Kia is known for making excellent value-for-money vehicles with unusual design language and solid reliability. The wagon-style Kia Soul has faced some serious complaints in the recent past however, Kia did improve the overall quality of the vehicle in its 2021 model year. With a total of 20 complaints and a single recall for its latest 2021 iteration, the Kia Soul has a decent reliability department at the most. The crossover competes with the Honda HR-V, the Chevrolet Trax, and the Nissan Kicks.
Kia Soul user complaints and problems
Engine problems
- Catalytic converter overheating: Plenty of models from the 2015 model year of Kia Soul were hit by this issue. Several complaints mentioned that the catalytic converter of the affected vehicles overheated resulting in a fire under the vehicle. In several other cases, critically low levels of engine oil led to overheating of the engine along with overheating of the catalytic converter as well. In those scenarios, the catalytic converter suffered from meltdowns too.
- Transmission problems: Several models from the recent 2020 model year of the Kia Soul faced severe transmission problems. A maximum number of the reports stated that the transmissions of the affected vehicles failed completely after covering a few thousand miles. In some cases, the failures happened much earlier. A handful of complaints also stated that after the replacement of the faulty transmission, the issue recurred.
- Engine oil leak and excessive burning of engine oil: Several second-generation models of the Kia Soul were affected by these issues and also posed a major safety concern too. Most of the owners complained that the engine would leak oil randomly without any warning which led to engine failures. In several cases, the engine consumed excessive engine oil which also resulted in engine failures.
- Engine blowing up: There are several reports mentioning engine blowup occurrences. Further inspections of the affected Soul models revealed a lack of engine oil resulting in the engines blowing up while driving. Prior to blowing up, the vehicle lost power and slowed down gradually.
Safety problems
- Airbags failure: About thousands of Kia Soul models throughout its model years were affected by airbag failure problems. All the owners complained that in an event of a crash, the airbags of the affected vehicles failed to deploy completely. The failures also resulted in mild to severe injuries as well. The vehicles equipped with curtain airbags also failed to deploy when required.
- Brake failure: Plenty of Kia Soul owners complained about brake failures. The reports mention that while braking, the brakes stopped working completely. In some cases, the braking force was extremely minimal and inadequate to stop the vehicle.
Electrical problems
- Interior and exterior lighting problems: There have been a few issues with the interior and exterior lighting systems of the Kia Soul. Both the current and the second-generation models had this issue. The owners complained that the interior and the exterior lights including the headlamps failed to turn on while driving.
2021 Kia Soul recalls
|
S.No. |
Recall Date |
NHTSA Campaign ID |
Issues noticed |
Additional remarks |
Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
September 29, 2017 |
17V608000 |
Steering Gear May Separate |
If the pinion gear separates, steering will be lost, increasing the risk of a crash. |
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. |
|
2 |
February 22, 2019 |
19V120000 |
Overheated Catalytic Converter May Damage Engine |
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. |
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. |
|
3 |
July 2, 2020 |
20V389000 |
Unintended Movement Due to Damaged Park Mechanism |
Unintended vehicle movement can increase the risk of a crash. |
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will update the electronic control unit software, free of charge. The recall began August 7, 2020. |
|
4 |
April 13, 2021 |
21V259000 |
Improperly Heat-Treated Piston Oil Rings |
A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, the oil may leak onto hot exhaust components, increasing the risk of a fire. |
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. |
Should you buy a used Kia Soul?
The affordable price tag and the cheap maintenance of the Kia Soul make it a go-to vehicle for budget-conscious buyers even in its brand-new form. Buying a used example of the Soul absolutely makes sense if you are looking for something different-looking from the rest of the lineup in the segment. The solid reliability of the third-generation makes for a great buying option while the previous generation models would require a thorough checkup for the known issues before purchasing.
