Your vehicle report
2016 Kia Soul
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 817
- Received Jan 2016 to Oct 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Engine stalls and loses power while driving148 complaints · 18% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Check engine light comes on repeatedly66 complaints · 8.1% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Engine burns excessive oil between changes48 complaints · 5.9% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #19V120000Kia 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.
- Recall #17V608000Kia 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.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
- Engine stalls and loses power while drivingFirst signal: Jun 2019
- Check engine light comes on repeatedlyFirst signal: May 2019
- Engine knocking from rod or main bearingsFirst signal: Sep 2019
Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 28 crashes, 35 fires, 25 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
- Engine stalls and loses power while driving
- Check engine light comes on repeatedly
- Engine burns excessive oil between changes
8 more problems
- Engine suddenly shuts off while driving
- Engine knocking from rod or main bearings
- Vehicle suddenly loses engine power at speed
- Unintended acceleration despite braking
- Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips
- Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline
- Exhaust smell enters cabin during acceleration
- Head gasket leaks coolant into engine
Brakes
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Electrical & lights
- Vehicle catches fire from wiring
- Headlights dim or fail at night
- Turn signals work intermittently or fail
1 more problem
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2017 | 13 |
| 2018 | 18 |
| 2019 | 83 |
| 2020 | 79 |
| 2021 | 105 |
| 2022 | 134 |
| 2023 | 132 |
| 2024 | 102 |
| 2025 | 86 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 61 |
| Total | 817 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine stalls and loses power while driving | 148 | 18% | 9.9× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Jun 2019 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.5% |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 66 | 8.1% | 3.3× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: May 2019 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 1.0% |
| Engine burns excessive oil between changes | 48 | 5.9% | 2.2× | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 45 | 5.5% | 2.2× | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 28 | 3.4% | 1.4× | |
| Engine knocking from rod or main bearings | 28 | 3.4% | 4.3× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Sep 2019 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 1.1% |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 15 | 1.8% | – | |
| Paint peels off roof and hood | 14 | 1.7% | 11.7× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Sep 2024 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.5% |
| Vehicle suddenly loses engine power at speed | 14 | 1.7% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 12 | 1.5% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 12 | 1.5% | – | |
| Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly | 10 | 1.2% | – | |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 9 | 1.1% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 8 | 1.0% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 6 | 0.7% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 6 | 0.7% | – | |
| Exhaust smell enters cabin during acceleration | 6 | 0.7% | 9.7× | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 5 | 0.6% | – | |
| Turn signals work intermittently or fail | 5 | 0.6% | 7× | |
| Battery drains and dies when parked | 5 | 0.6% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #19V120000February 22, 2019378,967 vehicles affected
engine; 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.
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.
NHTSA recall #17V608000September 29, 2017342,381 vehicles affected
steering
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.
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.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2016 Kia Soul.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN