What 512 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Kia Soul

TOOK A LEFT TURN AND THE CAR MADE A CLANK NOISE. NOW WHEN YOU TURN THE STEERING WHEEL THERE IS THIS CLANKING NOISE WHEN YOU TURN THE WHEEL LEFT AND MY STEERING WHEEL FEELS REALLY LOOSE. THE WHEEL CAN TURN SOME BEFORE THE CAR STARTS TURNING. KIA RECALLED 2014 AND 2015 FOR THIS PROBLEM. PEOPLE WERE LOSING CONTROL AND CRASHING. I AM PAYING FOR THIS CAR AND CAN'T AFFORD TO PARK IT BUT I AM AFRAID I WILL LOOSE MY STEERING. WHY ISN'T ALL OF THE SOULS BEING RECALLED? I HAVE SEEN WHERE THERE ARE 10 STEERING COMPLAINTS. ISN'T ONE TO MANY? ESPECIALLY SINCE THE 2014-2015S HAD THESE PROBLEMS. WHY DIDN'T THEY GO BACK FARTHER?

NHTSA ODI 11003714

I OWN A 2012 KIA SOUL. I KNOW A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR A STEERING PROBLEM FOR 2013-15. MY CAR HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. THERE WAS A POP AND MY STEERING IS LOOSE. WE CALLED KIA AND THEY TOLD ME I HAVE TO PAY TO GET IT FIXED. IT HAS BEEN PROVEN THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING SYSTEM ON THEIR CARS. MINE NOW HAS IT. IT SHOULD BE FIXED AT THEIR EXPENSE LIKE THEY DID THE OTHERS. THE CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN WHEN THE POP HAPPENED AND THERE IS A LOT OF PLAY IN THE STEERING. WE HAVE HARDLY BEEN DRIVING THE CAR BECAUSE WE ARE AFRAID. THE PROBLEM IS REALLY BAD IF YOU TRY TO TURN IT TO THE LEFT.

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STEERING WHEEL / COLUMN LOOSE AND LOCKS UP WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. APPARENTLY THIS IS A HISTORICAL PROBLEM WITH THE KIA SOUL AS PREVIOUS DOCUMENTATION/COMPLAINTS TO NHTSA AND KIA. WAITING TO SEE WHAT CORAL SPRINGS KIA WILL DO TO FIX THEIR PROBLEM UNDER WARRANTY. 31,000 MILES ON VEHICLE 2012 KIA SOUL.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND WAS NOT OPERABLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN AND GEAR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IT WAS UNKNOWN IF THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 65,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.

NHTSA ODI 10981544

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 KIA SOUL. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, A VEHICLE IN FRONT DEPRESSED THE BRAKES ABRUPTLY CAUSING THE DRIVER TO CRASH INTO THE REAR OF THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE DRIVER MERGED ONTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND CRASHED INTO TWO OTHER VEHICLES. THE DRIVER WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE DRIVER OF THE FIRST VEHICLE THAT WAS IMPACTED ALSO SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. THE FRONT PASSENGER IN THE FIRST VEHICLE SUSTAINED SHOCK TRAUMA AND THE CHILD SEATED IN THE REAR SUSTAINED UNKNOWN INJURIES. THERE WERE TWO INJURIES IN THE SECOND VEHICLE. ALL INJURED OCCUPANTS REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN IMPOUND LOT WHERE IT CURRENTLY WAS PENDING AN INSPECTION TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED DESTROYED. PRIOR TO THE CRASHES, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIRE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND IT POSSIBLY ENCOUNTERED AN OBJECT IN THE ROAD, WHICH CAUSED THE BLOW OUT. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE WAS REPLACED. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER WHERE THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE WAS REPLACED. AFTER RETRIEVING THE VEHICLE, THE STEERING WHEEL FELT ABNORMAL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

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CLICKING IN THE STEERLING WHEEL. PULLING AND JIGGLING (NO IT'S NOT THE ALIGNMENT)

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I HAVE 80000 MILES ON MY 2012 KIA SOUL AND THE STEERING COLUMN IS VERY NOISY AND SEEMS TO BE ON THE VERGE OF DISINTEGRATING AND LEAVING ME WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO STEER THE CAR. THE DEALERSHIP ADMITTED THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH IT BUT REFUSE TO FIX IT SINCE IT OUT OF WARRANTY. *TR

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DEFECTIVE STEERING FLEXIBLE COUPLER. CAUSED MY STEERING WHEEL TO LOOSEN UP.

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STEERING IS MAKING A BANGING NOISE AND SEEMS TO BE GETTING LOOSE. GETTING WORSE BY THE DAY. THIS IS MOST PROFOUND WHEN VEHICLE IS STANDING STILL AND YOU TURN STEERING WHEEL SLIGHTLY FROM LEFT TO RIGHT.

NHTSA ODI 10916345

I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN DECEMBER AND EVERY SO OFTEN THE GAUGES AND THE LIGHTS IN THE DASH WILL NOT WORK. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT INTO GEAR. I HAD CONTACTED THE DEALER FROM WHOM I PURCHASE THE VEHICLE, I THEN TOOK IT TO THEIR REPAIR SHOP. THE GENTLEMAN (MECHANIC) WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE. I THEN CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND REQUESTED ANOTHER VEHICLE, OF COURSE THEY REFUSED. IN A MATTER OF DAYS, THE DASH MATERIALS BEGAN TO WORK AGAIN. UNFORTUNATELY, 20 DAYS LATER, THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN. NONE OF THE LIGHTS AND GAUGES IN THE DASH WORK, AND THE VEHICLE WILL NOT GO INTO DRIVE. I AM SIMPLY UNHAPPY WITH THE MATTER, BECAUSE THEY ARE CHARGING ME NEARLY $20,000. FOR THE VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10701551

THIS IS A RECURRING ISSUE WHICH KIA CAN'T IDENTIFY OR TROUBLESHOOT. IT HAS BEEN IN THE KIA GARAGE HALF A DOZEN TIMES AND STILL HASN'T BEEN FIXED. THE ISSUE HAPPENS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS INITIALLY STARTED. THE STATUS LIGHTS IN THE DASH ALL LIGHT UP AND GO OUT ONE BY ONE WHEN SYSTEMS ARE CONFIRMED GOOD, EXCEPT THE ELECTRONIC ASSIST STEERING AND ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL LIGHTS STAY LIT. THE ELECTRONIC ASSIST POWER STEERING DOES NOT WORK AS IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN THE WHEEL EVEN IF THE VEHICLE IS PUT INTO GEAR AND DRIVEN FORWARD OR BACKWARDS. YOU HAVE TO TURN THE IGNITION OFF AND RESTART THE VEHICLE TO RESET EVERYTHING AND THEN IT IS FINE. KIA WAS CALLED OUT TO A PARKING LOT AT ONE POINT WHILE THE SYSTEMS FAILED AND THEY HOOKED UP THEIR DIAGNOSTICS TO THE PORT AND WERE UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE VEHICLES COMPUTER SYSTEM IN ORDER TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE BEEN TOLD TO TRACK THIS ISSUE AND THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE UNTIL THE SYSTEM TOTALLY FAILS AND REFUSES TO RESET. DIAGNOSTICS DOES NOT PICKUP THE ERROR WHEN IT OCCURS AND THE VEHICLES INTERNAL COMPUTER DOES NOT REGISTER THE FAILURE EITHER. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 20012 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WHEN THE ENGINE WAS STARTED. THE ENGINE HAD TO BE RESTARTED SEVERAL TIMES IN ORDER FOR THE CONTACT TO BE ABLE TO UNLOCK THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHO REPLACED THE STEERING COLUMN HOWEVER THE FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE MANUFACTURE WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,432 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 6,100 UPDATED 11/12/13*CN

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STEERING WHEEL LOCKING AT SPEED VERY DANGEROUS IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE VEHICLE. *TR

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WE TRAVELED FROM TENNESSEE TO FLORIDA AND THE STEERING KEPT LOCKING-UP ON THE KIA SOUL. WE WENT TO GALEANA KIA IN FT. MYERS, FL AND TOLD THEM THAT ?WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY STEERING WHEEL JUST LOCKS GOING STRAIGHT AND HAS TO HAVE APPLIED PRESSURE TO TURN RIGHT OR LEFT?. GALEANA KIA DID THIS ON 12/4/2012: VERIFY INTERMITTENT P/S ASSIST INOP. REMOVE P/S COLUMN & ASSIST UNIT. APPLIED STABILANT 22 TO ALL CONNECTORS. REMOVE CONTROL WIRING HARNESS. REMOVE IPM MODULE. REMOVE & TEST HECU. FOUND STRIPPED BOLT IN GROUND GNG10 LOOSE GROUND. REMOVE & RETHREADED GROUND CLEAN PAINT. NOTIFIED TL. ON THE RETURN TRIP BACK TO TENNESSEE, THE STEERING STARTED LOCKING-UP AGAIN. ON 12/28/2012, WE TOOK THE CAR THE RUSTY WALLACE KIA, AND COMPLAINED AGAIN ABOUT THE STEERING. THEY KEPT THE CAR FOR TWO DAYS AND RETURNED TO CAR TO US AND TOLD US TO DRIVE IT AND CALL THEM IF WE STILL HAD THE PROBLEM. ON 1/17/2013, THE STEERING STARTED LOCKING UP AGAIN ? MORE OFTEN. ON 1/21/2013, THE STEERING IS STILL LOCKING UP AND I CALL RUSTY WALLACE KIA TO TAKE IT IN FOR MORE SERVICE. I HAVE CONTACTED KIA HEADQUARTERS ([XXX]) ABOUT THIS STEERING PROBLEM AND HAVE CASE #[XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI 10493646

2012 KIA SOUL. CONSUMER STATES POWER STEERING FAILURE *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE FIRST TIME THE POWER STEERING FAILED, THE DEALER WAS ABLE TO FIND AN ERROR CODE OF 300 ELECTRICAL AND THEY REPLACED THE STEERING MOTOR. ON JAN 13, 2012 AS THE CONSUMER WAS PULLING OUT OF HIS DRIVEWAY, HE DISCOVERED THE POWER STEERING FAILED AGAIN. HE STOPPED, TURNED OFF THE IGNITION AND WAITED FIVE SECONDS AND THEN TURNED IT BACK ON. IT APPEARED TO WORK FINE AFTER THAT. ON JAN. 201, 12, AS THE CONSUMER WAS EXITING A PARKING LOT, THE POWER STEERING FAILED AGAIN. HE STOPPED, TURNED OFF THE IGNITION AND WAITED 10 SECONDS AND THEN TURNED IT BACK ON AGAIN. IT APPEARED TO WORK FINE AFTERWARDS .

NHTSA ODI 10467482

I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW KIA SOUL IN NOV OF 2011. WITHIN 200 MILES OF OWNERSHIP, THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL MALFUNCTION AND FALSELY ACTIVATED. THE ESC NOT ONLY FALSELY ACTIVATED BUT REMAINED ACTIVATED. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS LOCKED UP AND COULD ONLY BE TURNED IF CONSIDERABLE FORCE WAS APPLIED TO IT. I CAREFULLY PULLED OVER THE TO SIDE OF THE ROAD. I TURNED OFF MY VEHICLE THEN STARTED IT BACK UP HOPING THE ESC WOULD TURN OFF. IT DID NOT. I ENDED UP HAVING TO GET THE VEHICLE TOWED TO MY DEALER. THE KIA DEALER SERVICE SHOP ULTIMATELY HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN TO "FIX" THE PROBLEM. ABOUT TWO MONTHS LATER I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AND ATTEMPTED TO DO A LANE CHANGE. AGAIN THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL FALSELY ACTIVATED AND CAUSED ME TO COLLIDE WITH THE VEHICLE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME. WHEN THE ESC ACTIVATED, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND CAUSED A SUDDEN LOSS OF CONTROL, RESULTING IN THE ACCIDENT. THESE ARE JUST 2 OF MANY INCIDENTS I HAVE EXPERIENCED. *TR

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