2016 Kia Soul problems
NHTSA has received 1,169 complaints about the 2016 Kia Soul, and 57% of them involve engine. After that come fuel system (7%) and drivetrain & axles (5%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 1,169 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Engine 57% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 34 and 62
- Injuries and deaths
- 39 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 81,000 miles 523 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 43 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 39 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 54 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 111 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 109 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 83 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 44 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 30 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 4 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 2 |
| 200k+ miles | 4 |
What the data shows
Among the 523 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 80,000 miles. For engine specifically, the median reported mileage is about 91,000 miles (329 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 34 complaints mention a crash; 62 complaints mention a fire; 39 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2016 ranks 3rd most-complained-about out of 15 model years of the Kia Soul with enough data (490 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 2 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Four car collision, kia soul 2016 was the first car. Slowing down for a red light on a city street, breaks did not work. There were no skid marks on road. No one was cited during the accident, officers on site had belief there were other complications rather than driver negligence.
For a week or two when I turned the heated seat on I would often feel a very intense heat from the seat back when it started up for a period of time. I had just recently had a back injury so I thought perhaps my back was being overly sensitive. Finally on the 27th just after I started driving the car in the morning I felt the burning feeling on my back again and stuck my hand behind me to feel the seat.
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, there was smoke detected and the vehicle was making an abnormal popping sound. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who informed him that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under the extended warranty. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired.
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling) regarding the heat shield for the catalytic converter, which, was replaced under the recall. The contact stated that the vehicle began to malfunction after the repair. The vehicle would jump and shift into gear roughly while driving at various speeds. The RPM was revving abnormally.