In the world of subcompact wagons, the 2014 Kia Soul is the latest entrant and it is one that brings a lot of excitement. A whole new generation debuts this year and the car has always been a quirky one, which has appealed to the youth. It has dashing looks, and relatively accessible price, and a few good powertrains. However, being a debut model year, the reliability has been quite pathetic, reporting 685 complaints this year alone. The brand has responded with 5 recalls. With Kia Soul engine problems being common, other areas like the steering, airbags, and electrical system have also given owners a lot of trouble. It starts at an MSRP of $15,695 but price alone does not make it attractive when it has rivals like the Nissan Cube and the Scion xB. Let us read more about the Kia Soul problems through this article.
2014 Kia Soul User Complaints and Problems
Mechanical problems:
- Many owners have complained that the brakes of the car are making a squeaky noise. On several occasions, the brake pedal fails to respond causing crashes.
- One of the most common complaints is that the Kia Soul engine jerks and stalls. This has affected the largest number of owners regarding this car. There is excessive knocking and stalling.
- Multiple cars have complained about excessive oil consumption. Oil leaks are also an issue that has affected a large number of cars. Catastrophic engine failures are quite common.
- One of the most common Kia Soul car complaints seems to be the engine failing to respond to driver input. The acceleration you get out of the car is erratic and often not according to the inputs of the driver.
- The steering system is a common problem area and loss of power steering assistance is a very common occurrence. Many people have also observed sounds coming from the steering wheel. However, the worst problem seems to be the fact that it can completely detach from the column and cause a complete lack of control.
Electrical system problems:
- The engine start-stop system has failed in a large number of vehicles and the owners have had to jumpstart the car.
- The instrument cluster in this car is known to be a common area of failure. It can fail to provide any data to users and can shut down completely..
- There is a serious Kia Soul immobilizer problem and the manufacturer has to follow up with necessary updates to stop the issue. This makes the cars more susceptible to being stolen.
- There have been multiple cars that were involved in incidents where a fire broke out from the engine compartment and engulfed the car entirely.
Interior problems:
- A large number of owners have reported that the accelerator pedal fractures while driving and they are not able to control the vehicle.
Exterior problems:
- There have been a few instances of complaints about the trunk of the car being open and not being able to shut.
- The headlights, taillights, and turn indicators have reported several complaints regarding malfunction.
- There have been a good number of owners complaining that the windshield cracked while the car was being used.
Safety problems:
- A large number of accidents have resulted in the airbags not being deployed.
- In many cases, the car has produced airbag warning lights although the drivers were not involved in any accidents in that car.
- A few complaints have been about the seatbelt material fraying. This will prevent it from securing an occupant properly.
2014 Kia Soul Recalls
|
S. No. |
Date |
NHTSA Campaign Number |
Issues Noticed |
Additional Remarks |
Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
February 18, 2022 |
22V096000 |
Airbags may not deploy |
The airbag control unit cover can contact the memory chip on the circuit board and damage the circuit. This can prevent airbags from deploying |
Dealers will replace the ACU and update the software |
|
2 |
December 2, 2020 |
20V750000 |
Engine damage may cause fire |
An engine compartment fire can occur while driving |
Dealers will inspect the engine compartment for fuel leaks and perform repairs |
|
3 |
February 22, 2019 |
19V120000 |
Overheated catalytic converter can damage engine |
The catalytic converter may overheat and this will result in abnormal combustion and damage to engine pistons |
Dealers and upgrade the catalytic converter overheating protection |
|
4 |
September 29, 2017 |
17V608000 |
Steering gear may separate |
The steering gear can separate and result in loss of vehicle control |
Dealers will inspect and secure the pinion plug or replace the steering gear assembly |
|
5 |
March 2, 2015 |
15V123000 |
Accelerator letter pedal may fracture |
Due to a manufacturing error, the accelerator pedal may fracture |
Dealers were instructed to replace the accelerator pedal |
Should you buy the 2014 Kia Soul?
The Kia Soul has a lot going for it in terms of the excellent features list as well as the cabin that is quite spacious for how small the car is outside. Its driving manners do not exactly match up to its rivals but it still gives a decent experience. However, the thing that weighs it down is the fact that the reliability has been quite terrible. With engine failures occurring very commonly, we cannot recommend this car despite the effort Kia has put to recall the car and fix its faults. And when it comes to it, its rivals haven’t been able to prove their reliability either. We feel the Nissan Cube is a little better although it doesn’t attract as much overall.
