There are 21 owner-reported speed control & cruise complaints for the 2014 Kia Soulin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
My car was not accelerating all the time I was pressing the pedal. a mechanic said it was the engine.
I own a Kia Soul. The catylitic converters went out. The car won't accelerate and the car got extremely hot. When I looked up Kia Soul recalls it showed that there was a recall on the converters also that some Kia Souls had gotten hot an caught on fire. I called Parkway Family Kia. They told me that it wasn't an active recall and that they couldn't do anything. I then called Demontrond Kia and got the same answer. I talked with the service manager Brian. What can I do to resolve this?
The engine is the system that is malfunctioned and yes it is available for inspection upon request. The vehicle accelerates at a slower pace than actual acceleration pressure put on pedal and then it lurches/jerks forward at a fast pace and then slows down and repeats that process over and over. Yes the problem has been confirmed. It has been inspected by the dealership. Yes the warning lamps that often illuminate are the check engine light and the oil light. They first appeared to my knowledge on 01/2020. I have been told numerous times by the Kia dealership where I get the vehicle serviced as well as Kia America Inc. Corporate Headquarters, that the engine has a malfunction and needs to be replaced. I attempted to have this problem fixed and I have missed work and spent thousands of dollars for this vehicle to work correctly.
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at low speeds, the accelerator pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to respond. The brake pedal was depressed to the floorboard. The vehicle was slow to respond and failed to move. After the vehicle responded, the vehicle failed to exceed 35 MPH. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the heat sensor and protector shield needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was contacted but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 116,119.
RECALL SC200 ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE SAFETY HAZARD. WHILE DRIVING AFTER I GOT OFF THE INTERSTATE AND GOT OFF ON MY EXIT, I HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE IN ENGINE, THEN OIL LIGHT AND ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, I GET MY OIL CHANGED ON THE REGULAR, SMELLED REALLY HOT HAD TO TURN OFF THE CAR IT SCARED ME BECAUSE IT ALSO STARTED TO DEACCELERATE WOULD NOT GO OVER LIKE 30 40 MPH. THE NOISE WAS TERRIBLE I WAS SO SCARED THE ENGINE WAS GOING TO EXPLODE I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED. NOW AFTER THE KIA CONSUMER TOLD ME MULTIPLE TIMES THEY APPROVED THE ENGINE REPLACEMENT THE DEALERSHIP HAD SOME ISSUE DUE TO AN ECU KSDS UPDATE THAT I WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF AND IT WAS NEVER PREFORMED. SO SHE APOLOGIZED BY TELLING ME THE INFORMATION THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY PROVIDED MUTIPLE TIMES WAS INCORRECT AND I WOULD NEED TO PAY OUT OF POCKET. I READ OVER THE SC200 ENGINE INSPECTION TEST RECALL LETTER. IT ACTUALLY STATES THEY WILL PREFORM THE KSDS ECU SOFTWARE UPDATE IN ADDITION TO THIS RECALL. NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND. SENT ANOTHER ESCALATION BECAUSE THIS IS NOT FAULT OF MY OWN THE CAR IS BROKE DOWN AND ALSO NOT MY FAULT THEY GAVE ME THE WRONG INFORMATION (SO THEY SAY.) REGARDLESS THEY SHOULD REPLACE IT BECAUSE THEY ALREADY TOLD ME IT WAS APPROVED TO BE FIXED AND FOR A RENTAL. I HAVE STILL NOT GOTTEN ANY THING. I AM COMPLETELY
Car has issues when starting up. When turning on, occasionally it will take time to completely turn on, its as if it’s not receiving enough power from battery, but then it will turn on with the traction control and engine light being on. I would have to turn it off and turn it back off for those light to turn off. I’ve also driven the car and it will turn off, but the light is still on, the engine just turned off. This will also happen when I’m idle and waiting to run the car. When driving, I feel something being moved and the traction light & engine light will turn on. Especially when I try to get more speed on the car. I’ve taken the car numerous times for this issue but each time they’ve told me nothing was wrong with it. I’ve replaced battery since this was what we thought the issue was initially. On the 3rd time I’ve taken the car to get fixed, i was told that the ECM is the issue. Took a month to get the piece and car fixed. Same day receiving it back, it was doing the same thing where it would not turn on properly and the traction control light is on. And now when driving the engine and traction light are both on more often.
THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS ON MY CAR STARTED TO EXCELERATE AND REV TO HIGH RPM WITHOUT THE ENGINE SHIFTING GEARS.. THEN MY SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT AND OIL LIGHT CAME ON THE CAR MAKING THIS HORRIBLE NOISE, I PULLED OVER AND THE ENGINE WAS BARRELING BLACK SMOKE. I HAVE BEEN ON THE PHONE WITH KIA REPORTING THIS, BUT THEY WANTED $800 TO TOW IT TO THE CLOSEST DEALERSHIP, AND IT'S KIAS RECALL FAULT THAT THIS HAPPENED. SO MY CAR WHICH WAS STILL ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD LAST WEEK, IS PROBABLY PICKED UP AND IMPOUNDED BY NOW....KIA SHOULD TAKE OWNERSHIP, TOW MY CAR AND FIX IT, OR I WILL BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO LET MY CAR GO BUY, FILE BANKRUPTCY AND NEVER BUY ANOTHER KIA. I HAVE NEVER BEEN NOTIFIED OF BUT ONLY ONE RECALL WHICH I HAD MY CAR SERVICED AT THAT TIME IN 2019 FOR THAT. THIS IS TOTAL UNRESPONSIVE RESPONSIBILITY BY KIA
CHECK INLINE LIGHT IS ON AND IT KEEPS READING CATHOLIC CONVERTER AND IT WON'T GO OFF I SWITCHED MY GAS FROM 87 TO 93 AND DID A FUEL TREATMENT AND AT TIMES IT WON'T GO OVER 35 MILES PER HOUR AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEEPS FLASHING AND MY GAS RUNS OUT FAST I'VE GOTTEN A TUNE UP DONE AND A OIL CHANGE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA SOUL. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN USE, THE RPMS ACCELERATED TO 4 WITHOUT WARNING UP 48.897 MILES. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED AN ABNORMAL FUEL ODOR COMING FROM THE VENTILATION INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BILL DORATY KIA (2925 MEDINA RD, MEDINA, OH 44256, (888) 628-4559), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V123000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 48,000.*DT *TR *BF
I TOOK THE CAR INTO KIA DEALERSHIP IN CAPE CORAL, FL. ENGINE LIGHT ON. THE CAR KEPT STALLING AND WOULD LOSE ALL POWER WHILE DRIVING. I WANTED SERVICE DONE ON IT AND ALL RECALLS FIXED. THEY FIXED RECALLS AND PUT A NEW CATALYTIC CONVERTER IN IT TO SOLVE THE ENGINE FROM STALLING AND LOSE POWER. THEY TOLD ME THE CAR WAS FIXED. I PICKED IT UP AND DROVE IT ON THE HWY AND IT STALLED AT 75MPH AND TOTALLY HAD NOTHING AND HAD TO MANEUVER THE CAR OFF THE HWY WITH MY GRAND KIDS IN THE CAR. I MANAGED TO GET IT STARTED TO GET IT HOME AND IT STALLED AGAIN AT ALL THE STOP SIGNS AND WAS ALMOST T-BONED FROM THE SIDE. IT HAPPENS WHEN THE CONVERTER HEATS UP AND THE FUEL IS NOT FEED INTO ENGINE RIGHT. IT WAS TOWED BACK TO KIA AND THEY TOLD ME THE ENGINE HAS METAL SHAVINGS IN THE OIL FROM THE CONVERT GETTING HOT. I CANT BELIEVE THEY LET ME DRIVE THIS CAR OFF THE LOT KNOWING THAT THERE IS A RECALL # SC176... I ALMOST GOT KILLED WITH MY FAMILY IN THE CAR. I SPOKE WITH CORPORATE AND THEY REFUSE TO HELP ME EVEN THOUGH THE RECALL EXISTS!! I WAS HUNG UP ON DURING THE CONVERSATION WITH A CONSUMER AFFAIRS MGR. NAMED KAYLA... SHE TOLD ME THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR A NEW ENGINE! RECALL# SC176!! I NEED HELP! THE CAR IS STILL AT THE DEALERSHIP SINCE MY FAMILY WAS IN THE CAR WHEN IT KEPT DYING ON THE ROAD AND WE ALMOST WAS KILLED OR IN A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT. KIA IS NOT HONORING SC176 EVEN THOUGH IT STATES ON MY INVOICE THAT THE CAR NEEDS A NEW ENGINE BECAUSE OF THE CONVERTER FAILURE. ITS PRINTED ON THE INVOICE WITH THE WORK THAT WAS DONE ON IT. ENGINE LIGHT IS STILL ACTIVE AND THE CAR SITS. I TOOK THE CAR INTO KIA TO SERVICE IT AND ALL THEY DID WAS THE OIL CHANGE W METAL....AND CONVERTER RECALL. BUT IT WAS TO LATE THE DAMAGE HAS BEEN DONE FROM THE RECALLS OVERHEATING. THEY SAY ITS NOT THROWING THE RIGHT CODE FOR A NEW ENGINE SO THEY WONT FIX IT. I TALKED TO 3 PEOPLE .
NO DESPEGA MAS DE 50 MILLAS POR HORA Y NO REBULUCIONA MUY VIEN SE SIENTE MUY FORSADO. TENGO 3 DIAS QUE NO LO MUEBO YA ME AL DILER Y ELLOS DICE QUE LA GARANTIA YA SE ACABO CON ELLOS. QUE TAMARA ALA COMPANIA QUE LOS ASE POR QUE ES DEFECTOR DE FABRICA
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA SOUL. WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO GRIECO KIA OF DELRAY BEACH (LOCATED AT 2255 FEDERAL HWY, DELRAY BEACH, FL 33483) TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT A FAILURE CODE COULD NOT BE FOUND. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TECHNICIAN UPGRADED THE ECU MODULE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED FOR THE ACCELERATION FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 13175036. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,000.
ENGINE LOSES POWER AT TIMES FOR A SPLIT SECOND. ACCELERATION SOMETIMES CAUSES A LUNGING MOTION. ALSO HAS DIFFICULTY MAINTAINING SPEED WHILE CLIMBING SMALL HILLS. OIL RUNS DRY WITHIN A WEEK OF REFILL.
ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS WHILE IN REVERSE AFTER LETTING OFF (REMOVING FOOT FROM) THE ACCELERATOR AND MOVING TO THE BRAKE PEDAL THE VEHICLE HAS SIGNIFICANTLY SPED UP AS IF THE ACCELERATOR IS STILL BEING DEPRESSED. THE FIRST OCCASION WAS THE MIDDLE OF THE AFTERNOON ON AN UNEVENTFUL FAIR WEATHER DAY WHILE BACKING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY AND ENTERING A RESIDENTIAL STREET. THE SECOND TIME WAS IN A COSTCO PARKING LOT, AGAIN ON A CLEAR AND UNEVENTFUL WEATHER DAY. NO RAIN OR ICE ON EITHER DAY HERE IN SACRAMENTO CA. THIS SECOND TIME, THE CAR ACCELERATED WITH SUCH SPEED THAT I WAS UNABLE TO STOP MY VEHICLE FROM CONTINUING TO REVERSE AND THE ONLY THING THAT STOPPED MY VEHICLE WAS RUNNING INTO A PARKED TRUCK.
MY KIA SOUL 2014 JUST BLEW UP AND CAUGHT FIRE. THE ENGINE WAS A 4 CYLINDER GDI. THE CAR WENT UP IN FLAMES. THE ENGINE BLEW LOUD AND AS I CAME TO A HALT THE ENTIRE CAR WAS ON FIRE. THEN THE GAS TANK EXPLODED. I WAS IN CRUISE CONTROL GOING UP A HIP NOTICED THE ENGINE RIVETING HARD AND THEN THE CAR ENGINE MADE THAT LOUD BANG AND THEN IN 12 MINUTES CAR WAS ENGULFED AND GAS TANK BLEW AS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA SOUL. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 15-25 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO DEPRESS AND REQUIRED EXTREME PRESSURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ALSO ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000.
MY 2014 KIA SOUL WHICH I LEASED FOR 39 MONTHS IN JULY 2014, JUST HAD A RECALL FOR A FAULTY GAS PEDAL THAT MAY FRACTURE UNDER EXCESSIVE PRESSURE. ITS GREAT THAT I AM GETTING THE PROBLEM FIXED FOR FREE BUT I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN KIA AND THE MAIN REASON I CHOSE KIA WAS BECAUSE THEY ARE ONE OF THE SAFEST CARS OUT THERE. I HAVE A FOUR YEAR OLD DAUGHTER AND I CHOSE KIA BECAUSE OF HER AND WANTED HER TO BE SAFE WHILE WE WERE DRIVING. TO LEARN THAT SINCE THE DAY I LEASED MY CAR WHICH IS ALMOST A YEAR AGO, I WAS DRIVING MY DAUGHTER AROUND IN A CAR THAT COULD HAVE POTENTIAL CAUSED HER INJURY OR WORSE IS VERY DUE TO MY GAS PEDAL BREAKING IS ALARMING TO ME, MY DAUGHTER IS THE MOST IMPORTANT AND PRECIOUS THING TO ME IN MY WHOLE LIFE. I DO NOT FEEL THAT FIXING THE GAS PEDAL FOR FREE IS ENOUGH AND THAT SOMETHING MUST BE DONE TO MAKE UP FOR ALL THE TIMES I WAS DRIVING MY DAUGHTER IN A VEHICLE THAT I THOUGHT WAS VERY SAFE WHEN IT WAS NOT. I WOULD LIKE PERMISSION TO GET OUT OF MY LEASE SO THAT I HAVE THE FREEDOM TO GET ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT IS SAFE FOR MY DAUGHTER. ANYONE WITH KIDS SHOULD KNOW EXACTLY HOW I FEEL AND WILL SYMPATHIZE WITH MY SITUATION. *TR
AT ZERO OR NEAR ZERO MPH SOMETIMES THE CAR WILL NOT ACCELERATE AS IT NORMALLY DOES. THIS CAUSES ME CONCERN THAT I WILL MISJUDGE HOW MUCH TIME I HAVE WHEN PULLING OUT IN FRONT OF ON-COMING TRAFFIC. THIS BEGAN HAPPENING SOON AFTER PURCHASING THE CAR IN FEB. 2014. IT HAS CONTINUED THRU TODAY, JAN 26TH, 2015. I ASKED THE DEALER ABOUT IT AND THEY SAID IT MAY BE DUE TO MY DRIVING IN "ECO" MODE. THEY SAID I SHOULD ONLY USE "ECO" MODE ON THE FREEWAY. I BEGAN USING THE "REGULAR MODE" RIGHT AWAY , AROUND TOWN. I USED "ECO" MODE WHEN DRIVING FROM PHOENIX, AZ TO SAN DIEGO, CALIF. THIS WEEKEND. IT DOESN'T MATTER WHICH MODE I AM IN OR WHAT ROAD, I'M ON ; IT STILL DOES IT OCCASIONALLY. I CANNOT TELL WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN. IT CAN HAPPEN AT A STOP LIGHT OR SIGN, OR WHEN ENTERING A HIGHWAY. I FEEL THAT IT IS A VERY "UNSAFE" CONDITION AND THAT KIA SHOULD BE MADE TO CREATE A FIX. I TRADED IN A 2010 SOUL FOR THIS CAR AND AM THINKING I WAS A LOT SAFER WITH THE OLD ONE!! *TR
CRUISE CONTROL RANDOMLY CUT OFF. THEN ESC AND ABS LIGHTS COME ON AND DISABLES ANTI-LOCK BRAKES SYSTEM AND STABILITY CONTROL. BEST GUESS FAULTY BRAKE SWITCH. *TR
I HAVE HAD MY CAR TO THE DEALER 4 TIMES FOR THIS SAME ISSUE WHICH STILL HAS NOT BEEN FIXED. THE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON WHEN IT WANTS TOO AND THEN THERE IS VERY LITTLE POWER IN 1, 2,AND 3RD GEARS THIS IS A MANUAL TRANS. I ALMOST GOT HIT IN THE SIDE BECAUSE OF PULLING FROM A STOP SIGH AND WENT TO GO AND LOOKED DOWN LIGHT WAS ON AND CAR DID NOT WANT TO MOVE. ITS VERY HARD TO GET A STICK SHIFT CAR TO START OUT IN 4TH GEAR. KIA SAYS THEY WANT ME HAPPY BUT WILL NOT REPLACE THE CAR INSTEAD OFFERING FREE OIL CHANGES AND OTHER ITEMS BUT I WANT A SAFE CAR TO DRIVE NOT OTHER ITEMS. *TR
Showing 1–20 of 21 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026