10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 7
Injuries / Deaths:
3 / 0
Average Mileage:
28,618 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 miscellaneous problems

miscellaneous problem

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2016 Kia Soul Owner Comments (Page 5 of 5)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #16

Jul 222019

Soul

  • miles

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

My Kia Soul was sold to me without alerting me to a safety recall. A manager at my local dealership said they've known about the recall for "some time" now. They can't get my car in to be serviced and will not provide a loaner. Although NHTSA warns the specific harm to the catalytic converter, engine, pistons and possibly harm to myself and others I have been told to continue driving it. I do not want to drive it because of the warning and they continue telling me to just drive it until they can get it in. I feel like this dealership is not concerned with safety of myself and anyone else who may be in the car. NHTSA has said on their website that Kia notified "them" so why aren't they helping their customers?

- Battle Creek, MI, USA

problem #15

May 142019

Soul

  • 129,129 miles
I got a recall notice (NHTSA recall#19V120). Before I could get it looked at and corrected, I had a problem with the car. I was on an interchange between highways and the car would barely move. I had it towed to the Kia dealer I bought it from. The service advisor called the next day and told me my catalytic converter was totally plugged up. It says in my recall notice that a malfunction indicator lamp "may: Illuminate. My mil did not illuminate. And because of this and the "computer " showed no code that they wouldn't cover it under the recall. Now I am very irritated. I don't care that my mil lamp wasn't illuminated, I don't care that it didn't show a code, it says right on my recall notice that they will upgrade my cop ECU logic to prevent overheating of the catalytic converter. Evidently the damage to my converter was done before I could have the upgrade done. Now the device advisor told me that the computer showed no codes, so I'm curious how they new it was tha catalytic converter. I would say that there is either a problem with the computer system or Kia is running some kind of a scam. The service advisor told me it would cost me over 1200 dollars plus the tow bill to fix the car, total of 1400 + dollars. I don't think it's right that I have to pay for a consumer safety recall. If I would have been on the highway doing 70 mph when this happened my wife and I could have easily been killed. I thank god this didn't happen..I talked to the service advisor and he told me that the computer showed absolutely no codes at all. According to that my car should be running fine, but it is not. Something is wrong in the computer system to not show anything and my converter is plugged. This just is not right. I would appreciate some action on this issue. I have a case number through Kia for this issue. Case number IS13177167. They said they could do nothing about it.

- Cedar Springs, MI, USA

problem #14

Apr 122019

Soul

  • miles
Got letter (4/12/2019) stating that there is a recall on the catalytic converter did as instructed and put it in the computer. Nothing. Called them twice still nothing. Case no. 13166847.that 's all we got

- Selinsgrove, PA, USA

problem #13

Apr 152019

Soul

  • 37,500 miles

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

There is a known issue with the catalytic converter getting damaged by exhaust heat and it is still not on an open recall. My car VIN is supposedly not affected by the issue, but I just had to have the catalytic converter and O2 sensor replaced for this issue. They know this problem can cause fire or severe engine damage if left unchecked. I can provide the repair ticket if needed.

- Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA

problem #12

Feb 202019

Soul

  • 77,000 miles
While trying to drive up a snow covered road I had smoke start coming into the cabin of my vehicle. I was going to pull into a gas station when someone came running over and stated that the underside of my car was on fire. The fire was extinguished and then my car was pulled off the road. It was towed to a local garage where my insurance agent went to look at it. The oil was so low that they wouldn't check it until it received an oil change. Once that was performed they were still unable to determine what caused the fire. They then had me tow it to a Kia dealership. It has been at the dealership for over a month and they have determined that it is not a warranty issue. When I inquired as to what was wrong with the car they informed me that it would be $110 dollars to diagnose the vehicle. They finally went over the vehicle, but still no answers to why my vehicle caught fire and if it could possibly happen again.

- New Cumberland, WV, USA

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problem #11

Jan 012019

Soul

  • 75,000 miles
Check engine light came on. Vehicle taken into a auto shop. Told it was the catalytic converter. I saw that 2016 Kia Souls were being recalled with damaged catalytic converters. Wanting to know if my vehicle qualified.

- Topeka, KS, USA

problem #10

Mar 022019

Soul

  • miles

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

When I am at a stop or going to turn from a stop my car seems to lose power when accelerating. I have called my dealership a few times and they just say it is a safety sensor in the car. I find it a safety hazard since I have almost been hit from behind taking off from stops at signal lights and stop signs numerous of times.

- Las Vegas, NV, USA

problem #9

Nov 162017

Soul

  • miles
Takata recall is incomplete for gear shift penion

- Jacksonville, FL, USA

problem #8

Oct 122018

Soul

  • miles
While driving condensation build up inside of my car and this happen twice. So I called the dealership and they said I needed to have a hose drained.

- Huron, OH, USA

problem #7

Mar 272018

Soul

  • 30,000 miles
I was in a car accident a few months ago that involved me leaving the road and that I was completely airborne landing on the other side of the embankment my air bags did not deploy under the force of my car going airborne and landing so hard that my underside of my car was torn up needing almost 6,000 dollars in repairs. Including breaking my oil filter off of the car. I was told that my airbags should have completely deployed. But they did not. I really am scared that if I was in another accident they will not deploy when needed to save my or my families life.

- Acworth, GA, USA

problem #6

May 012017

Soul

  • 36,000 miles

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

My Soul has been over heating, stalling, and back firing, even had smoke come from engine 2 times.has been in shop over 7 times for thermostat issue, that they said they can not fix.plus my car has been in a number of times for it not having any get up and go.it has to be really fast to go up hills.on highway or main roads.

- Lansing, MI, USA

problem #5

Jul 242018

Soul

  • miles
My car was parked in the driveway and had not been running. I shut the car door to go back inside the house and I heard a pop noise. The front part of the panoramic sun roof had broken and shattered.

- Ballston Spa, NY, USA

problem #4

Jul 152017

Soul

  • 12,000 miles
Key will get stuck in ignition after putting vehicle in park and attempting to remove key after turning key to off position. Key will also not turn when attempting to turn on vehicle. Vehicle was stationary and parked on both occasions. The inability to remove the key from the ignition happened in November of 2016. The inability to turn the key to start the car has happened at least 5 separate times. Most recently was Saturday, July 15, 2017 and I was at a hiking trail in the mountains.

- Seattle, WA, USA

problem #3

May 012017

Soul

  • 27,000 miles
All interior windows fogged up making it impossible to see outside vehicle. I was driving the vehicle early morning, mid to low 60 degree temps, I put heat on low fan speed and mid temp, instrument panel started to fog up and windshield started to fog up, I switched heater to defog and in a few seconds all windows fogged up. It was dark and I was in a roundabout with traffic ahead of me and behind me. I opened all windows and put defog to full speed and after about a minute was the windshield defogged. Internet search showed possible clogged heater/ac blower box, which was reported to be a service issue and not covered by warranty. I was about to park the vehicle and was very concerned about my safety and my family being in the vehicle. Something needs to be done to address this issue that will lead to vehicle collision with injury and.or fatalities.

- Pasadena, MD, USA

problem #2

Dec 262016

Soul

  • 200 miles
The 2016 Kia Soul owners manual has false, misleading and incorrect information. Before purchasing this new Kia Soul in 12/16 I looked through the cars owners manual. Something that caught my eye and helped sway me to purchase this car was the information in section 8 page 15 under online factory authorized manuals (U.S. only) it states that the following publications are available on www.kiatechinfo.con at no charge. Service manual, electrical troubleshooting manual, owners manual. If you visit that site www.kiateahinfo.com the first screen that pops up states that effective October 17,2014 the site has been changed to a subscription-based pay per use site. Kia refuses to honor the information in the 2016 owners manual stating that this information is provided free of charge. This inaccurate and misleading information needs to honored buy Kia motors and this and any future inaccurate information in the Kia supplied owners manual needs to be corrected prior to the sale of any and all Kia automobiles.

- Clayton, NC, USA

problem #1

Jan 122016

Soul

  • miles
The panic button on the key fob is not recessed so it activates when you don't want it to. I have contacted both the Kia dealer where I bought it and also Kia Consumer Affairs and both could not solve the problem. It is a design flaw. Anytime I have the key fob in my pocket it is likely to engage the panic button. It has happened 8 times. People think there is an emergency. Please let me know what NHTSA can do to correct this problem. (I previously had a 2013 Kia Soul and the design of the key fob was different so I never had the panic button go off by mistake.) help.

- Toledo, OH, USA

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