What 898 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 Kia Soul EV

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.

NHTSA ODI 11557354

The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while parked, the entire instrument panel had become inoperable and the vehicle had started to smoke. The origin of the fire was unknown. The check engine and electrical warning light were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to New York Auto. The vehicle had been diagnosed by an independent mechanic. The contact was informed that the failure was due to an electrical issue. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000. The VIN was not available

NHTSA ODI 11556121

Driving the car up the 101 Cuesta Grade and lost acceleration. The speedometer went to zero and as the car died I pulled to the right side of the freeway / grade. Smoke started to enter my vehicle. A car stopped in front of me and one behind and the people ran from their cars to tell me to get out of my car as my front engine underneath was on fire. I got out of the car and opened the back hatch to remove my belongings as the engine burst into flames. This car has been maintained by KIA and by a personal mechanic and we were up to date on all recalls. We were NOT included in the most recent engine fire recall. The car is completely destroyed.

NHTSA ODI 11436178

WHILE DRIVING 70MPH ON A HIGHWAY, MY KIA SOUL SPONTANEOUSLY BURST INTO FLAMES UNDERNEATH A STRANGER STOPPED WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER LUCKILY. FIRE DEPT SAYS HAD WE NOT USED THE EXTINGUISHER, MY CAR QUITE LIKELY WOULD HAVE EXPLODED. PRIOR TO INCIDENT, I HAD NO WARNING LIGHTS ON, NO OIL LEAK, OIL NEEDED CHANGING SOON BUT WASN'T TOO LOW. THERE WAS NO COLLISION.

NHTSA ODI 11360853

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE VEHICLE WOULD RANDOMLY STALL HOWEVER, MOMENTS LATER THE VEHICLE WOULD RESTART. THE CONTACT ALSO, STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAS FAILED TO START ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. IN ADDITION, AN ELECTRICAL BURNING ODOR WAS PRESENT INSIDE THE CABIN AS WELL AS A HUMMING AND A CLICKING SOUND WAS AUDIBLE COMING FROM THE DASHBOARD. NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED BUT THE FAILURES CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE LOCAL DEALER SUN TRIP KIA (6263 SOUTH LUMBER BLVD, ST. LOUIS, MO.) BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT YET DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000.

NHTSA ODI 11244378

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2015 KIA SOUL. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, IT CAUGHT FIRE AND BURST INTO FLAMES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A NEIGHBOR ALERTED HER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A REPORT WAS FILED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED. THE CONTACT CALLED DRIVE TIME AT (832) 325-4380 (LOCATED AT 11205 GULF FREEWAY, HOUSTON, TX 77034) AND WAS INFORMED TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,000.

NHTSA ODI 11083606

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2015 KIA SOUL. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, IT CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOTIFIED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED, BUT A DEFECT WAS NOT FOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000. *BF CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED. IT WAS JUST DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS. FIRE DEPT SAID IT WAS TOO BURNED TO KNOW WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE. ONLY THE MOTOR BURNED, NOT THE REST OF CAR. THE MOTOR UP TO 2 FRONT TIRES GLOVE COMPARTMENT MELTED. UPDATED 8/30/18*JB

NHTSA ODI 11055326

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA SOUL. WHILE DRIVING, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHTS FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE PLUGS WERE MELTED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TAIL LIGHT FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT REPAIRED THE DRIVER'S SIDE TAIL LIGHT, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THEY HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE FAILURE. NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,000. UPDATED 11/06/17*LJ *JS

NHTSA ODI 11021789

MY SON WAS IN A REAR-END COLLISON IN HIS 2015 KIA SOUL, THAT ALSO PUSHED HIM INTO THE PERSON IN FRONT OF HIM. MY SON WAS AT A STOP AS WELL AS THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HIM, WHEN A MID SIZED SUV DOING APPROXIMATELY 30-40MPH SLAMMED ON HER BRAKES AND REAR ENDED MY SON. THE SOUL'S BUMPER WENT UNDERNEATH THE CHEVY TAHOE IN FRONT OF HIM. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. WHEN POLICE AND EMS SHOWED UP AND ASKED HIM IF HE COULD DRIVE IT OFF THE ROAD, THE VEHICLE STARTED, BUT ACCELERATOR WOULD NOT WORK. THEY PUSHED IT OFF THE ROAD. AFTER TOWING TO THE BODY SHOP, THE OWNER SAID HE DIDN'T KNOW WHY THE AIRBAGS HADN'T DEPLOYED BECAUSE THE ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS HAD BEEN SEVERED IN THE CRASH. THE TOWING COMPANY WAS HESITANT TO TOW BECAUSE HE WAS AFRAID IT MAY GO OFF. THE SOUL HAD AN ESTIMATE OF $15,753.75 IN DAMAGE AND THEREFORE TOTALED...BUT HIS AIRBAGS NEVER WENT OFF.

NHTSA ODI 10766295