The Kia Soul is a car that cannot be designated under the normal automotive categories. It isn’t a car but is not an SUV either. What it does is mix the goodness of all the segments into a funky-looking package and sell at an affordable price for the masses to enjoy. How much of the mass, you ask? More than 154,000 for the last model year alone! It rivals the likes of the Honda HR-V, the Hyundai Veloster, and the Jeep Renegade. The Soul is an interesting proposition but does suffer from its own set of flaws and issues. People are very critical of engine failures and brake failures. The fuel pump also poses a lot of issues in acceleration. To add to this, people have reported the failure of the airbags to deploy in accidents and injuring people. The car has seen one recall yet for the airbags issue mentioned above. Despite these reported issues, is the Soul worthy of its price? Let’s find out.
2017 Kia Soul Problems
Electrical issues:
- Infotainment problems: The 2017 Soul infotainment problems comprise a lagging display and frequent connection issues. People have also reported the Bluetooth system causing rattling noises during calls. There have been also been reports of the backup camera screen getting stuck. The issue comes when the car is moving and causes a lot of distraction while driving.
Safety issues:
- Airbag deployment issues: Many people have complained that the Kia Soul airbags failed to deploy after a crash. There have been several incidents reported at varying speeds and angles where the airbags failed to deploy and caused injuries to the occupants inside. In one case, the car engaged in a rollover but none of the airbags deployed. The issue was traced to a faulty Airbag Control Unit (ACU) cover that caused a short circuit and disabled the airbags. The issue can be referenced via NHTSA Campaign Number 22V031000.
- Erroneous blindspot detection: Some people report that the blindspot monitoring of the Soul does not recognize any other vehicle type other than cars. One complainant says that the car failed to identify a pickup truck in its blindspot and nearly caused a collision with the truck. Another complainant reported the same issue but wasn't lucky enough to avoid the accident.
Mechanical issues:
- Fuel pump issues: The Kia Soul's failure to accelerate is primarily an effect of the faulty fuel pump. People describe it as a complete loss of power while pressing the gas pedal. There is no movement whatsoever. The drivers had to press the gas pedal multiple times to get the car working again and pull into a safe spot.
- Engine knocking issues: There have been many Kia Soul engine knocking issues reported to the NHTSA. People have complained of hearing a loud pop sound followed by a loss in power and smoke from the engine compartment. The dealerships inform of a broken piston due to improper sealing from the factory to be the main culprit. Many lawsuits have been filed against Kia for not honoring this manufacturing defect under its powertrain warranty.
- Engine fires: Although not common, many reports of Kia Soul engine compartment smoking and lighting up into flames. People report the “Check Engine” light to illuminate and lock the engine into Limp Mode. The complainants say that within seconds of parking the car on the shoulder, it lights up with the flames originating somewhere near the engine.
- Brake failure: Some people have reported a loss in brake assistance which caused a spongy brake pedal feel. The Kia Soul brake failure primarily results due to a severe decrease in the braking of the car, affecting the braking distance. The dealerships were quick in addressing the problem and replaced the faulty component under warranty.
- Steering issues: Many people report the power steering getting locked while turning and losing power assistance. The issue comes to light at low speeds and causes a lot of maneuverability issues. One complainant has reported a collision with a lamp post.
2017 Kia Soul Recalls
|
S. No |
Date |
NHTSA ID |
Issues Noticed |
Additional Remarks |
Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. |
January 25, 2022 |
22V031000 |
Airbags |
Contact between a memory chip on the printed circuit board and the Airbag Control Unit (ACU) cover may cause an electrical short and disable airbags, increasing the risk of injury in a crash. |
Kia notified the owners and mailed letters on March 21, 2022. The dealerships will inspect the ACU and replace/update the unit for free. Kia’s internal number for the recall was SC226. |
Should you buy the 2017 Kia Soul?
The 2017 Kia Soul is a funky car but the recurring issues are no less than nerve-wracking. The car gets a truckload of mechanical issues, all of which are very serious and cannot be ignored. Although there are solutions available for the braking issues, the engine troubles have no remedy available. People are constantly facing engine failures and engine fires, which put their occupants' safety at risk. Worst of all, the Korean carmaker does not honor its powertrain warranty for the engine failures and stamps the bill to its owners. In our opinion, the Kia Soul is a good package overall but the underlying mechanical issues make it a very dangerous bet for the owners and occupants alike. We’d suggest skipping the current MY and waiting for improvements in the next MY, to be safe. In the meantime, the Honda HR-V makes for a compelling offering due to its reliability on offer. It doesn’t sacrifice much, albeit the funky looks, but gets the job done as well as the Kia.
