2016 Kia Soul problems and complaints
Owners have filed 831 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Kia Soul. The most-reported areas: Engine (566), Unknown Or Other (126), Engine And Engine Cooling (108).
Key takeaways
- 831 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 | 566 | 68% |
| Unknown Or Other | 126 | 15% |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 108 | 13% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 85 | 10% |
| Power Train | 65 | 8% |
| Electrical System | 57 | 7% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 33 | 4% |
| Steering | 30 | 4% |
| Service Brakes | 22 | 3% |
| Structure | 19 | 2% |
| Exterior Lighting | 18 | 2% |
| Air Bags | 17 | 2% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
Parts for the 2016 Kia Soul
GarageDex's verified specs for this car. Each Buy button searches Amazon for that exact part.
- Battery
- Engine oil
- Oil filter
- Engine air filter
- Cabin air filter
- Wiper blades
- Headlight bulb
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| 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.
Service Brakes,engine,fuel/Propulsion System - filed 2026-11-04
As the original owner of this 2016 Kia Soul (approx. 124,000 miles), I am filing this safety and consumer compliance complaint for severe engine failure and a failure of manufacturer recall notification systems. On [XXX], my vehicle experienced severe power loss on the highway and extreme oil consumption. An inspectio...
Engine - filed 2026-11-04
My vehicle was towed to the dealer to address a recall. Campaign 19V120/SC176. I advised them I had codes #300, 303 &304. I requested a compression test & documentation of the findings. They instead cleared the codes, addressed the ksds software update & declared the car "fixed". Upon leaving, the engine lost power (in...
Engine And Engine Cooling,engine - filed 2026-11-04
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to a dealer to be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact stated that prior to the dealer visit, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the dealer had...
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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.