general problems of the 2014 Kia Motor Soul - part 1

There is a rod knocking in the engine now. Car has always been properly maintained. There are no oil leaks or anything. The car now will not shift, loses power while going up hill, and is burning oil like crazy. Had the car looked at and was told the engine now needs to be replaced.

My car burns oil very fast. I am putting in more than 5 quarts of oil in between oil changes. I have replaced the flex pipe, the catalytic converter two times, and both the upstream and downstream oxygen sensors. The catalytic converter now needs to be replaced again after only 7 months after being installed. The car keeps getting p0420 codes. I found out this last converter was bad while on the highway going 70 mph up a hill. The speed suddenly decreased all the way down to 50 mph which put me in great danger of getting hit from behind at high speeds. It would not go any faster. .

Excessive oil consumption/burning catalytic converter clogging check engine light/misfires my engine has all of these issues. It has been determined as known kia issues not driver/owner related. My car has 94,000 miles but none of what's going on is any cause other than kia issues/problems. I work a full time job and have missed work due to car not being able to be driven at random times.

The contact owns a 2014 kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 20v750000 (engine). The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact observed a leak underneath the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was determined that the master seal was leaking and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The repairs were denied due to the failure not being covered under the recall. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and it was determined that the master seal needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a complaint was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 90,140.

The contact owns a 2014 kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 mph on the interstate, the vehicle started shaking and there was a knocking sound coming from the engine with smoke and a burning oil odor. The engine, abs, and traction control warning lights simultaneously illuminated. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road to cool down. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a fractured engine pin, which caused the knocking sound. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 20v750000 (engine); however, the VIN was not included. The approximate failure mileage was 138,929.

My car was not accelerating all the time I was pressing the pedal. A mechanic said it was the engine.

Summary of safety defect: while my 16 year old daughter was driving our 2014 kia Soul in December 2025, the car suddenly lost power in traffic and would not go over 20 mph; the check engine light came on and the vehicle entered limp mode. The sudden drop in power created a high anxiety, hazardous situation for my daughter, who had only had her license for a week, during rush hour traffic. The vehicle was unsafe to operate and had to be towed. Details of the incident: diagnostic trouble code p1326 (knock sensor detection system) was confirmed by the kia dealership. P1326 is part of kia’s known engine defect population and is tied to safety related engine failures. The dealership documented oil consumption, oil fouled spark plugs, and compression readings below kia’s minimum specification on all cylinders. The dealership concluded in writing that engine replacement is required. Despite this, kia denied warranty coverage based solely on a bearing clearance test, without completing the full diagnostic process required under the ksds settlement. The vehicle remains unsafe and inoperable. Why this is a safety issue: the sudden loss of power and inability to accelerate above ~20 mph created a dangerous situation for my daughter and surrounding traffic. This is a known defect pattern in kia vehicles covered under the ksds program. The failure occurred without warning and could have resulted in a collision. Requested action: I am reporting this because kia has not responded to my two complaints nor properly addressed a safety related engine defect that is already part of a national settlement. The incomplete diagnostic process and denial of coverage leave the vehicle unsafe and unusable. I request that NHTSA review this incident as part of the ongoing safety concerns involving kia gdi engines and p1326 related failures.

The contact owns a 2014 kia Soul. The contact stated that while accelerating, the accelerator pedal was depressed to the floorboard, and the vehicle was sluggish and slow to accelerate before responding as needed. There was an abnormal, rotten odor coming from the vehicle. The abs, engine, and traction control warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA campaign number: 19v120000 (engine, engine and engine cooling). The local dealer was contacted and suggested a diagnostic test. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 157,000.

Engine failing, pistons, and major oil consumption.

The contact owns a 2014 kia Soul. The contact, who was an independent dealer, purchased the vehicle for resale. The contact researched and identified an unrepaired recall under NHTSA campaign number: 19v120000 (engine, engine and engine cooling) associated with the VIN. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the dealer declined to repair the vehicle. The contact was informed that, because of missing or incorrect VIN information, the repair was declined. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact had not experienced a failure.

The contact owns a 2014 kia Soul. The contact received a recall letter related to NHTSA campaign number: 19v120000 (engine, engine and engine cooling). The contact stated that while driving 40-45 mph, the vehicle lost power and stalled. The vehicle was restarted. The engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who retrieved dtc: p0420; which was related to the catalytic converter. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where the software update was completed, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 177,238.

The engine has absorbed an insane amount of oil the last several weeks, and this week it burned 1/2 quart of oil in four days- it was fully filled to 1 quart Monday and by Friday of the same week was halfway gone. Otherwise it has worked well. Other kia Souls in the area are selling for much more money even if they have the same or more miles on them, but because mine needs an engine rebuild due to piston ring issues, it is worth much less than it should be. And there are no available recalls even though this is a known issue for kia Souls.

In June 2024, my 2014 kia Soul (VIN: [xxx] ) experienced a sudden engine failure without warning. I was driving on a busy road when the engine began sputtering and quickly stalled. The vehicle became inoperable and had to be towed. I had it inspected at a kia dealership, who diagnosed the issue as complete engine failure but have not provided me with a full diagnostic report despite multiple requests. This type of failure is consistent with the known defects in the theta ii engine that have triggered recalls and extended warranties in similar kia models. Although kia has denied coverage for my vehicle, I believe this is a related safety issue. The vehicle stalled unexpectedly, creating a hazardous condition on the road. I was traveling with my toddler in the back seat and felt our safety was at risk. I am submitting this complaint because I believe this failure is not an isolated incident and should be investigated. Kia has refused to acknowledge a defect, but the symptoms match those in previous recalls for other Soul and forte models with similar engines. I have also attached documentation showing service history and repair costs, and I am happy to make the vehicle available for inspection. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Ive tried to get my recalls fixed since I bought the car 2 years ago, jeff wyler kia eastgate ohio has given me the run around, at least 5 attempts of no call backs or prolonged appointment dates not having me on record, my car breaks down I pay for diagnostic blown engine, I pay to have it towed to jeff wyler kia eastgate ohio, it's been there for 5 weeks and they still have not done a diagnostic on it. They are saying they never received my driver's license, then it was proof of ownership, they won't call me back or email. I'm just so frustrated because kia the main company actually has sent me many letters to get it fixed I call them and they told me their wasn't even a diagnostic done, they tried reaching out to them. Should I tow my car to a different dealer? I'm not sure what to do anymore, I'm almost afraid now they'll say they can't cover it for same reason, my trust is gone at this point with the dealership. I recently had a full knee replacement and getting in and out of my daughter's car has been very hard on me, I asked for a loaner and they said they don't provide them there and I have to pay. I've already put in so much money on this car at this point I feel cheated or targeted for some reason. They treat me like I'm trying to get something for free, they aren't paying out of their pocket. My car is still sitting there soon to be 6 weeks and don't know what to do, the treatment of this dealership is beyond horrible and I don't trust them. It's not my fault this happened I'm sorry for everyone involved especially kia , it must be a lot, thank you for listening to me , I hope you have a great day [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

** component/system that failed: the engine and catalytic converter. An independent mechanic confirmed the catalytic converter is clogged due to engine oil burning and entering the exhaust system. The component is still in the vehicle and available for inspection upon request. ** safety risk: the car struggles to accelerate, especially from a stop or uphill, and cannot reliably reach or maintain highway speeds. It revs at 3,500–4,000 rpm at just 20–60 mph. This creates a serious safety hazard, especially when merging, changing lanes, or avoiding traffic, putting myself and others at risk. ** problem confirmed: yes. A trusted independent shop diagnosed and confirmed the engine is burning oil, contaminating the catalytic converter, and advised against replacing the converter until the root cause is fixed, or it will fail again. The kia dealership dismissed the issue without testing, claiming it’s acceptable to burn 1 quart of oil every 1,000 miles. However, my vehicle consumes about 1 quart every 500 miles despite routine 2,500-mile oil changes with 5w-20 high-mileage oil. This excessive consumption is abnormal and being overlooked without proper evaluation. ** inspection by manufacturer or others: yes. A kia dealership inspected the vehicle but refused to perform an oil consumption test, claiming the vehicle was “too unstable to drive,” despite me driving it 20 miles there. They blamed the converter failure on “normal wear and tear,” and denied the presence of an oil leak. ** warning symptoms prior to failure: yes. The symptoms began months ago and progressed over time, including: loss of power, high rpms under low speed, poor fuel economy (range dropped from 350 to 310 miles), and difficulty accelerating. No warning lights have appeared. ** additional note: this issue closely mirrors NHTSA recall 19v120, but my Soul has a 2. 0l engine, not a 1. 6l. Many 2. 0l owners report the same problem. I believe this defect should be investigated for recall expansion.

In 2023 I had my car repaired at a kia dealership due to NHTSA recall number: 19v120, kia customer care case number: [xxx]. It mentioned in recall that the engines may need to be replaced. Even though the engine had made grinding noises when I brought the vehicle in for repair on that recall, the kia dealership told me my engine did not need to be replaced. However, on [xxx] as I was driving, the car began making loud grinding noises, the check engine & oil light came on and white smoke was coming out of the back. I immediately pulled into a gas station & shut the engine off. After waiting several minutes, I tried to restart the engine and it would not start. The battery had gotten weak. I got a jumpstart from a customer at the gas station, and when the engine turned over a large cloud of white smoke came out of the back, so I turned it off again and called for roadside assistance who towed the car to my home. I had the vehicle towed to a local garage on 6/14/2025. I believe this engine failure is part of the ongoing issues with defective kia engines. And also stems from the issues from the recall mentioned above because when I took the car to the service center for that recall, it was vibrating and making a lot of noise at that time, and I believe damage had already started to happen to the engine. I contacted kia 6/16/2025 and they claimed that I was out of warranty and that everything would be out of my pocket, but I think this engine should be covered under all the recalls and the class action lawsuits because it’s a safety hazard when your car shuts down in the middle of a highway. I never received any letters from kia except when I contacted them about NHTSA recall number: 19v120. The case number for that issue is case number: [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6) vehicle is at local garage.

My VIN number was included as part of the engine recall up to 150,000 miles. My car sat at the dealership and the engine replacement was denied because the leaking piston were not cover as part of the engine recall. I even called kia directly and they would not cover the engine replacement. The excessive oil consumption starter at 93k, the engine failed at 120,000 mile and 7 years old. I bought the vehicle brand new and I changed my oil faithfully. I think they denied the engine replacement because they started getting all these other engine recalls. The car was very reliable and no other major problems until this.

The contact owns a 2014 kia Soul. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the contact was informed that the catalytic converter was defective and needed to be replaced. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA campaign number: 19v120000 (engine, engine and engine cooling); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

The contact owns a 2014 kia Soul. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 mph, the vehicle stalled. The contact restarted the vehicle and continued driving. The failure had occurred twice in one week. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was temporarily illuminated during the failures. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic who provided the contact with information of NHTSA campaign number: 20v750000 (engine); and referred the contact to the dealer. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

I purchased this vehicle used just four months ago. Since then, I’ve had continual problems with it, costing me a significant amount of money. To date, it required all new tires, a new battery, and multiple problems related to the engine light turning on. So far, these problems have resulted in two sensors being replaced and my catalytic converter becoming so clogged that the car lost all acceleration while on the highway. A kia dealer wanted $2800 to repair the catalytic converter. I then had to have it towed to private mechanic who only charged me $700 for the same repair. However, the engine light continues to go on. The latest later scan indicates that yet had another sensor needs to be replaced.

The engine stalls without warning while driving. It’s been at dangerous times on highways or just driving around town. There’s no rhyme or reason and has almost caused horrible traffic accidents. When calling the local kia dealer to see if there was a recall concerning engine stalling I was treated very rudely and told that there wasn’t any recall issues or problems. However, upon doing an internet search I find that to be a lie. I guess it would take me getting into an accident and suing kia before responsibility is taken.

Q: what component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? a: my 2014 kia Soul "threw a rod" (as confirmed by a kia dealer in Jan 2025) at only 115,773 miles after years of regular (every 3-5k miles) maintenance. I bought the car used in 2017 and have documentation to show the maintenance for the subsequent years. The particular motor at issue is known by mechanics to have problems (according to my own mechanic and at least two others with whom I have communicated, as well as on-line research). However, there is no active recall on it, and the car is "out of warranty. " as of the date of this complaint, the car currently is available for inspection upon request. Q: how was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? a: it is my understanding that throwing a rod is a catastrophic engine failure and can result in loss of control of the vehicle, potentially leading to accidents, as the engine may seize or lose power abruptly. Furthermore, the broken rod can cause the engine to explode, leak oil, or punch a hole in the engine block, posing a risk of fire or further damage. I am lucky that I noted a reduction in engine power and my engine light and took it in for assessment before anything worse occurred. Q: has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? a: I brought my vehicle into a dealer in January 2025, where they diagnosed the problem. Q: has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? a: no q: were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? a: yes. The engine light came on and I had it checked by my mechanic and the dealer.

Catalytic converter overheated. Motor stalled. Wallace kia, stuart, florida ran diagnostics on my vehicle. I brought it into wallace kia, stuart, to get it fixed via the recall. They refused to do it. They said that the catalytic converter overheated and the motor has damage. I don't understand why they won't honor the recall and fix my car. They wanted me to pay for the diagnostics, but they won't send me an invoice.

I was driving down a major highway (i65, northbound, indiana) and my vehicle suddenly slowed down and wouldn't accelerate in the middle of traffic. The check engine light came on and was flashing, as well as many other lights on the dash. Thankfully I was able to pull over. I had to wait on the interstate for a tow truck with cars and semis flying past me. It was absolutely dangerous and kia states they won't cover it because it wasn't dangerous. This is a known issue with this vehicle, and I did get the updated knock sensor when that recall came out. My engine completely stalled on a highway.

I was driving and my mil came on. When I parked, I could smell strong exhaust fumes. I went to get an obd2 scan and it came back with p0420: catalyst system efficiency below threshold (bank 1) reading. I was told to replace the O2 sensor. After getting it replaced, this did not fix the issue. After some research, I discovered there is a TSB out recommending catalytic converter inspection and/or replacement. However, it only applies to the 1. 6l engine and not the 2. 0l engine, which makes no sense. The dealership denied coverage because of this and the vehicle exhaust fumes are still strong. This can cause emissions issues later, so the TSB should be expanded to all kia Soul models, regardless of engine size.

Rod bearing three has started knocking and is throwing a catalytic converter code.

Purchased car on September 15 2024 less then a week later I tried o purchase sirius radio for car, however due to being a previous customer I didn’t get a fair enough price for purchase an decided against purchase all together. However due to linking my VIN number ( assuming) kia customer recall center contacted me the very next day called 3xs left me to vmail (still have all voice mails) as kia then continually called me and left me voice mails stating vehicle needed to be put in shop due to not safe to drive and I needed to get appointment immediately for recalls on said VIN! I called kia of wilmington and waited in there waiting room for said appointment for over 4hours. Not only did they lie an tell me I wasn’t in office for that long they forged my time in an out, on said one page non informed piece of paper non receipt stating I was only there for hour an half. When I literally got upset asking demanding for information on what was so dire about my car they told me OH it was nothing my car was just fine. I took there nonsense paper got in car and left. 4 days later my car literally went bonker the check engine started flashing car wouldn accelerate then as it started it made a loud pop/ snap sound then seized up locking up so hard it gave me whip lash and wouldn move another inch let alone provide sound as if car wasn’t still running. I pushed to my home less then 500feet away with help of neighbors whom plugged in my car to read the code which happened to be in direct connection to said recall supposedly checked replaced in no way fixed yet said so even though the car had no problems till kia messed with it now it’s completely broken an kia keeps hanging up on me and will not fix or even look at my vehicle I even pleaded I would pay them to fix it they won’t even contact me back. This has to be illegal. Please help me!.

The contact owns a 2014 kia Soul. The contact stated while parked, there was an abnormal sound and odor coming from the engine compartment. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact was notified that the VIN was included in the NHTSA campaign number: 20v750000 (engine); however, the dealer requested for the contact to pay for the repairs out of pocket. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was included. The failure mileage was unknown.

Brakes are loud been changed to new ones, engine makes a small sound.

The engine light and oil light were coming on and the engine was making horrible noises. My wife called me and we had it towed to the nearest dealer, allentown kia. The paperwork we received from kia stated if those 3 things occur, get towed and the dealer will look the car over over. According to the paperwork that we received it could be possible for the engine to be replaced and in addition, a knock sensor recall should be performed. After sitting at the dealer a month before it was diagnosed, they came back with a quote for $9000 for the engine to be replaced because of upper and lower engine noise and timing chain noise, at my expense. I was told it was not covered because I never had the knock sensor recall performed. I never received any paperwork for the recall to be performed. I am a mechanic and I take my car to a private garage for all my service work. I was told there were other recalls not performed. The second person from kia said that because of an evap leak, the engine could not be replaced and they checked the rod bearings by not even taking the engine apart. The engine light is on, the oil light flickers and the engine makes various noises and consumes oil. I do not know what the real story is but I feel my engine should be replaced. I do not know what to do and I own another kia.

Multiple misfires, codes codes p062e x2 p0300 p0303 p0302 p0500 p0267 p0264 p050b.

On [xxx] my 2014 kia Soul caught on fire while I was at a gas station. There had been no warning lights, however when I first started it that day it acted like it didn't want to start. A man ran in the gas station and got their fire extinguisher and put the engine fire out. I called 911 , and when the fire department inspected it they said the fire was completely out. They filed a report and I had my car towed to glassman kia southfield michigan. It's been there since August 31st, and they still haven't told me what caused my fire. I've been in contact with kia America in California and have been getting nothing but what seems like a snow job. The car is available at the car dealership for inspection, but only god knows if they have inspected it yet. I am [xxx] with no transportation for almost two months. This is just wrong. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Please see the attached statement for a more detailed explanation. To summarize, kia will not perform a recall to repair the knock sensor in my 2014 kia Soul. The reason provided was that my engine needs to be replaced first. However, this recall calls for engine replacement if kia is unable to perform the repair. The issues I am having with my engine are symptoms of a faulty knock sensor, which is the recall kia will not repair.

Unknown. Kia dealership in edmond oklahoma is refusing to do the recalls on my 2014 kia Soul because the engine has a knock in it which I believe to be from one of the recalls with the engine. Kia manufacturer said that they couldn't do anything about the dealership not fixing the recalls and to take it to another dealership.

Kia won’t honor engine oil leak recall. Claims negligence on my part but I never had gross negligence. I kept up with everything I was supposed to. I had an oil change at a florida kia that may not have been picked up in system but they refuse to fix in warranty and recall. They let my vehicle sit for months and got upset to give any kind of update and was sketchy about diagnosis. The mechanic that worked on my vehicle offered me $1000 when told it’s not gonna work unless I get a new(rebuilt) engine. They said I’d need to tow it home. When I jumped the battery from sitting it ran just fine, as when I drove it in for inspection and of problem with engine. I need a look at my case with having the car checked about oil leaks and being told after inspection that it’s okay and the refusal to fix the engine in the warranty or recalls dime not mine. Thank you.