2016 Kia Soul complaints

I have a Kia Soul that is under the engine warranty recall. I was able to drive my vehicle while working with Kia to document issues with my engine. Today I was informed that my catalytic converters are clogged and that is what is causing my vehicle issues, not my engine. The only way my catalytic converters could be clogged would be from faulty engine, but Kia is denying any issue with my engine (that is under warranty) and instructing me to continue driving my vehicle. My vehicle is unable to maintain speed, shakes violently after running 5 minutes, and dies frequently. It is not a safe vehicle to drive on the road.

The check engine light came on a day after i bought the car and never went off it read for several code’s including a catalytic converter fuel cap timing solenoid all which I replaced and the light still was on after oil changes it was discovered there is a low oil condition and the engine needed to be replaced and a few months later the car stopped running and it needs a new engine the dealership knowingly sold that vehicle to me in that condition and they won’t even fix it.

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while at a stop light, the check engine warning light started blinking and the vehicle shut off. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and the contact was informed that the catalytic convertor needed to be replaced. The contact was informed that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that the vehicle was previously repaired under the recall. No further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 149,400.

All the paint and clear coats pealing no other car we own do not have this problem and are much older... this car is not even paid for and the paint is destroyed... the car only has 55000 miles

Due to no warning of a recall on my 2016 Kia soul both catalytic converters stopped up. Tried for weeks to get assistance with Kia motors but no assistance brought my car in twice when they said they would fix it sat at the dealership from 8am when they opened until approximately 4 pm before they closed only to be called and asked to return for a second all day long wait. Due to no warnings that my car had a recall and no assistance from the company I've had nothing but issue after issue and can no longer afford to completely fix the car. One issue including being stranded 10 hours away from home!

The panoramic sunroof exploded while the vehicle was being driven. Thankfully the cover was closed so the glass did not fall down on the passenger of the vehicle.

The catalytic system began breaking apart and throwing an engine light error. The system progressively got worse until it lead to complete failure not allowing the fuel system to work nor the vehicle to be able to accelerate.

The vehicle suddenly stalls while in traffic without notice. It has to be put in on park, turned completely off, and then restarted. People behind my car almost rear end my vehicle causing a collision. Highly unsafe. This has happened numerous times usually after being stopped at a traffic light or stop sign.

Ive gotten 3-4 tuneups every year for the past 4 years. Each year the car randomly shuts off and start running rough they change the coil packs and the spark plugs but every year I drive locally and not far yearly but I still have to get tune ups, 3rd party insurance and state farm spent a total of 12-14k of electrical wiring the doors were controlling the A/C the lights would flicker when trying to turn on A/C. The windows stopped working wouldnt go up or down, the A/C heat wouldnt work this was work everything new and rewired Kia of Anderson kept the car for 4-5 weeks and I had to turn around 2 days later bring it back because the doors and A/C and heat repeated the same thing, they changed the door panel on driver side and 4-5 months ago A/C heat stopped working randomly while my kids were waiting on bus one moring and couldnt use the heat...contacting Kia they said they were booked for a couple of weeks then, I would call get voicemails over and over and then I finally drove up there and they stated it may be the air resistor but then, under the car i hit a ditch where road work was being done on a one way in one way out street for 3 months cause the already loose muffler to cause the rest of the vehicle to not work. The A/C when on my son nose bleeds everytime if we are in the car for longer than 45 min to an hour. My daughter get migraines headaches dizzy spells when A/C heat is on, so do i. Also there is a random weird smell randomly off and on not everyday but atleast

6/26/23 found I had a fuel leak on top of gas tank. Didn't get fixed until the next day. Drove home just to discover a 2nd leak at the hose the following day the 29th. The dealership,that I actually work at, told me to drive it as is until the backorder part comes in approximately 3-5 days. It's now the 5th of July and it is not fixed. I'm asthmatic and have COPD and live in Florida.

Engine is consuming large amounts of oil. One quart every 500 miles and getting worse.

During normal driving operation, the car makes a loud bang and the drive system shuts down. The dash lights remain on indicating that the main drive battery needs to be checked. I've had to coast to the side of the road each time as there is no power at all. When I shut the car down and restart it, it drives normally. This happens at least once a week. I try to drive the car only in low traffic conditions. This has happened in places where I couldn't pull out of the traffic lanes and caused traffic to pile up behind me. I called the dealer the first time it happened and was told they didn't understand what it could be.

My 2016 soul burst into flames following a loud explosion in the engine compartment. The vehicle is a total loss; but, the fire department extinguished the fire before the flames reached the fuel tank. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Engine and No How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Could have easily been killed had I not recognised the symptoms immediately and had the time to react. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Irrellavent. The vehicle caught fire. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No. There is nothing left to inspect. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? Only seconds before.

My friend and I picked up a kayak that I bought and we had to put it in the car. When she was in the car I had to fasten the seat belt for her. We got it home and removed it from the vehicle, I had to unfastened the seat belt. When I took her home, the seat belt would not pull out. I still cannot pull out the seat belt. I contacted the dealership and they told me that it would have to be replaced at a cost of $700, which includes the labor. They said that it wasn't under the warranty to replace it. My understanding is that you would have to replace the seatbelt if you had been in an accident, which I have not. I am taking it in tomorrow in hopes that they can fix it and not have to replace it. Anyway, I hope no one else is having this problem.

Excessive oil consumption-1 quart of oil every 400-600miles. This had been verified by a certified mechanic. The excessive oil consumption has destroyed the catalytic converter, code 420. The check engine light has been on since 95k miles. Spark plugs had to be replaced sooner than normal because they were covered w oil. Tail pipe has oil encrusted on the inside. While starting from a complete stop after 15 minutes of driving the car lost power and would not go over 45mph. Going up hill dropped to 15 mph. This has been replicated by a mechanic.

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH, there was a knocking sound coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact checked the oil level and became aware that the vehicle was low on oil. The contact added oil, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 151,748.

Vehicle is experiencing oil &/or carbon-like debree exiting out of the exhaust system. There are no warning indicators of any kind displaying. The car has regularly been taken to the dealership for service and maintenance problems. Motor has documented record of oil consumption due to testing at dealership. This is currently the second catalytic converter to be replaced. I have all receipts for work performed.

Bought 2016 Kia Soul one year ago (May 2022) with 79k miles. Feb 2023 engine light came on. Took it to Kia service center & they reset it and told us to come back if light came back on. It did along with oil change light (June 2023, 92k miles). We were told it had no oil, it was consuming oil, sludge in motor and there was nothing they could do. Service mgr told us to check oil level regularly, top it off as needed and get regular oil changes and if/when it failed, then they would replace engine under new lawsuit settlement (extended warranty to 15yr/150k). We consulted another mechanic and he said it is faulty piston rings that caused oil consumption, that caused low oil and that ultimately caused possible sludge. Why aren't they fixing the problem instead of waiting until the engine fails? Probably because they were waiting to see if your engine fails after 15yr/150k mile warranty expires. New lawsuit in the works regarding oil consumption because it's happening to a lot of KIAs.

Catalytic converters needed to be replaced

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the catalytic convertor needed to be replaced; however, the dealer declined the repair due to the mileage exceeding 80,000 miles. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 89,000.

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle suddenly shifted into LIMP Mode and decelerated to approximately 15 MPH. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the oxygen sensor and catalytic convertor was faulty and needed to be replaced. The oxygen sensor and catalytic convertor was replaced on three separate occasions however, the failure persisted. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 120,000. The VIN was unavailable.

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle vibrated violently and lost motive power. The contact stated that while accelerating, the vehicle failed to exceed 10 MPH. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, the mechanic failed to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 73,000.

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.

The car continues to lose oil. The catalytic converter was replaced. An Independent service area made note of oil leakage. No parts were necessary to correct this problem. The oil pan and any seals were intact. Car maintenance is on time and up to date. Many Oil changes were performed at KIA dealership. The car started making a knocking noise and was unable to accelerate over 20 mph. My check engine light then came on after the occurrence. There was no warning. I was on a highway with speeds of 45 mph when my car started to malfunction. Emergency lights were immediately turned on to prevent rear-end collision. I was alone and stranded at 10:00 p.m. I will obtain receipts of repair and submit as soon as possible.

Catalytic converter recall not being honored by warranty or original dealership where vehicle was purchased. Car engine making knocking sound and burning oil

January 2021 starting burning engine oil. Have been to the kia dealership numerous times complaining. Negative results regarding the situation. Engine spits - hisses - hiccups and dies. Car hopped forward and rolled backwards into traffic on the highway. Car burned through three quarts of oil within a three week time period. Check engine light is on again. Do not feel safe Respectfully request to have the item researched Thank you

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated intermittently. The contact stated that the engine was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The contact stated that the engine consumed 2-quarts of oil every week. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who informed the contact that the vehicle had previously been repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling) and that the dealer was unable to perform the repair free of charge a second time. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer would not sell her a new engine. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

While driving my car it started slowing down all at once like it wasn't getting gas, to about 10 mph. I was traveling approximately 55 mph. The vehicle that was behind me almost rear ended me. Had it checked and they told me that it was related to the cadillac converter (02) system. It needed replaced.

I WAS DRIVING AND BLUEISH GRAYISH SMOKE CAME POURING OUT OF MY EXCAUST. CAR LOS5 POWER AND I HAD TO HAVE ITTOWED TO A CAR DEALER. I WAS TOLD IT NEEDS A NEW ENGINE. I HAVE A EXTENDED WARRANTY AND THEY ARE GIVING ME A HARD TIME NOT APPROVING A NEW ENGINE. I KNOW KIAS HAVE ALOT OF ENGINE RECALLS FOR THIS PROBLEM. WHY WAS MY CAR NOT ON THAT RECALL LIST? THANK you

The car was recalled in 4/2019 for a repair. I purchased the car 8/2020. The repair indicated catalytic converter assessment to ensure that the engine did not need to be replaced. It was not checked or verified. The recall was insufficient done and the car should had never been sold. And the recall was not completed prior. I took the vehicle in to complete a recall on a hazardous vehicle. Kia had my car for a month and half replacing the engine and within hours of picking up my car the engine light came back on. The car is still doing the exact same thing it was doing leading up to original repair. That Kia was suppose to had fixed. The car is also a theft safety issue as targeted I already paid 2700 for theft vandalism. The car is targeted and unsafe.

CARMAX sold a recalled vehicle in 2019 in 2020. KIA has still improperly repaired the vehicle the car is still doing the exactly same thing it was doing. That lead to the repair. After picking within the hour the engine light came back on and had been on ever since. I now have electrical issues with the window since KIA Napelton of Elmhurst repaired the vandalism the wiper is malfunctioned at pick up. I want a refund the vehicle is a safety issue mechanical and for theft.

My car engine blew and I contacted kia to get the engine replaced under the recall and the refused to do it.

While traveling down 20E around MM83 in South Carolina, the car suddenly lost power and throttled down to around 10-15 miles per hour. Upon having in towed to a garage for a diagnostic, I was told that the catalytic converter had overheated and stalled the vehicle. This appears to be an issue that would be covered under NHTSA Recall 19V120, dated April 12 2019, which reads in part "Under certain conditions, the catalytic converter may become damaged due to overheating caused by an excessive increase of exhaust gas temperatures." The heat scoring on the catalytic converter and the stall are consistent with this kind of behavior. When I contacted the dealer, they denied any such recall existed. I am currently waiting for a response from Kia America, Inc.

I was driving to Bend, Oregon on the highway when suddenly my car started making clunking noises and the oil light and check engine lights came on. I started to lose power and the car was slowing. I immediately managed to pull over, but it gets very dangerous since it was a busy highway. I had the car towed to a mechanic who said the engine blew and needed to be replaced. Kia has denied my warranty claims.

The catalytic converter, which is a known issue for Kia Soul models from 2012-2016 has started to show signs of failure- namely code P0420. This is despite having the apparent “fix” as detailed in Kia recall SC176, which was a mere software update. Now that the converter has shown signs of failure, Kia refuses to honor the replacement as stated in the recall since the vehicle is above 80,000 miles. Clearly, the recall did not fix the issue.

No warning lights/codes. Veh lost power. Was catalytic converter. Veh VIN did not fall under recall. Had to replace converter at our cost. Safety concern? Car had potential fire from overheated converter and could have killed my 19 y/o daughter who drove the car as primary veh. The car is barely 6 years old and just paid it off. Got the high end adult version w/ sunroof, leather seats, lights, all bells & whistles. Paid 29k & engine failed due to driving car without knowing converter was bad. Never rec'd notice because our VIN was not included. Dealer wants to charge us 9000$ to replace engine at OUR cost. DO NOT BUY THIS VEHICLE EVER. THEY REFUSE TO FIX IT UNLESS WE PAY FOR IT. Filed a case w/ Kia Consumer Center, but since engine failure is not covered under warranty, they will not replace engine. We now have a car that is useless. We can't afford another car. This was our mid life car that we thought would last a long time that we passed down to our daughter. She drove it about 6 months before this happened. Literally, as soon as it was paid off, it broke. Horrible car and horrible manufacturer. NEVER EVER NEVER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, BUY A KIA!!!!

Engine and brake lights have come on. Engine knocks bad. Vehicles stall when pressing gas. Dangerous driving soecialy going through stop sign. Low power while pressing gas.

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.

This vehicle, Kia Soul 2016, uses excessive oil, no matter what the manufacturer or dealers say. There is no reason to put 1 to 1/2 quarts of synthetic oil in this vehicle every week to make sure the engine doesn't seize. Severe manufacturer flaw and/or design with this engine.

Previous NHTSA 11498487 for the same issue reported on 12/22. After 8 months of changing the catalytic converter the Kia Soul 2016 de-accelerated in the highway from 60mph to barely 30Mph with a burning smell the check engine light come up and the code once again for the catalytic converter. The catalytic converter was replaced under the warranty from the repair shop on 1/23. Now on 4/23 the check engine light is on again for the catalytic converter again. The repair shop won't change it again. Instead they suggested to bring it to the dealership. Kia dealership stated that my VIN is not included in the recall and they only did theE PI2002A ECU update the rest is not covered by the manufacturer warranty. I've changed 3 times the catalytic converter and the light is code is asking for another one. It's not normal. Major safety hazard for the vehicle to stall in the highway suddenly. Proper maintenance and oil changes are done on time as suggested by Kia. However it burns oil after a new change before hitting the 3,000 miles driven short distances and engine is less than a quart with no leeks at all. Another safety hazard because there's no warning light of low engine oil that could possibly cause the engine to stop and hazard to driver and others.

As we were driving on the highway, the check engine light started flashing on my car and it proceeded to go into limp mode. This proved to be a danger to me and everyone driving around me. The car would not accelerate and would shake violently. I had to pull over on the side of the highway. The only light that ever appeared was the CEL, when it was already too late. Upon taking it to a mechanic we were told that the 1st and 3rd cylinders were complete garbage and a whole engine replacement was necessary.

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled and failed to restart. The check engine warning light was illuminated prior to the failure. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the previous owner repaired the vehicle under NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling) and 17V608000 (Steering); however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

Was idling at a red light, the engine warning light came on, and my engine set on fire. No reason. I jumped out of the car. Thankfully someone came over and threw water on it. Engine to be completely rebuilt (under warranty). Took 3 weeks.

Car cuts off when idling. I took it to the mechanic several times and they produced the issue once but could not diagnose and would give it back to me at no charge. When it cuts off the RPMs will sometimes stay at 0 even when I start the car again. Sometimes the check engine light will come on along with the traction light. Mechanic said it shows catalytic codes but said nothing is wrong with catalytic converter. They said they can’t find anything wrong to warrant repair. The check engine and traction control lights stay on and then go off randomly. The car cuts off at stop lights and today it cut off when I was turning right at a stop sign. I was already out in the road and someone was behind me. Thankfully no one was coming down the road at full speed. I am afraid to drive the car but no one knows what is wrong with it or how to fix it.

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.

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for a diagnostic test and the dealer stated that the catalytic convertor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 88,520.

The contact was an administrator of a probate trust who was filing a complaint on behalf of the deceased owner of a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while a relative of the deceased was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was shaking. No warning lights were illuminated. The deceased relative pulled over into a parking lot and noticed there was smoke coming from the engine compartment before the vehicle caught fire. The fire department arrived on the scene and extinguished the fire. No injury was sustained. Police and fire department reports were filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The vehicle did not have insurance coverage. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.

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.

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH, the engine seized without warning. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the rod bearing had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but provided no additional assistance due to the vehicle not meeting the Warranty Extension requirements. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

Driving around curves my car slows dramatically and traction control light comes on. I have no ability to steer at this point until the car “breaks free” and allows acceleration again. It’s as if the ABS system kicks on all on its own. The sound it makes is as though the brakes are kicking in to slow the vehicle. It almost comes to a stop on curves. Steering intermittently loosens on its own while driving and I lose controlled steering as there is a lot of play in the steering wheel. Then it will tighten up again as if it’s a brand new car. There is an occasional pop noise but it’s not constant and doesn’t make the sound when driving at speeds greater than 40mph. No other sounds are present. I contacted Kia as they placed a set screw in the steering for a pinion plug recall repair to keep a nut from backing out and this was not properly documented by the previous service department per the new management. There were no images of the repair that was done and no notes in the repair log according to the young lady I spoke with. No evidence of a repair other than being marked in the system.