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2016 Kia Soul

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Soul years

Owner complaints for the 2016 Kia Soul are substantially higher than the model-year median of 225.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

362 reports with mileage · 448 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine. Review the 555 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 105 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 83 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

28 crash reports35 fire reports17 injury reports

Engine complaints

555 reports
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Mileage unknown · Oct 21, 2024
Engine

My kia has always used a lot of oil to the point I need to top it off regularly despite getting recommended oil changes and doing recommended maintenance. Recently My engine started misfiring so I replaced all spark plugs and ignition coils, but was still having issues. Found out today that catalytic converter is main issue and …

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My kia has always used a lot of oil to the point I need to top it off regularly despite getting recommended oil changes and doing recommended maintenance. Recently My engine started misfiring so I replaced all spark plugs and ignition coils, but was still having issues. Found out today that catalytic converter is main issue and needs to be replaced. Dealer is requiring I bring in to determine if a warranty will cover. Never had a check engine light but very slow acceleration that created several dangerous situations for me on the road. My professional mechanic repaired other issues/diagnosed this problem.

NHTSA ODI #11621027

Mileage unknown · Oct 10, 2024
Engine

Engine coils needing replacing and knock system sensors were replaced, car continues to burn oil from engine until there is none left. The engine is reported as failed by mechanic. I constantly put oil in between the frequent oil changes.

NHTSA ODI #11619129

90,000 miles · Oct 8, 2024
EngineEngine And Engine Cooling

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the contact was informed that the engine was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the…

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The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the contact was informed that the engine was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact was referred to the manufacturer who later referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to file a complaint. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

NHTSA ODI #11618704

88,507 miles · Oct 3, 2024
Engine

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the check oil warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer where it was diagnosed. The dealer advised the contact to have a service treatment performed to the engine because of a possible oil consumption issue. The vehicle was serviced; howeve…

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The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the check oil warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer where it was diagnosed. The dealer advised the contact to have a service treatment performed to the engine because of a possible oil consumption issue. The vehicle was serviced; however, the vehicle was consuming engine oil. The vehicle was returned to the dealer for service; however, the dealer declined to service the vehicle. The dealer informed the contact that the vehicle was no longer under warranty. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 88,507.

NHTSA ODI #11617975

126,000 miles · Oct 3, 2024
EngineEngine And Engine Cooling

The contact called on behalf of a consumer who owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment and the vehicle lost automotive power. The contact pulled over and allowed the vehicle to cool down for several minutes for the vehicle to r…

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The contact called on behalf of a consumer who owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment and the vehicle lost automotive power. The contact pulled over and allowed the vehicle to cool down for several minutes for the vehicle to return to normal operation. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an auto repair shop to be diagnosed; however, the diagnostic result was unknown. The contact researched and became aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 126,000.

NHTSA ODI #11617941

Mileage unknown · Oct 1, 2024
Engine

I've never had an issue with my car since I got it about 5 years ago. Then all of a sudden on Sunday the engine just went out and I lost power . Now it won't start unless it's charged and my mechanic says I need a whole new engine.

NHTSA ODI #11617438

29,980 miles · Sep 27, 2024
Engine

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed that there was oil leaking from the front end of the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The dealer was not contacted. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufactur…

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The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed that there was oil leaking from the front end of the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The dealer was not contacted. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 29,980. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA ODI #11616872

107,000 miles · Sep 23, 2024
Engine

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was it was diagnosed and determined that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made awa…

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The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was it was diagnosed and determined that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 107,000.

NHTSA ODI #11615966

Mileage unknown · Sep 21, 2024
Engine

Catalytic converter is not working properly. Car lost power. Coral Springs Kia diagnosed but they say it is not warranted by factory. I have the contract where it says engine warranty until 100k miles or 10yr. This car has less than 90k miles in this moment. They are billing me 5,880 if I want they repair

NHTSA ODI #11615758

Mileage unknown · Sep 20, 2024
EngineFire

On July 8th at 12:15 am my 2016 Kia Soul Engine suddenly caught on fire while I was driving alone on the I-5 by the grapevine. I am a 25 year old woman and was stranded alone on the side of the highway in a very flammable remote area known for fires at 1am. I heard a strange knocking sound while driving and pulled over as it s…

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On July 8th at 12:15 am my 2016 Kia Soul Engine suddenly caught on fire while I was driving alone on the I-5 by the grapevine. I am a 25 year old woman and was stranded alone on the side of the highway in a very flammable remote area known for fires at 1am. I heard a strange knocking sound while driving and pulled over as it started smoking and it immediately caught fire under the hood while I was still in the vehicle. Cars were flying by and I was stranded alone in flip flops and pajamas as the glass windows were exploding and I threw my heavy luggage to the side of the road. I was 4 hours into a 6 hour drive away from anyone I know in the middle of the night in a dangerous situation. I texted my boss I wouldn’t be able to make it to work the next morning. My car was totaled and I had to pay $982.50 for towing and additional fees and my friend had to drive 2 hours to pick me up at 2am since my family lived 4 hours north and all my friends lives 2 hours south. No warning lights came on, it's been properly serviced with oil changes every December and July each year within less than 7,000-10,500 miles between each oil change. I was terrified I almost started a forest fire and I have a copy of my 911 call recording where I frantically called and panicked because I was so scared and alone. 16 other people called it in. I submitted a claim for the Kia engine fire risk settlement that was ironically due that day of the accident and my VIN# was a class action vehicle because the previous owner had the KSDS "knock detection sensor" service done on the car. My settlement claim was denied because they state there wasn't enough proof of a qualifying fire but I'm currently trying to sort this with Kia since it burst into flames without any warning other than a loud noise 20 seconds before. The firefighter's incident report states the fire started in the engine area and the police report says it was caused by an unknown mechanical issue in the engine.

NHTSA ODI #11615677

Official recalls

2

19V120000 · Engine; Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:emission Control:catalytic Convertor

Feb 22, 2019

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Kia Soul vehicles equipped with 1.6L Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) engines. High exhaust gas temperatures may damage the catalytic converter, possibly resulting in abnormal engine combustion and damage to one or more of the engine's pistons and possible piston connecting rod failure.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Piston damage may result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash. A broken connecting rod may puncture the engine block allowing engine oil to escape. The leaking oil may contact the exhaust, increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will upgrade the Catalytic Overheating Protection Engine Control Unit logic to prevent overheating of the catalytic converter. In addition, the catalytic converter will also be replaced if it has been damaged. Depending on the extent of any damage, the engine may also be replaced, free of charge. The recall began April 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC176.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Engine

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Kia Soul vehicles equipped with 1.6L Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) engines. High exhaust gas temperatures may damage the catalytic converter, possibly resulting in abnormal engine combustion and damage to one or more of the engine's pistons and possible piston connecting rod failure.

Consequence: Piston damage may result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash. A broken connecting rod may puncture the engine block allowing engine oil to escape. The leaking oil may contact the exhaust, increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will upgrade the Catalytic Overheating Protection Engine Control Unit logic to prevent overheating of the catalytic converter. In addition, the catalytic converter will also be replaced if it has been damaged. Depending on the extent of any damage, the engine may also be replaced, free of charge. The recall began April 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC176.

Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:emission Control:catalytic Convertor

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Kia Soul vehicles equipped with 1.6L Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) engines. High exhaust gas temperatures may damage the catalytic converter, possibly resulting in abnormal engine combustion and damage to one or more of the engine's pistons and possible piston connecting rod failure.

Consequence: Piston damage may result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash. A broken connecting rod may puncture the engine block allowing engine oil to escape. The leaking oil may contact the exhaust, increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will upgrade the Catalytic Overheating Protection Engine Control Unit logic to prevent overheating of the catalytic converter. In addition, the catalytic converter will also be replaced if it has been damaged. Depending on the extent of any damage, the engine may also be replaced, free of charge. The recall began April 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC176.

17V608000 · Steering

Sep 29, 2017

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Soul and Soul EV vehicles. The pinion plug may allow the pinion gear to separate from the steering gear assembly.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If the pinion gear separates, steering will be lost, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and secure the pinion plug or replace the steering gear assembly, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 16, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC155. Note: This recall supersedes campaigns 14V-332 and 15V-736. Vehicles previously remedied under those numbers are being recalled again under this campaign.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

EA21003 · Engine Fires

Opened Dec 22, 2021 · Closed Feb 5, 2024

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine

On March 29, 2019, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened two Preliminary Evaluations (PE19-003 on Hyundai and PE19-004 on Kia) to broadly investigate incidents of non-crash fires (regardless of origin or operational status of the vehicle) on various model year Hyundai and Kia vehicles.  During the PE investigations, Hyundai and Kia issued several recalls to address vehicle fires, including those due to engine failures involving various engine types.  The remedies for the engine failure recalls typically involve engine inspection (to detect existing damage), and if necessary, engine replacement.  Additionally, both manufacturers have been installing an engine control software modification known as Knock Sensor Detection Software (KSDS) which is intended to detect impending engine failure, alert the driver, and limit engine power (to lessen likelihood of engine failure).KSDS is being installed under recalls and non-safety field actions, and both companies have extended limited engine warranties (see recall files). On December 22, 2021, ODI upgraded PE19-003 and PE19-004 to this Engineering Analysis (EA21-003, covering both Hyundai and Kia) to evaluate the scope of the prior recalls related to engine failures/fires and the efficacy of the recall remedies for the recalls, as well as the long-term viability of related programs and non-safety field actions being conducted by Hyundai and Kia.  The former issue involved approximately 550,000 MY 2013 Hyundai Elantra, MY 2011 Kia Sorento, and MY 2012-2015 Kia Rio.  The latter issue involved approximately 2.5 million recalled vehicles, which have been identified as displaying potential remedy concerns: Hyundai recalls 15V-568, 17V-226, 20V-746, and 21V-727; and Kia recalls 17V-224, 19V-120, 20V-750, and 21V-844. Regarding the recall scope issue, among all of the scope vehicles identified at EA opening, ODI found only the MY 2011 Kia Sorento vehicles equipped with both the Theta II 2.4L 4-cylinder Multi-Point Injection (MPI) and the Lambda II 3.5L 6-cylinder MPI engines experienced relatively high rates of reported fires.  In December 2023, Kia issued recall 23V-877 that will cover about 80,000 MY 2011 Kia Sorento vehicles equipped with the Theta II 2.4L MPI engines.  The remedy will involve an inspection, and if necessary, a replacement of the engine, as well as the installation of KSDS.  It should be noted that in 2021 these vehicles were included in a KSDS product improvement campaign with warranty extension.  For the MY 2011 Sorento vehicles equipped with the Lambda II 3.5L engines, ODI believes that future engine failures/fires involving these vehicles will likely be due to a lax in adhering to the proper or scheduled engine maintenance (regular engine oil changes), rather than a design or manufacturing engine issue. Regarding the issue of the efficacy of the recall remedies, ODI found the majority of the recalled Hyundai and Kia vehicles, by model, experienced lower reported fire rates after the remedies were applied.  Furthermore, ODI found that for most vehicles that did not receive the recall remedies, by model, experienced relatively high fire rates.  To address this problem, Hyundai informed ODI in December 2023, that it will renotify all of its owners covered by the Hyundai recalls of engine failures/fires every 8 months for the next 3 years.  In December 2023, Kia stated that it will renotify the majority of its owners every 8 months for the next 3 years.Several previously recalled Kia models are excluded from the renotification due to their lower reported rates of engine fires.  Overall, the renotification actions will help to increase the recall completion rates, thus reduce the frequency of engine fires in the future. In view of the recall action being taken by Kia and renotification actions being taken by both Kia and Hyundai, ODI is closing this Engineering Analysis.  Also, both companies have been released from the 2020-iniated Consent Orders (Kia since November 2022 and Hyundai since November 2023).  The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances.  To review the reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.