineers said the High Pressure Fuel Pump should be replaced. Once installed and during a test drive by the Master Mechanic, smoke emanated from under the hood. Soon after that my Engine bay was on fire which led to a total loss.

- Forest, VA, USA

problem #10

Jan 162023

Soul

  • miles
On January 16, 2023, my engine suddenly died while driving in moderate traffic, with a loud banging noise. I could have been in a serious accident, or killed, due to manufacturer and dealer negligence. When I was able to restart the car, it knocked terribly, but I was (barely) able to get it the short distance back to my home, where I discovered that there was very little oil in the car, though I have it changed more frequently than recommended and check it, as well. NO WARNING LIGHT came on. On January 17, I called a local dealer, who informed me of a recall that addressed that issue, though I NEVER received a recall notice. The dealer where I bought the car confirmed that this was a safety recall issue, and therefore, since I hadn't done the recall, because I was not notified, my unsafe, barely drivable car would not be repaired by the dealer. As I received this information from 2 dealers and from the manufacturer's customer (lack of) service representative, I have not taken it to a dealer to be inspected. I since learned that the dealer had not given my correct email or address to the car company, so recall notices must have been sent to an address I haven't lived at for 6+ years. They corrected this during my call on January 17. My current car was not even in their data base until my call to the manufacturer. They had a previous car I owned listed. I am seeking restitution and assistance on this matter. These recalls do not show up on this website, either.

- Murfreesboro, TN, USA

problem #9

Jun 222022

Soul

  • miles
My cars check engine light has come on at 87,659 miles with a p0420 code. My dealer has determined that this is a defective catalytic converter and because of the mileage it is not warrantied. In doing research the 2012-2016 Kia Soul with the 1.6 gdi engine. My car is a 2017 experiencing the same symptoms as the cars a year older. The recall campaign is 19v120000 with the NHTSA and SC 176 with KIA dating back to 04/17/2019. My cars model year being a 2017 had not been determined at that time to be effected as the mileage had not yet accumulated to the mileage of the previous years. Now that my 2017 car had reached the mileage in which previous cars where effected, it too is experiencing this defect. The safety issue lies in that when the car is driven it could overheat without any warning lights indicating that and overheating a cylinder, piston damage will occur leading to catastrophic failure that could launch a connecting rod out the side of the engine block and allow oil to spray onto hot exhaust manifold leading to a fire.I would like to see that the recall to cover added years (2017-2019) to this recall as this is a continuing safety issue. The dealership is not wanting to acknowledge and help in this matter so I am filing this complaint to document continuing failures to aid in extending model years covered.

- Chino Hills , CA, USA

problem #8

Mar 032021

Soul

  • 90,000 miles
Yes ive been experienceing a strong gas smell when idle and a fast not normal oil consumption and problems withe the elctric system

- Palmetto, GA, USA

problem #7

Mar 202021

Soul

  • 72,000 miles
The car engine stopped running while traveling in traffic, steering and braking effected, quickly rolled to a stop. Engine totally and quickly lost all power. High pressure fuel pump found to have broken by Kia dealer, and replaced.

- Beaufort, SC, USA

problem #6

Jan 192021

Soul

  • 121,000 miles
Failure to accelerate, jurking, stalling while driving on highway. Was told there a rack and pinion tie rod system needs to be replaced and steering pin. Car does deceleration, oil burns up in a week.

- Scranton, PA, USA

problem #5

Mar 282020

Soul

  • 73,000 miles
The engine started making a ticking noise. Which got louder and faster as I drove. I went 20 minutes down the rode and the car stopped and started rolling forward with no power as if I was in neutral. I tried to jump the car and did not succeed, the oil was bone dry. I added oil and the same noise arose and the car stopped again. Lastly. I could not get my car to go 2-4 min without it turning off. I will be able to provide a video of this happening, I do could not load the file choosen

- Brentwood, TN, USA

problem #4

Dec 092019

Soul

  • 15,000 miles
When placed in drive, and gas pedal is depressed the car jerks forward and back and will not accelerate. It shakes the whole car.. does it if car is cold or hot but seems to happen more when car is not full hot. Unsafe when pulling into traffic.

- The Villages, FL, USA

problem #3

May 012019

Soul

  • 17,000 miles
Purchased this car used with 16K miles in Sept 2018. Stopped at an intersection and when trying to pull out the engine would not respond to the gas pedal. Engine remained at an idle even after flooring the gas pedal several times. Almost got hit!! I recycled the key several times and finally it worked. I took to the dealer and got the " no problem found " now I experience a rough idle and a strange feeling in the brake pedal when braking. Today I started the car and the engine would not go over 3000 rpms. Cycled the key and it was ok. I'm afraid to drive this car for fear it may kill me! please help.

- Kernersville, NC, USA

problem #2

Dec 012018

Soul

  • miles
When driving, especially going around curves, and turning corners, with foot completely on, pressing down on pedal, vehicle completely stops in the middle of the road. Have to take foor totally off pedal, try pressing down again to hopefully get it to go again

- Delaware, OH, USA

problem #1

Nov 012018

Soul

  • miles
Foot pressed on gas just stops in middle of the road. Have to let up and press second time to go again. While driving

- Delaware, OH, USA