Your vehicle report
2021 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
- 239
- Received Oct 2020 to Oct 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Engine stalls and loses power while driving39 complaints · 16% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Engine burns excessive oil between changes16 complaints · 6.7% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Engine suddenly shuts off while driving12 complaints · 5.0% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #25V099000Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Seltos and Soul vehicles. The piston oil rings may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in engine damage.
- Recall #21V259000Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Soul, and 2021 Seltos vehicles equipped with 2.0L Nu MPI engines. The piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which may result in engine damage.
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: Feb 2025
Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 12 crashes, 3 fires, 5 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 13 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
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 |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2021 | 15 |
| 2022 | 12 |
| 2023 | 25 |
| 2024 | 14 |
| 2025 | 92 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 78 |
| Total | 239 |
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 | 39 | 16% | 17.9× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Feb 2025 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 3.6% |
| Engine burns excessive oil between changes | 16 | 6.7% | 4.4× | NHTSA recall #21V259000, #25V099000 |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 12 | 5.0% | 2.1× | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 8 | 3.4% | 1.7× | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 6 | 2.5% | – | |
| Automatic emergency braking applies without reason | 5 | 2.1% | 1.3× | |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 5 | 2.1% | 0.8× | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 4 | 1.7% | – | |
| Steering wanders or pulls at highway speed | 4 | 1.7% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 4 | 1.7% | 0.8× | |
| Paint peels off roof and hood | 3 | 1.3% | 3.6× | |
| Ignition key sticks or will not turn | 3 | 1.3% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 3 | 1.3% | – |
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 #25V099000February 17, 2025137,256 vehicles affected
engine and engine cooling: engine: hard parts internal/mechanical
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Seltos and Soul vehicles. The piston oil rings may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in engine damage.
Engine damage can cause a vehicle stall or fire, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Dealers will also install piston-ring noise sensing system (PNSS) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 4, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC336.
NHTSA recall #21V259000April 13, 2021147,249 vehicles affected
engine
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Soul, and 2021 Seltos vehicles equipped with 2.0L Nu MPI engines. The piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which may result in engine damage.
A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, oil may leak onto hot exhaust components, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the engine, free of charge. In addition, Kia will deploy Piston Ring Noise Sensing System (PNSS) software. The recall began June 11, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC209.
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 2021 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