2014 KIA SOUL Complaints

Brakes completely failed. It turned out that the brake line for the rear wheels rusted through where it bends near the rear wheels and all of the brake fluid was lost. I had just completed a 400 mile trip (New Hope, PA to Wash DC and back) and it was just my good fortune that the failure occurred in my driveway and not on I95

The contact owns a 2014 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine, and Engine Cooling). The contact's mother took the vehicle to the local dealer and had the recall remedy completed. The contact stated in November 2021, while driving approximately 40 MPH, while depressing on the accelerator pedal the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact was unable to park on the side of the road and was able to continue driving shortly after however, the vehicle failed to accelerate over 20 MPH. The contact stated she had to stop four times before arriving at her residence. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle back to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the rear catalytic converter replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated after leaving the dealer, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to two separate independent mechanics and was informed that the original main catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact took the vehicle back to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the original main catalytic converter replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 82,558.

Lack of power and would not go above 60 on highway. KIA of Des Moines says oil consumption and oil everywhere and that Catalytic converter clogged which made the piston rings blow out.

While driving at 15-20 mph, the engine started knocking loudly, smoked a little and died. There were NO warning lights or messages. There were NO previous symptoms, the car had been running fine and the oil and water had been checked 3 days prior. My car had never leaked or burned oil. I was able to restart it, the knocking was very loud. I was a couple miles from home so I slowly drove it home stopping 3-4 times to allow it to cool. At home I checked the oil and all had drained out except what was still dripping out underneath. A mechanic friend added oil and started it, it still knocked loudly and he thought a rod and/or rod bearing were bad. I parked it not knowing what to do yet. A little over 2 months later I was notified of recall 20V750, SC200. This was during covid. Between end of Jan 2021 (when notified) and Nov 2021, I had been quarantined 4 times and had lost my job so I couldn't afford to tow to the dealer. When I did, Nov 22,21 the dealer would not honor the recall because an update on the KSDS on the ECU was not done. The recall letter said they would do the update and repairs. I researched all letters from Kia to their dealers, other owners and NHTSA. THERE ARE NO RESTRICTIONS or conditions regarding this. ALL information states the update will be done with recall repairs, there is no time limit given (other than an offer to recieve a free Visa with update that expired 11-15-21), and suggests to do it asap. Even letters to dealer had 2 Q&A letters, each had a question if there were any restrictions on owners, the answer is no on both letters. There are NO restrictions regarding the updated ECU, the warrenty, or condition of the car. Kia DOES give the dealers instructions for cars that are towed in, if stored, if they start, if they crank. Each of these INCLUDE updating the KSDS, again making the excuse I was given false. There was NO reason the update could not be done and my car repaired PER KIA'S instructions to dealers and recall owners.

The contact owns a 2014 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the oil warning light was illuminated after an oil change. Upon inspection, the contact noticed there was no oil in the oil reservoir. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where various unknown tests were performed. The dealer diagnosed that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of oil, which caused the engine to fail. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000. The consumer took the vehicle to Kia of Cherry Hill, NJ, who stated the engine could seize at anytime even though with the car having regular oil changes.

Car has issues when starting up. When turning on, occasionally it will take time to completely turn on, its as if it’s not receiving enough power from battery, but then it will turn on with the traction control and engine light being on. I would have to turn it off and turn it back off for those light to turn off. I’ve also driven the car and it will turn off, but the light is still on, the engine just turned off. This will also happen when I’m idle and waiting to run the car. When driving, I feel something being moved and the traction light & engine light will turn on. Especially when I try to get more speed on the car. I’ve taken the car numerous times for this issue but each time they’ve told me nothing was wrong with it. I’ve replaced battery since this was what we thought the issue was initially. On the 3rd time I’ve taken the car to get fixed, i was told that the ECM is the issue. Took a month to get the piece and car fixed. Same day receiving it back, it was doing the same thing where it would not turn on properly and the traction control light is on. And now when driving the engine and traction light are both on more often.

I had the Knock sensor recall updated on my car last year. This installation was faulty so Kia had to create a software for my car for the knock sensor. Recently, my car has starting losing momentum when trying to drive and it's slow to shift almost like it's stuck in safe mode which is what happened after the kds was put in place. I believe the software or the sensor may be malfunctioning. This is affecting my gas mileage and possibly harming my transmission. This could possibly cause me to be in an accident with severe injuries or death.

Live in Dallas,TX. In MS 12/29/20 when engine failed, no warning. Did not receive recall until 1/28/21. KIA Wilson Flowood,MS kept my Soul until I retuned in person to MS 4/7 and demanded they return my Soul. Admitted they had to finish installing engine. I picked it up 4/9. I knew before I left MS my vehicle was not running as it was before the incident. Took to Central KIA Plano,TX. Kept it several days but was told they found no issues. Soul still not running as before. Went for oil change 11/9 & was informed I had almost no oil. Said appeared oil pan not fitting correctly. Took to Southwest Kia Dallas. When I picked it back up was told oil pan had not been reinstalled property & same for the engine. Said multiple screws & bolts missing.They took pics & sent to their district mgr. I contacted my KIA consumer advocate. Bottom line was told my responsibility to take car back to Wilson in MS for them to correct poor workmanship. I do not feel safe driving my Soul for fear the engine will fail again. If it should happen on Freeway, especially in Dallas, I could easily be struck by another vehicle. I feel KIA should correct their issue & authorize a local Dallas dealer to do so. KIA has put it in my hands to correct. Why would I drive my Soul 456 miles back to dealership that did not repair it correctly in the first place? I have no faith they would correct the issues.

This vehicle has been a nightmare for half of the time that I’ve had it. I first took it back to the Kia dealership in 2019 because of the check engine light and told them it was pulling a 420 code I knew that was a catalytic converter which had been recalled. After a few hours of having my car they told me that no repairs were needed so they marked the recall as complete. I had to continue to drive with a check engine light on for several months. I brought it back again because I needed it to be fixed in order to pass the state inspection for registration renewal . At that point they did put on a new catalytic converter. Ever since then it has been leaking or burning oil. I’m not sure how it’s gone through so much oil but the oil light has stayed on more than it’s turned off despite putting a quart in every couple of days . For the last month I’ve been doing 2 quarts at a time. Two nights ago my engine light started flashing on the highway. My car was shaking violently. When I got to my destination my engine completely died and the car started rolling backwards in the street as I went to put it in park. I have since towed my vehicle twice to different auto shops. Currently they’re saying that it needs a new engine because of the oil problem and are quoting me $7800. I believe that this was part of the recall and that I should’ve received a new engine two years ago. Instead I have easily spent more than $1000 this year on oil alone. And I cannot afford an engine that is worth twice as much as the car itself. I am very lucky that I wasn’t stranded on the interstate and even luckier that my car didn’t catch on fire. For that I don’t credit the car I credit the fact that I slowed down well below the speed limit to finish my route.

The engine on my Kia Soul blew about 3 months ago. My husband was driving on the highway when the car started acting funny. It lost the power to accelerate and steer. He was able to make it to a gas station where he checked all the fluids. He found there to be NO oil!! There was no indication light or warning! As a matter of fact, we had the oil changed about a month prior to the incident. We also had the car into the dealership for a recall about the knock sensor detection system, maybe 3 weeks before this happened. I'm very upset, Kia will not work with me because the car has a little over 100,000 miles. I just don't understand how the engine could have been bone dry with absolutely no indication of it. There were no oil puddles in the driveway, no smell of burning oil, and above all else NO warning lights!!! Nobody was hurt, but they absolutely could have been!