2016 Kia Soul Complaints

SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — Filed 09/04/2026

Was driving car lost power of steering and brakes black smoke filled vehicle I jumped out of the car and it went up in flames . The vehicle behind me said the flames were coming out of my front engine

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING — Filed 08/05/2026

The contact's grandmother owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while his grandmother was driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that due to the failure and the outside temperatures, his grandmother was stuck inside the inoperable vehicle. The contact's grandmother sustained a heat stroke while waiting for assistance. The contact's grandmother was transported to the hospital. The vehicle was taken to Firestone, where DTC: P0420 and P0302 were retrieved. The contact was informed that the codes indicated an engine misfire. While driving to Firestone, the failure reoccurred, and the vehicle stalled. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to the dealer for assistance. The vehicle was towed to the dealer; however, the failure was not duplicated. In addition, the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling); in 2021. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 59,242.

ENGINE — Filed 03/01/2026

I had the oil changed on my car at a local tire and lube shop. Two weeks later I drove to Vegas (7 hrs one way). While in Vegas I started to hear a super faint clicking noise coming from under my hood, but no lights came on inside, so I assumed maybe it was nothing serious and would have it checked when I returned home 3 days later. On the way home (2 hrs from home) the clicking got louder. I attempted to pass some cars and, as I accelerated, the clicking got much louder and then I heard a loud clank and the car shuttered. I proceeded to pull over and got out of the car and saw small flames and smoke coming from under my car. A couple had pulled over with me and had a fire extinguisher which they used to put the fire out. Upon towing the car home I found a piece of metal hanging from a melted piece of plastic. I inspected it and discovered that it was a piece of a piston from my engine. There was also a puddle of oil and a streak of gasoline on the trailer that had come from my car. I experienced catastrophic engine failure. When the engine broke it punched a hole in my oil pan which caused a fire and burned a hole in my fuel line. I am unsure of what caused the engine to fail, but in seeing the recalls for the exact same thing happening to previously recalled Kia Souls I figured i'd check it out to see if I may be included in that. No lights came on alerting me to any problems. There were no signs of leaking oil. Just clicking that got louder and then a loud noise and shudder and fire.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ENGINE,FIRERELATED — Filed 03/08/2026

The contact owned a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power and the engine made an abnormal sound. The contact turned off the vehicle to let it cool down. The vehicle was restarted and taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the catalytic converter and exhaust pipe had caught fire and melted. The mechanic performed an oil change and drilled a hole in the catalytic converter, and advised the contact to take the vehicle to the dealer for the recall repair. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the spark plugs were saturated in engine oil. The dealer flushed the radiator and performed a second oil change; however, the dealer refused to perform the recall repair. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic, who replaced the spark plugs but refused to repair the engine until the recall was repaired. The contact stated that later while coasting downhill in neutral (N) after adding a quart of engine oil due to no oil in the engine, he heard an implosion coming from behind the driver's side front seat. No warning light was illuminated. The contact unbuckled his seat belt and jumped out of the vehicle, fracturing his ribs. The contact suffered burns to his right hand, legs, left side of face, nose, and eyebrows. The contact stated that the vehicle rolled downhill, and there were flames underneath the vehicle on the passenger's side. The contact ran after the vehicle. The vehicle drove into the bushes and came to a stop. Two bystanders alerted the contact that there were flames inside the vehicle. The police were called and arrived, attempting to extinguish the fire with an extinguisher until it was empty, and the fire had restarted. The firefighters arrived and extinguished the fire. A police report was filed and included with the fire department. The contact was transported to the hospital via ambulance and received medical attention. The vehicle was towed to the tow yard, where it was totaled by the insurance company. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 79,000.

AIR BAGS — Filed 11/13/2025

AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — Filed 08/22/2025

While driving my 2016 Kia Soul Plus on the highway, smoke began coming from the rear of the vehicle. Within seconds, flames were visible. Other drivers flagged me down, and I was able to pull over. I evacuated three dogs from the car, but the vehicle quickly became engulfed in flames and was a total loss. The fire department responded and extinguished the fire. There were no warning lights or unusual performance issues immediately before the fire started. The vehicle had not been modified and was in regular use. This incident posed a severe risk to my safety, the safety of my pets, and others on the road. My VIN currently shows no active recalls, but Kia has issued recalls for engine and electrical fire risks in other Soul models. The fire appears related to engine, electrical, or fuel system malfunction. I strongly believe this defect should be investigated for inclusion in Kia’s fire-related recalls.

ENGINE — Filed 03/04/2025

My 2016 Kia soul had the engine white come on. I took it to have the computer read what the problem was. It came back engine knock sensor. I was told there was a recall on this and I needed to take it to an authorized Kia dealer. I took this to an authorized Kia dealer who told me that that was a faulty check engine light there was nothing wrong with the sensor, but my pistons were bad and I needed a new engine. Well, when I read further into the recall, it specifically said that this check engine sensor issue could affect the engine. My car just hit 100,000 miles. I had regular service. I now have a Kia who is sitting in front of my house not being able to be run. I truly feel that there is an issue that was not addressed when it was checked the check engine light indicated faulty knock sensor. This recall connected that there may be issues with the motor if this were the problem. I feel like I’m being taken advantage of. I am currently without any transportation and cannot get any help. Is there anything you can do to help me?

AIR BAGS — Filed 10/15/2024

STEERING WHEEL AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY DURING AN ACCIDENT. THE SIDE AIBAGS DID DEPLOYED. CAR WAS GOING 55MPH AND COLIDED INTO ANOTHER CAR WITH FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TOOK MAJORITY OF THE FORCE.

ENGINE — Filed 07/08/2024

On July 8th at 12:15 am my 2016 Kia Soul Engine suddenly caught on fire while I was driving alone on the I-5 by the grapevine. I am a 25 year old woman and was stranded alone on the side of the highway in a very flammable remote area known for fires at 1am. I heard a strange knocking sound while driving and pulled over as it started smoking and it immediately caught fire under the hood while I was still in the vehicle. Cars were flying by and I was stranded alone in flip flops and pajamas as the glass windows were exploding and I threw my heavy luggage to the side of the road. I was 4 hours into a 6 hour drive away from anyone I know in the middle of the night in a dangerous situation. I texted my boss I wouldn’t be able to make it to work the next morning. My car was totaled and I had to pay $982.50 for towing and additional fees and my friend had to drive 2 hours to pick me up at 2am since my family lived 4 hours north and all my friends lives 2 hours south. No warning lights came on, it's been properly serviced with oil changes every December and July each year within less than 7,000-10,500 miles between each oil change. I was terrified I almost started a forest fire and I have a copy of my 911 call recording where I frantically called and panicked because I was so scared and alone. 16 other people called it in. I submitted a claim for the Kia engine fire risk settlement that was ironically due that day of the accident and my VIN# was a class action vehicle because the previous owner had the KSDS "knock detection sensor" service done on the car. My settlement claim was denied because they state there wasn't enough proof of a qualifying fire but I'm currently trying to sort this with Kia since it burst into flames without any warning other than a loud noise 20 seconds before. The firefighter's incident report states the fire started in the engine area and the police report says it was caused by an unknown mechanical issue in the engine.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — Filed 06/16/2024

I purchased this 2016 Kia Soul from a dealership in April, 2024. On [XXX], I was driving on a residential street when I heard an explosion. Smoke poured from the back of the car and from under the hood. I tried to stop, but the brakes failed. I put the car in park, but it would not stop. I finally put the emergency brake on and it stopped. By this time, the car was basically a fireball. I had to get out by stepping through fire. I inhaled smoke from the burning and melting elements of the vehicle. The fire department arrived quickly, but it took 10-15 minutes to put the fire out. I have since learned that Kia knew of the problem and there was a class action suit against them, which it is too late for me to file a claim on. As [XXX] , I am very concerned about the situation. My insurance payout won't be enough to replace the car and I am unable to secure a loan. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — Filed 03/22/2024

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 40 MPH, the battery, steering, and ABS warning lights were illuminated. The steering wheel then seized. The contact stopped the vehicle in the left lane of the highway when another vehicle sideswiped the passenger side of her vehicle and fled the scene. The air bags did not deploy. The contact experienced sore body pains, but medical attention was not received. No police report was filed. The contact activated the hazard lights, and the vehicle shut off after an hour of idling. VDOT arrived on the scene and attempted to jumpstart the vehicle, but the vehicle was unable to restart. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the alternator and battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL — Filed 02/06/2024

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact was parking the vehicle when it inadvertently accelerated resulting in crashing into a store. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact mentioned that the brake pedal was depressed and that the accelerator pedal was not accidentally depressed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard where the insurance company adjusted the vehicle's exterior damage. The vehicle was later towed to Caliber to assess internal damages. The air bags in the vehicle failed to deploy. There were no injuries and no property damage. A police report was filed. The contact notified the manufacturer of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 195,000.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — Filed 02/01/2024

INCIDENT: [XXX] Driving from [XXX] to [XXX] Notice a slight gasoline smell in the car. I figured it was traffic smog. [XXX] I noticed the inside of the car still smelled of gasoline. Looked up on Google to see if this was an underlying issue. My quick search led me to believe that it was severe. Firestone Complete Auto Care [XXX]: After a quick lookup on Google, I called my local Firestone via Bluetooth to see if they had an opening today. When I talked to a worker describing my concerns, they told me there were no openings that day and that tomorrow ([XXX]) they were available. I booked an appt for [XXX] at 10 a.m. When I finished talking to FireStone, I was driving through [XXX] . Driving through [XXX] to get back home ([XXX]): I stopped at a light that intersects between [XXX] and [XXX]. I noticed that the hood had smoke coming out and saw flames. I quickly grabbed my important belongings and tried to direct traffic behind me to go around me. I called 911, gave my location, and described the incident, and then they called the fire department. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

ENGINE — Filed 06/18/2023

My 2016 soul burst into flames following a loud explosion in the engine compartment. The vehicle is a total loss; but, the fire department extinguished the fire before the flames reached the fuel tank. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Engine and No How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Could have easily been killed had I not recognised the symptoms immediately and had the time to react. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Irrellavent. The vehicle caught fire. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No. There is nothing left to inspect. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? Only seconds before.

ENGINE — Filed 09/09/2019

Was idling at a red light, the engine warning light came on, and my engine set on fire. No reason. I jumped out of the car. Thankfully someone came over and threw water on it. Engine to be completely rebuilt (under warranty). Took 3 weeks.

FIRERELATED — Filed 04/06/2023

The contact was an administrator of a probate trust who was filing a complaint on behalf of the deceased owner of a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while a relative of the deceased was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was shaking. No warning lights were illuminated. The deceased relative pulled over into a parking lot and noticed there was smoke coming from the engine compartment before the vehicle caught fire. The fire department arrived on the scene and extinguished the fire. No injury was sustained. Police and fire department reports were filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The vehicle did not have insurance coverage. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ENGINE — Filed 01/11/2023

The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle began to overheat and there was smoke coming out from underneath the hood. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road. The vehicle then caught on fire. The contact stated that a significant amount of oil had leaked underneath the vehicle onto the ground. The contact was able to extinguish the fire with the assistance of the fire department. The contact was unsure whether a fire department report or police report was filed. There were no injuries sustained. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the failure was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine, and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired under the recall as the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

ENGINE — Filed 10/06/2022

Motor stalled while I was driving, steering wheel locked taking me to a ditch. No warning on the dashboard, no lights on. It only has 100k on it. My only car to get me where I need to be and I still owe money on it. I called Kia, they said they can’t do anything unless I take it there and paid their fees. That would mean pay a second toe truck, plus their diagnosis and then labor. The guy I talked to said I’m looking on about 12k to fix my car! I’m a single mom. It’s hard as it is now I have no car. Struggling to find my way to work so I don’t loose my job!

UNKNOWN OR OTHER — Filed 09/15/2022

VEHICLE STARTED FIRE. while driving we smelt a weird burning smell but went away we got off the highway and smelled it again but couldn't figure it out opened the hood and flame came up from back side of engine I was able to dump water on it and extinguish the fire then I noticed the cause of the fire the rubber strip under the hood towards back side of the motor somehow came off and fell into engine compartment laying across front pipe and exhaust manifold. Luckily no damage to vehicle

ENGINE — Filed 07/20/2022

I found a recall issued for my car in 2019, the dealership I bought it from told me it was repaired somewhere in New York in 2019, but it is having the same issues. I paid 2400 out of pocket to have the catalytic converters replaced, along with replacing the pcv and purge valves, as they were clogged due to the overheating. My oil consumption is crazy, about 5qt a week. If the 9V120000 recall WAS actually done, it wasn't successful or done properly because I am having the same issues and my engine could fail at any time. Due to stalling and acceleration issues, I think my pistons are beginning to go. I've already put thousands into this car I've only had for a year, and that is unacceptable. I need to know what can be done. I got in an accident with a pickup truck due to my engine stalling unexpectedly.

ENGINE — Filed 04/29/2022

My car suddenly caught fire. I am assuming it was the engine because the fire started under the hood of the car. I never received any information regarding a recall or a safety issue but when the Vin was checked by my insurance inspector the recall came up.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER — Filed 10/15/2021

Trouble is when i get speed with the car and press the brake the system fail and i dont have any acceleration. Ex. When i go about 50mph or more and press the brake. The electrical system fail and show on dashboard "check ev system" and after restart or shutdown the car and power on again the system works normal

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — Filed 01/20/2022

Catalytic Converter overheated causing a fire beneath the car.

ENGINE — Filed 12/23/2021

DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY OTHER MOTORIST FLAGGED ME DOWN TO TELL ME i HAD A FIRE UNDER NEATH, FIRE DEPT WAS CALLED TO PUT OUT. TOWED TO AUTOMOTIVE SHOP WHERE THEY SAID THEY PUT ON SCAN TOOL TO PULL CODE CODE SHOWS SIGNS OF JUMPED TIMING, PUT UP ON HOIST AND FOUND ROD HAD BENT AND PUT HOLE IN ENGINE. NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SEATS,UNKNOWN OR OTHER — Filed 11/27/2021

For a week or two when I turned the heated seat on I would often feel a very intense heat from the seat back when it started up for a period of time. I had just recently had a back injury so I thought perhaps my back was being overly sensitive. Finally on the 27th just after I started driving the car in the morning I felt the burning feeling on my back again and stuck my hand behind me to feel the seat. I felt burning on my hand and pain and yanked my hand away immediately, pulled over, and looked behind me at the seat, in time to see a curl of smoke coming out of a small hole on the back of the seat. I also found that the palm of my hand had a small mark beneath the base of my thumb where I had felt the burning pain. It took at least half an hour for the burning sensation to fade. I also detected an odor of smoke for a bit afterward. I had no warning that this was going to happen other than the burning feeling the heated seat had started to generate upon my back- no warning lights or such. I have not had any service done on the problem yet though I intend to contact Kia soon; so the car is currently in the same state although obviously I don't turn the heated seat on anymore since I don't want things in my car to be on fire.