2016 Kia Soul: Problems & Reliability
YEAR TO AVOIDThe 2016 Kia Soul has 828 NHTSA owner complaints, 130 manufacturer service bulletins, and 2 recall campaigns on federal record, led by engine and unknown or other issues. Among the 12 Kia Soul model years with federal records, it ranks 1st by combined complaint and bulletin volume — one of the years to avoid.
Sources: NHTSA complaints (ODI), manufacturer service bulletins, recall campaigns, CarWhere verified buyer prices · Updated 2026-11-05 · By CarWhere Research · Methodology
828
NHTSA complaints
130
Service bulletins
2
Recall campaigns
—
Avg. buyer-paid
Most-reported problem areas on the 2016 Kia Soul
Engine — 563 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this model year.
Unknown Or Other — 126 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this model year.
Engine And Engine Cooling — 107 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this model year.
How the 2016 compares to adjacent years
Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume. Prices are averages of CarWhere verified buyer transactions (shown when 3+ deals exist for the year). Full year-by-year table: Kia Soul years to avoid.
Know what to pay for the right 2016 Kia Soul — then negotiate it
Years-to-avoid tells you which year. Search live listings to see the target price and what verified buyers actually paid for it.
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FAQ
Is the 2016 Kia Soul reliable?
The 2016 Kia Soul has 828 NHTSA owner complaints, 130 manufacturer service bulletins, and 2 recall campaigns on federal record, led by engine and unknown or other issues. Among the 12 Kia Soul model years with federal records, it ranks 1st by combined complaint and bulletin volume — one of the years to avoid. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 Kia Soul?
The most-reported problem areas for the 2016 Kia Soul in NHTSA owner complaints are engine, unknown or other, engine and engine cooling. Service bulletins (130 on file) show what the manufacturer issued repair guidance for.
Does the 2016 Kia Soul have recalls?
Yes — 2 recall campaigns on federal record for the 2016 Kia Soul. Recall completion is VIN-specific: run the exact VIN to see whether the work was actually done on the car you're considering.
Is the 2016 Kia Soul a good year to buy?
The 2016 is one of the Kia Soul years to avoid by complaint and bulletin volume — the 2025 and 2024 model years show cleaner records. If the price reflects the risk and the specific car checks out by VIN, informed buyers still do fine; just don't pay clean-year money for it.
How do I check a specific 2016 Kia Soul before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report for the exact VIN — recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for this model year, the original window sticker where the manufacturer publishes one, and a market price check from verified buyers. One-time purchase, no subscription.