NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2015 Kia Soul. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
While driving home from work late at night, the car just stopped without warning and would not start again. It was towed to the dealership where I was informed that there would be a $750 diagnostic fee, but that Kia would probably not replace the engine under warranty because the recall had not been taken care of. I am the second owner of the vehicle and bought it the same year that the recall was issued. Kia consumer affairs department states that it was sent to my address, but I did not receive the notification. I cannot afford to pay $750 to find out that I will not be reimbursed and I cannot afford to have the engine replaced in a car that is worth the value of the engine. I had just changed the oil and had a valve cover gasket replaced. There was no check engine light.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V750000 (Engine) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the check engine, oil, and KSDS sensor warning lights were illuminated. The contact pulled over and was able to restart the vehicle; however, the vehicle was not responsive and shifted into LIMP Mode. The contact drove the vehicle to a dealer who determined that there were metal shavings in the oil pan. Additionally, there was and no oil in the engine. The mechanic related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V750000 (Engine). The dealer refused to replace the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
I was involved in an accident where my 2015 Kia Soul was struck from the rear end at a high rate of speed, left the roadway, hit a concrete culver, became airborne, jumped/rolled across a driveway and went through two crosstie corner posts with no airbag deployment. My seat broke 3/4 of the way up due to impact. Unknown as to reason why airbags failed to deploy with frontal impacts and unknown as to component inspection as insurance took car away to auction. I feel that the failure of these items to deploy intensified the injuries I received in the wreck.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while attempting to accelerate, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The vehicle was also consuming excessive amounts of engine oil. The check engine light had illuminated. The contact stated the failure persisted after the engine had been replaced. The contact believed that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine was failing due to the pistons being worn. The engine had been replaced when the vehicle was taken to the dealer after the first failure. The vehicle was then returned to the dealer after the failure persisted and it was diagnosed that the catalytic converter had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and it was confirmed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling) and a case was filed. The contact was referred to the dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was 120,000.
Check engine light its been on for at least 25000 milles took it to a dealer to have it fix and they sayd its not covered under warranty even though car has a bumber to bumper warranty for 10 years or 100000 milles, currently have 88000 milles Dealer adviced that I had to replace upstream and downstream catalytic sensor and so i did with money out of pocket. Problem was not resolved and now they said i have to replace catalytic converter and that they don't cover under warranty. How come a car that is less than 100000 miles will need new catalyst? This is not good for the environment and kia should be responsible at least for 100000 milles. I asked the dealer that other same model and year cars have a recall to replace rear piston and catalytic converter due to overheating and they said my car does not qualify. Check engine light is still on and they want me to pay to diagnose it and whatever is needed its at my expense.
My 2015 Kia soul engine light won't stay off so I'm trying to see if it's under warranty or recall so I can get it fixed or trade it in. Please somebody contact as soon as possible. [XXX] [XXX] is my name INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
At the inspection & emissions test on 01/10/2023, the vehicle failed with a P0420 cat code & Kia recommended I pay to replace the catalytic converter. The first P0420 was found in Aug '19 at an Auto Zone. The vehicle is available for inspection. My safety & those of others is at risk per the recall number 19V120 dated 04/12/19: "A defect has been identified which relates to motor vehicle safety. The defect may cause damage to the catalytic converter... If this condition occurs, you may hear knocking noise from the engine and/or the Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) may illuminate. Kia will upgrade the Catalytic Overheating Protection (COP) logic in the Engine Control Unit (ECU) and if necessary replace the catalytic converter and/or engine at no cost to you." This Kia's ECU was upgraded on 04/24/19. About 3 months later, the check engine (CE) light illuminated. Auto Zone found a P0420 code but the Kia dealer found a P0455 & suggested the gas cap was not installed properly. They cleared the code and sent me away. The CE was back on Nov '19. An appointment with Kia on 01/14/20 revealed a P050A code which had no resolution. The dealer "reset engine adaptive values as per techline and released vehicle back" to me. I drove in stress, praying the vehicle doesn't catch fire since it was losing significant oil. I added additional quarts about 1500 miles after each oil change. After a while I got used to the CE being on. In August of '21, AutoZone found a P0420 diag code again. I didn't think Kia would resolve the problem. I finally called Kia in May of '22 & was told of another recall #SA485. I took the Kia in on 05/31/22 with the CE light on. After the ECM upgrade the CE light was off until a few miles were driven. Inspection on 01/10/23, Kia dealer found P0420 Cat Code, failed the vehicle, & told me vehicle is no longer covered under warranty. I think the vehicle should have been recalled for catalytic converter like other 2015 Souls. Please recall this Kia.
Catalytic converter failed. Car cannot go above 10mph. I am the second owner. Original owner allegedly replaced catalytic converter in December 2021, 2 weeks before trading it in. I purchased in February 2022. Catalytic converter failed in January 2023.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle the braking system was erroneously activated, causing the brakes to engage without the brake pedal being depressed. Additionally, while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would drift to the right. The contact stated that there was also an abnormal odor of fuel present inside the cabin of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failures and referred the contact to the local dealer. The local dealer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 32,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V750000 (Engine). The contact stated that the malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) warning light was illuminated on March 19, 2023. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact called the local dealer and was informed that the vehicle needed to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 36,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The driver stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that his daughter was able to steer the vehicle off the roadway and then stopped the vehicle. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to a dealer. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the catalytic converter, and the short block needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 129,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
This 2015 Kia Soul has recalls for oil leaks but VIN has not been recalled. In 2020 check engine light was flashing and then stayed on. I drove to dealer it was bought. Kia Pride dealer on the Lynnway in Lynn, MA. said it was a knock sensor problem and needed repair. After, about six months later, check engine repeated to go on. At the Pride dealer, they updated software issues, that was what Pride dealer said. Around December, 2021, I asked to replace and change oil with synthetic oil. Three weeks , check engine light was on again. Upon this event, brought Kia Soul to Pride dealer. They suggested to drive car 1,000 miles and then return to dealer to see if the Kia Soul was consuming more oil that is allowed by Kia manufacturer. Last week drove Soul back to Pride Kia. Their customer service person said it was burning more oil in between oil changes above their protocol. Pride dealer suggested they perform a consumption test and a combustion cleaning. I did do what they recommended and and on Friday 13, 2023 paid $563.00. I was told to drive Kia Soul another 1,000 miles and return to Pride dealer , and the would determine next action step, or it could be fixed. Today Saturday 14,2023, check engine stayed on and car was stalling when given gas. The KIA Soul is back ar the Pride dealer. On Thursday 12, 2023, I spoke with Lisa at the Kia customer service center. A case file was opened , number is 15262414. Lisa informed me that because of the 2020 engine, I might be covered if engine needs further repair. I called Kia customer service center on Friday 13,2023 and spoke to Miranda and asked confirm, and inquire why the Kia Soul I drive has not been recalled. Other 2015 Kia Soul have been recalled for oil leaks and engine heating up. The two recall numbers are 20V750000 and 19V120000. What can I do about getting help from theNHTSA, if the Pride Kia dealer does not repair the 2015 Kia I drive. Alfred DiCenso adice1234@icloud.com 781.731.2221
We took our Kia Soul to a Kia Service shop Dec 2022 because the steering is making a clicking sound when the wheel is turned from the 11 o’clock to the 2 o’clock position. This condition is consistent with a Kia Safety Recall issued in November 2017, and has been confirmed by another source. We were told that by the dealership, Brandon Courtesy Kia in Florida that they would repair this dangerous steering issue for a cost of $1227.97 because they excluded it from the recall and warranty. Unfortunately we are on a fixed income, and are not able to pay for the steering to be repaired back to SAFE operating conditions. In addition, the dealership would not release the vehicle back to us unless we paid them $189.15 for a couple minute “Steering Inspection” which we were not told upfront that there would be a cost. The November 16, 2017, Important Safety Recall Notice states if the steering is not repaired the result may be “loss of steering and result in a crash.” This warning has us terrified because this dealership and Kia put profit in front of safety. We have not driven the car for 3 months fearing a severe crash and possible injury, including and up to death. We have been in constant contact with the dealership and the Kia Customer Care Center to try and resolve the Steering Safety concern with no luck. We have proposed a fair and reasonable settlement but continue to ignored . . . here is our ask to Kia . . . 1. Repair the Kia Soul steering back to a SAFE and normal operating condition 2. Refund the $189.15 charge related to a bogus inspection. Best Regards
In 2019 my check engine light came on and there was an issue with the Catalytic converter i had 65,000 miles on the car, my car burns oil and has a rough idle, now 48,000 miles later check engine light is on again and it needs a new Catalytic converter, i feel like this is a a safety concern that is related to the engine issue that they are catching fire. the deal says this isnt a warranty issue since it was already covered under warranty in 2019
Traveling at approximately 75 mph on interstate and check engine light began to flash, car lost power directly in front of tractor trailer, car was pulled over onto an exit ramp, car was rattling/knocking, brakes would not stop the car when applied. The car was moving slowly enough up the exit ramp that once it came to a stop it began to roll backwards. Unable to stop the car from rolling by applying the brakes, had to shift the car to park to stop it. Car was towed approximately 30 miles to the nearest dealership. Dealership diagnosed as needing a new engine.
MY KIA SOUL melted down 3 replaced ignitioon coils they melted and were smoking. dealer wont cover sice its electrical --i purchased a 10 year 100k mile extra warranty through fidelity in deerfield beach fl they sad battery caused it and wont even come to look at it , car just turned 57 k miles -- what can i do ?? dealer wants 4 k $ to repair
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving 15-20 MPH and pulling into a gas station, she heard abnormal clicking sounds coming from the engine and the vehicle shut off. The contact was able to restart the vehicle; however, the vehicle shut off after 10 seconds. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the engine was blown. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that they would not repair the vehicle under NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V750000 (Engine) as she had failed to complete an unknown software update on the vehicle. The contact stated that the engine was previously replaced in 2020 by a Toyota dealer due to rod bearing failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 144,000.
Engine failure due to campaign 19120000. I was never notified via phone or mail back in 2020 when this was released. Now it’s not being honored. I’ve been placed on hold, spoke with someone who then put me on another hold and back out to the beginning of the hold process. My car is doing exactly this in this campaign # and while doing so multiple other failures are following.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving 60-65 MPH, the vehicle made abnormal ticking sounds. The vehicle then appeared to be hydroplaning though the road was dry. The check engine warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the oil pressure warning light was illuminated. The contact continued driving and exited the highway. The contact veered to the side of the road and noticed a trail of oil on the roadway. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the connecting rod had dislodged and had become embedded in the engine block, causing an engine oil leak. Additionally, it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer where it was in the process of being diagnosed. The dealer informed the contact that she needed to provide 7-years of service record on the vehicle before considering whether to repair the vehicle under NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling). However, the VIN was included, and the failure was related to the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 99,200. The consumer stated after several attempts to get the problem rectified they made the decision to scrap the vehicle.
The contact's cousin owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while her cousin was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormally loud sound and then lost motive power. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with connecting rod and rod bearing failure. The dealer determined that the engine needed to be replaced but declined the engine replacement due to a lack of adequate oil change records. The contact stated that her cousin had owned the vehicle for less than a year. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while at a stop light, the vehicle shutoff with the temperature gauge indicating that the engine was overheated. The contact had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic; however, the mechanic was unable to the determine the cause of the failure. Prior to the failure, the contact stated that the oxygen sensor, water pump, alternator belt, and battery were all replaced. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) which she linked to the failure. The manufacturer was notified but offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 132,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V750000 (Engine) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that engine had developed a fuel leak and was leaking engine oil. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to a dealer. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and stated that the vehicle did not qualify for an engine replacement. The vehicle had not been repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
As I was driving up a hill close to my house, there was suddenly a loud popping noise from the front of the vehicle and very quickly the cab of the car was filled with thick black smoke. I quickly exited the car and saw that the entire engine was completely engulfed in flames. I initially tried to throw snow on the fire but realized that it was already totally out of control and unable to be put out. I ran away to a safer distance from the vehicle and called 911. The entire car was completely engulfed in the flames by the time the police and fire department responded. It still took about ten minutes for the fire to be extinguished by the fire department. The vehicle is a complete loss including many personal items that I was unable to recover. There was absolutely no warning of any issues with the engine such as a notification from a gauge indicating that the engine was over heating or any other warning lights showing any issues. I maintained the vehicle with regular oil changes and other standard maintenance. It only had 41,000 miles on if at the time of the fire. I expected it to last for many more years. Thankfully my son and our dog was not with me at the time.
While driving my father-in-law in his 2015 Kia Soul to ironically get a lube and oil service done on the vehicle, there was a loud "pop," immediately followed by smoke coming out of the engine compartment and rear of the vehicle. Almost immediately, the engine shut down, and I pulled the vehicle over. There were no warning lamps indicating any kind of problem with the engine up to that point. Thankfully, there were two off-duty wild land firefighters that had been traveling the same roadway behind us, and they pulled over to help us. They got us out of the vehicle and immediately called 911. Once we were far enough away from the vehicle, they told us that when they heard the "pop" they saw flames shooting out the back of the vehicle. While waiting for the fire department to arrive, they checked to make sure that the fire was out, which it was. The fire department arrived, and determined that it was safe to have the vehicle towed, which we did, to our local Kia dealership. The service department inspected the vehicle and determined that there was a piston rod that broke and shot out the engine, leaving a "silver dollar size hole." The service department has since said that it was due to customer neglect, and refuses to help. Similarly, the insurance company is no longer willing to cover anything. My father-in-law tried to have the current recall for the overheating catalytic converter, however our local Kia dealership refused the repair saying the car didn't qualify for the recall, and instead tried to charge $1400 to complete the repair. I believe the necessary repair was a software download. Everyone traveling that roadway was in danger. My father-in-law and I were in danger. The residents in the adjacent neighborhood were in danger. Kia needs to stop blaming these issues on their customers and take care of these problems before they get hit with wrongful death lawsuits.
Headlights flicker off and sometimes just for a second, sometimes stay off and will usually come back on if i turn them off and on again. But then it happens again. I took it to my mechanic who could not figure it out. Couldn't afford to do much so i have not been able to drive at night for a year as it's very dangerous. I called Kia and since my car is out of warranty and apparently no sort of recall for this (despite me seeing lots of complaints with the same issue) i can't afford to do anything. I'm beyond upset. I love the car otherwise. Date below is when it started, but it is ANYTIME it's driven.
Engine consumes excessive amount of oil before next oil change that causes catalytic converter to clog and the car not to perform well. This is a known Kia issue and everyone should be eligible for the engine recall. This is dangerous and cars have been catching fire over this issue. Kia knows and they refuse to fix the issue for 2015 Kia soul + owners.
On 11/14/22 I was driving on the freeway in my 2015 Kia soul, when the acceleration ability began to slowly decrease, eventually to nothing at all. No lights or anything on my dash area indicated what was happening, nor had I ever experienced this before. I was able to safely pull over to the right shoulder of the road. This was around 10pm at night so fortunately not a ton of people on the road to lose acceleration. Then my car would not start. I called AAA. I get 7 free miles of towing with them so I had it towed to the nearest auto mechanic store. The mechanics determined through a series of checks that it was the catalytic converter (not stolen, but congested, so needing to be replaced)— please see the “notes” section from the mechanic invoice. I am not sure if it would be available upon request at this point, likely not, but the mechanic could be called/asked. The mechanic was able to begin repairs the following day, and then I learned Kia might be able to reimburse me based on a catalytic converter recall for my make/model/year of car. My car is only about 7 years old so it seems odd that this significant of a repair would need to take place. I contacted Kia customer service for a reimbursement request via web submission on 11/19/22. On 11/29 I called Kia and spoke to someone on the phone. The representative told me that the catalytic converter recall was not for my exact engine type. He then indicated I report my problem to safecar.gov, and potentially this might be a problem more people with my engine of my make/model/year have experienced. I did not know about this website or that recalls developed from this! Very cool!
The engine light started blinking, I noticed even though I was pushing the gas my car wasn’t accelerating properly, and by the time i stopped & turn my car off I could hear a very low clanking noise. Check oils, everything was at proper levels, no leaks under my hood. I’m being told it could be a number of things and of course all possible issues are $500+ in repairing it. And my car has under 80k miles.
Headlights turn off after using the turn signal switch. Started happening once in a while but now it happens not only after using the turn signal switch but the headlights will turn off for a few seconds and then turn back on. Other times they will just flicker for several seconds. This is a SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. The headlights turning off or flashing at night is not a safe way of driving. There are many reported cases of this issue on the Kia Owners Portal so they can't say they didn't hear about it. I would think I could take it into Kia to have them replace the turn signal switch since that is the only thing that makes sense. And I can recreate the issue by wiggling the switch. (This is not related to the light sensor since I do not have automatic headlights.) Why hasn't there been a safety recall issued??? This has been happening for over a year and I just try to drive only during the day until Kia is forced to fix the problem. That is no longer possible as I am now working nights. What are my options to have this resolved without costing me any money??? Please have someone reach out to me at [XXX] to assist me in my research. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Vehicle began shuddering violently, with the check engine light alternating between blinking and staying lit. The oil light randomly lighting up for literally a fraction of a second despite oil levels in acceptable range. Excessive yet random consumption of oil. Severe loss of horsepower, especially upon acceleration from a dead stop. No/low compression on two cylinders. Catalytic converter needs replacing for 2nd time in 365 days. Safety Recalls not showing in system (VIN lookup), yet recently presented by dealership. Safety Recalls P12002B ECU Update KSDS 2.0L GDI, SA206 PS/EV Rear Center Seatbelt Cover, SC125 Pinion Plug Inspection Repair, & SC155 STR Gear Pinion Plug Group B. Some recalls not informed of in a timely manner. Kia Dealership & local muffler shop are the only ones to look at car. Kia Dealership stated didn't know what was wrong with Kia vehicle after a week of diagnostic testing, said to drive it elsewhere to have plugs, wires, packs & catalytic converter replaced, then return for further troubleshooting. Dealership continuing to "find" different reasons why vehicle isn't covered under extended warranty to replace engine. All issues confirmed by dealership & muffler shop, all warning lights remain on, driving vehicle as-is is a danger to self & other drivers due to engine stalling/random loss of power whilst turning, accelerating, etc. Safety Recalls not being presented in a timely manner could result in accidents and/or deaths.
I’ve had my check engine light come on ever since I bought the vehicle and the code is for catalytic converter, my car overheats and does not properly shift right engine is very shaky and unstable while driving on the road. I don’t know why my Kia doesn’t qualify for the recall when it’s having the exact issues that the recalls state
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine was making knocking sounds. The contact stated that his wife inspected the engine oil and found no oil in the engine. The dealer was made aware of the failure; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The dealer declined to perform NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V750000 (Engine) associated with the VIN due to an unrepaired ECU product improvement campaign of which the contact had not yet received notification. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.
Cylinder misfire on 1 and 2. Loss of compression on one cylinder. Loss of power, frequent oil additions. Engine shuttering/stalling. Engine warning light alternating solid/flashing. Dangerous to drive due to unpredictable stalling, loss of power/acceleration. Local KIA Dealer claimed couldn't find a problem after a week, told to replace catalytic converter. Local muffler shop said cannot replace catalytic converter until engine issue(s) addressed. Appears to be a common problem that no one wishes to address, leaving me at a loss as to what to do.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 mph, a thumping noise occurred under the vehicle and suddenly the speed was reduced and the vehicle would no longer accelerate. While coasting to the side of the road smoke was present coming from under the hood of the vehicle. Moments later flames from under the hood engulfed the vehicle. The fire department was called to the scene and extinguished the flames. No injuries were reported. The vehicle was destroyed. A fire and a police report were taken and the vehicle was towed away. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 85,000.
My car just shut down out of the blue. There was no warning of any sort as far as anything showing that needed repair with my vehicle. It just started jerking one day. I took it to the Kia dealership and they confirmed that it was due to the recall part but will not fix the part.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated that a clicking noise was present when turning the steering wheel in either direction. While driving approximately 25 MPH, the power steering failed causing the steering wheel to seize, rendering the vehicle undrivable. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the steering gear was faulty and needed to be replaced; however, the parts were on backorder. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified but no assistance was offered. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 85,000.
Catalytic converter causing vehicle not to start
While driving on the interstate. the oil change light and battery light came on and the car started spuddering immediately on the interstate forcing the car to slow down. It was towed to a local mechanic who did not notice anything wrong except there was low oil. The last oil change was performed on the car about 2000 miles ago. He topped it off and the car started running fine. After about 2 hours of driving on the interstate and the car started having trouble accelerating and started spuddering again. Drove it slowly to the nearest mechanic. This mechanic tested it and it was diagnosed with a complete engine failure. They drove it around to confirm the diagnostics. They also said the oil was low which the oil was confirmed by me and the mechanic for being full at the time of the first incident. Called Kia to check for warranty and it appeared that there was a recall for the engine but the repairs was not made. I was not given a notice about a recall. I called the dealer that I bought the vehicle who says they do not perform recall repairs on vehicles. Kia refuses to do anything about the vehicle and it almost caused a major accident on a major freeway that could have resulted in a life
Engine burns oil which led to engine failure
My 2015 Kia Soul recently went out of service. One day last month my car randomly started stalling and shaking to the point of barely being drivable. There were no signs or dashboard lights. Thursday, September 15th, 2022, I took my car to a local repair shop and they ran a diagnostic that came back as a bad Catalytic Converter on Friday, September 16th, 2022. According to the mechanic, the converter nearest the engine had broken off and pieces of it had gotten into my engine and fuel line resulting in a need for a new converter and a complete engine flush. The mechanic pulled up a recall and suggested that the car be taken to the dealership as this particular issue should have been covered under that recall. He suggested that I no longer drive the car prior to getting it repaired for my and my children's safety as my engine could have blown up at any time and caught fire. Also on Friday, September 16th, 2022, I had the vehicle towed to the Kia dealership in Napleton Mid Rivers as advised by the mechanic. The car was towed to the dealership where I made them aware of the issue and I was advised they would have to perform a second diagnostic to confirm. Monday, September 19, 2022, I get a text message from Dennis Gearhart, a service advisor for Kia - who informs me that their diagnostic came back showing that I need a replacement Catalytic Converter, oil change, and minor tune-up. Dennis advised me that the repair would cost over $2800 and would not be covered under the recall because I'm no longer under warranty and the recall was marked as done. Upon further questioning - I was advised that the service advisor in May 2019 did NOT perform a replacement under the recall because it "didn't need it" yet here I am less than 7 years after getting a new engine from KIA and I'm being told to rectify an issue they were responsible for fixing and yet refuse to mitigate. They placed my and my family's life in danger due to the negligence of their staff!
My oil is burning and it's been changed several times and is BLACK the next day plus my electrical system is messed up
I was driving on the highway and suddenly was unable to accelerate. The car went from about 65 mph to 20mph and I was not able to get it back up to speed. There were many cars behind me and it could have easily been an accident. After this happened, it was also extremely dangerous to try to merge into another lane to be able to get off at an exit or pull over. I took the car to an independent repair facility and they suspect a clogged exhaust system and pointed me to a KIA recall notice for the years my car was manufactured. They advised me to contact a dealer because it might be under warranty and the last time they attempted this repair the car started a fire. I had the car towed to a kia dealership. They say there are no recalls for my VIN # and that my car is unaffected by the SC176 Safety notice. There have been no symptoms or warning lights prior to this happening. Even while taking the car to the repair shop and also the kia dealer the car does not show any codes/messages that would indicate the car has a problem.
While operating the vehicle the power steering ubruptly stopped working for approximately 5 seconds making it difficult to maneuver the vehicle
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. Additionally, the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the catalytic converter was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The contact indicated that the vehicle was previously serviced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the failure occurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 85,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the vehicle was serviced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling) in 2019. The contact stated that after the recall repair was serviced, while driving up mountainous roadways, the low-pressure oil light would become illuminated. The contact stated he checked the oil level and found no oil on the dipstick. The contact stated that oil was added and after several weeks the failure recurred. The contact stated that he replaced the engine drain plug however, the failure continued. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or dealer for diagnosis or repairs. The contact stated that while driving 45 MPH, the engine warning light illuminated. The dealer was contacted; however, it was 4 weeks before the vehicle was diagnosed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the catalytic converter needed to be cleaned or replaced. The parts were replaced. The engine started to knock and was towed to the dealer. The report from the dealer was unknown; however, the contact stated that he was informed that the engine would be replaced under an extended warranty. The engine was replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The approximate failure mileage was 95,000.
CONSTITUENT CONTACTED SENATOR BLACKBURNS OFFICE CONCERNING THEIR AUTO COMPLAINT WITH KIA REGARDING RECALLED ENGINE REPAIR NEEDED ON THEIR 2015 KIA SOUL. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS SOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP WITHOUT HAVING THE OPEN RECALLS COMPLETED. THE DEALERSHIP DECLINED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE AND SUGGESTED THE OWNER PURCHASE ANOTHER VEHICLE.
The contact owns a 2011 BMW 32i. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V119000 (ENGNIE) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
2015 KIA SOUL. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO AN ISSUE WITH THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER. THE CONSUMER TRADED THE VEHICLE IN BECAUSE OF THE FAILURE, PRIOR TO DISCOVERING THE RECALL NOTICE.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving approximately 10 MPH and making a right turn, the front passenger’s side wheel suddenly malfunctioned rendering the vehicle undrivable. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the front passenger’s side lower control arm had fractured due to faulty ball joint. The control arm was replaced but the vehicle started to experience vibration and shaking. The manufacturer and local dealer were not notified of the failure. The contact also indicated that the vehicle had experienced engine oil consumption issues. The cause of the failure was not determined. The failure mileage was 150,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently decelerated to 30 MPH. Additionally, the vehicle failed to accelerate while driving. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that an independent mechanic had previously replaced the catalytic converter on two separate occasions; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced again. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 176,000.