10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
95,698 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 engine problems

engine problem

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2016 Kia Soul Owner Comments (Page 2 of 3)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #30

Jun 092023

Soul

  • 115,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the catalytic convertor. The contact was informed that the catalytic convertor needed to be replaced. The contact investigated and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 115,000.

- Ocean City, MD, USA

problem #29

Apr 302023

Soul

  • 154,000 miles
The contact's girlfriend owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated while his girlfriend was driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed, but the vehicle failed to respond and would not exceed 55 MPH. Additionally, the vehicle began to decelerate unintendedly. The vehicle was taken to the contact's location. The contact then took the vehicle to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the catalytic converter was clogged, which created back pressure in the engine and loss of power. The mechanic related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling). The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 154,000.

- Stockton, CA, USA

problem #28

Sep 012022

Soul

  • 99,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling) regarding the heat shield for the catalytic converter, which, was replaced under the recall. The contact stated that the vehicle began to malfunction after the repair. The vehicle would jump and shift into gear roughly while driving at various speeds. The RPM was revving abnormally. The contact stated that it seemed as if the vacuum seal had detached underneath the vehicle, and the vehicle was making a whistling sound while accelerating. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who informed the contact that the catalytic converter replaced since the recall was closed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 99,000.

- Kingston, PA, USA

problem #27

Nov 012022

Soul

  • 75,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated while her daughter was driving approximately 35 MPH and ascending a slight grade in the road, the vehicle stalled. The check engine and oil pressure warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that her daughter was able to restart the vehicle. The contact stated that the oil pressure warning light had been illuminated intermittently even after routine oil changes. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the gas cap needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.

- San Francisco, CA, USA

problem #26

Feb 202023

Soul

  • 124,030 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle started to stall. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic test, and the dealer stated that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced, and that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 124,030.

- West Magnolia, DE, USA

problem #25

Sep 062022

Soul

  • 126,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was difficult to start and remained running at restarting. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the catalytic convertor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the repair was not covered under recall and referred her to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling). The failure mileage was approximately 126,000.

- Louisa, VA, USA

problem #24

Feb 132023

Soul

  • 72,631 miles

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

The contact's son owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated while her son was driving 10 MPH, the vehicle lost power and would not exceed 2 MPH. The contact's son continued driving and pulled into a repair shop, where it was diagnosed that both catalytic converters had failed and needed to replaced. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer. The contact became aware that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number:?19V120000 (Engine, Engine And Engine Cooling), which she related to the failure. The dealer informed the contact that the recall remedy only included the Catalytic Overheating Protection Engine Control Unit logic software update. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and advised as the dealer. However, the recall remedy notes stated that?the catalytic converter and the engine would also be replaced if they were damaged. The manufacturer informed the contact that the vehicle would be repaired under warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 72,631.

- Tuscaloosa, AL, USA

problem #23

Jan 112023

Soul

  • 70,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle began to overheat and there was smoke coming out from underneath the hood. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road. The vehicle then caught on fire. The contact stated that a significant amount of oil had leaked underneath the vehicle onto the ground. The contact was able to extinguish the fire with the assistance of the fire department. The contact was unsure whether a fire department report or police report was filed. There were no injuries sustained. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the failure was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine, and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired under the recall as the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

- Hooper, UT, USA

problem #22

Nov 152022

Soul

  • 140,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving at an unknown speed, the vehicle was jerking. The contact stated that the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact stated that the service engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the failure was due to the engine. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling) and 17V608000 (Steering) however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. 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. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

- Brandon, MS, USA

problem #21

Feb 202019

Soul

  • 100,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled without warning. The contact was able to pull over on the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The contact was informed that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was 100,000.

- Prescott, AZ, USA

problem #20

Jul 302022

Soul

  • 56,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the engine would shudder and lose power while idling, without warning. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and the contact was provided an estimate for a diagnostic test. The dealer informed her that bad gasoline might have caused the issue; however, the failure persisted. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) which she linked to the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 56,000.

- Philadelphia, PA, USA

problem #19

Jul 302022

Soul

  • 102,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving approximately 85 MPH, there was an abnormal ticking noise detected. The contact stated that the connecting rod went through the engine block. There was no warning light illuminated. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 102,000.

- Cottage Grove, OR, USA

problem #18

Aug 012022

Soul 4-cyl

  • 81,700 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, an abnormal knocking sound was coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact's husband inspected the vehicle and discovered that the engine was low on oil. The contact called the manufacturer and was referred to the dealer for a software update to be performed on the vehicle. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH the following day, the vehicle began to hesitate with the oil and check engine warning lights illuminated. The contact proceeded to drive and a dark colored smoke started coming from the engine as she pulled over and shut off the vehicle. Due to the failure, the contact had the vehicle towed to her home. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling) which she linked to the failure. The manufacturer was called back and the contact was informed that the vehicle was not under recall. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 81,700.

- Holyoke, MA, USA

problem #17

Aug 012022

Soul

  • 87,145 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the front end started shaking. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal and there was a rough idling sound coming from the engine. The contact stated that the check engine warning light illuminated and flashed on and off. The contact drove the vehicle to his residence, parked the vehicle, and inspected under the hood. The contact became aware that the radiator hoses were swollen, and the coolant reservoir cap was missing. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 87,145.

- Lake Elsinore, CA, USA

problem #16

Jun 292022

Soul

  • 100,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle was shaking and hesitating. The contact also had to top off the oil every two weeks. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was diagnosed by an independent mechanic with a faulty catalytic converter. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling). The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.

- Cincinnati, OH, USA

problem #15

Jun 202022

Soul

  • 93,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, the vehicle was stalling. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over safely to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer and diagnosed with catalytic converter failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 93,000.

- Glenmont, NY, USA

problem #14

Oct 042021

Soul

  • 104,500 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH going up a hill and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle started to jerk and lurch forward. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact had driven the vehicle to a local dealer and diagnosed; however, the failure could not be duplicated. The contact stated that the failure was recurring. The contact had the vehicle towed to a dealer for a second appointment. The dealer diagnosed that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, the contact stated that failure reoccurred and the vehicle had to be towed a second time to the dealer. The dealer diagnosed that debris from the engine had entered the catalytic converter and determined that the converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 104,500.

- O' Fallon, IL, USA

problem #13

Oct 262021

Soul

  • 114,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently shifted into limp mode. The contact stated that the engine was knocking. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the catalytic convertor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact's son noticed metal shavings in the engine oil. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that she had failed to complete the product campaign program. No additional assistance was provided. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling). The failure mileage was approximately 114,000.

- Henderson, NV, USA

problem #12

Jun 032022

Soul

  • 85,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle would shake and then loose power and slow down. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled of the roadway and turned the vehicle off and waited 20 minutes to restart the vehicle. The failure was recurring and the vehicle would hesitate while getting up to normal speeds. The contact stated while depressing the accelerator pedal the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the catalytic convertor was damaged and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V608000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.

- Philadelphia, PA, USA

problem #11

Oct 012020

Soul

  • 156,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, there was smoke detected and the vehicle was making an abnormal popping sound. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who informed him that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under the extended warranty. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was towed to another independent mechanic where the engine was replaced. The manufacturer was notified; however, no additional assistance was provided. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The failure mileage was approximately 156,000.

- Interlachen, FL, USA

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