2018 Kia Soul

My KIA Soul 2018 caught on file while driving. The whole engine was in flames. I didn't want to die because my car has a manufacturing issue that KIA was not aware about. The dealership I've purchased the car from denied to give me a copy of the mechanical inspection done at the dealership Stonebriar Chevrolet in Frisco, TX. The flames started under the car and made its way to the engine, smoke was coming from the AC vents. People were able to put the fire down before it got to the gas tank. Due to the seriousness of the damage, the car stopped working and we left it on the side of the road.

The contact owns a 2018 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from underneath the hood. The check engine and oil warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed with a blown engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V750000 (Engine); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.

Unknown...the car goes into limp mode suddenly...my battery was boiling an shot liquid out of it, prior to this my other battery leaked an the alternator was bad ....when this happens suddenly you have no steering, an if course the boiling battery may explode....I've had this car checked over several times since begining of January with everything checking out fine but this still happening

My car was fine one day the next day without warnings was driving on highway and it starting riding sluggish making a rough noise I had pull over to the side of highway turn car off started back up drove home and that was the day my nightmare started. I took my car to the dealership and had a diagnosis performed and they said i need a new engine 8000.00. on 07/25/2024my car was having similar problems the y said it was a knock sensor they fixed that problem. Now I'm02 without transportation. this engine has has a lot of issues. can anybody help with this problem.

Was going down the freeway the check engine light came on pulled over and found there to be no oil on the dip stick and I had just checked it a week ago. Now the engine is knocking due to the oil consumption.

Excessive oil consumption

The engine seized up at 165,000 miles. According to one [XXX] at Trinity Automotive in Fairfield, Ohio, it's a known issue. According to [XXX] at PrebCo in Eaton, Ohio, the issue is related to low-pressure piston rings. Compression tests showed between 0 psi in one cylinder and between 55 and 58 psi in the other three cylinders. These issues have been verified at Matt Castrucci Service Center. With a GDI engine, I had been chasing down the usage of too much oil for several months. I get oil changes at 3,000 miles, and I would be 1/2 quart to 1 quart low at 3,000 miles. Dealership service staff in Beavercreek, Ohio, said that Kia considers the usage of one additional quart of oil per 1,000 miles to be "acceptable" - that makes zero sense. I was told that they would do a piston soak, and they directed me to a formal procedure on Kia's website. I used this process, and it definitely cleaned out all of the carbon. This did not fix the issue. Taking my youngest daughter to a dinner following her high school national honors society induction, I experienced an engine knock as I accelerated onto the I75 north. It felt like a strong jolt back. The 2018 Kia Soul Plus has been a 3,100-pound roadside decoration since November 2025. I still owe 14,000 on this loan, and I cannot afford an additional car payment. Replacement of the engine will be 8,500. Kia customer service told me this is an out-of-pocket expense as their warranty ended at 150,000 miles. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2018 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel was difficult to turn to the left or the right. The contact stated that occasionally the steering wheel was loose and inoperable. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact had taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the steering column gears and nut needed to be replaced. The contact was referred to a dealer for the repair. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the steering gears, the steering coupler, and the steering rack needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

Kia is aware of these issues why haven't they issued a recall for engine oil composition low and causing problems

Engine is loosing oil into the #2 cylinder, causing an damage to the downstream exhaust. Once the cylinder fills with oil, the care immediately drops in operation speed causing significant driver response and immediately surrounding vehicles

The contact owns a 2018 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, while depressing the accelerator pedal, the front of the vehicle suddenly jumped. The contact was unsure if any warning lights were illuminated during the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was not available.

Driving on freeway,two pieces of paint, flaking flew onto my windshield obstructing my view. Pulled over to see what happened and it was paint on my hood was flaking off. The paint was stuck to my windshield. My safety was definitely at risk as paint blocked my view.

Description of the Problem: My 2018 Kia Soul has a recurring and unresolved safety issue involving sudden loss of power while driving. The check-engine light repeatedly comes on, and at times the vehicle will hesitate or lose acceleration unexpectedly, creating a risk of being unable to maintain speed in traffic. Chronology: This issue has been occurring for over a year. I have taken the vehicle to the Kia dealership multiple times for the same problem. Each time, the dealership has either been unable to diagnose the cause or has returned the vehicle stating the issue was repaired, but the problem returns within weeks. Most recently, the dealership kept the vehicle for over a month and still could not identify or resolve the cause of the power loss or the recurring check-engine light. They then instructed me to pick up the car and drive it until the warning light comes back on, despite my reporting that the vehicle loses power while driving and is unsafe to operate. Safety Concern: The loss of power happens without warning and can leave me unable to accelerate or maintain speed. This has made it unsafe to drive in normal traffic conditions, such as merging onto highways or crossing intersections. I cannot safely operate the vehicle in its current condition. Attempts to Resolve: All service has been performed at the same Kia dealership since the car was purchased new. Despite multiple repair visits, including a month-long stay at the dealership, the problem remains unresolved. Kia Customer Care has been contacted, but the issue continues with no effective resolution or repair. Reason for NHTSA Complaint: Because the malfunction involves sudden power loss and repeated failure of the authorized dealership to diagnose or repair the issue, I am reporting this as a potential safety defect. I am concerned that this may reflect a broader problem affecting this vehicle model.

Low compression on cylinder 3 and 4 and the car only has 40,000 miles on it. It's not covered in warranty because it's a 2018 model but I've only had the car for 1.5 years and still owe 18,000 on it and I'm a officer and a single mother and can't afford to let the car go back when Kia knows these cars have engine issues and low compression engine problems.

9/25/25 Car would not accelerate on exit ramp and engine seized just as I pulled into Romeo Kia Kingston Car Repair Center, causing a dangerous driving situation. No prior noise or warning lights for the 6 years I have owned the car. 10/6/25 per Jared Illg, District Kia Mgr., “Although, my 2018 Kia Soul 2.0 engine is under the Class Action Settlement, my car is not under extended warranty, because I did not have the KSDS software update.” I did not receive any mailings over the years, but two August, 2025 re-notifications. •Kia KSDS software 2018 update (172/953), why wasn't update performed by Romeo Auto Group Dealership before I purchased car? •Kia’s parent company, Hyundai Motor Group removed the KSDS update requirement for its lifetime engine warranty, why hasn’t Kia? •The Romeo Auto Group Dealership owned this car and used it as a Lease Car. I am second owner, why didn't I get a Transferable / Powertrain warranty? •Why would I get a limited warranty knowing the Kia Soul has faulty 2.0 engines since 2012, defects that arise in the car that originate from the factory; resulting in numerous lawsuits and class action settlements. This is not a case of owner neglect; I have taken excellent care of my 2018 Kia Soul. •I did not receive TSB-19 and TSB 222 which refers to known defects of all these connected components: excessive oil consumption, defective piston rings, and rod bearing failure; resulting in catastrophic engine failure. My mechanic has installed a used 53,000 mi. used engine. I now have a debt of $8,817.91 for a 2018 Kia Soul I have owned for six (6) years. I am so stressed this has a disastrous impact on my financial situation. Desired resolution: I am asking for Kia America, Inc. to reimburse me my expenses of $8,817.91 (replacement engine, towing, and car rentals; attached) and provide the extended Warranty for 150,000 mi.

I thought my headlights needed cleaning because they are blurry instead of clear. As I am cleaning the headlights I tree that both of my headlights have micro cracks throughout the entire headlights This is not chips in the headlights it is literally Toni look cracks

Out of no where my engine just started knocking. No engine light came on, no oil light came on, no warnings at all. I just got an oil change 12/18/2024, with 2 top offs 04/23/25 and 07/23/25. And August 24 th my engine started knocking. I took it to Midtown kia on 08/25/25 and they told me Kia customer care won't cover the engine recall.

The contact owns a 2018 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the piston oil rings, resulting in damage to the engine. The contact was informed that a piston was missing and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V099000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 130,000.

ENGINE SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING IT DOWN THE HIGHWAY Purchased 8/5 from reseller, who had driver it over 200 miles with no issues. Had it inspected that day and no issues found. Scheduled appt w/ Clay Cooley Kia to drop off 8/12 to have warranty recalls addressed. Clay Cooley inspected and found no issues, verified in good shape; work completed 8/14. On 8/18, after driving it less than 183 miles, the vehicle COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN on the highway. The check engine light came on immediately before the car shut down, but that was all. It was incredibly dangerous. Searched online and discovered that this has been a know issue with Kia Souls. Discovered online that this was a known issue, and had previously been the focus of a class action lawsuit. Contacted Kia corporate who mandated I take it back to Clay Cooley Kia. Clay Cooley Kia refused to repair it, and Kia Corporate refused to handle further.

On 8/12/25, my 2018 Kia Soul (approx. 126,000 miles) suddenly began shuddering at low RPM with a flashing check engine light, near-stalling, and smoke from the exhaust. A warning message appeared for an engine control issue. Prior to failure, the engine intermittently knocked and displayed an oil pressure warning light. The engine burned oil at an excessive rate between routine oil changes. At the Kia dealership, diagnostic codes P0300 and P0303 were found. The dealer reported a burnt valve and seized starter, estimating $2,960 for valve repair or $6,437 for engine replacement, and stated these were not covered under Kia’s extended warranty or E2 Class Action Settlement because no P1326 code appeared. However, the symptoms match the rod bearing wear defect already covered under the E2 settlement. The dealer refused to perform the bearing clearance test (Kia’s required diagnostic for this defect) without payment, even though the settlement and extended warranty specify Kia must cover all inspection, diagnostic, and repair costs for potential rod bearing failures within the 15-year/150,000-mile coverage period. The engine failure created a serious safety risk when the vehicle lost power and nearly stalled in traffic. The burnt valve and seized starter are likely secondary effects of bearing-related long block failure. Kia’s refusal to inspect the vehicle without charge contradicts the settlement’s intent and prevents proper diagnosis of a known defect. I request that NHTSA investigate Kia’s handling of inspection and warranty coverage for vehicles showing these symptoms but lacking code P1326.