2016 Kia Soul problems and complaints
Owners have filed 818 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Kia Soul. The most-reported areas: Engine (556), Unknown Or Other (123), Engine And Engine Cooling (106).
Key takeaways
- 818 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 29 involve a crash, 35 a fire, 25 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 556 | 68% |
| Unknown Or Other | 123 | 15% |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 106 | 13% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 83 | 10% |
| Power Train | 64 | 8% |
| Electrical System | 57 | 7% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 33 | 4% |
| Steering | 30 | 4% |
| Service Brakes | 21 | 3% |
| Structure | 18 | 2% |
| Exterior Lighting | 18 | 2% |
| Air Bags | 17 | 2% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 Kia Soul SUV FWD | 5/5 | 5/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Engine - filed 2026-09-16
My car is under 130000 miles and about two years ago I already had to replace one catalytic converter. The past six months the oil usage of my car, which has always been high and requires frequent topping off and more frequent oil changes at my mechanic, has gotten even worse. A check engine light came on a few weeks a...
Fuel/Propulsion System - filed 2026-09-16
Component or system: Catalytic converter (exhaust emissions system). The converter is physically restricted due to substrate damage consistent with the defect identified in NHTSA Campaign 19V120 / Kia Recall SC176. The restriction limits engine RPM to approximately 3,000 under all conditions. The vehicle is available f...
Engine And Engine Cooling,engine - filed 2026-09-16
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start immediately and lost motive power while driving. The contact was able to continue driving at reduced power. Additionally, there were abnormal sounds coming from under the hood, excessive engine oil consumption, and a plastic burning o...
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More for the 2016 Kia Soul
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.