Kia Soul Engine Problems by Year
By CarWhere Research · Updated
Yes. 3,354 of the 5,530 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2010–2025 Kia Soul (60.7%) name the engine, 3.1× the median share across the 152 models we track. We have no published sales figures for this model, so there is no per-1,000 rate. The worst years are 2015, 2016 and 2014.
Engine complaints
3,354
Filed with NHTSA, 2010–2025 models
Per 1,000 sold
No sales data
Not computed without a published sales figure
Share of all complaints
60.7%
of 5,530 complaints for this model
Engine recalls
4
NHTSA campaigns, all years
Kia Soul engine complaints by model year
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA whose component list includes Engine and Engine Cooling. Worst years are highlighted.
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of all complaints | Crash / fire / injury | Engine recalls | Engine TSBs* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 14 | 10.4% | 3 | — | 8 |
| 2011 | 28 | 14.5% | 3 | — | 7 |
| 2012 | 219 | 42.8% | 20 | 19V120000 | 47 |
| 2013 | 301 | 45.8% | 35 | 19V120000 | 48 |
| 2014WORST | 582 | 65.4% | 62 | 20V75000019V120000 | 71 |
| 2015WORST | 664 | 73% | 67 | 20V75000019V120000 | 66 |
| 2016WORST | 623 | 75% | 35 | 19V120000 | 63 |
| 2017 | 197 | 68.9% | 14 | — | 63 |
| 2018 | 149 | 66.5% | 11 | — | 57 |
| 2019 | 95 | 66.4% | 9 | — | 53 |
| 2020 | 228 | 63.7% | 9 | 21V259000 | 22 |
| 2021 | 168 | 76.4% | 2 | 25V09900021V259000 | 16 |
| 2022 | 69 | 79.3% | 1 | 25V099000 | 11 |
| 2023 | 13 | 27.1% | 3 | 25V099000 | 8 |
| 2024 | 4 | 14.8% | 1 | — | 3 |
| 2025 | 0 | 0% | 0 | — | 0 |
- Older model years have had more time on the road to collect complaints, so compare neighboring years, not 2010 against 2024.
- Crash / fire / injury = complaints where the owner reported a crash, a fire or an injury.
- *Technical service bulletins in the year's leading TSB categories that name the engine.
Common Kia Soul engine problems owners describe
We searched the narratives of all 3,354 engine complaints for symptom keywords. One complaint can mention several, so the shares don't add up to 100%.
Kia Soul years to avoid for the engine
2015 Kia Soul
664 engine complaints (73% of the year's 909). Most often described: misfire or check-engine light. Covered by engine recalls 20V750000, 19V120000.
2016 Kia Soul
623 engine complaints (75% of the year's 831). Most often described: misfire or check-engine light. Covered by engine recall 19V120000.
2014 Kia Soul
582 engine complaints (65.4% of the year's 890). Most often described: misfire or check-engine light. Covered by engine recalls 20V750000, 19V120000.
Worst years are those with at least 10 engine complaints and at least 1.5 times the model's median year. For every year's overall verdict, including other systems, see the Kia Soul years to avoid.
Kia Soul engine recalls
NHTSA recall campaigns filed under Engine for any Kia Soul model year. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check a specific car by VIN on NHTSA's site.
- 25V099000 · 2025-02-17 · 2021–2023 models
The piston oil rings may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in engine damage.
- 21V259000 · 2021-04-13 · 2020–2021 models
The piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which may result in engine damage.
- 20V750000 · 2020-12-02 · 2014–2015 models
An engine compartment fire can occur while driving.
- 19V120000 · 2019-02-22 · 2012–2016 models
High exhaust gas temperatures may damage the catalytic converter, possibly resulting in abnormal engine combustion and damage to one or more of the engine's pistons and possible piston connecting rod failure.
Related research
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2015 Kia Soul have engine problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 664 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2015 Kia Soul, 73% of all 909 complaints for that year. The most common description is "misfire or check-engine light" (234 complaints). 2 engine-related recalls cover it: 20V750000, 19V120000. 67 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Does the 2016 Kia Soul have engine problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 623 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2016 Kia Soul, 75% of all 831 complaints for that year. The most common description is "misfire or check-engine light" (222 complaints). One engine-related recall covers it: 19V120000. 35 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Does the 2014 Kia Soul have engine problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 582 engine complaints with NHTSA for the 2014 Kia Soul, 65.4% of all 890 complaints for that year. The most common description is "misfire or check-engine light" (204 complaints). 2 engine-related recalls cover it: 20V750000, 19V120000. 62 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Which Kia Soul years have the most engine complaints?
2015 (664), 2016 (623) and 2014 (582), by owner complaints filed with NHTSA that name the engine. Raw counts favor older and higher-selling years, so treat them as a signal, not a rate.
What are the most common Kia Soul engine problems?
In the 3,354 engine complaints, owners most often describe misfire or check-engine light (34.3%), engine failure, seizure or replacement (30.9%) and stalling or shutting off while driving (23.4%). One complaint can mention several symptoms.
Is this a engine failure rate?
No. These are complaints owners chose to file with NHTSA. Many failures are never reported, and one complaint is not a confirmed defect. Without sales figures, a high count can simply mean a high-selling model.
How we count
Counts are unique owner complaints (by NHTSA ODI number) filed with NHTSA for each Kia Soul model year, from NHTSA's public complaints data fetched July 2026 to November 2026. A complaint counts as a engine complaint when NHTSA's component list for it includes Engine and Engine Cooling.
Per 1,000 sold divides complaints by published U.S. calendar-year sales for that year. A year needs at least 5,000 sales to get a rate, and a model needs at least 3 such years for its overall rate. The comparison median covers every model with at least 50 engine complaints that clears those floors.
These are complaint rates, not failure rates. Owners report some problems more than others, and a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
Sources
- NHTSA complaints by vehicle (owner complaints API) — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Report a vehicle safety problem — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration