general problems of the 2014 Kia Motor Soul - part 1

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. .

Subject: reimbursement request for engine defect repairs - VIN [xxx] dear kia consumer assistance center, I am requesting full reimbursement for repairs necessitated by the known engine defect in my 2014 kia Soul with the 2. 0l vehicle information: •year/model: 2014 kia Soul plus •current mileage: 145,861 •owner: [xxx] expenses incurred due to engine defect: 1. Oil change - $152. 34 (November 21, 2025) jiffy lube work order #410 documents excessive oil consumption with notation "1/2 quart low on oil. Check your oil often" despite oil change only 46 days prior. 2. Oil change - valvoline (oct 6, 2025) full synthetic oil change $0. 00 because they gave me a oil change for free because my oil light came on the next day. Valvoline 5w30 full synthetic oil api sp 4. 20 qt valvoline oil filter 3. Oil change – valvoline - $106. 00 (oct 5, 2025) full synthetic oil change valvoline 5w20 full synthetic oil 4. Diagnostic service firestone - $110. 99 (engine analysis sept 6, 2025) * possible bottom end damage to the engine from overheating** needs to go to engine shop** diagnostic service (engine analysis) **hears squeaking when accelarting. Customer was driving up the grape vine and car had shut off. Car also takes a while to get up to speed. ** 5. Catalytic converter replacement - $1,100 (sept 6, 2025) othe catalytic converter failed due to excessive exhaust temperatures caused by the engine defect. Per kia TSB and recall documentation, high exhaust gas temperatures damage the catalytic converter, resulting in abnormal engine combustion and damage to engine pistons. 6. Autozone - $26. 99 (Aug 28, 2025) ocataclean fuel & exhaust osystem cleaner 7. Valvoline - $140. 00 (may 11, 2025) complete fuel system $19. 99 8. Spark plug replacement & tune-up - $391. 81 (March 29, 2025) engine diagnostic codes (p0302, p0300 I request full reimbursement for these expenses totaling $2,011. 13. Kia of downtown los angeles will do the oil consumption test 11/24/2025. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.

10/01/2025 I took my vehicle to crain kia of conway for four different safety recalls. Safety recall 15v123 (sc116) , 22v096(sc229) ,17v608(sc155a) ,and 19v120(sc176). Mr. Jerime york handled my paperwork. I told him my car has. Diagnotic code of 420(catalytic converter is not operating efficiently on bank 1) he told me they would take care of me. 10/14/2025 when I got there to pickup my vehicle I ask mr. York, what they did about safety recall sc176. He said upgraded the module. I brought to his attention that the remedy stated that in addition, they were suppose to check catilatic converter and motor for damage due to module not controlling tempature. He stated he trusted that his mechanic followed repair procedure. I requested a printout of the diagnotic codes my vehicle had when I brought in which they gave me. Ive attached a copy of the diagnosic codes on my vehicle. Notice the 420 code also attached is kia technical service diagnostic procedure and repair instructions for safety recall sc176. Which they did not do . I question if they did any of the recall repairs. The document prove they did not do the most important one sc176. Please help with this situation.

On [xxx], my 2014 kia Soul received the pi2002a knock sensor detection system (ksds) ecu update at southwest kia, 39650 lyndon b johnson freeway south, dallas, TX 75237. After the update, the engine sustained catastrophic damage (a hole in the block). Southwest kia informed me that kia denied the engine replacement under warranty, which is inconsistent with the official pi2002a bulletins (NHTSA #mc-10172065 and mc-10189615). These bulletins clearly state that the short block warranty is extended and that engine replacement is covered for this type of failure. I am requesting an immediate review of my case, a written explanation for the denial, and a timeline for resolution, as my vehicle is currently inoperable. Attached are service records, photos of the engine damage, and copies of the pi2002a bulletins for reference. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

I was driving for less than ten minutes on an expressway when my kia Soul shut down. I had just changed lanes. Fortunately, I had moved to the far left which was adjacent to the emergency lane prior to the shut down. I was able to steer the car to that area and brake. The car had completely shut down out of the blue. I could not accelerate. Thank god the brakes and steering were still working. After a few minutes I tried to start the car. It turned on quickly. I was able to drive to the nearest exit. The car seemed to work fine. I made an appointment with a kia dealer. I was informed that certain 2014 kia's may have a problem with shutting off. My car is in their hands. I am trying to get in touch with kia. If they say my car isn't one of the "certain" 2014 kia's that were recalled and don't pay for the repairs, I will be very upset. This is not normal behavior. A car shouldn't just completely shut down. I could have been killed. I no longer feel safe with this car.

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).

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!.

Brakes failed my husband (primary driver of the kia vehicle) came home from work on 8/19/2024. He pulled off at the local mechanic. Brakes were rusty and there was rust in the brake line so we had to replace. Rusty brakeline became a voluntary recall because it was not just our car that had this problem. We have been going back and forth with kia since June notice (their case #xxx) and they are blaming the criteria of their voluntary recall with the NHTSA that says that you can only get reimbursed if you can return the parts and document that they were the original manufacturer's parts that were replaced. 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.

Na.

I have a re call on my 2014 kia Soul my check engine light is on the reason is I'm having issues with my catalytic converter I been asking for this repair to be done for over a month now kia has been giving me the round around.

At a speed of 50+ the car wants to shake and sputter as if trying to die out. Oil, all fluids faithfully changed since purchased, along with rotatable tires. Fuel pump good, many trips to local dealership but nothing completely resolved as informed. Aside air bag never checked or replaced. Desperately need assistance in resolution please.

On 11/11/2023: engine failed/malfunctioned. Engine stalled while driving on the interstate. Traveling 75mph. I felt some sort of slight jolt, looked down at the dash and seen my check engine light blinking. There was not an exit nearby so I proceeded to pull over. As I pull over all lights had become illuminated but check engine light was not blinking anymore and I had first seen my headlights dim twice, next the radio went out, then headlights then my hazard lights and eventually everything turned off. This happened approximately around 10:00 pm and I had made it approximately 20 miles out of town. I felt it was too dangerous to step out of the vehicle. I called for a tow truck to bring my vehicle to the nearest kia and found a ride home myself. My safety was put at risk by being stalled on the side of the interstate with no power to even have the hazards on with high-speed vehicles passing by me. Kia of fargo, nd inspected my vehicle and found no reason as to why my vehicle had stalled. What they did find was a historic code for my catalytic converter needing to be replaced, which I had brought up to them and they advised me to make an appointment. For approximately the past 2 years I have been bringing my vehicle in to the kia of fargo concerning the amount of oil my vehicle is going through between oil changes. Sometimes it seems like the amount of oil "burned" varies but sometimes I can’t even make it until my next oil change without having to add oil into the vehicle. I have had multiple oil consumption tests completed. Which some of them did come up excessive. From there, they recommended to have an overnight cleaning but I did not notice that this did any improvement. The last oil consumption test completed I was told over the phone that my vehicle did not quite hit the mark where warranty would be able to cover it. I was told that I lost about a quart of oil and then I asked how much you have to lose and they said over a quart. . . Attachments wont load. Email.

As I was driving on the highway, driving uphill, the car began to rattle under the hood as I attempted to increase speed. When I came to a full stop, the car completely shut down. I popped the hood, and the coolant cap was blown off and coolant was leaking everywhere. I was stranded on the highway until fire and rescue helped pull the car off the main road onto a side road. Called the tow truck who took my car to a place in ardmore, ok. Called bobby’s radiator and auto repair. Upon inspection, the mechanic stated that “the motor is locked up. ”.

Oil consumption and catalytic converter clogging. My car burns through 5 liters of oil about every 1,000 miles. I've already had the catalytic converter replaced and my mechanic said it's from excessive oil leaking, and the only alternative to fix it is to replace the engine.

Car knocks bad. Air has never worked well. Car had been stolen before. Insurance did not do anything. My insurance has gone up because of the security system scandal.

I drove my car a short distance, parked, and turned off the engine. About 5 minutes after I left my car in the parking lot, we heard a loud explosion and everyone in the office stepped outside. My car became a ball of orange fire and burned for some time. It took 3 fire trucks to contain the fire and several other vehicles were damaged from the explosion. Pictures taken after the incident show the engine was gone (melted maybe). The inside of the car was also burned beyond recognition. My potential death was approximately 5 minutes after I parked my car. The gas tank did not explode; rather, the car burned from the front to the rear. This vehicle should not be on the road and the problem should be made public immediately.

My check engine light was going on and off and I was told that I need to replace my catalytic converter. I went on line to see if my car had a recall it did show other 2014 Souls but mine was not part of the recall #19v101. I'm wondering why mine wasn't part of it. I also had my engine replaced by kia and after researching this I read that a faulty engine could have caused the converter to go. I'm trying to find out why my car wasn't part of the recall and if possible can it be added to the recall please check into this for me and let me know.

My car was stolen on June 30th 2023 due to the kia tik tok challenge. The officer at lmpd says is common. There were lots of kias in the impound lot! my car did not have standard antitheft installed. The car has body damage and the steering coloumn is trashed. From the theft this was a suprise to me. I had not notification from kia about this trend. I was not offered software fix or steering wheel lock, which they say they are doing. I have had no contact from them. They have my address it has not changed. Now im left with a car I cannot drive. It also not covered for theft because of all the issues. This is the second time I have had major problems imobilzing the car. I had no use for 1. 5 years and eventually a recall came in and they fixed. This car has been of the road more than on. I contacted the kia dealership they refused to do anything. They told me to contact kia which I did online and by phone. Phone attmpt was unsuccesrull they just kept circling you around with key options and you would end up at the beginning again. I was able to file a report online, but its unclear of the solution it read someone would contact you. That has not happened.

The car hood fire shield compartment has been making raddle noises. I have heard pieces falling into the engine several times. On 6/24/2023 I attempted to remove the fire shield and black hard pieces started to fall out. I immediately took it to moritz kia @ 8501 west fwy, fort worth, TX 76116, (817) 560-6000. I spoke to the service person and was told "don't worry about it, it is just the fire shield falling apart" I told him what about the engine compartment and was told that the engine is protected. This is not normal and I don't know what it is. It is coming from under the car hood falling into the engine compartment and there is still a lot more raddling under the hood when driving and falling out. I have provided pictures. I use this car to drive my wife to her chemo treatments. Please advise. Thank you for your time and effort.

2014 kia Soul. Consumer writes in regard to defects in vehicle.

Abs light and traction light.

Catalytic converter malfunction and it was check by my mechanic at hillebrand automotive. It causes my 2014 kia Soul to stop running in the middle of the highway. There were no warning lights, massages or any other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure. This happened 3 months ago. On January 21, 2023. It's still down because I can't afford to have it fix.

The engine is the system that is malfunctioned and yes it is available for inspection upon request. The vehicle accelerates at a slower pace than actual acceleration pressure put on pedal and then it lurches/jerks forward at a fast pace and then slows down and repeats that process over and over. Yes the problem has been confirmed. It has been inspected by the dealership. Yes the warning lamps that often illuminate are the check engine light and the oil light. They first appeared to my knowledge on 01/2020. I have been told numerous times by the kia dealership where I get the vehicle serviced as well as kia America inc. Corporate headquarters, that the engine has a malfunction and needs to be replaced. I attempted to have this problem fixed and I have missed work and spent thousands of dollars for this vehicle to work correctly.

The vehicle’s engine spontaneously caught fire on the interstate. Entire car and all belongings inside were a total loss.

My check engine light came on and took it to coastal kia. Was told the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. After checking it’s not on the recall list but why are some on recall and not others. It started with the light at 127,000 miles. At first it would only stay on for a few days and then go off. Now it stays on all the time. I’m going to have it replaced but trying to find out why only some of the 2014 Souls are under recall.

My car was jerking, and smoking broke down in ok, the mechanic that fixed my car told me to reach out to kia and you because he said that oil was leaking down into the coils and I was lucky that a. It didn't catch fire with me and my child in the car and b. That it didn't burn up my motor. Since this happened on 9/5/22 I have to put 2qts oil in my car ever week and half because the oil is "burning up". I have the receipt with details from the shop in oklahoma. I have reached out to kia several times, but nobody calls me back.

Whenever needing to accelerate sharply on highway or roadways a plume of white smoke is released from the engine manifold compartment area and creates a smoke screen surrounding and behind vehicle. Had numerous mechanics fix things on this, fuel injectors recently, kia dealership states it needs a new engine but extended warranty would not cover the cost. Vehicle was sold to me and under financing through westlake financial and is lien holder, but vehicle is claimed by dealership to be unsafe to drive. Forced to purchase an additonal new vehicle and still paying and insurinance on this vehicle.

The check engine light is displayed showing that the catalytic converter is bad. Vehicle is losing engine oil. Have filled complaint with kia. No assistance offered other than stating there are no recalls on the vehicle.

I had my car “recall” checked out at a dealership. They preformed a software update but I have had problems ever since. I’ve replace the catalytic converter twice. Had to replace spark plugs after the dealership blew them all and only decided to fix one. I’ve had engine misfires and burning smells and have had those issues fixed multiple times. The car is not safe to drive. They won’t do anything because there’s no active recalls, but I am having these issues continuously. The engines either going to blow up or stall and someone including me is going to get hurt. Kia needs to be help responsible for this. I’ve had regular maintenance and oil changes my entire time owning the car. I shouldn’t be having to replace coil packs, ignition coils, spark plugs and catalytic converters every 4 months. My car is also burning oil like no other.

I recently had the engine related "recalls" done to my 2014 kia Soul car. The dealership made no mention of my bad engine noises on the service invoice or when he called me to come pick up the car that had "passed" the engine test and the ecu update. My faint engine noise is escalating greatly following the recall completion. After speaking a second time with the service advisor at kia, he did admit the noise was present and said it was not my fault but, no coverage was available for me. My car was already over the extended warrantee mileage cap back when I received the initial recall notice so it seems I was always to be out of any engine repair coverage by kia. I have a nice car in which I have overspent effort and money maintaining the engine better than the manufactures recommendations and it is basically junk now due to the engine prematurely breaking down. It sits in the street and I am without my car and I am far from alone as a kia Soul owner. A car that is worth many thousands of dollars to me running is now worth only about $200. To the junk man. You can't find a good, affordable car to replace it with today. My question why would the 2. 0 kia Soul owners not have the same, unlimited mileage warrantee on their engines which the other kia and hyundia owner's engines have received for these defective engines? I think it is criminal, literally stealing money from people by selling a defective item and not compensating the owners for that defect. This action also forces the customer to spend more money on another vehicle, way before the time it should be necessary to do so. I could have easily put 50-75k more miles on this kia Soul car if it were not for the bad engine.

Took my car in the dealership 3 months ago before I hit my 100k mark. The engine sounded like a cummons diesel and the engine light kept going on and off. They did an oil change and kept my car for 3 days and were unable to diagnose the problem. I made sure the problem was documented by the dealer. Recently it started to sound the same and the light kept going on and off and I couldn't get into the dealership on my day off. So I went to a jiffy lube even though I still had some mileage before it was due. The guy there was very concerned and said my car was burning oil quite badly and there was an issue with the timing chain causing it and my car was at risk of seizing up. He recommended getting to the dealer as soon as possible. I took time from work the next day and fortunately the engine light was still on and they apparently diagnosed the problem without telling anything more than to expect a call from the manufacturer. That was on January 10th. It is now the 15th and I have not heard anything. I have never even been told when I take the car in for oil changes that I'm even low on oil and jiffy lube has been the only one to bring this to my attention. Prior to this the dealership has been the only one to do my oil changes and I was in one more time between when the problem started in February and now.

I had the knock sensor recall updated on my car last year. This installation was faulty so kia had to create a software for my car for the knock sensor. Recently, my car has starting losing momentum when trying to drive and it's slow to shift almost like it's stuck in safe mode which is what happened after the kds was put in place. I believe the software or the sensor may be malfunctioning. This is affecting my gas mileage and possibly harming my transmission. This could possibly cause me to be in an accident with severe injuries or death.

The contact owns a 2014 kia Soul. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA campaign number: 19v120000 (engine, engine and engine cooling) however, the check engine warning light started illuminating randomly. The vehicle was diagnosed with catalytic converter failure. The contact was informed that the repair would be an out of pocket expense since the vehicle was no longer under recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 116,000.