10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
33,223 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2016 Kia Soul drivetrain problems

drivetrain problem

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2016 Kia Soul Owner Comments (Page 2 of 3)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #29

Sep 062021

Soul

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

On Monday September 6, 2021 at about 11:30 pm, I was driving home east on interstate 90, just east of Roselle rd. near Schaumburg, Illinois. When the car began to violently shake. The dash board lights began to flash and the engine just stopped. We managed to steer the car to the side of the express way, in an attempt to restart the car with no luck. A Illinois Dept. of Transportation road side assistance driver tried to start the car when the car explored into fire, the driver put the fire out and provided us with the number of a toe truck, which we had the car toed to the Schaumburg Kia Dealer, located at 1100 East Golf Road, Schaumburg, IL 60173, phone No. is (847) 908-0502, where the dealer is trying to determine the cause of the fire and the amount of damage, if the car is a total loss or not. My car is a 2016 Kia Soul. At this point I have not heard from the dealer after a week, I have called the dealer several times with no reply at all.

- Tinley Park, IL, USA

problem #28

Aug 262021

Soul

  • miles
Three issues: 1) Upon stepping on the gas from a stop, the car often takes 4 or more seconds to actually move. This more than once has gotten me almost hit in the back by the other cars. 2) The car often makes "tractor noises" that are extremely loud and annoying. 3) The mechanic at the shop I took it to said that there's a crazy amount of oil going though the exhaust system. This could result in hat accumulation in the engine and jam it up (at best) or actually lead to a spontaneous fire. I am afraid of getting stranded so I haven't been driving very much. The KIA dealership said that there's nothing they can do. are you kidding me?

- Little Rock, AR, USA

problem #27

Dec 092020

Soul

  • 77,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would not accelerate when the accelerator pedal was depressed. The contact also stated that due to the transmission failure, the vehicle would not allow the contact to shift gears. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed with some loose wiring needing to be repaired. The vehicle was repaired however, the failure recurred. The contact then took the vehicle back to the dealer where it was diagnosed with the transmission needing to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred. The contact then took the vehicle back to the dealer for the third time where it was diagnosed with the catalytic converter needing to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was relating the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine cooling). The manufacturer had been informed of the failure and informed the contact that they would contact the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 77,000.

- Huntington Station, NY, USA

problem #26

Apr 222021

Soul

  • 98,653 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

A few months ago car intermittently started bucking as if watery fuel or fuel depletion was occurring accompanied with a loud sound as of grinding metal. Check engine light would come on intermittently for a short while and then go off again. Braking and slowing would temporarily stop it until it recurred. With time those episodes grew more frequent. I consulted martin Kia of bowling green, ky from whom I bought the car whose service department seemed to offer no suggestion as to the defect. Two autozone stores tested the engine, one with with check engine light off and another with it on, and both tests agreed that the catalytic converter was malfunctioning. Tests at the above Kia dealer confirmed that finding and replaced the converter at a total cost of almost $1300 saying its 98000 miles was out of emissions warranty. Problem is, the intermittent bucking and grinding persists. Online I then read that this is likely a recall case already receiving 147 similar complaints and that some of these vehicles had been finally totally destroyed by an engine fires. It has become a fearful thing to drive it with that knowledge. What is your advised course foe a remedy?

- Bowling Green, KY, USA

problem #25

Dec 202020

Soul

  • 140,000 miles
Blown engine after some work was done under current recall (catalytic converter replacement)

- Shelbyville, TN, USA

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problem #24

Mar 062021

Soul

  • 98,000 miles
While driving on the NJ turnpike at night time, I went to change from the right lane into the middle lane and the car stalled not able to pick up speed. As the car stalled there was a fast moving truck which was coming and that was able to switch lanes forcing me to move into the last lane which made the cars behind me have to come to a sudden stop. I then had to put on my hazards and slowly move back over to the shoulder. Once completely stopped I shut off the engine. After waiting for some time I started the car again, but nothing changed. I remained in the right lane with hazards on and drove the car not being able to go above 40 mph. Eventually the car got back to driving normal right before arriving home which was about a 40 to 50 minute ride. The car was taken to the dealership and I learned that the catalytic converter needs to be replaced. This is after taking this car to be looked at twice and being told that there was nothing found. Now I find that there is a recall on the car (NHTSA id: 19V120000), but it says that my vehicle is not amongst the vehicles recalled.

- South Plainfield, NJ, USA

problem #23

Feb 152021

Soul

  • 85,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

2016 Kia Soul /w 2.0 liter long block engine. Approximately 85K miles at the time of engine failure due to spontaneous oil loss. Vehicle had been well maintained with regular oil changes. Dealership and Kia corporate refuse to provide any consideration that the failure is due to mfg. Defect despite numerous reported incidents of this exact failure.

- Lawrenceville, GA, USA

problem #22

Feb 012021

Soul

  • 19,817 miles
As I was pulling out to go to work, I noticed the RPM indicator went up to 51000 RPM.I had not had this issue before.the car only had 18000 miles on it when I bought it. It has 19500 miles now.I was on the major highway in austin Texas and couldn't go after than 50 mph.I almost got hit driving.in the past, I had my Kia sportage repaired without issue. I am going to the Kia service center in the am. I will everyone know the outcome

- Austin, TX, USA

problem #21

Nov 012020

Soul

  • miles
When I accelerate my car makes a loud humming noise and will not shift - then when it finally does shift it fluctuates speed and doesn't maintain speed. It's not safe gettin on the expressway or when you change lanes and try to keep up with traffic around you. At first it would be sometimes. Now it is more constant

- Norton, OH, USA

problem #20

Jan 022021

Soul

  • miles
Last year I took my car to a local dealership to reprogram the PCM due to the recall notice received in the mail related to the catalytic converter overheating issue. Ever since I got that done, I now experience very high idle in cold temperatures. There was no check engine light since last year until today when it dropped below 50 degrees. The code is P050A and Kia has no resolution to this problem.

- Cordova, TN, USA

problem #19

Dec 272020

Soul

  • 61,700 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Last month I took my car to the dealership for an ECU update which Kia is calling a 'product improvement campaign' for the cars computer system to put it into limp home mode, now a month later while on my way home from work when I turned onto a street 2 nights in a row the oil light was flashing but went off after I made it through the turn, and I checked the oil level the second night and the dipstick had little to no visible oil on it but the oil light still does not illuminate when driving or when idiling only when turning with momentum, but the 2.0 engines are known to destroy themselves due to rod bering damage and that update they did served to five and early alert as to when it detects knock but these engines are also known to burn oil and the 2014-2015 model years are recalled for engine fires but Kia should recall all these engines since they burn oil and are dangerous to drive because the oil light is not illuminating when the oil is critically low and now engine damage may already be present on top of the known defect in these engines.

- Port Saint Lucie, FL, USA

problem #18

Nov 202020

Soul

  • 80,000 miles
Car stop working and catalytic converter blew

- Milwaukee, WI, USA

problem #17

Jul 312020

Soul

  • 91,000 miles
On a highway at speed, sudden loss of power account piston connecting rod failure which punctured the engine block with total loss of oil which greatly increases risk of fire from hot exhaust components. Very similar to Kia's SC176 recall, but this specific vehicle was not included in that recall.

- Lincoln, NE, USA

problem #16

Mar 042020

Soul

  • 76,000 miles
Was driving car and it lost power while on highway. Causing cars to swerve to avoid hitting me. After going to shop found out it was the catalytic converter. Car was also burning oil and misfiring. Had the 3 and 4 coil relpaced, spark plugs, but still not able to figure out what us causing oil to burn. Car had regular oil changes. Kia basically said that after I fix the coils car would be fine. Well it's not still doing the same thing. I was informed that it just needs a new engine. Kia has refused to honor warranty.

- Canton, OH, USA

problem #15

May 132020

Soul

  • 119,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at 45 mph, the accelerator pedal was depressed however, the vehicle failed to exceed 45 mph. The vehicle was pulled into a parking lot and towed to daytona Kia dealer, located at 510 N nova rd, daytona beach, fl 32114, where the technician was unable to retrieve an error code. The contact performed a VIN search and became aware that the vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign number: 19V120000 (engine, engine and engine cooling). The contact called the dealer back and was informed that without the error code, that only the ECU upgrade would be performed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the code (P0420) was needed in order to repair the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 119,000.

- Port Orange, FL, USA

problem #14

Jan 152020

Soul

  • 90,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at 60 mph, the vehicle decelerated to 20 mph independently without warning. The contact stated that the accelerator pedal was depressed numerous times for the vehicle to respond. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The vehicle was later taken to steve schmitt Kia located at 11655 new halls ferry road, florissant, mo 63033, to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the catalytic converter failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

- St Louis, MO, USA

problem #13

Mar 312020

Soul

  • 59,000 miles
The vehicle has 59,000 miles and is consuming oil at a high rate. A fault light came on putting the car in limp mode where it refuses to accelerate. The dealership has had the vehicle with no resolution for nearly a month. There are reports of fires and other fatalities with this model and the recall needs to be expanded in order to force Kia motors to buy-back these cars.

- Perry, GA, USA

problem #12

Mar 162020

Soul

  • 57,568 miles
Driving to work from lunch my car stalled and then completely stopped in the middle of the road. The engine light started flashing and then my car started to move again but it was sluggish and slow. It wont go past 45 miles before slowing all the way down. I had got my car recalled three days before, they said nothing was wrong with the engine/transmission at the time of the recall. Now three day later my cars stuck in limp mode showing a P0326 code.

- Grand Terrace, CA, USA

problem #11

Nov 122019

Soul

  • miles
I was driving down the freeway on I-20 going see mother in law @ around 10:30 pm and the car just started licking up speed on it own and I had fiancee with me. I am deaf said there something wrong I said what the car started idling really werid. And he said pull off next exit start try to stall on the freeway. So pull over to exit and start to run normal for few mins then stall again off and on. I pull off hulen St at tom thumb parking lot check everything seem okay with motor and fiancee check didnt see anything wrong. I have notice around August car seem pick up speed on it own I really didnt think anything of it. Then I notice that it seem use oil because sometime there doesnt seem be any oil in car. I would put some in and week later seem all gone. I dont see no oil leak.. I notice it used gas really fast I am having fill tank U maybe 100 to 130 a week. I dont travel far either. 11/12/2019 when stalling started and I know none light came on at all on the engine or anything. No warning no nothing. I am financing this car there a dealer they hiley Hyundai in burleson Texas. I am leasing F quill M exter finance. I just recently purchase this is just 2019 2016 Kia Soul..

- Fort Worth, TX, USA

problem #10

Aug 042019

Soul

  • 79,500 miles
On 8/4/19 I was heading to work when my car decided not to go anymore. I was at an intersection making a left turn when all of a sudden my car did not want to accelerate. I could not get passed 3000 rpms. Felt the engine rev up but would only go 30 mph. At first I thought it was me, because the whole ride everything was smooth sailing and then this happend out of nowhere. So I gave it a little more gas and could feel the engine struggling. I came to the next red light and when I started to give gas it just jerked and I rolled into the nearest gas station. Immediately shut the car off and checked the oil. Because as I accelerated at the next light once green the oil light came on and kept blinking. I just changed it two months ago! there was no smoke or burning smell. No oil under car or any other fluid. I had to have car towed home, late to work because I got a ride in. Called the dealership and they wanted to charge me 6 to 8 thousand for a new engine once diagnosed. My car is out of warranty. There are 79,000 miles on it. I have been reading articles about the same thing happening to me. There is a recall for the exact same issues but for a 1.6L. Mine is a 2.0. why isn't the manufacturer taking any initiative to look into my size engine when I'm having the same problems. I dont have 6 to 8 thousand for this. Please investigate. Please tell me I have some sort of chance of getting anything fixed at the dealership.

- Loris, SC, USA

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