On December 23rd the car was being driven on the highway at 70mph when it dropped to 1st gear and RPM's increased dramatically. We were able to get off the off ramp to a parking lot but the car never came out of 1st gear. We tried to use the manual option but there was no difference. We let the car sit and tried again and it seemed to be better but after approximately 4 miles of driving it dropped into first gear again and never came back out. We called roadside assistance and had the car towed to a nearby Kia dealer. The car has been at the dealer for 35days because the transmission was on backorder and the dealer has only 1 certified mechanic that can work on the 2020 Soul. We leased this car in October and it has less than 2000 miles on it and we have had a rental for over a month. We are concerned that they don't really know what the problem is and they are putting in the same transmission that could have the same issue again down the road. This is a huge safety issue and concern for us.

- Cape Charles, VA, USA

2020 Soul ex with about 8100 miles. Driving on interstate and suddenly tach redlined and lost acceleration/power. Limped car into dealer a couple miles away, where check engine light came on and diagnostic warning appeared on display. Dealer confirmed later that day that transmission had failed and needed to be replaced. Part is not available and no eta on replacement.

- New Market, MD, USA

Complete transmission failure at 9,200 miles. Car locked up coming off interstate exit ramp and would not take gear at all. Very strong smell of burning transmission. Unit needed complete transmission. Has been at dealer for over 6 weeks.

- Dalton, GA, USA

Vehicle RPM began fluctuating while on cruise control in rainy weather. Switched to manual (sport mode) control and the problem lessened. Vehicle began to loose power and was shifting randomly between gears automatically, eventually redlining while maintaining 74mph. A loss of power occurred and nearly caused a collision on interstate 10 as my speed fell dramatically. I was able to coast to the nearest exit but the car would not shift out of 5th gear. We were stranded in a thunderstorm for several hours and dealership offered no help. Aaa saved the day, got the vehicle back, and then the dealership refused to issue a rental car for several days after the incident. Please be aware that if the transmission fails at interstate speeds, the risk of injury is high and do your best to get off the main road as safely as possible. Dealership has since issued a rental car and informed me that a transmission would be re-manufactured. For my vehicle. I am not afraid to drive a brand new vehicle anywhere away from home.

- Pensacola, FL, USA

I purchased a new 2020 Kia Soul LX with 16 miles on the odometer. 2 months later, my car began to lose power suddenly. The engine increased RPM as I've lost power. The car would only accelerate to about 25 mph. I drove it immediately to the dealership who told me I needed a new transmission. My car stayed in the dealership shop for two months awaiting a transmission that was on back order.

- Pinebluff, NC, USA

Car had issues accelerating after stopping and turning on the auto engine shutoff. 24 no lights came on. 12 hours later driving on interstate rpms redlined while going about 60-65. I was able to pull off the interstate. At the stop light directly off the interstate car would not accelerate, smelt heavily of transmission fluid. Roadside picked me up. Dealership set me up in a rental and told me several had this issue and a missions are on back order.

- Omaha, NE, USA

We drive a 2020 Kia Soul GT-line 2.0 with 2681 miles and build date 06/19. I was traveling at 75mph when the RPM's started surging about 300 back and forth in the standard auto mode. It went away in manual shift mode. My gas mileage was showing 21mpg. I proceeded for about 30 more miles in manual (7th) then the RPM's redlined. I was able to pull over. I let it sit 5 minutes and made it 2 miles on the shoulder of the interstate to the next exit at about 30 to 40mph in auto mode. That is all it would do. It was a slight climb after the ramp. The Soul struggled. I tried to shift into manual and it says it is in 5th, and it will not shift. I figured I would add this while currently waiting for the tow. This Soul was never driven hard. It was about 95% highway miles. There were no signs of failure before this. This happened quickly.the Soul was towed to the nearest Kia dealership, which is 3 hours from home, and had to rent a car to drive home. The official diagnosis is transmission failure and we're waiting for a replacement, which could take 6-8 weeks.

- Hillsboro, MO, USA

While driving on a southeast Texas 2 lane road with a posted speed limit of 70mph, I was following a truck going less than 50mph. When visibility was clear, I pulled out to pass the truck. At about 3/4 throttle, the transmission downshifted to provide more power but the vehicle suddenly lost power in the oncoming lane of the roadway about halfway around the 18 wheeler. At this point, I started to see oncoming vehicles, at which time, I applied wot. The engine light immediately came on and flashed 3 times and the car felt to be sputtering and in some type of limp mode. I made a split second decision to brake hard and squeeze back in behind the 18 wheeler to avoid a head on collision. The situation was made worse by a vehicle behind me simultaneously trying to pass the 18 wheeler. Stopping at the next gas station I notice sputtering even in park at even very light throttle. I turned off the vehicle hoping that the ECU needed to reset. It did reset and the problem went away. Had I not made the decision I did when passing and had the person behind me not also applied the brakes quickly, I would likely have been in some type of collision whether it be head on or having to swerve off the roadway completely to avoid oncoming vehicles.

- Manor, TX, USA

I purchased this car new with approximately 50 miles on it. On day 34, while driving on a two lane rural road the rpms began going up and down wildly, a strong smell (which I now know is transmission) and the car would not move forward or backward. Being in an S curve with flashers on, I was almost hit by a car coming around the curve. Two more vehicles were behind the first one and stopped, helping me push the car off the road. As the night this occurred was christmas eve, it took 3 hours to get the car towed to the dealer it was purchased from. I am told the transmission will have to be replaced. The dealer states Kia corporate will send a new transmission and having that performed is my only option.

- Palmyra, VA, USA

While driving my 2020 Kia Soul GT, there was a loud bang and the car lost all power. Fortunately, I was able to get it pulled to the side of the road. I was on a country road and not on a major highway where it would have caused an accident. The vehicle had to be towed to the dealer.

- Little River, SC, USA

With just under 1800 miles on the vehicle, while traveling on the highway at 75 mph, the transmission abruptly shifted into 5th gear and the rpms jumped up. As we slowed and pulled over the transmission did not down shift and remained in 5th gear as we came to a stop. Put it into park and turned the car off. Then started the car, put it into drive and it was still in 5th gear. Turned it off and waited 5 minutes, when we turned it back on again a check engine light was on, the code description was "speed input sensor does not match the speed output sensor". took it to a Kia dealership, and they have had it ever since. They are awaiting an arrival of a transmission to replace it.

- North Las Vegas, NV, USA

When using the auto start and stop feature when releasing the brake and the engine cranks back I hear a strange noise that sounds like a cat squalling when the engine starts. This doesn't happen when your not using auto start. Plus when you shift into park while stoped it doesn't make this noise. My wife also has the same issue with her car same year modle and make. No clue I fear this maybe related to the transmission. As when placing in park it doesn't make the noise when you release the brakes. My wife's car has less than 12000 miles and mine has 6000 miles and it's starting to make the noise. Seems to happen more when hard braking occurs. Sound is comming from the drivers side of the car.

- Flat Rock, AL, USA

At 11,200 miles the transmission abruptly malfunctioned in heavy highway traffic. RPM would shift wildly from idle to redline, and the transmission shuddered hard and lost all power. I had to merge from the inside lane of a 65mph highway to the outside, nearly getting into a collision in the process. The vehicle was rendered immobile and needed to be towed. It is now at the dealership waiting on a new transmission to be installed. From what I can tell, this vehicle shares a power train with the 2019 Kia forte. That model has numerous complaints about failed transmissions, and I suspect my model will as well.

- Oklahoma City, OK, USA

I bought the car in May 2020. I first reported the problem in July. It has something to do with the idle stop and go feature, as it only happens when this it is being used. When I come to stops at red lights and stop signs. Everything shuts down. When I release my feet off the breaks the car makes a dull quake like noise. I have had the car in the shop at the dealership for 7 days already. They changed the break booster thinking it was the problem, but it was not. I have been trying to schedule someone at the dealership to ride with me for a few minutes to listen to the noise. About a week and half ago I got an reply to an email telling me to hold off on that, because another car has come into the dealership with the same problem. I was told they will contact me when they figure out what it is. This problem had been going on working on 5 months now.

- North Richland Hills, TX, USA