2022 KIA SOUL Complaints

The contact owns a 2022 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway and observed smoke coming from the engine compartment. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to restart. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who determined that the engine had seized but was unable to diagnose the vehicle. 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 70,000.

The contact owned a 2022 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 35 MPH, another vehicle attempted to merge in front of the contact, causing the front driver side of the vehicle to collide with the rear passenger end of another vehicle, but the air bag did not deploy. The contact sustained neck and shoulder injuries. Medical attention was not sought as of yet; however has a doctor appointment scheduled. The vehicle was then towed to a tow lot where it was deemed totaled. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 49,000.

When vehicle stopped at red light, foot on break. The whole car shut down and locked up and I was unable to move. I had to turn the car off and back on and jerk the wheel to get it to respond again. This happened twice in one drive. This is right after getting my car back from dealership for parts that had to be replaced due to a re-call.

I am submitting this complaint regarding the well-documented engine defect involving faulty piston rings in Kia vehicles, which has led to an official recall 25V099. While Kia has agreed to repair the engine IF it fails when it fails, they have refused to offer a repurchase or fair compensation for the diminished value of the vehicle — despite the fact that this defect is a manufacturer-responsible issue and has significantly compromised the value, safety reputation, and resale potential of our vehicle. We purchased this vehicle in good faith, unaware of any such defect at the time of purchase. The recall, once publicized, instantly reduced the car’s market value and undermined confidence in its reliability — even if a repair is offered. We do not believe a mere repair fully resolves the financial impact or the breach of trust involved. A permanently compromised engine, even when repaired, may still pose long-term risks that affect performance, safety, and value. This is a material defect that devalues the asset we financed. Kia’s current position is to offer only repair, refusing buyback or compensation for depreciation resulting from their manufacturing defect. This is not acceptable, as it disregards the economic harm to consumers and the loss in vehicle equity stemming directly from Kia's own negligence. We are requesting that NHTSA investigate Kia’s broader policy in addressing this defect, including whether its refusal to compensate consumers for lost value constitutes a failure of consumer protection standards under federal safety and recall law. We respectfully ask that NHTSA: Continue oversight of Kia's recall process and consumer remedies. Encourage Kia to offer buyback or financial restitution to impacted owners. Recognize that for many consumers, a repair does not restore what was lost. Thank you for your attention to this matter. I am happy to provide documentation of our purchase, communication with Kia, and further details as needed

The contact owns a 2022 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated while accelerating before the vehicle stalled. Additionally, while decelerating, there was a knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer on several occasions, but the cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V099000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 32,000.

My car keeps losing a major amount of oil and has been doing that before the correct date or miles is due for a new oil change and then my car makes a funny noise. It has issues when I accelerate, it langs, it takes longer to get up to speed and the shifting sometimes is loud and behind, my rpm goes really high and I'm going no where at times. My air conditioner also makes a really bad humming sound on when turned up. Not exactly sure on date when started honestly. It's been some months now.

Rodents chewed through the main wire harness on my vehicle on 2 separate occasions, both times in the same exact location. This recurring damage poses a serious safety risk and may be linked to soy-based wire coatings that attract rodents. The first incident required a $4,979.27 repair, covered by insurance; I paid a $500 deductible. The vehicle was diagnosed by Boonton Auto Body Shop. I recently discovered a second instance of rodent damage in the exact same location, which has not yet been repaired. This led me to investigate further and learn that this may be a common issue in certain vehicles, possibly due to soy-based insulation. I filed a complaint with Kia, but they denied responsibility. The main wire harness is critical to safety systems including braking, steering, engine performance, lighting, and airbags. Although I caught the issue before any accident occurred, undetected damage could lead to serious safety failures while driving. Some may argue the issue is environmental, but I also own a 2012 Toyota Prius, which I own and park in the same location since 2012. That vehicle has never had any rodent damage. This suggests that the problem is not just environmental, but may be due to the design, material based, or placement of the wiring in the Kia. Many consumers are unaware they can report safety-related issues to NHTSA. After being denied by the manufacturer, most are left with high repair costs and no resolution. I am concerned that if consumers remain silent or unaware of this process, Kia will not be held accountable. This is not an isolated case. The repeated, location-specific failure and the manufacturer's refusal to act show a clear pattern of potential design defect. I urge NHTSA to investigate this issue seriously, issue a recall to ensure Kia addresses the problem and protects consumer safety, and require the manufacturer to reimburse affected consumers for repair costs. This issue must be addressed before a serious accident occurs.

I am submitting this complaint about a serious and unresolved safety issue with my Kia vehicle. Kia is currently attempting to reverse an active recall on my vehicle, despite the fact that the issue still exists and has not been fixed. This is an extremely dangerous situation, and I believe they are doing this simply to save money, not to protect drivers. My vehicle was at a Kia dealership for over three weeks, during which time no meaningful repairs were made. The only service performed was a cabin air filter replacement, which I was charged for. The original issue—covered under an active recall that warned of a potential engine fire—was never addressed. Now I’ve been told I need to pick up my car and drive it, even though Kia acknowledges the vehicle is still under an active recall. The dealer told me that if it “acts up,” I can bring it back. This is completely unacceptable. I should not be expected to risk my safety or the safety of others by driving a vehicle that Kia itself has said could catch fire. It is extremely troubling that Kia is trying to walk back the recall status, leaving drivers like me to deal with unsafe vehicles. They had my car for weeks, made no safety repairs, and now expect me to drive it with the same risk that triggered the recall in the first place. This is not how recalls should work, and I am asking NHTSA to investigate Kia’s handling of this issue and ensure they are held accountable for knowingly putting unsafe vehicles back on the road. Thank you for your attention to this serious safety matter.

I am writing to formally report a concern regarding my 2022 Kia Soul, which is exhibiting symptoms identical to those described in NHTSA Recall 25V099000 (engine recall for excessive oil consumption and potential fire risk in 2.0L Nu MPI engines). Vehicle Information: VIN: [XXX] Year/Model: 2022 Kia Soul -Engine: 2.0L Nu MPI -Manufacture Date: October 2021 -Current Mileage: 61,091 My vehicle is consuming oil at an abnormal rate. I have documented that oil levels drop dangerously low by approximately 2,000- 3,000 miles after each oil change. Multiple inspections by Kia service technicians at Ricart Kia in Groveport Ohio (where the vehicle was purchased) and 1 time at Coughlin Kia in Lancaster Ohio and they have found no external leaks and no visible signs of burning, yet the issue persists. I have also undergone Kia’s standard oil consumption test at 1,000 miles post-change, but the issue does not manifest at that point — only after continued mileage, as oil loss becomes more pronounced past the early driving phase. Which fits with the description of the piston rings causing excessive oil consumption… a common pattern with defective oil rings: the oil consumption ramps up after initial miles, especially once the engine is fully warmed and carbon buildup begins interfering with the rings after an oil change. Per Ricart Kia in groveport, I am now getting an oil change every 3,000 miles to prevent issues or damage and also having to check my oil every day. Upon the most recent oil change at 3,000 miles..I was nearly empty. My vehicle’s manufacture date and engine match the criteria in Recall 25V099000. Despite this, my VIN is not currently included, even though I’m experiencing the exact issue the recall describes. I’m concerned this is an oversight or that my engine batch was mistakenly excluded from the initial VIN list. I am requesting: A formal review of my VIN for inclusion in Recall 25V099000. Guidance on how to proceed INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552

As of today 05/08/25 car will not start, it was also chugging while i was on the freeway and would not go over 50mph