What 898 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 Kia Soul EV

I have had 5 oem and dealership installed catalytic converters fail within 3 years now. The car has had engine failure resulting in the engine being replaced for connecting rod failure (2021).

NHTSA ODI 11577706

Car stalling on highway and blowing smoke out of the exhaust. No warning lamps or messages. Mechanic thinks it’s the catalytic converter.

NHTSA ODI 11576999

Car just started jerking and turning off while driving showing the engine light and oil light

NHTSA ODI 11576753

The catalytic converter got pluged up from the oil consumption. The car would no longer accelerate. Yes I still have the catalytic converter.yes the safety was I went to excelrate and I almost got rear ended. It just happened out of nowhere.I took it to the Meineke's shop and they said the cat was pluged but wasn't 100% sure so I had it towed to a kia dealer and they said it was 100% the catalytic converter and it wasn't covered so it would be around $3000.Yes it was inspected by the kia dealer.It had a check engine light on but it said it was the 02 sensor. It had a little less power then normal.It seemed ok when I left the house. I drove about 40 miles. I stoped for about 5 minutes to smoke and it seemed ok in the parking lot. It's when I went to excelrate out to the street it had no power.the original cat starts getting pluged over time and causes the heat to back up on the inside of the engine and puts wear on the piston rings. There for causeing it to burn the engine oil. Inturn almost fully pluging the original cat cause the engine to have no power. I have been a professional machnic for over 24 years. so I understand how engines work. Now because of the internal damage of the engine I am putting 2 quarts of oil every 1500 miles. Which is only one week for me. Thank you for reviewing this. I hope that kia will make this right.

NHTSA ODI 11576143

The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul EV. The contact stated that the vehicle was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V218000 (Electrical System) and the vehicle was repaired under the recall. The contact stated that after the repair was completed, the vehicle went into "Reduced Power" and "Power Limp Mode" while driving at various speeds and initially after starting the vehicle. The vehicle was returned to the dealer where the recall repair was completed the recall repair; however, the dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 111,400.

NHTSA ODI 11574931

My vehicle was stolen and crashed but the air bags did not deploy.

NHTSA ODI 11574970

The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle revved up but failed to respond as needed. The contact stated that the vehicle was leaking engine oil. The contact added oil to the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated and flickering. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and the contact was informed that the failure was due to engine failure and performed unknown repairs. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V750000 (Engine). The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to another local dealer. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI 11574634

Transmission leaking after a long drive , fluids replaced in the transmission then car leaked out the fluid after driving the vehicle it doesn’t leak when at rest

NHTSA ODI 11573252

My problems started October of 2023 on an out of state trip for a memorial for my deceased cousin. I, along with my son and 3 grandchild were on our way to West Virginia when my car wouldn’t accelerate on the freeway. We got off the freeway and found the nearest Kia dealership. They provided me with a rental and told me I needed a catalytic converter that was clogged due to heavy oil consumption and my oil was low, even thought it was 3000 miles from the next scheduled change. I paid for the services and picked my car up approximately 6 days later. In December my cars engine light came on and I started having acceleration issues again. I took it to my local dealership and was told by the service advisor that it was covered under the recall to 150,000 miles for knocking and seizing and to continue driving it. They changed the oil and I went on my way. [XXX] my engine light came on again and I called and scheduled an appointment. I dropped it off on [XXX] After 2 1/2 weeks of calling daily with no return phone calls and paying out of pocket for a rental the dealership called and said it was the camshaft. I work part time for a auto wholesales parts company and the director, who has 40 years automotive experience told me the camshaft would have nothing to do with the oil consumption. After researching on internet and finding numerous videos stating the same, I told them change the oil and I would pick it up. The next day I went to pick it up and the battery was dead. The battery was just replaced in November. They jumped it twice, I expressed my uneasiness leaving with it but was told service is closed and the have no loaners. On the way out of the parking lot, a man that stated he was the sales manager was waving and yelling “bye, don’t come back, get out of my lot”. Needless to say I was appalled. Less than 15 minutes to home, the oil light came on and my engine started marking a horrible sound. I parked in my drive and the car would not restart. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11573506

Starting in summer of 2021, I began to has acceleration problems with my car and a check engine light came on. It was undrivable so I took it to the closest mechanic I could make it to, Firestone. They found the catalytic converter to be the problem and I paid $1100 to replace it. Later in 2021, the catalytic converter went out again and I had to have the engine coil and spark plugs replaced. I took it back to Firestone to replace it under warranty. During 2022, the check engine light came on again and again it was the catalytic converter. I got it replaced under warranty again. During this replacement, Firestone let me know that my engine was the source of why the catalytic converter keeps going out. The compression was too low and the engine was causing the catalytic converter to overheat. I took it to the dealership to have it diagnosed to see what was wrong in the engine. They claimed to have run diagnostics in the entire engine and only found that the engine coil and spark plugs needed replacement. I had both of those things replaced already the year before. They did not identify any problems with the new catalytic converter or any other part of the engine. The check engine light came on and my catalytic converter has gone out again and caused me to lose acceleration on a one lane each way 60mph road on my way to work. I suddenly slowed way down and cars had to swerve around me. I pulled off onto a farm road to let traffic by and then had to hobble to AutoZone nearby with my hazards on to get my check engine light codes read. It came up that the cat converter was having issues. I looked up to see if my car had any recalls and none were found. I did find that there was a major recall for Kia souls 2012-2018s for some piece of the engine that was causing catalytic converters to overheat. Many individuals who had this recall done to their vehicles also had to have engine coils and spark plugs replaced based on a forum regarding this recall.

NHTSA ODI 11570913

I was involved in a head on collision with a F250 truck and the airbags did not deploy. I did hit my head on the steering wheel and have a bruise above my eye and some scratches on my knee. I had pain in my shoulder from seat belt. I took off from work on 2/2 to take care of car getting towed and I went to care now to be checked out and they sent me to the ER for a possible scan, but once doctor checked me out they decided there was no need for a scan. I do not have any more information from my insurance company other than the body shop were car was towed to said it was a total loss and there is no reason they could find that the air bag did not deploy. I have owned the car since may of last year and have been to sent 2 safety recall 1 for the catalytic converter and 1 for try to stop kia soul from being stolen. these are the only one I have received

NHTSA ODI 11570550

The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle started losing motive power and decelerated. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic and the mechanic retrieved a DTC code indicating an engine failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the vehicle was previously serviced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V750000 (Engine). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 158,000.

NHTSA ODI 11570570

The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated that after a software update was completed while driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle went into SAFE Mode. The battery warning light was illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V724000 (Power Train, Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The dealer informed the contact that the battery was on backorder. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and opened a case. The failure mileage was unknown. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ODI 11569281

The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while attempting to accelerate, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The vehicle was also consuming excessive amounts of engine oil. The check engine light had illuminated. The contact stated the failure persisted after the engine had been replaced. The contact believed that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine was failing due to the pistons being worn. The engine had been replaced when the vehicle was taken to the dealer after the first failure. The vehicle was then returned to the dealer after the failure persisted and it was diagnosed that the catalytic converter had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and it was confirmed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling) and a case was filed. The contact was referred to the dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was 120,000.

NHTSA ODI 11567207

My car lost power going up hill on Interstate 5 and ended up seizing up. I could not bring the car to highway speeds I had to drive home using side roads. A mechanic said the car appears to be consuming oil and degraded the catalytic converter. I had to have my catalytic converter replaced. I had the recall done on my car for the catalytic converter issue identified for 2015 Kia Souls. I attempted to get repair from my dealer, Gweke Kia, under this recall but they refused and said I would be charged for the repair and diagnosis. I asked for an oil consumption study to see if the car qualifies engine repairs or replacement under my warranty but they informed me they would charge me approximately $1200 for an oil consumption study.

NHTSA ODI 11566668

My car is not part of the catalytic converter Recall and I don't understand why. My catalytic converter is not functioning properly and I am getting code p0420 and this makes no sense why I am not part of the recall. My engine and everything matches up to all these recalls and I am scared my car is going to explode. I already have a sick child and all I need is something to happen while driving these defective vehicles. Please make me understand why I am not included in the upgrade for that catalytic converter. I am tired of these issues. I want to out this poor company on making poor vehicles like everyone else. They are supposed to be safe and I should not be afraid to drive my car thinking something will happen.

NHTSA ODI 11566369

THE DEFECT MAY CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER DUE TO OVERHEATING, RESULTING IN ABNORMAL ENGINE COMBUSTION AND DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE PISTONS. PISTON DAMAGE CAN RESULT IN A STALL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH. IF A PISTON ROD BREAKS AND PUNCTURES THE ENGINE BLOCK, OIL CAN ESCAPE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A FIRE. The engine caught on fire while I was driving on the highway. I was sold this car without being told of any recalls. The dealership has refused to take responsibility for not informing me of the recall. Kia cooperate office has minimal contact with me. They are currently having it towed to a Kia dealer for diagnostic testing. Currently I own $400.00 just for the rental.

NHTSA ODI 11565765

Car lost power and had to be pulled over. Mechanic saw recall for catalytic converter however Kia website claims my VIN is not under recall.

NHTSA ODI 11565283

I have a complaint about my 2015 Kia Soul car service issue. Since I purchased the car in December 2021, my check engine and oil indicator light has been on. I took my car to a car repair shop, and was told that the engine oil is being sucked into the exhaust system and to take my car to a Kia dealership. I scheduled a service appointment on 07/14/2021 and paid about $145.00 for a diagnostic system check. I was told that my catalytic converter is blocked and the cost to replace the catalytic converter and labor would be about $2,000. I would have to pay another $145.00 for another diagnostic system check about the engine oil issue. The overall car issue is that the engine oil is going into the exhaust system and causing blockage in the catalytic converter. The extended warranty that I purchased with my 2015 Kia Soul from Bob Sight Kia does not cover these issues and I don't understand why. I did some research and there was a recall {2019-02-21}, {recall number SC176} on 2015 Kia Souls of the same car issues. I contacted Kia customer service to inquire about the recall. The Kia customer service representative stated that recall number SC176 was done on my Kia Soul in June 2019, but it is not stated anywhere on my car's CARFAX report nor on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) website. On the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website it states, "Whether a manufacturer independently conducts a safety recall or NHSTA orders one, the manufacturer must file a public report describing the safety- related defect or noncompliance." As I am driving, my car will stop running while I am accelerating while driving down a street and/or highway. The car also stop running when I am stopped at a streetlight. I believe that the recall SC176 was not performed on my car.

NHTSA ODI 11564699

About several months ago the car was skipping. I was told it was a coil. I had it replaced. It then drove fine. Then in Christmas Day it started again and the engine light came on once again. I took it to a mechanic and he thought it was the plug for the coil. They changed it and it did it again. He said that with Kia and Hyundai cars there is always problems like this. He said he fixed a Kia with the same problem as mine about a week ago. As a matter of fact last week when I went to get the oil changed at another place before I took to them (the last place) there was another man in there who also described his car was doing the same. I was surprised when he said he had a Kia soul. That’s why I took it to this last mechanic who could do the work. He said it would cost me anywhere from three to five thousand dollars because the motor would need to be replaced. So apparently this is a problem with Kia soul motors. My car app said something about the trans. I can get the form of where the coil was fixed. I just got the call and have not picked it up yet.

NHTSA ODI 11564163

While driving at 55 miles per hour, the engine suddenly ceased, emitting black smoke, causing components to melt and necessitating the replacement of the short block. Consequently, the catalytic converter is now malfunctioning, likely due to the misfires the engine experienced.

NHTSA ODI 11562247

The engine consumes excessive oil, dropping it into the catalytic converter. This clogs the catalytic converter and causes it to overheat, creating a fire hazard. The car is on its 3rd catalytic converter in 5 years. The current one clogged in 18 months. My research indicates that this is a common issue because the rings in the gdi engine do not seat well, causing the excessive oil consumption. I've been without my car for 10 weeks, as of now, while it sits at the dealer, unable to be driven. It began at 39000 miles, then at 96000, now at 109000. But Kia won't do anything because it hasn't thrown a rod and is now past the 100k mile warranty. This entire situation should be covered under the Theta II recall, but they get out of it by requiring a connecting rod or piston failure. The dealership service manager agrees that faulty rings and oil consumption IS a piston failure, but Kia does not.

NHTSA ODI 11561997

Catastrophic failure of rear brake line. Rusted through. Started noticing changes to braking on my way home from the dealer after an oil change. There were no warning lights. Thankfully I was at home in the driveway when ALL of the brake fluid leaked out. I had to have the car towed to the dealer. Both rear brake lines were replaced. Had I been driving I would have lost brakes. Not only did no warning light come on, but the dealer also gave me a green on my brake inspection about 15 minutes prior to this happening. Total bill- just over $1000.

NHTSA ODI 11560433

I own a 2015 Kia Soul. I am the second owner of this vehicle. I was notified by KIA of a service bulletin for having the software update to the ECU done to allow the knock sensor to put the car in limp mode if it detects knocking. I had the update done and now 1 year later the car went into limp mode and the notification was a P1326. I took to local dealer and they performed a bearing clearance test. The car passed the bearing clearance test but lower engine knocking is still present causing the P1326 Code / Limp Mode. The Local dealer said that the engine should be replaced. The Local Dealer and KIA Customer Service said the only way that KIA would replace engine is by failing the test. I do not feel safe putting my daughter back in this car and I do not think that I should have to pay for an engine that has known issues with metal shavings potentially blocking oil ports as described in the Kia Bulletin. Please assist!

NHTSA ODI 11559763

The engine warning light and catalytic converter malfunction. The car is not currently available for inspection. The car exploded after turning the engine over. The car became disabled on the busy highway while driving at night and the car exploded in flames thereafter. Yes the problem was confirmed by the dealership The vehicle was inspected by insurance representatives, fire dept and police Yes the check engine light appeared several times, was checked and reappeared several times thereafter. I made a purchase of a car 9/15/23, The warning lamp appeared a few days later.

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