What 193 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Kia Soul

THE LINE HOLDING MY AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE FLUID IS LEAKING AT SUCH A RAPID RATE THAT MY CAR IS NOT DRIVEABLE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DID NOT COME ON IN MY CAR UNTIL I WAS UNABLE TO SAFELY OPERATE MY VEHICLE AND SWITCH GEARS ON A HIGHWAY. THE PART IS SEVERELY LOW NATIONWIDE, POTENTIALLY ON BACK ORDER.

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I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND IT JUST CUT OFF ON ME. NO WARNING SIGNS, NO LIGHTS ON THE DASH, ALL GUAGES WERE FINE. I TOWED IT HOME AND THE NEXT DAY I EXAMINED IT TO SEE WHY IT DID THAT. I NOTICED THE WATER PUMP LEAKING SO I CHANGED THAT WITH THE TIMING BELT AND THERMOSTAT BUT IT KEPT OVER HEATING. I HAD A PRESSURE CHECK AND AIR POCKET CHECK AND EVERYTHING CAME BACK FINE. I HAD A DIAGNOSTIC TEST DONE AND NOTHING IS SHOWING UP. WHAT IF I WAS ON THE INTERSTATE AND IT DID THIS?

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MY HORN INTERMITTENTLY WORKS - THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. ON BLOGS MANY OTHERS REPORT THE SAME ISSUE.

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I WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT END COLLISION AT ABOUT 40 MPH AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A CAR FAILED TO YIELD CAME ACROSS THE INTERSECTION AND I IMPACTED THE PASSAGER SIDE OF HER VEHICLE.

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SO I PARKED MY VEHICLE IN MY GARAGE SHUT MY CAR OFF. I GOT OUT OF MY VEHICLE AND SHUT MY GARAGE DOOR. I TOOK GARBAGE BAGS OUT TO MY SHED AND RETURNED TO THE GARAGE SAT DOWN ON CHAIR TO TAKE OFF MY BOOTS AND I HEARD LOUD GLASS SHATTER SOUND. I LOOKED AROUND AND NOTICED MY REAR WINDOW WAS BLOWN OUT! I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT. NO CAUSE OTHER THEN POSSIBLE REAR DEFROST ISSUE. WHICH I HAD THEM ON PRIOR TO PARKING.

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INTERMITTENT HORN. SOMETIMES IT WORKS, SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T. IN DOING RESEARCH, I HAVE NOTICED A LOT OF COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME THING. WHY HAS THIS NOT BEEN RECALLED? THIS IS CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE! DOESN'T MATTER IF THE CAR IS SITTING, DRIVING, TURNING, ANYTHING. THE HORN ONLY SEEMS TO WORK WHEN IT FEELS LIKE IT. VERY DANGEROUS!

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I WAS DRIVING MY CAR ON THE FLORIDA TURNPIKE AT ABOUT 70 MILES AN HOUR SHE. IT STARTED MAKING A LOUD CLANKING NOISE. THEN THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON, THE CAR IMMEDIACY MADE A LOUD POP, LIKE A GUN SHOT AND THEN THE ENGINE SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING. I COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE I WAS STRANDED FOR AWHILE. I DID GET A TOW TO A MECHANIC WHO LOOKED AT THE CAR AND SAID THE MOTOR WAS BLOWN. I WAS NOT ABLE TO GET MY CAR FIXED IN FLORIDA SO I BROUGHT IT BACK TO GEORGIA WHERE I RESIDE. A MECHANIC IN VWRGIA CURRENTLY HAS THE CAR AND AGREES THE MOTOR IS BLOWN. HE REMOVED THE OIL PAN AND THE CAR DOES HAVE OIL. BELIEF IS THAT THE OIL PUMP FAILED CAUSING CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE. VEHICLE HAS HAD NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS AT ALL AND I HAVE BEEN THE ONLY OWNER OF THIS CAR SINCE PURCHASE IN 2011. AWFULLY STRANGE THAT THE 2012 MODELS ARE UNDER RECALL WITH THE SAME ENGINE SIZE BUT NOT THE 2011. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED ON FEBRUARY 21. 2019.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2011 KIA SOUL. WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE GOING 75 MPH. THE CONTACT WHILE TRYING TO GET OUT THE WAY WAS STRUCK A SECOND TIME, WHICH CAUSED HER TO CRASH INTO A DIFFERENT VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A BROKEN NECK THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S INSURANCE COMPANY WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED FOR THE AIR BAG FAILURE. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000. *BF *TR

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HEAD-GASKETS AND/OR THERMOSTATS FAILING UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS AND LOW MILES. I AM ON 2ND HEAD-GASKET AND 4TH THERMOSTAT AND ONLY AT 109000 MI. TWICE THIS HAS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY AND TWICE WHILE AROUND TOWN. FLUID LEVELS WERE GOOD AND OTHER MAINTENANCE DONE REGULARLY. I HAVE TALKED WITH MULTIPLE KIA DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENTS AND THEY START BY SAYING THAT IS NOT NORMAL THEN AFTER LOOKING OVER THE CAR SAYING ITS A NORMAL THING FOR SOULS. THESE FAILURES HAVE CAUSED THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT EACH TIME ONCE THE THERMOSTAT STICKS CLOSED. NO ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS AND TEMP GAUGE ONLY SHOWED THE OVERHEAT 2 OUT OF FOUR TIMES. THEY SEEM TO BE FAILING FAIRLY REGULARLY AROUND 20000 MI.

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LOUD CLUNK IN RIGHT REAR OF CAR PROBABLY THE TRAILING ARM BUSHINGS LOUD CLUNK WHILE DRIVING AND HATTING ANY BUMP IN THE ROAD

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THE CLUTCH HAS GONE OUT TWICE . THE FIRST TIME WAS AT 54029 AND DATE OF 1/17/17. LESS THAN SIX MONTHS LATER I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND TOLD THEM THAT IT WAS SLIPPING ON TAKEOFF. THEY SAID THAT EVERYTHING WAS FINE. THIS TIME IT 72735 AND DATE OF 12/28/18 . THE BILL FOR THE FIRST TIME WAS 1445.79 . IT IS REDICULOUS THAT IT GOES OUT SO SOON. I HAVE READ ON LINE THAT KIA USES A VALVE ON THE SLAVE CYLINDER THAT CAUSES SLIPPING.

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WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE STARTED MAKING A NOISE , I PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AS I WAS PULLING OFF THE HIWAY AND THE MOTOR QUIT RUNNING. HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED BACK TO MY HOUSE.I FOUND OUT THE NEXT DAY THAT THE MOTOR HAD LOCKED UP. THE MOTOR HAD OIL IN IT AND THE WATER WAS NOT LOW. THE MECHANIC SAID THE OIL PUMP WAS PROBLEY BAD. I CALLED KIA AND THEY SAID THEY HAD NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE.SO NOW THE CAR IS SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY WITH A BLOWN MOTOR AND I AM STILL MAKING PAYMENTS ON THE CAR FOR ANOTHER 18 MONTHS.

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A COUPLE YEARS AGO, THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR HAD ISSUES OPENING AFTER BEING UNLOCKED. THIS WAS FRUSTRATING, BUT NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. IN THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS, THE DOOR HAS OPENED WHILE DRIVING A COUPLE TIMES. THIS SAME ISSUE WAS RECALLED IN THE KIA SORENTO AT THE END OF 2017 FOR THE SAME REPORTED ISSUE AND THE SAME PART REPLACEMENT. KIA HAS TOLD ME THAT THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO TO FIX THE ISSUE AS MY CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE SORENTO RECALL, EVEN THOUGH IT IS THE SAME EXACT ISSUE. THIS WAS NOT A MAJOR ISSUE UNTIL THE DOOR STARTED OPENEING WHILE DRIVING. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED BY KIA AND FIXED IN ALL AFFECTED VEHICLES.

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WHEN TURNING CAR ON IT THE ENGINE MAKES A KNOCKING SOUND. CAR IS LOSING ACCELERATION ON ROADS ESPECIALLY EXPRESSWAY. ALSO, THE ENGINE PINGS OR KNOCKS WHEN TURNING THE CAR OFF. I HAVE EVEN HEARD THE ENGINE KNOCK WHILE IN MOTION. THE FRONT WINDSHIELD MOLDING GARNISH LH LOCATED ON THE DRIVER SIDE FLEW OFF WHILE DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY AND HIT ANOTHER CAR! LOSING THIS MOLDING GARNISH CAUSES AIR TO LEAK INTO THE WINDSHIELD.

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107000 MILES ON THE CAR. STARTED CAR IN THE MORNING AND IT MADE A WHINING NOISE. DIDN'T THINK MUCH OF IT BECAUSE IT WAS COLDER THAN IT HAD BEEN. AFTER WARMING UP A FEW MINUTES DROVE DOWN MY ROAD ABOUT A MILE AND THE BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON. TURNED AROUND AT WENT BACK HOME. POPPED THE HOOD AND SMELLED STRONG BURNING SMELL. PROBLEM WAS FOUND TO BE THE ALERNATOR. WHEN I PULLED IT TO REPLACE IT NOTICED THAT THE WINDINGS INSIDE THE ALTERNATOR WERE BURT AND CHARED/MELTED.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SOUL. WHILE DRIVING 3 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL FRACTURED. THE POLICE WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS POTENTIALLY INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V123000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). A DEALER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED THE CONTACT WITH CASE NUMBER: 12862172. THE CONTACT WAS REFERRED TO THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 55,000.

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SUNROOF IS NOT USABLE AS IT COMES OFF OF THE TRACKS. UNABLE TO CLOSE TIGHT ENOUGH DUE TO DAMAGE WHICH PROMOTES LEAKING.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SOUL. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS EXITING THE VEHICLE IN THE DRIVEWAY, THERE WAS AN EXPLOSION AND THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CONTACT USED A FIRE EXTINGUISHER TO PUT OUT THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TOWED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE EXACT ORIGIN OF THE FIRE WAS UNKNOWN. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000.

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I WAS UNAWARE THAT MY CAR WAS UNDER A RECALL. I AM ACTIVE DUTY AIR FORCE AND DID NOT RECEIVE AN EMAIL STATING MY CAR NEEDED TO BE FIXED. I FOUND OUT THROUGH MY PCS WEBSITE.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2011 KIA SOUL. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CONTACT REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE HEAD, BACK, AND NECK, WHICH DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. A LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE, AND WAS LATER TOWED TO A TOWING FACILITY. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN.

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I WAS CHECKING MY VIN AND IT SAYS IT HAS BEEN RECALLED BUT WE HAVE NO INFORMATION FROM THE KIA DEALER ABOUT IT WE HAVE THIS CAR FOR OVER 2 YEARS NOW AND STILL WE HAVE NO NEWS ABOUT THIS RECALL FROM KIA DEALER

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THE CAR WON'T START AFTER PUTTING GAS IN SEVERAL TIMES . AFTER 3 TRIES AND AROUND 10-14 MINUTES IT WILL START. THERE ARE SEVERAL FORUMS ONLINE REGARDING THIS HAOOENEDIJF TO KIA SOULS .

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SOUL. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE RPMS INCREASED RAPIDLY WITHOUT ANY PRESSURE BEING APPLIED TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. ALSO, WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS GEARED INTO THE PARK POSITION, THE RPMS INCREASED TO OVER 2,000 RPMS. THE CONTACT TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTED IT TO RESET THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MENTOR KIA IN MENTOR, OHIO, BUT THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 2,500.

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I PURCHASED KIA SOUL PLUS WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION 2 MONTHS AGO FROM ORIGINAL OWNER WITH 53,000 MILES. VEHICLE "LAGGED" MOMENTARILY WHILE TRANSMISSION UPSHIFTED. I ASSUMED CHARACTERISTIC OF CAR. APPROX. 2 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING CAR WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY WITH MY FIANC' @ APPROX. 65MPH THE TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY & DRASTICALLY DOWNSHIFTED INTO (I BELIEVE) 2ND OR 3RD GEAR, WITH NO PROVOCATION ON MY PART. IF MY FIANC AND I WERE NOT WEARING SEAT BELTS, THE SUDDEN CHANGE OF SPEED, OUR HEADS WOULD HAVE CERTAINLY HIT THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. MY FIANC' IS SCHEDULED FOR SPINAL CORD SURGERY SOMETIME THIS MONTH (AUGUST). HER NEURO-SURGEON INFORMED US THAT ANOTHER SIMILAR SITUATION COULD POSSIBLY CAUSE HER TO BE QUADRIPLEGIC, OR EVEN DEATH. I IMMEDIATELY EXITED FREEWAY, HOWEVER, CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT PAST 2ND (OR 3RD) GEAR, LIMITING CAR TO 30 TO 35MPH DRIVING HOME ON SIDE STREETS. CAR WAS PARKED OVERNIGHT, AND NEXT DAY DROVE NORMAL AGAIN, FOR ONE WEEK. ON JULY 31, 2017 WHILE TAKING CAR TO CITRUS KIA IN ONTARIO, CA, FOR EVALUATION OF TRANSMISSION, VEHICLE DID SAME THING AGAIN. SUDDEN DOWNSHIFT DRASTICALLY SLOWING DOWN CAR TO 35MPH. AGAIN, WOULD NOT SHIFT PAST 2ND (OR 3RD) GEAR. I WAS ONLY OCCUPANT. AWARE OF KIA'S TSB #033 OUTLINING TCM'S UPGRADE ON TRANSMISSIONS BUILT PRIOR TO AUG. 2010, (MINE BUILT JUNE 2010) THE SERVICE WRITER AT CITRUS KIA STATED UPGRADE WAS DONE IN OCT. 2010. I AM ANXIOUSLY AWAITING THEIR FINDINGS. HOPEFULLY TODAY. (8/1/2017) KIA'S POWERTRAIN WARRANTY IS 100,000 MILES OR 120 MONTHS TO ORIGINAL BUYER, SUBSEQUENT BUYERS IS 60,000 MILES OR 60 MONTHS. SOUL IS PAST 60 MONTHS WARRANTY LIMIT HAVING 72 MONTHS OF SERVICE. HOWEVER, UNDER MILEAGE LIMITS AT 56,000 MILES. THE VEHICLES TRANSMISSION PROBLEM IS MOST DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE WHICH NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION!

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BAD WIRE IN STEERING WHEEL, WHICH MAKES HORN MALFUNCTION FREQUENTLY(IF I REPEATEDLY TURN WHEEL, HORN WILL WORK). THIS STARTED THREE YEARS AGO. CAR HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED, AND I SEE NO RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE. I ALSO HAVE A BAD SENSOR UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT, WHICH ALLOWS AIRBAG TO BE ON OR OFF WHEN PASSENGER IS IN SEAT(DOESN'T SEEM TO WORK).

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