10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
13,000 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.

2018 Kia Soul engine problems

engine problem

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2018 Kia Soul Owner Comments

problem #7

Oct 162021

Soul

  • miles

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

While driving to work in my 2018 Kia soul on 10/16/21 vehicle has a significant hesitation pulling away from a stop sign/red-light. A very slight knocking noise could be heard. the oil light flickered on and then immediately went off. Next thing I know while doing 65 on the highway the oil, engine, and battery lights all lit up then suddenly power to the vehicle was gone! I managed to get the vehicle off the highway onto the shoulder of the road where I watched smoke pouring out of the engine bay. My vehicle only has 69059 miles. the 2.0L motor that is subject to many other recalls and issues is the same as what is in my Soul.. I've only had this car for less than two years! KIA REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT!!

- Wyoming, DE, USA

problem #6

Sep 202021

Soul

  • miles
On several occasions now the vehicle has sped up on its own while parked. Thank goodness I had my foot on the brake but as soon as I let go of the brake, it went fast without my peddle on the gas. I stopped it with the break peddle and it did it again once I let go of the brake peddle. It usually takes a couple of times for the car not to do that. Also, the oil light hasn't warned me that the oil is low. The motor began rattling while I was near work and I stopped the vehicle. Someone helped me and told me that there was barely any oil in the engine. So, we added oil but now it's always rattling. It has also stalled while going up a hill. That's happened on two occasions. I believe I may have a lemon in my hands. KIA has yet to accept that it's still under warranty and they keep brushing me off.

- Cameron, TX, USA

problem #5

Sep 012019

Soul

  • 40,000 miles
I got told by a Kia mecanic well at least seen it on my dash cam that I am sol that my ticking problem is an engine defect on Kia's part that is causing engine issues as well as somehow making my enginerev extremely high while starting up and sometimes throughout the day to the point if I don't have my brakes on I will go through a wall. That's a mention something is wrong with the air condition unit/heater that the heater will blow extremely hot so hot that the vents become pliable and the air conditioner and won't come on unless I start messing with buttons off and on often on high and low high and low.I have been in to Kia motors five times for the issue

- Vancouver, WA, USA

problem #4

Aug 042020

Soul

  • miles

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

I have a 2018 Kia Soul+ and recently there is a burning smell coming from the car especially when the A/C is on. I took my car to the dealer regarding the problem, but was told that they did not see anything wrong or smell anything burning on the car. The problem happens mostly while driving on the highway. I'm afraid that the car is going to catch on fire. The car also loses power while driving ex. I can be driving 60 miles and all of a sudden the car starts to decrease in speed and you have to rave up the car to get it going again. Not good at all.

- Bridgeport, CT, USA

problem #3

Oct 292019

Soul

  • 45,000 miles
When my wife was stopped in a school parking lot with my foot on the brake preparing to back into a parking space the car suddenly accelerated. I ran into a parked car and the only way I could get it to stop was to turn the car off. Me, our daughter and son all have had a surging issue but was always a minor issue. This is a very dangerous issue and Kia needs to address the issue.

- Atwater, CA, USA

problem #2

Mar 012019

Soul

  • 1,000 miles
Two incidences of deceleration..one caused me to exit freeway onto the frontage road.. one inspection at dealership after 2nd incident stated "nothing found"...had I been surrounded by vehicles front and rear, I and others could have been involved in a serious accident...I was able to get off the frontage road onto a shoulder. The 2nd incident was near my residence and fortunately there was no one on the street at time....while the dealer technicians may not have these events occur at the time of service, these incidences I believe are spontaneous and therefore dangerous to the driver and passengers of my and other vehicles. These incidences keep me in fear of driving this vehicle. I have asked the local dealer for a trade to another brand but only response sometime April 2019... we will work on it. I started by emailing salesmen and managers of dealership and finally called which finally produced a response to attempt to find a different brand vehicle...this is a new loan of March 2018.,this vehicle supposedly was built in Sept. 2017.....fire hazard is mentioned with one death of woman in Texas due to one of these two causes.my vehicle is not safe and I do not want another Kia Soul.

- Tucson, AZ, USA

problem #1

Jan 252019

Soul

  • 5,000 miles
The contact owns a 2018 Kia Soul. While driving approximately 25 mph, the vehicle failed to accelerate. The contact stopped the vehicle to make sure that it was in gear. While the contact attempted to park in front of her house, with the brake pedal depressed, the vehicle spontaneously accelerated and crashed into the front of the house. The front driver's air bag deployed. The driver sustained a broken nose that required medical attention. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was towed by the insurance company to a lot. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 5,000.

- Fun City Center, FL, USA

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