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2021 Kia Soul complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2021 record →

Engine
Filed Mar 20, 2025MO

Car has a recall, engine keeps stalling. engine is knocking due to oil pistons

Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Mar 19, 202592,000 milesWV

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to be restarted. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure became a regular occurrence. The low oil warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V099000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); the VIN was included, but the vehicle had not yet been repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 92,000.

Engine
Filed Mar 17, 2025MD

[XXX], driving down highway [XXX] the car lost power. I was able to start it up again but was misfiring where I drove it home. I had it towed on March 12 to Koon Kia Service, 9610 Reistertown Road, Owings Mill, MD 21117-4128. On Friday, March 14, 2025 I spoke with Blaine in the Service department and he said I after a diagnostic my car indicates that I need a new engine to repair my car. Today, I called and spoke with Blaine and told him about the recall SC336 and he said the was no remedy for this recall. I told him I would call Kia Customer service which I did and received case #[XXX] from Denise. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Engine
Filed Mar 17, 2025FL

The engine in my 2021 Kia Soul has been experiencing serious performance issues consistent with Recall SC336. The vehicle has erratic RPM fluctuations while idling and has stalled multiple times at stoplights and in traffic. When this happens, it fails to restart immediately, leaving me stranded and creating a serious safety risk. The vehicle has been at Step One Kia in Fort Walton Beach, FL, for 2 weeks. The dealership claimed the issue was caused by a clogged air filter, replaced it, & stated the car was “adequately repaired.” However, when I attempted to pick up the vehicle, the Check Engine Light was still on. The owner of the dealership took the keys back and said I would receive a follow-up call on Monday. No call was ever received. I contacted Kia Headquarters and was told to “pick up the car and drive it if I choose to” because there is no remedy available. When I requested a loaner vehicle, I was initially told it was not guaranteed because this was "not an engine issue." When I pointed out that the symptoms were directly related to engine failure, the representative backtracked and said a loaner was simply "not guaranteed." 1. A clogged air filter does NOT cause stalling at idle or failure to restart. A clogged filter would cause gradual power loss, not sudden shutoffs. 2. The Check Engine Light remained on after the repair, proving the issue was not fixed. 3. The dealership refused to conduct recall-related tests, including the PNSS and oil consumption tests. The c

Engine
Filed Mar 13, 202580,000 milesMS

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was unable to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway and was assisted in pushing the vehicle to a safe location, where the vehicle failed to restart. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the fuel pump. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 80,000.

Engine
Filed Mar 13, 202546,500 milesFL

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle failed to respond. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was completing a U-turn, and the accelerator pedal was depressed to the floorboard however, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact came to a complete stop while approaching a red light; after the light turned green, the contact depressed the accelerator pedal and the vehicle responded and was driven to the destination. The following day the contact’s wife attempted to drive the vehicle; however, the failure recurred, and the vehicle lost motive power. The check engine light warning illuminated. The following day, the check engine warning light illuminated again while the contact was driving, and the vehicle stalled. The contact towed the vehicle to the residence. The vehicle was then towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 46,500.

Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Mar 10, 2025141,000 milesTX

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light remained illuminated, and the engine experienced excessive oil consumption. Eventually, while at a stop light with the Auto START/STOP activated, the vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the local dealer. The dealer indicated that the engine failed due to a loosened oil filter, which caused oil to leak from the engine. The contact was advised that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was later towed to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the piston rings were faulty and had caused the engine to fail. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V099000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 141,000.

Engine
Filed Mar 9, 2025FL

The engine in my 2021 Kia Soul has been experiencing serious performance issues that align with Recall SC336. The vehicle frequently exhibits erratic RPM fluctuations while idling, and on multiple occasions, it's completely shut down while stopped at traffic lights or in traffic. When this happens, the vehicle does not restart immediately, leaving me stranded / creating a safety risk. I reported this issue to an authorized Kia dealership, but they refused to perform proper diagnostic tests related to the recall. Instead, they blamed a clogged air filter as the cause of the stalling. This explanation does not make sense. Why the Dealership’s Explanation is Incorrect: 1. A clogged air filter does NOT cause sudden stalling at idle or failure to restart. If an air filter were completely clogged, the engine would lose power under acceleration, not stall at idle. The engine requires very little air at idle, so a dirty filter would cause gradual power loss, not sudden shutdowns. 2. My symptoms match Recall SC336, which involves piston oil ring failure. Erratic RPMs, stalling, and failure to restart are all signs of compression loss or internal engine damage. 3. The dealership is refusing to conduct recall-related tests. I requested a PNSS (Piston Noise Sensing System) test and an oil consumption test, but the dealership refused. Instead, they tried to charge me for an air filter replacement, ignoring possible recall-related failure. Safety Risks: The vehicle stalls at stoplights and

Engine
Filed Mar 7, 2025FL

I am experiencing a serious safety issue with my 2021 Kia Soul. My vehicle is consuming excessive oil, which should not be happening under normal operating conditions. The check engine light is on, and while driving, the car suddenly shuts off and displays the battery symbol before losing power completely. This has happened multiple times, creating a dangerous situation where my vehicle loses power unexpectedly on the road. I took my car to a mechanic, who confirmed that the engine is consuming oil at an abnormal rate. The mechanic also informed me that there is a known recall on certain 2021-2023 Kia Soul models due to defective piston oil rings, which can cause excessive oil consumption, engine failure, and even fires. However, when I contacted Kia’s customer service and provided my VIN, they stated that my vehicle is not included in the recall, despite exhibiting the same symptoms. This is a serious safety hazard, as my vehicle is at risk of sudden engine failure while in motion. Kia has issued recalls for similar models, but my specific VIN has been excluded, even though I am experiencing the exact same defect. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this issue further to determine whether more vehicles should be included in the recall before this defect leads to accidents or injuries. I am available to provide further documentation, including inspection reports, oil consumption records, and any additional information needed.

Electrical System
Filed Mar 6, 202520,000 milesAZ

The contact owned a 2021 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V099000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal ticking sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that there was an abnormal burning electrical odor. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, no cause for the failure was found. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that on other occasions while the vehicle was idling, the RPM fell. The dealer and manufacturer were made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.

Engine
Filed Mar 5, 2025OH

ON WAY TO WORK MY CAR STALLED ENTERING HIGHWAY TOOK CAR IN TO GET CHECKED THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT ..IT NEEDED OIL CHANGE .THAT WAS APPRO. 60000 MILKES...THEN JULY 2024 EXITING HIGHWAY IT STALLED AGAIN I HAD TO RESTART HAD IT CHECKED IT WAS ABOUT 72000 MILES THEY SAID SAME THING. THEN IN SEPT OF 24 IT STALLED AGAIN DAY AFTER OIL CHANGE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. i TOOK IN AGAIN THEY SAID ITS THE OIL PISTON RINGS SAID MY ENGINE NEEDS REPLACED AND ITS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. sO NOW ITS 8000 OR MORE MONEY TO REPLACE ENGINE. i HAVE KNOCKING SOUNDS LIKE SOMEONEONE IS THROWING JACK AROUND CAR...

Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Mar 3, 202567,533 milesGA

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V0999000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle suddenly stalled and shut off unintendedly. The contact restarted the vehicle and continued driving. There was a knocking sound coming from the engine compartment while driving at various speeds. The failure was intermittent. There were no warning lights illuminated. The dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 67,533. Parts distribution disconnect.

Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Mar 3, 202562,000 milesFL

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound emanating from the engine compartment. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the piston rings. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who confirmed the diagnosis. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V099000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); but the contact was informed that the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 62,000. The VIN was not available.

Engine
Filed Feb 28, 2025ME

Consistent oil burning of about one quart per 1,000 MI I think an exact number would be .8 per 1000 occasional misfiring and stalling presumably due to improperly heat treated piston rings like other recalls

Engine
Filed Feb 26, 2025NJ

Engine failure of the 1.6 liter turbocharged GDI engine at 102,670 miles. Engine light went on while driving back on the Atlantic City Expressway and engine lost power reduced to 45MPH. Had car towed to dealer and was told the engine was no longer usable and had to be replaced. KIA engines are failing at an alarming rate and a recent recall of the same year KIA Soul is in effect. My KIA engine is not the recalled engine but my failure was pretty much the same as the 2.0 Liter engine. I think an investigation of my 1.6 liter turbo GDI should be made as well.

Steering
Filed Feb 25, 202553,000 milesGA

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while turning the ignition on and off, there was a knocking sound coming from the dashboard. After pulling into a parking lot, a red exclamation point illuminated the instrument panel, and the steering wheel seized. The contact was able to coast out of the way by driving forward. The vehicle was turned off and towed to the dealer. The dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure occurred two more times while driving at various speeds, and the vehicle was towed to the dealer each time. The dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The dealer informed the contact to return the vehicle if the failure recurred. The manufacturer was informed of the failure by the dealer and a case was opened. The manufacturer advised the dealer to replace the electric power steering module should the failure recur. The failure mileage was 53,000.

Engine
Filed Feb 23, 2025FL

Engine does not work properly. It is loud and car shakes. Dealership had me do maintenance and did not fix the problem. Rear windshield wiper pours out fluid and turns on with no reason. They say there is a short however it turns on and blocks my rear window view every while just driving, or using my turn signal, I have to mess with the switch while driving to finally get it to stop.

Service BrakesCrash2 injured
Filed Feb 19, 2025WI

We were going south on [XXX] about 25 mph intending to make a left turn onto [XXX] My wife said “slow down or you won’t make the turn” to which I replied “I am trying but it won’t slow down” As I applied the brakes to slow down to turn, instead the car started to speed up and I could not make the left turn. I continued down the road trying to slow down enough to attempt a left turn on to [XXX] But the car continued to go even faster, so I pumped the brakes trying to slow down and get the car to stop. Instead, the car kept speeding up faster. In seeing I was close to the end of the dead-end road I swerved to the right to avoid the parked Train cars at the end of the road only to crash into the corner of a building which stopped us. At which time I was rendered unconscious. Something caused the car to speed up excessively and the brakes were unresponsive and should be available for further inspections. Not being able to physically get the car under control put the safety of my wife, myself, and others at risk. In researching I have found that this problem has been reproduced in real time and experienced by multiple others in recent years. Our insurance company has had the cars EDR data inspected although further inspection is warranted. There were no prior warnings or symptoms of this problem until the above incident. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Engine
Filed Feb 12, 202534,000 milesCA

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Soul. The contact stated that during a routine inspection, the contact became aware that the oil level was low. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer to be diagnosed and the contact was informed that a more comprehensive diagnostic test was needed to confirm the cause of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V259000 (Engine); to the failure; however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 34,000.

Engine
Filed Feb 11, 2025VA

Engine stopped on the highway and was found with no oil. Probably due to oil over consumption.

Electrical System
Filed Feb 8, 2025CA

Less than 24 hours after being purchased as a Kia factory certified pre-owned vehicle my daughter was driving. While driving headlights, wipers, and dash lights went out including infotainment/CarPlay map display on a rainy day. California requires headlights be on when wipers are used. Occurred while doing approximately 25 mph after going over a speed bump. When stopped and key was turned to ACC, they came back on. Issue did not return when vehicle was started again. Dealer has said they can find not fault. We have located threads for this issue with other Kia models on [XXX] . One common factor is they are key start, not push start models. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Oct 22, 2024TX

My car has never had the gas mileage that is advertised; it’s always been about 3-4 mpg less than the 28 mpg city/31 mpg highway. Recently, I had multiple engine system failures with the plug-in check devices at places like AutoZone saying my ignition coils were misfiring, and after bringing it to the dealership twice for about 1.5 months each time for a total of 3 months, they replaced the fuel injectors and a few other parts the first time before releasing the car to me only to have the same errors come back within 24 hours and I ended up bringing it back only for them to tell me the entire fuel pump system is shot and needed to be completely replaced and all fuel flushed out. Both times I brought it in they claimed it was due to bad gas, but after talking to my insurance, my claim agent concluded it was not bad gas as newer cars like mine have internal sensors that will completely stop the car from driving or even turning on if bad gas is detected to prevent further damage and that’s never been the case for me. I’ve always been able to drive my vehicle and the only noticeable issue would be my fuel mileage. I’ve had the new fuel pump system for about a week now, and my fuel mileage is around 28-29 mpg, more than it’s ever been since I bought the vehicle back in November 2020. I’ve only ever had a max of 26 mpg no matter how or where I drive. I did find recalls on similar makes of cars with the same year as mine from both Kia and Hyundai, and I believe that the Kia Souls ar

Engine
Filed Oct 20, 2024KY

1.) We were driving to Nashville and once my car got around 70,000 mile my check engine light came on. Then my car started to make a humming noise. We pulled over to check the oil the oil was fine. Once we got back into the car and left the gas station the light started to blink. Yes 2.) We were on the highway, and if the engine could have blown up or we could've got stuck on the way there and back. Also, the where the car started to act up was around a bad neighborhood. 3.) Yes 4.) Yes 5.) The car started to hum but once my car hit 70,000 miles the check engine light came on and started to flash.

Unknown or Other
Filed Aug 15, 2024TX

My car kept on breaking down and it happened twice. When i contacted the Kia customer service, they told me the wait time until i can get the car ready is about 2 months and until then im gonna have to either rent a car that they would pay $44 for, which is clearly not enough. I need to get to places, job and school. How am i supposed to afford for this or do anything about it. I want my car fixed and its also covered under the warranty since i bought it in 2021.

Engine
Filed Jul 27, 2024KS

Week of July 22, 2021: - initial problem started with pulling into a slightly sloped driveway and car engine dying even though clutch down and braking. Acted as though clutch not pressed down. - running errands around town. When I initially started driving in first gear, very jerky (like I didn’t know how to drive stick). Lots of stop and go and continued driving this way. Heading home, when I let foot off gas, car died. I would have to start, while trying to come to stop. If I had to stop, I had to keep foot on accelerator so it wouldn’t die. When I started driving again, loss of power-so much that I had to make sure traffic totally clear if having to cross traffic. Every once in a while, while shifting, I could hear something loud in engine. - Immediately contacted Kia to get in for service…soonest available appointment is August 8, 2024. They had me check oil and barely any on dipstick. Car has only 23,750 miles. They told me that “it’s not unusual to have to put a quart of oil in every 1,000 miles”. Red flag to me…seems very excessive to need to do that on this new of a car. The service advisor also told me that it’s also not unusual to not have a warning light come on for low oil. I put in two quarts of what was used during last oil change and what is recommended - Mobil 1 5W20 full synthetic. When I started car, actually sounded worse and now the Check Engine light is on. The car is too dangerous to drive so called Kia Roadside Assistance and had it towed to dealer. Not

Engine
Filed Apr 29, 2024IN

I was travelling on [XXX] in highland Indiana when my engine stopped powering my car and I heard knocking inside. I smelled like and saw smoke everywhere INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Engine
Filed Apr 2, 2024WI

Our vehicle is burning 1 to 2 quarts of oil every 1 thousand miles. They say this is normal but it seems excessive. I'm afraid the engine is going to die while driving it. This is dangerous and needs to be looked into. I'm not the only one with this issue.

Fuel/Propulsion System
Filed Mar 28, 2024GA

The vehicle experiences a complete loss of power when slowing to a stop before it powers off on its own. The car powers off while going down the road. The car experiences partial loss of power while on cruise control and the car will slow to nearly stopped. The immediate loss of power puts myself and others at risk as the car is now stopping unexpected on the highway. I have left numerous voicemails for service managers at the dealership it was purchased brand-new from 2 years ago. They have not reached out to me. I had an appointment at their dealership to have the car inspected to see if this was covered with my warranty and they explained my warranty was only 60k miles and my car is now at 65k miles. The car was shutting off and having power loss a week before the first indicator light came on, which was the engine light. The code pulled for that sensor was the P0171 sensor which measures air in the fuel system and it stated "bank 1 running lean". I have now taken the car to a local shop and they are advising there was no oil in the car and there are metal shards in the valves in the engine. Werner KIA is the only shop that has ever worked on my car or changed the oil and they have not advised me of any oil leaks at all.

Service Brakes
Filed Mar 3, 2024PA

At my last six month servicing the service person neglected to notice my annual inspection was due. He did, however, tell me my brake pads needed replacing. I asked how that was possible since the car had less than 10,000 miles on it. He went to check with the manager after which he came back and said my brakes were fine. I got a ticket two weeks ago for not having a current inspection. I tried to contact the dealer a half dozen times via phone and their chat feature. They did not get back to me as promised. I scheduled an inspection at a local station and the mechanic noticed when he took my tires off for rotating that my brake pads measured 5.32 seconds. There was no apparent reason for this unusual wear and tear. I tried again to reach the dealer to ask why there would be excess wear on the pads and again heard nothing back. I contacted Kia of America but they would only take a report until I got a diagnosis from a certified dealer. I reminded the rep that there would be a record from my last servicing of 11/23 but was put off with repetitions of the script they use. I am concerned that there is an issue with the rear brake installation on this car that could lead to a dangerous condition for drivers.

Electrical System
Filed Feb 28, 2024CA

My vehicle at three months had transmission failure like many 2021 Kia souls after the repair I began to experience, mini electrical issues and steering issues which are very common for this model year. Most recently I have taken it in for electrical issues. My rear brake lights are not working the fuses burn and the wiring has burned. in addition, there is a bulletin that Kia put out to their dealers asking to repair suspension and steering problems on hundreds of thousands of vehicles but this is not a recall yet my vehicle experience the same symptoms and my vehicle was not repaired siding I was too close to the end of my warranty please see the last page the Kia bulletin regarding popping in the steering the dealer installed parts at purchase of the vehicle in 2021 and please see the brake light repairs Kia motors forced me to sign a disclaimer when the when the transmission went out siding, I would never complain about the vehicle. After submitting a case to the department of Justice in California, Kia instantly reopened my case. The wiring repairs were recorded on my invoices as #Warranty repairs, but when I call Kia motors themselves, they do not show any warranty repairs performed on my vehicle. I don’t understand why they are hiding this information. Again, please see the Kia bulletin in my attachments they did not repair my vehicle based on the bulletin.

Exterior Lighting
Filed Feb 28, 202413,000 milesCA

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed at night, he became aware that the headlamps were not functioning properly. The exterior lighting warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that a short in the electrical system resulted in exterior lights burning out and identified burned wiring. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 13,000.

Power TrainCrash
Filed Feb 8, 2024GA

In April 2023 I purchased a 2021 Kia Soul. I had no issues at all with my Used Kia Soul. In Nov 2023 I was in an accident. I hit a deer and that did cause damage. My insurance company fixed it. I got my car back in Dec [XX], 2023 with approximately 96,000 miles on it. A few days later on my way to work. I entered the highway the car was running fine at 70mph then all of a sudden it lost power.. No power in the middle of the busy Atlanta Highway!! I was able to coast onto the shoulder. At that point I turned the car off. Turn the car back on to see if I was able to get it into Drive. Unfortunately that didn’t work my car didn’t move at all. I had to call the tow company get it towed back down to the collision shop. Only for the collision shop to send it to a Kia dealership. My car had been at the dealership for a few weeks. Today is February 8. I got the notice from my insurance company that the Kia dealership said I had metal shavings inside of my transmission and fluid. How does that happen? Then I decided to do some research and I noticed that this transmission is a problem. Not only a problem for people that are struggling with bills and finance charges but a problem with the manufacturing of this product. I’m not sure why there isn’t a recall on this transmission, if I was unable to get off of the highway I would have been hit. What is being done about this problem? To add injury to insult my 100,000 mile warranty isn’t any good because I’m the second owner of the car. I

Engine
Filed Feb 8, 2024LA

My engine is completely gone! I’ve been having issues with my oil since I’ve got the car and when I check my oil it’s almost always empty it’s a oil leak in the car and it’s not leaking on the ground it’s going elsewhere! A lot of mechanics have told me the same thing! I get my oil change every time it’s required.

Engine
Filed Jan 16, 2024IL

Just driving to the Mall, when at a Red light the engine service started flashing...Next day took it to Jiffy Lube to have them check, and they said it's the Engine...

Engine
Filed Jan 8, 2024CA

For years I have been experiencing the vehicle stalling, shutting off while driving, smelling oil burning and oil is disappearing which has me going to get an oil change every 1000 miles. Low oil light has never came on even when oil reservoir has been bone dry. My safety is jeopardized every time I drive this vehicle. This issue has been addressed to service center and they state according to Kia the excessive oil leak is “normal” and it’s not with any other vehicle. Also the service center does not know why oil is leaking or where oil is leaking which is a major concern. I no longer have free oil changes because I have used them all up due to multiple services for oil changes. Mind you I bought the car new in 2021.

Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Dec 7, 2023109,000 milesTX

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the transmission and the engine had failed, and both needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V259000 (Engine). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 109,000.

Suspension
Filed Nov 13, 2023PA

Turned my wheel to pull out of a parking spot. I heard a grinding noise as I moved forward and then lost the ability to steer my car. I was able to get my car off the street and upon inspection found my left front tie rod had snapped in half.

Electrical System
Filed Nov 3, 2023OH

My 2021 Kia Soul was an attempted theft. The vehicle was locked and the would-be thieves gained access by breaking the passenger rear window. The True failure is in the ignition system. As the thieves tore apart the steering column and dismantled the ignition system, and they were ready to pull away before being interrupted. This defect in the simplicity and ease of access to the ignition system without ANY safe guards to prevent theft poses a safety risk to those who may interrupt would-be thieves in the action. While also posing a risk to the general public by inciting further possible road hazards, due to the nature of those operating the vehicles.

Steering
Filed Oct 30, 2023CA

First off I do not use my lane keep assist. When traveling at any speed on a long curves of 100 to 150 ft or longer or sitting in a parking lot with the steering wheel angled between 15 to 30 degrees either left or right of center for 15 to 30 seconds the system will (in a sense) fall asleep. On the long corners this causes a dangerous situation for the driver and others because with the system falls asleep it will continue tracking the same course without recentering unless forced to re-engage. In other words it will not come out of the curve without forceful input from the driver. The vehicle has been in to the dealer where the issue has been dulpicated and confirmed by two technicians and dismissed by master tech without actually test driving. This issue should be labeled warning because serious injury or death will eventually happen.

Engine
Filed Oct 26, 2023VA

Car is doing jerk moves and it stopped working when i was driving around 30 mph in a hospital area. Ive been told that car is burning oil since day one. The only ppl changing the oil is the kia dealer and i've been told to change the oil to get it fixed but i need to change the oil every 4k miles and car is brand new from 2021... I already been in dealer reporting that car needs engine replacement and they always say that car only need oil change. However, this month a person from that dealer told me that he changed many kia same model and asked me to call kia to get the engine replace, because the car is gonna get me kill. He doesnt want me to say his name but i will sue Kia if something happens to me.

Structure › Body
Filed Oct 23, 2023NY

My car 2021 Kia Soul S, with 28, 000 miles has a water leak issue in the passanger side. The water accumulates on the floor causing mold issues so severe that it has infected the back seat. There is too much condensantion inside the car. I cannot drive the car because i am allerguc to mold, it is hazardous to my health. Please help. I have warranty on the car and an extended warranty. Please see pictures

Power Train
Filed Sep 16, 2023WI

We were traveling on the freeway 70 mph surrounded by heavy traffic at night, the vehicle started surging and bucking, shaking violently. The rpm's swung wildly from 2000 to above 3500 and car started to decelerate quickly in heavy traffic. I was able to get the car into right lane but feared being rear ended due to speed falling abruptly. Even though accelerator was being depressed and engine running car would not go and loosing power fast. I was able to turn off at an exit and there was just enough enough power to make it up a slight hill and turn right onto a round-a-bout where the vehicle would no longer move, abruptly stopping the fast traffic behind and again fearing a rear end collision to us. The engine produced power but nothing going to wheels, it was as if vehicle was in neutral no matter where the shift selector was placed. The police helped to push us off the road into a parking lot.

Power Train
Filed Sep 11, 202312,000 milesCA

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while the vehicle was idling, the vehicle stalled. Additionally, the contact stated that after activating the air conditioning the vehicle lost motive power and decelerated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the transmission was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. Also, the contact stated while depressing the brake pedal to stop the vehicle, the brake pedal extended to the floor causing the braking distance to be extended. The contact stated that there was popping sound coming from the steering column while turning the steering wheel in either direction. The contact stated the headlights were dim and failed to properly illuminate the roadway and the rear brake lights also failed illuminate while depressing the brake pedal. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact stated that the rear brake light wiring harness was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 12,000.

Air BagsCrash1 injured
Filed Aug 22, 2023OH

I had a crash that severely impacted the front end of this vehicle and the airbags did not deploy. I have minor injuries.

Engine
Filed Jul 26, 2023FL

Vehicle shuts off after being idle (stopped at a red light, stopped in traffic). It goes completely dead & will not turn back on for 5 minutes or so. I have had the car for 11 months & it is currently at the dealership having the engine replaced for the third time. Kia has diagnosed the problem as “low compression” in the engine but does not know why so their solution is replacing the engine whenever it starts stalling again.

EngineFire
Filed Jul 8, 2023TN

I was driving and car started to lose power,the service engine light came on less than a minute before the boom.l tried to speed up and then there was a big boom and it was loud, so I went to the shoulder of the road and the car stalled ,I tried to restart the car and it just engulfed into flames. The car is a total loss. That's all that was left was a metal shell.

Engine
Filed Jul 6, 2023PA

While driving my kia soul 2021 it had a complete engine failure. Completely shut down!!!

Power Train
Filed Jun 6, 2023TN

I was on the freeway, and the car was shuddering a bit before I lost the ability to accelerate. It would rev but no power to the wheels. Had to pull over and get towed to the dealer. I think it may be a transmission failure.

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Crank/Camshaft Position Sensor
Filed May 31, 202320,000 milesKY

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Soul. The contact stated that after he purchased the vehicle, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was inspected by an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the crank sensor was faulty. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to the dealer for assistance. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer where it was inspected and diagnosed that the drain plug gasket needed to be replaced and that every 1,000 miles a quart of oil needed to be added. The vehicle was repaired; however, the contact stated that he was concerned that he had to add a quart of oil every 1,000 miles. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.

Power Train
Filed Apr 8, 2023OR

I bought my 2021 Kia Soul on 10/21/20. Then on 11/11/20 my car started having transmission issues within less than one month of ownership & nearly 1000 miles on it. The transmission was replaced in late Nov./early Dec. of 2020. On 12/15/22, My Soul started revving up & the RPM needle was bouncing while driving, but the car would not go any faster when I pressed the gas pedal. I realized, I was having transmission issues with my 2021 Kia Soul, AGAIN. The car has less than 37,500 miles on it. I contacted Power Kia of Salem Oregon that day & the first appointment that I could get was on 12/29/22. I had the car towed to Power Kia on 12/27/22, then received a voicemail & text msg. from Power Kia on 12/28/22 that they will diagnose the issue. That was the last time that I got any information about my car without me contacting them. It has been OVER THREE MONTHS & Power Kia STILL has my vehicle & has not bothered to contact me with updates unless initiated by me. They have not provided any assistance for transpiration during this difficulty, even though that I told them multiple times, that I commute 80 miles daily. I bought a brand-new car to have reliable transportation to & from work, only to have to replace the transmission TWICE & be without my vehicle for nearly four months. The complete disregard of my safety by Power Kia when driving a car with a faulty transmission is reprehensible. I have developed anxiety issues, have had sleepless nights, and now have panic attacks just

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NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Full record for the 2021 Kia Soul → · Every Soul year → · How the figures are calculated →