2021 KIA SOUL Complaints

Vehicle Information: Make/Model/Year: 2021 Kia Soul VIN: [XXX] Odometer: [96,000] Dealerships: Kia of Killeen, TX /Kia of Round Rock, TX & Component/System Failure: Engine failure due to defective piston oil rings, causing low compression and stalling. Components are available for inspection at both dealerships. Safety Risk: Sudden engine failure and stalling created a serious risk to my family, including children ages 6 and 9. The defect could cause loss of vehicle control or fire, potentially fatal. Dealer Confirmation: Kia of Round Rock confirmed low compression (Cylinder 3 at 102 PSI). Kia of Killeen falsely stated the recall was completed; while the car was in their care, it would not crank. Inspections: Vehicle inspected by Kia dealerships. No police or insurance inspections. Kia Consumer Affairs contacted for escalation. Warning Signs: A brief dashboard warning light appeared (not engine light) before failure and disappeared quickly. Vehicle experienced stalling while attempting recall repair in February/March. Problem Description: Failure is consistent with Recall 25V099 (SC336) for faulty piston oil rings. Kia of Round Rock confirmed low compression, but the service advisor stated it was “unrelated to the recall” and quoted a $7,476.32 engine rebuild. Supporting Documentation: Dealership diagnostic reports and repair estimates ( From RoundRock) (Killeen:Pending) Recall notice (25V099 / SC336) Written communication with Kia dealerships and Consumer Affairs Additional Notes: I contacted Kia Consumer Affairs to open a case and request escalation. Filing this complaint to inform NHTSA that vehicles like mine are being denied coverage for a defect directly related to the recall. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Description of Problem: My 2021 Kia Soul experienced complete engine failure consistent with the defect described in Recall 25V099 (SC336), which addresses faulty piston oil rings that can cause engine damage, stalling, and potential fire risk. Kia of Round Rock performed a compression test and found Cylinder 3 at 102 PSI, well below the normal minimum of 160 PSI. Despite this, the service advisor stated in writing that the failure was “unrelated to the recall” and quoted an engine rebuild cost of $7,476.32. The recall specifically identifies incorrectly manufactured piston oil rings as a cause of engine damage. Low compression from defective piston rings directly aligns with this recall’s description and the findings in my vehicle. Additional Detail: Prior to the failure, a warning light briefly appeared on the dashboard but did not remain illuminated. It was not the engine light, and it disappeared shortly after. This suggests the defect was developing internally without a consistent diagnostic warning, making it unpredictable and dangerous. Safety Concern: This is a serious safety hazard for my family, including our two children (ages 6 and 9). A sudden engine failure or stall could cause a dangerous accident or even be fatal. We trusted Kia to provide a safe vehicle and to honor its recall obligations. The refusal to address this under the recall leaves us driving an unsafe car that could fail at any time. Supporting Documentation: Dealership diagnostic report showing compression test results and repair estimate. Recall notice (25V099 / SC336) identifying the piston oil ring defect. Written communication with Kia of Round Rock and Kia Consumer Affairs. Additional Notes: I contacted Kia Consumer Affairs to open a case and request escalation. I am filing this complaint to inform NHTSA that vehicles like mine are being denied coverage for a failure directly related to the recall.

The vehicle has a piston ring issue and I received a re all letter but to no avail because this website has not recognized the recall

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the engine was making a grinding sound while the vehicle was being started. Additionally, the contact stated that the engine oil had to be changed every week. While receiving an oil change, the contact was informed that the engine seemed to be defective, and the contact was referred to the dealer for assistance. While the vehicle was idling at a red light, the vehicle suddenly stalled without warning. The contact shifted to park(P) and made two attempts to restart the vehicle before being able to continue driving. While decelerating to come to a stop at a red light, the vehicle stalled a second time. The contact shifted into park(P) and several attempts were made before the vehicle restarted. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V099000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was taken to the dealer who had installed the piston-ring noise-sensing system software and determined that the remedy was completed, and that the engine did not need to be replaced. The dealer also informed the contact that the heck engine warning light had failed but had been repaired and should properly illuminate whenever needed. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

My vehicles engine light is consistently flashing on and off, indicating there is an engine issue and when I took it to get the engine light diagnosed, error code P1327 shows up and the mechanic sites that it could be related to the faulty piston ring part, which is corresponding to the recent recall of Kia Souls from last February. Not to mention my vehicle sometimes goes through a momentarily power surge or lack of that temporarily stalls the engine.

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V099000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); however, several weeks later, the contact became aware that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that further diagnostic tests were required to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 96,467.

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The contact stated that the vehicle consumes one quart of engine oil every 1,000 miles. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 30,000.

Basically since I bought this car back 2020, brand new, the engine loses oil. Vehicle even stalled in the middle of the highway because there was no oil and no warning at all. Kia dealership tells me over and over that there is nothing wrong with it, after doing oil testing for 1000 miles. They have replaced components but nothing has worked so far. Latest issue that after 2700 miles from an oil change, I had to fill it up with oil. Now my car has about 57000 miles on it.

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while accelerating from a complete stop, the vehicle shuddered, and there was an abnormal rumbling and clunking sound coming from the engine. The contact had received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V099000 (Engine and Engine Cooling), and the vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the piston-ring noise sensing system (PNSS) software was installed; however, the failure recurred and progressively worsened. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road and restart the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure persisted, and the vehicle could not be restarted. Additionally, the vehicle experienced excessive oil consumption. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where the starter was replaced; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The dealer diagnosed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact related the failure to the recall, but the dealer informed the contact that the repair could not be covered under the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure several times, but no assistance was provided. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.

New updated testing for recall regarding Piston Oil Rings seems to be faulty. My engine failed with previous testing, which is consistent with the issues my engine is having. However, the new testing claims that my engine has passed even though it is evident that my engine is not in good standing and should have failed. Extreme oil consumption is the number one sign of the faulty piston oil rings, which my car does. I have to add oil every couple of weeks.