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.
The engine is leaking oil and got so hot that it melted the inside of the Catalytic converter. This is a recall on 2015 Kia Soul 1.7 liter and not on my 2015 Kia Soul 2.0 liter. I had the car towed to the Kia dealership, Larry Stovesand-Carbondale IL, 5/7/21 to perform 3 recalls: PI2002B (knock sensor), SC200PS (engine inspect/bearing clearance test) and SC155B (pinion gear). The dealership service dept. told me that they had to do the knock sensor and pinion gear recall before they could do the engine inspect bearing clearance test. They kept my car for 3 months, until 8/4/21 and told me about the melted catalytic converter, but still had not performed the engine inspect. I marked the tire with a rock on top to make sure that they did the test. After a week, I went to the dealership. They told me the car passed the engine test. I asked if the test was performed in the garage and I was told yes. I told the service personnel that my car had not been moved because I had marked it with a rock and that the rock was still in the same place on the tire. He said he was going to get the tech and immediately walked out, came back with a tech person that said that he had performed the test but that he had not put it into the system yet. I got the keys to my car and called my local mechanic and had him tow my car to his garage to replace the catalytic converter. The car had the same problems with knocking, hesitation, top speed of 60 mph, and using oil. My local mechanic said the pistons are leaking. I finally got the recalled documentation in the mail from the dealership and it showed they only performed PI 2002B & SC200PS recalls. They did not perform the SC155B recall even though they had the car for 3 months. The car stalled on the highway with my daughter driving. That was terrifying! Now the car is back at Kia for the engine test that I don’t think they did the first time. Now they said it passed the engine test again and only needs a knock sensor. That will not fix it!
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic who performed a diagnostic test that determined that the cam shaft sensor was defective. Upon investigation, the contact discovered that her vehicle was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V750000 (Engine). The following day the vehicle failed to start after multiple attempts and the vehicle was towed to the dealer. The dealer performed a diagnostic test which determined that the vehicle had experienced engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine failure was not related to the recall and was given an estimate for a new engine. The contact made multiple attempts to reach the manufacturer but each attempt was unsuccessful. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 92,000.
Had the catalytic converter replaced in August 20, 2020 at Nalley Kia in Lithonia, GA. And one year later while driving on the highway about 60 mph., I heard a knocking sound coming from the engine. Then after taking it to Sons Kia in McDonough, GA and now they are telling me that I need another one, after getting it replaced one year ago.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the Catalytic Overheating Protection Engine Control Unit logic was upgraded under NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine, and Engine Cooling) to prevent overheating of the catalytic converter. While driving at 70 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently began to stall. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that he continued to drive the vehicle, but the vehicle would not exceed 5 MPH. The contact pulled to the nearest parking lot and parked the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to Pep Boys who diagnosed that the catalytic converter had failed to cause an oil leak. The dealer and the manufacturer were not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 116,579.
put car in reverse and camera worked normal. when placed in drive camera contuined to stay on so i was drivieng with the camera showing me my back end . i feel this is dangerous. arrived at destnation and placed in park, turned car off and camera still was on with no key. i was in disbelife so i took a pic of the camera and me holding the keys up dealership stated on 7-19-21 fixed recall sc176 which after speaking with them they stated they updated the system per the recall, however i believe that they did not check out what was requested by kias recall . purcheesd car 7-31-21 2 days later code 420 came up it is stored in memoryu so not the 1st time and car drives like crap , and today found out the cataltic converter and all of it needs replacing. 2200. so either the dealership or kia is following thru. or the dealership is a crook. prior to taking in today i notifed dealership the came and got care , returned it a day later saying problem fixed, discovered they put in coverter cleaner and never even put caar on the lift
Unknown. Catalytic converter code with check engine light.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle loss power without warning and failed to restart. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 20V750000 (Engine) and 17V608000 (Steering) after the failure. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who replaced the starter and battery. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The repairs were declined due to a previous update not being performed on the vehicle. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure however, no further assistance was provided. The contact had not experienced a failure. The contact stated he only had possession of the vehicle for a year and was unaware of the needed update. Parts distribution disconnect. The failure mileage was 134,200.
2015 KIA SOUL. CONSUMER WRITES SEEKING REIMBURSEMENT RELATED TO REPAIRS MADE RELATED TO SAFETY RECALL. THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A LEAK CAUSED BY A DEFECTIVE VALVE COVER GASKET.
The contact owned a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at 65 mph, the vehicle stalled then the contact saw on the rearview mirror that there was smoke coming from the rear of the vehicle. The contact pulled over and a bystander helped open the hood of the vehicle. The passenger side under the hood had caught fire and the contact attempted to put out the fire with soda when antifreeze from the radiator was spraying and splashed onto the contact. The contact was able to move away before the vehicle exploded but was hit by glass shards from the windshield. The fire department was able to extinguish the fire. A fire department report was filed. No medical attention was received. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 141,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds there was heat emerging from underneath the dashboard. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the catalytic convertor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling). The failure mileage was approximately 18,000.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where the contact was informed there was a misfire in the engine however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no further assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
While driving, my 2015 Kia Soul lost all power and I had to coast it into a parking lot. Immediately, I checked all fluids and nothing seemed out of the normal. Had to have my vehicle towed to a garage. Upon a mechanic inspection, cylinders #1 and #4 lost compression. This car is only 6 years old and is welled maintained. I do not know how this happened or know how 2 cylinders lose compression at the same time. Gateway Kia in North Brunswick, NJ told me there is nothing they can do. I find it hard too believe that a 6 year old car with only 95,000 can just die. PLEASE HELP!
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact shifted the vehicle into park and restarted the vehicle, and the vehicle started operating normally. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the mechanic stated that the battery needed to be replaced. The battery was replaced but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer once again and the crank shaft sensor was replaced but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer again, but no failure was found, and the contact was referred to the manufacturer. The manufacturer was contacted but no assistance was provided. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was 77,000.
My engine blew, was never notified of a recall to get that fixed things the big Kia lawsuit no one has helped me I’ve been reaching out for years. Took them a year to fix my Cadillac converter I’ve been without my car for years and it’s paid off and no one will help me Kia is supposed to fix it for free
MY STABILITY CONTROL LIGHT CAME ON, THE CAR STARTED JERKING, THEN SHUT OFF COMPLETELY AT THE REDLIGHT WHEN I STOPPED, I RESTARTED IT AND THE LIGHT WENT OFF, CAR RAN FINE, BUT IT HAPPENED AGAIN AND AGAIN, TOOK TO THE SHOP THEY TOLD ME TRANS WAS FINE, NO CODES ON THE DIAGNOSTIC BUT IT IS STILL HAPPENING, THE MECHANIC TOLD ME I NEED WHEEL BEARINGS REPLACED I PAID FOR THAT, NOW THE LIGHT IS STILL COMING ON AND THE CAR DOESNT START UNLESS YOU TURN IT OFF AND TURN IT ON AGAIN.
Excessive oil consumption burning a quart of oil every thousand miles , have taken it in to Buchanan Kia 119 Railroad ave. Westminster Maryland 21157 for them to run test and it has a recall for this issue and has not been fixed , they tell us that it is normal for a car to use a quart of oil every thousand miles ,being taken in on 7/21/21 ,9/09/21,10/04/21 ,for them to run test and they say it is normal . we have been complaining about this issue back at 60k. They do not fix the issue and there is a recall for this .
A recall was done for the Catalytic converter recall work did not fix the problem the converter was replaced and 1 1/2 years later the converter melted and broke off inside which caused damage when it clogged the flow of air when I went to enter the freeway I lost all acceleration and had to be towed it took out the muffler the converter was replaced again and the muffler but the check engine light came on again after less than right hours from leaving Kia when I returned it back to Kia to have the check light read it was the timing chain intake outtake system which was most likely caused from the Catalytic converter melting and breaking apart sending the sut in places that it shouldn't be in the engine
I was driving on freeway when another car got my attention a fire had started outside (backside) so I thought I better pull over and my brakes wouldn’t stop. By this time the fire was entering the vehicle. I saw it in my backside so I acted quickly and pulled emergency brakes and jumped out before car went up in flames. I am thankful to be alive and walk away from such a frightening scene. However this is not normal and feel like this could’ve been avoided. I am notifying you so other Kia Soul drivers don’t experience anything like this.
I have a complaint about my 2015 Kia Soul car service issue. Since I purchased the car in December 2021, my check engine and oil indicator light has been on. I took my car to a car repair shop, and was told that the engine oil is being sucked into the exhaust system and to take my car to a Kia dealership. I scheduled a service appointment on 07/14/2021 and paid about $145.00 for a diagnostic system check. I was told that my catalytic converter is blocked and the cost to replace the catalytic converter and labor would be about $2,000. I would have to pay another $145.00 for another diagnostic system check about the engine oil issue. The overall car issue is that the engine oil is going into the exhaust system and causing blockage in the catalytic converter. The extended warranty that I purchased with my 2015 Kia Soul from Bob Sight Kia does not cover these issues and I don't understand why. I did some research and there was a recall {2019-02-21}, {recall number SC176} on 2015 Kia Souls of the same car issues. I contacted Kia customer service to inquire about the recall. The Kia customer service representative stated that recall number SC176 was done on my Kia Soul in June 2019, but it is not stated anywhere on my car's CARFAX report nor on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) website. On the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website it states, "Whether a manufacturer independently conducts a safety recall or NHSTA orders one, the manufacturer must file a public report describing the safety- related defect or noncompliance." As I am driving, my car will stop running while I am accelerating while driving down a street and/or highway. The car also stop running when I am stopped at a streetlight. I believe that the recall SC176 was not performed on my car.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated while his son was driving at 55-65 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently stalled. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated his son saw smoke coming from underneath the hood of the vehicle, however, he could not exit the vehicle as he was in the middle of the highway. The contact stated his son was able to exit the vehicle with the assistance of the highway police patrol. There were no injuries sustained. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who diagnosed that the engine had failed and the failure was related to the recall for NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V750000 (ENGINE). The dealer also informed the contact that they could not complete the recall repair as the contact was a second vehicle owner. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact that the failure was not related to the recall. A case was opened. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 88,890.
The contact's daughter owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at 30 MPH, the engine oil warning light illuminated, and she heard abnormal sounds coming from the engine. The contact stated that as the vehicle began to stall, his daughter veered to the side of the road and parked the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who diagnosed the vehicle but did not inform the contact of the diagnostic result. The dealer advised the contact that they could not repair the vehicle as he had failed to complete the recall repair of NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine, and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they would follow up with the dealer and assist with the repair of the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle had been at the dealer since July 12th. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact was awaiting a call back from the manufacturer. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 99,600. Parts distribution disconnect. Car is still at the dealer hickory hollow Kia in Tennessee as of March 15 it will have been there for 8 months Kia says parts still on back order.
Accelerator is beginning to catch at three distinct points when pressed halfway down or greater. The accelerator seems bent and proceeding in accordance with these recall codes: NHTSA 15V123000 and Kia SC116. These codes are for 2014-2015 Kia Souls manufactured until January 8, 2015; mine is a 2015 Kia Soul but was manufactured shortly after that date. There were no indicator lights related to this issue. Weston Kia in Gresham, OR refused to even examine the issue without a $130 diagnosis, guaranteeing nothing but diagnosis--then I'd pay for parts and labor--despite them being aware of this issue with 2015 Kia Souls. I contacted Kia directly while at the dealer and they refused to cover the diagnosis fee or acknowledge the recall being for the same model year. Customer service said, and I quote, "Well if the pedal falls off, make sure to take it in for service." I couldn't help but laugh at her.
I purchased my car in March of 2020. A month after I had my car the brake pads wore out with NO indication and the calipers broke. I called Kia and explained what the issue was. They tried to blame my mechanic. I told them that their technicians had to have known the brake pads were low if they did a thorough inspection. I was laughed at. I told the man that I was going to report them to the Better Business Bureau. He then told me to bring it to Kia. I told him it was at my mechanics and I no longer trusted their technicians to do the work on my car. Had my breaks failed I could've had a very serious accident. June 24, 2021. I had my intake gasket repaired by my mechanic. My car drove fine until I was exiting the highway. It started to lose power. I barely made it off the highway when it stopped. I contacted my mechanic and they were able to get it started to get it back to the shop. After he took a further look at it, he advised me to contact Kia to run a diagnostic which I did. They charged me $80. They then confirmed what my mechanic stated the issue was. Kia wanted to charge me over $1000 for the work. I don't trust them to do the work as well as not having the money. My mechanic repaired the vehicle but it was still doing the same thing. He spent hours trying to figure out what the issue was. He told me Kia needed to find the issue. I contacted Kia on July 7th and spoke to Jack in their service department. I asked him to have his technicians call my mechanic so they could figure it out. Jack took my information and my mechanic's information and said he would have them call. No one called. I called back that same day around 3:45pm. First Jack told me they were busy. I told him so was my mechanic. He then said they don't normally have technicians speak to mechanics. I told Jack he should've told me that when I spoke to him previously. By that point i was very angry. I told him they need to fix my car and i wasn't paying for it and i won't.
Catalytic converter failed and needed to be replaced.
My 2015 Kia Soul had a recall for the Catalytic Converter, which I was Never informed of. My check engine light came on and I took it to get checked, they told me the trouble, my husband was a mechanic so he checked id there were recalls and to find out there was one on the catalytic converter, I took it to the dealership of March in 2021, they fix the catalytic converter and changed it. Only to find out that my entire engine was ruined because of the damage from the catalytic converter. My car stalled on the freeway going 65 miles an hour with my daughter in the car. We were almost hit by a semi truck, I took it back down to the dealership after the check engine light came on told them it was stalling. They charge me for a fuel sensor and said that was the problem. I took a back down to the dealership because it was continuing to Saul after that, call the recall Center for Kia and I was told by a representative that I would be getting a new engine. When I went down to the dealership to get the new engine they told me that was incorrect and I have still not gotten my car back after two days. The dealership has yet to call me either to tell me what exactly is the issue with my car
My car started making a loud noise and the car would not accelerate as I was returning home on the highway. I was driving home on I-75 South when my car started to slow down and it was very hard to accelerate and was making a loud noise. I made it to the next exit off Sharonville Rd and made it into a gas station. I opened the hood to check the oil and it was extremely hot and smoking. I had to wait until it cooled off and put in some oil to try to make it on home. The check oil light was not lit which didn't even provide any indication that my car was out of oil during the 1/2 hour drive. I do not feel safe to drive this car, since this incident. I took it for auto repair immediately the next day. Please help with assistance with this issue.
The connecting rod bearing failed resulting in the engine failing. The engine is still in the car at the dealership awaiting approval from KIA to replace it (they are currently refusing). The engine failing while the vehicle was being operated placed me and other motorist in danger had I not been able to get it off the road immediately. The connecting rod bearing failure was confirmed by the dealership. No, the vehicle has not been inspected by anyone else besides the service techs at the dealership. It is unknown if any warning lamps or messages appeared before the failure.
4 times within 16 months, my passenger side headlamps low and high beam burned out with a melted headlamp connector plug. My 2015 Kia Soul was purchased in June 2016 and now has less than 38,000 miles. I have seen that there was previously (2016) a safety Recall SC149 Halogen Headlamp Low Beam Connector for 2015 Kia Soul but Danbury Connecticut Kia dealership denies this. I am concerned about a fire as well as cost of repairing this dangerous defect. [XXX]. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
The contact's daughter owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated while her daughter was driving 45 mph when she heard abnormal noise and saw smoke exiting from the front of the vehicle. The contact stated multiple warning lights were illuminated. The driver was able to park on the side of the road. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with needing the engine to be replaced. The driver called the local dealer and was referred to the manufacturer. The VIN was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V750000 (ENGINE). The vehicle was not repaired but was pending repairs. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure and they would not honor the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 101,027.
I was driving and check engine light went on , drove to Pride Kia where this car was purchased. Before check engine light went on car started to decrease in acceleration. And some smoke could be seen once or twice upon acceleration. Car has been at Pride Kia for 15 days and have not been told what the problem is. This 2015 Kia Soul was was taken in at Pride Kia for a product improvement on December 2020. And on February 2021, there was a recall SC200, to check engine. Currently there are two recalls for a 2015 Kia Soul. One is for a catalytic converter 19V120000. The problems described in this recall are very similar to the problems of the Kia Soul I drive. Also, recall 20V750000, is similar to the engine problems of my Kia Soul. Upon inquiring about the Kia Soul engine problems, I was informed that it seems likely it could be catalytic problem Since the check engine light is blinking, this demonstrates a catalytic problem and not a sensor problem. The stalling of the engine also has taken place when the ISG feature Is on. I asked the Pride Kia dealer service department and they said keep driving it nothing. Thank you, Al DiCenso
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving at low speeds and accelerating the vehicle was pulling. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving there was an undetermined abnormal sound detected. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the contact was informed that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer but was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000.
I purchased a new 2015 Kia Soul in the summer of 2015. Since then I have had to replace the engine TWICE and the catalytic converter at my expense. Now the engine has failed again! I asked the mechanic at the dealership why this keeps happening with a brand new vehicle. He shrugged his shoulders and responded that Kia had problems with that particular engine. Never in all this time did the dealership EVER mention this and now that the third engine needs to be replaced, they are refusing to cover it under the warranty or recall because it is at 152,000 miles and the warranty extension was up to 150,000 miles. Never mind that they should have replaced the first two engines because it was under the 150k... or that the third engine itself doesn't have 150k miles on it. They also never made me aware of the recall on the catalytic converter when it failed and I paid to replace it. The first time the engine seized was approx August of 2019, the second time was March 2020, and the third was June 2021. I've contacted Kia Customer Service - they tell me to contact the dealership. I've had it inspected by an independent third party mechanic and he is convinced that this should be covered by the recall/extended warranty
2015 Kia Soul's oil has been changed every 3K miles and has been well maintained. Check engine light came on on 4/7/21, and burning smell and vehicle was taken to service. Code showed Catalytic Converter but no open recalls for anything else. Service did not show that a Product Improvement Notice was open nor was my daughter notified in writing of that open Notice. Last night the vehicle lost all oil, threw a rod and the engine blew up with no explosion, fortunately. Kia says that will not cover the engine replacement yet it appears that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicated that there is a recall for this issue with a number of vehicles actually catching fire. The vehicle is now at a dealership in Nashville, TN but they say the replacement is not covered. Request NHTSA involvement in helping resolve this with Kia. Please contact me [XXX] and/or [XXX] as soon as possible. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
approximately 9 months ago (approximately 65,000 miles) the vehicle was operating oddly and there was a low level noise. Took it to a repair shop and they told me there was no oil showing on the dip stick. The references a NHTSA warning for this vehicle/engine that after 60K miles it begins to rapidly consume oil, something having to do with leaking valves and he oil burning up faster. The obvious problem is that the engine could seize up if this got worse. From that point forward I was putting in about a quart of oil every 2 weeks (500 miles or so). Made repeated calls to KIA and filed a report. They promised to look into it and have a decision at a regional level to repair. No response ever received. I took the vehicle to the local dealer about 2 months ago. They had nothing to report regarding my issue, treated another unrelated recall. Returned again as oil consumption was getting worse. they conducted a formal oil consumption test which showed dramatic increase in just the 2,500 miles the car was tested and at the last one said the oil was very bad and the engine was failing now, not just consuming a lot of oil. Today I was informed that any support from KIA has been denied and that my vehicle was damaged, needing over $5,000 in repair and basically worthless.
My 2015 Kia Soul is currently in the repair shop at Jim Marsh Kia,in Las Vegas Nv,awaiting an engine replacement.The vehicles engine light had come on for the 3rd time in apx 4 weeks .The first 2 times I brought the vehicle in the technician told me I probably did not tighten the gas cap and he turned off the engine light and sent me in my way.The only difference the 2nd time the engine light came on was the technician told me if this keeps happening (meaning not tightening my gas cap and causing the engine light to come on)I would need to schedule an appointment.This last time,the 3rd time,I got in the car to pick up my granddaughter and when I started the car it sounded like a bunch of nuts and bolts in a blender. I knew the problem was not anything to do with a gas cap and I had a friend follow behind me and drove very slowly to the dealership repair.I was told the car needed a new engine but the repair and a rent a car had to be authorized.I could not be without a car as I drive my granddaughter to school everyday and this week had band concerts,picnics and graduation events for 8 th grade.I was forced to rent a car in my own however there were no cars available and I spent a day having my friend drive me around trying to find one. The next day I was lucky enough to get a car when someone canceled a reservation.On May 21st,a week later the Kia dealership called and told me that I needed to call the corporate office and speak with them.I called corporate and they asked for my Vin because they wanted to see if I was part of a lawsuit.I had no idea what they were talking about. Then they told me they would fix my car and give me a rental but my car wouldn’t be finished for 3-6 weeks because the parts would be coming from many different places.I also asked the corporate office if they would reimburse me the $600- I had to pay for the rent a car .I was told to contact the dealership as they handled that.So,I contacted the dealership.More information but no space,
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving 70 mph, there was a knocking sound then a loud boom heard. The contact and her passengers detected a smoke odor and saw that there was smoke coming from the hood. The vehicle would not accelerate so the contact pulled over and turned off the vehicle. The contact then tried to turn on the vehicle but the vehicle would not restart. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that there was a hole in the engine. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer and diagnosed that there was a hole in the engine which caused the oil to leak. The dealer notified the manufacturer of the failure however, the manufacturer informed the dealer that they were not responsible for the repair since the contact had not gotten the recall repair for the Electronic Control Unit (ECU) software update. The contact stated that she received the recall notification six days before the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 93,050.
THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HER HUSBAND WAS DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOSS MOTIVE POWER. THE DRIVER PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. SEVERAL UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE LOCAL DEALER. 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 MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.
ENGINE SEIZED. JUST HAD OIL CHANGED AT SUMMIT PLACE KIA OF GRAND RAPIDS 2000 MILES AGO. ENGINE LIGHT NEVER CAME ON. NO KNOCKING. CALL STALLED, DASH LIGHTS BLINKING AND WOULD NOT START. TOWED,
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 DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving 72 MPH, she became aware that the vehicle was overheating with the high engine temperature warning light illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of road to let the vehicle cool down. The contact then restarted the vehicle and heard a loud knocking noise coming from the engine. The contact had the vehicle towed to a local dealer who inspected the vehicle and diagnosed the vehicle with engine damage. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
CAR HAD BEEN PARKED IN DRIVEWAY FOR 12 HOURS, THEN SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUSTED IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS.
SO I WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM RUNNING ERRANDS, CURRENT SPEED WAS 45 BECAUSE OF TRAFFIC SIGNS AND THEN HAD TO YIELD BECAUSE I NEEDED TO TURN LEFT, STARTED GOING ONCE I WAS ABLE TO SO SPEED WAS ABOUT 0 THIS TIME, TRIED TO TURN AND START TO GET CAR UP TO SPEED AGAIN WHEN CAR DECIDED TO START STUTTERING AND THE CAR ENDED UP NOT GOING PAST 20 MPH. IT WENT FROM 45 TO 20 AND REFUSED TO GO HIGHER, EVEN WENT DOWN TO 10. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME AND WAS FORCED TO PULL OVER. CAR WOULD DRIVE AFTER CHECKING TO MAKE SURE THERE WERE NO LEAKS OR ANYTHING ELSE VISIBLE. CAR WOULD ABSOLUTELY NOT GO PAD 25 IN A 55. WAS A VERY DANGEROUS RIDE HOME BECAUSE CAR HAD STARTED ROLLING BACKWARDS OUT OF NOWHERE. CAR CURRENTLY STILL JUMPS AND HAS NOT BEEN DRIVEN SINCE 1ST SCARE. THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED IN 2019 BY THE DEALERSHIP AFTER ONLY PURCHASING THE CAR AND HAVING IT FOR 2 MONTHS WITH AN OLDER ENGINE, I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA WHY THIS HAS HAPPENED AGAIN. THE CAR ALSO RECENTLY WAS CHECKED FOR RECALLS WHEN OIL CHANGE WAS DUE
I took my car to a Kia dealership after the engine recall in 2020, and again this year. In 2020, they told me there wasn't anything they could do without the code. It seems very much like Kia are manipulating these recall rules. My car is making the rod noises and squealing noises related to this recall. It often loses power around 65 miles an hour. They charged me $75 for a diagnostic, and attempted to charge me $2750 for a catalytic converter repair that they said was unrelated to my engine issues. They're wrong, it was absolutely related to my engine issues. Cat converters don't cause rod noises. I'm deeply upset and angry, because I feel like I've been chasing Kia for at least 2 of the 6 years that I've had this car, and I'm really tired of getting screwed by these big companies using our system against us. I have to pay the bank, the car dealership, and the government, but nobody has my back when KIA sells me a faulty engine? They're sponsoring every major sporting event with the value they're stealing from us. They lie about engine codes. They lie about their diagnostics. I've owned a bunch of cars. I know what an engine sounds like when it's dying. They told me "it's under warranty until 150k. Bring it back if it dies." THIS IS CRIMINAL. I've been forced to pay full value of this vehicle, for a vehicle with a faulty recalled engine. I can't resell it with this engine unless I take a massive loss. I already filed a complaint with the NHTSA about this in 2021. I am filing another complaint, because Kia hasn't resolved the issue yet. Someone is going to be responsible for this, and I'm never going to give up. I want my engine replaced, and I want criminal charges brought against the exes at this company. I'm deeply affecting my emotional state, and frankly, I'm saddened by the fact that I can get suckered into buying a 5 star vehicle (NHTSA rating) only to be met with this chaos.
CATALYTIC CONVERTER OVERHEAT IT CAUSING MUFFLER TO MELT THE BUMPER. CAR ALSO OVERHEATED DUE TO THE ISSUE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HIS DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL TICKING SOUND COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND NOTICED THERE WAS NO OIL IN THE ENGINE. THE OIL LEVEL WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO RICK CASE KIA (14500 W SUNRISE BLVD, SUNRISE, FL 33323, (954) 715-7580) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT DECLINED TO REPAIR THE VEHCILE. THE CONTACT STATED THE FAILURE WAS LIKE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 19V120000 (ENGINE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING) FOR WHICH THE VIN WAS INCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 83,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V750000 (ENGINE). THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THERE WAS A KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE WITH THE ENGINE OIL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. GRINDSTAFF KIA (3608 BRISTOL HWY, JOHNSON CITY, TN 37601) AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE MAINTENANCE RECORDS WERE NEEDED BEFORE THE RECALL COULD BE SERVICED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE REMAINED AT THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,300.
WHEN DRIVING WITH THE NEED OF HEADLIGHTS, THEY WILL FLASH/FLICKER OFF AND BACK ON AGAIN WHEN USING MY TURN SIGNAL PRIMARILY. I THOUGHT IT WAS A ONE OFF WHEN IT HAPPENED ONCE, BUT IT HAS NOW HAPPENED MORE THAN ONCE AND I HAVE FOUND OTHERS ONLINE THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THANKFULLY IT HASN'T BEEN ON A BUSY HIGHWAY, BUT IT IS ON BACK ROADS THAT DON'T HAVE MUCH LIGHTING.
WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL ALL OF A SUDDEN THE IT BEGAN TO SMELL LIKE IT WAS OVERHEATING. THEN CAR STARTED TO LOSE POWER AN STALLED OUT. I PULLED OVER LET IT SET FOR A GOOD 30 MINS. I CHECKED ALL THE FLUIDS EVERYTHING WAS GREAT. SO I STARTED THE VEHICLE WHICH WAS HESITANT BEGAN DRIVING DID GREAT FOR ABOUT 15 MINS. AND THE SAME SMELL PLUS SOME OTHER SOUNDS CRAZY BUT EGG SMELL OCCURRED AND I PULLED OVER ABOUT 4 MINS AFTER I BEGAN TO NOTICE IT WAS RUNNING STRANGE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AN NOW THIS VEHICLE MISSES AND DOES NOT RUN CORRECTLY. I CHECK THE FLUIDS AND TIRES EVERY MONDAY AND THURSDAY. I WENT TO HAVE THE CODES FOR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT THAT CAME ON AFTER THE INCIDENT HAPPENED. IT GAVE ME SEVERAL ISSUES THAT WASNT THERE AT ALL BEFORE WHATEVER HAPPENED HAPPENED.
THREE OPEN RECALLS THAT PREVENT THE CAR FROM BEING SAFELY DRIVEN, BUT MY LOCAL DEALER SAYS THE SOONEST OPENING THEY HAVE IS IN 2.5 MONTHS TO PERFORM THE WORK
TL* 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 RAY BRANDT KIA LOCATED AT 1884 WESTBANK EXPY, HARVEY, LA 70058, (504) 356-7072, HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026