general problems of the 2016 Kia Motor Soul - part 1

Sudden reduced acceleration / limp mode while driving p1326 knock code potential engine failure / loss of power.

I just bought the car one month ago, and while driving my 2016 kia Soul on a high-speed highway at approximately 98,000 miles, the vehicle suddenly lost power without warning. The engine stopped responding and the car could not accelerate. This created a very dangerous situation because traffic was moving at high speed and I was at risk of being hit from behind. I was driving with my son, who has a disability, and I was taking him to his therapy appointment. The sudden loss of power made the situation even more stressful and unsafe because I was responsible for his safety while the vehicle was failing in traffic. Fortunately, I was able to carefully move out of the main highway and exit the road to avoid a crash. I managed to reach a nearby auto mechanic shop, where the vehicle had to remain because the engine had failed and the car could no longer be driven safely. This incident represents a serious safety concern because the vehicle lost power suddenly while driving on a fast highway, which could easily have resulted in a serious accident.

I am reporting a safety concern related to NHTSA recall 19v120 involving my kia Soul. The recall identifies a defect related to catalytic converter overheating, which can lead to engine damage, stalling, and increased risk of fire. My vehicle is currently experiencing an illuminated check engine light and unsafe driving conditions. During service evaluation at kia of columbus, I was informed that my vehicle has a catalytic converter blockage contributing to these issues. However, I was also told that my vehicle does not qualify for recall repair because no engine code was detected during diagnostics. This is concerning, as the vehicle is actively exhibiting symptoms consistent with the recall condition, including a confirmed catalytic converter issue and an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp. Despite this, I was denied full recall coverage and instead offered a goodwill repair requiring me to pay 50% of the cost. I believe this situation represents a failure to properly apply recall criteria and raises concerns regarding customer safety, as the vehicle may be at risk for engine failure or fire. I am requesting further review of this matter and investigation into the handling of this recall by the servicing dealership.

The contact owned a 2016 kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 19v120000 (engine, engine and engine cooling). The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power and the engine made an abnormal sound. The contact turned off the vehicle to let it cool down. The vehicle was restarted and taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the catalytic converter and exhaust pipe had caught fire and melted. The mechanic performed an oil change and drilled a hole in the catalytic converter, and advised the contact to take the vehicle to the dealer for the recall repair. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the spark plugs were saturated in engine oil. The dealer flushed the radiator and performed a second oil change; however, the dealer refused to perform the recall repair. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic, who replaced the spark plugs but refused to repair the engine until the recall was repaired. The contact stated that later while coasting downhill in neutral (n) after adding a quart of engine oil due to no oil in the engine, he heard an implosion coming from behind the driver's side front seat. No warning light was illuminated. The contact unbuckled his seat belt and jumped out of the vehicle, fracturing his ribs. The contact suffered burns to his right hand, legs, left side of face, nose, and eyebrows. The contact stated that the vehicle rolled downhill, and there were flames underneath the vehicle on the passenger's side. The contact ran after the vehicle. The vehicle drove into the bushes and came to a stop. Two bystanders alerted the contact that there were flames inside the vehicle. The police were called and arrived, attempting to extinguish the fire with an extinguisher until it was empty, and the fire had restarted. The firefighters arrived and extinguished the fire. A police report was filed and included with the fire department. The contact was transported to the hospital via ambulance an.

I had the oil changed on my car at a local tire and lube shop. Two weeks later I drove to vegas (7 hrs one way). While in vegas I started to hear a super faint clicking noise coming from under my hood, but no lights came on inside, so I assumed maybe it was nothing serious and would have it checked when I returned home 3 days later. On the way home (2 hrs from home) the clicking got louder. I attempted to pass some cars and, as I accelerated, the clicking got much louder and then I heard a loud clank and the car shuttered. I proceeded to pull over and got out of the car and saw small flames and smoke coming from under my car. A couple had pulled over with me and had a fire extinguisher which they used to put the fire out. Upon towing the car home I found a piece of metal hanging from a melted piece of plastic. I inspected it and discovered that it was a piece of a piston from my engine. There was also a puddle of oil and a streak of gasoline on the trailer that had come from my car. I experienced catastrophic engine failure. When the engine broke it punched a hole in my oil pan which caused a fire and burned a hole in my fuel line. I am unsure of what caused the engine to fail, but in seeing the recalls for the exact same thing happening to previously recalled kia Souls I figured I'd check it out to see if I may be included in that. No lights came on alerting me to any problems. There were no signs of leaking oil. Just clicking that got louder and then a loud noise and shudder and fire.

Subject: engine ? stall ? loss of power while driving: while driving normally, the vehicle began losing power and could not accelerate properly. The engine warning light illuminated and the vehicle repeatedly entered a reduced-power condition where it could barely maintain speed. The vehicle would stall while driving and then restart after sitting. This occurred multiple times over a period of time and progressively worsened. The engine also began consuming large amounts of oil between oil changes. Eventually the engine suffered catastrophic failure and would no longer run. A dealership later stated internal engine damage was present, including a failed valve and spark plug damage. The vehicle is currently at a dealership and available for inspection. The loss of power and stalling created a safety hazard because the vehicle could not maintain normal traffic speed and could have been struck by other vehicles. The problem was confirmed by a dealership service department. Warning lights were present prior to final failure and appeared during the loss of power events.

The contact owns a 2016 kia Soul. The contact stated that an abnormal, knocking sound would emit upon depression of the accelerator pedal as a check engine light appeared on the instrument panel. The vehicle was initially taken to an independent mechanic where the diagnosed the vehicle with a defective rod knock sensor; he was then advised to no longer operate the vehicle. The vehicle was later towed to a dealer where they discovered that engine rod#4 had become defective which led to engine failure. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA campaign number: 19v120000 (engine, engine and engine cooling) which he linked to his failure. The manufacturer was then notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the vehicle was already serviced for the recall prior to him owning the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired and remained in his possession. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

The contact owns a 2016 kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shut off while driving on a ramp, and the vehicle coasted to the side of the road. The vehicle lost automotive power and stalled in a high-traffic area, creating a safety risk. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and the vehicle was associated with NHTSA campaign number: 19v120000 (engine, engine and engine cooling). The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was repaired but the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 120,000.

I have put my 3rd catalytic convertor on this car. It looses power going uphill. Which is not safe. Just had 3rd on replaced yesterday Feb. 9, 2026. The mechanic said there is too much oil going to the engine. Mechanic said next thing would be replacing the engine. Why does my 2016 not have a recall on the engine.

The vehicle is suffering from excessive oil consumption (over 1 quart per 1,000 miles) and a recurring p0420 (catalyst efficiency) code. This is a documented precursor to catastrophic engine failure and engine compartment fire in the 2. Ol nu gdi engine. The engine's oil consumption is poisoning the catalytic converter, causing it to clog. This creates extreme exhaust backpressure, leading to sudden loss of motive power (stalling) while driving. This defect poses an unreasonable risk of a high-speed collision and fire if oil comes into contact with the hot exhaust manifold. Due to current extreme winter conditions (-20f with wind chill), a sudden engine stall or seizure creates a life-threatening emergency. I no longer feel safe operating this vehicle, as an engine failure in these temperatures could leave me stranded without heat in sub-zero weather.

Engine knock engine failure.

Safety defect p1326 code is a known indicator of rod bearing wear. When it triggered, the vehicle immediately went into limp mode, creating a significant safety hazard. The behavior aligns with the documented defect affecting nu gdi engines and is not consistent with normal engine wear. I have confirmed the ksds software update was performed. I have taken the vehicle to clay cooley kia of plano and my service advisor has confirmed that the engine is defected per the nu gdi engine settlement and related federal safety actions.

Greetings, I have a base 2016 kia Soul manual transmission that I thought was under safety recall for its engine, but when I search it says 0 unrepaired recalls, when I look this up it does claim my vehicle had this problem, but I never had a dealer fix it, I did contact the one I got it from a couple of years ago and asked if my vehicle qualified for the recall since it already has 200,000 miles on it but they never got back to me, did they just claim to fix it, because it has not been worked on. Still runs great at 300,000 miles but if the engine has a safety issue that might catch on fire then I want to get it addressed regardless of its high mileage.

The contact owns a 2016 kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds or while shifted into park(p), there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle had been taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed as needing a product improvement code before the failure. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The contact stated that a rental vehicle was paid for out of pocket. The contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 19v120000 (engine, engine and engine cooling); and the contact was informed that the vehicle was repaired prior to ownership in 2020. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 117,000.

I kept all of the maintenance records for the oil changes. The engine blew a piston and I will need a new engine. Driving down the road, it just lost power and died. Local mechanic looked at it and said I needed a new engine. When I began looking for a new engine, the cost would have been $3500. 00 plus labor. When looking for a used engine, the salvage person said there was a recall on the engines. I took it to the local dealer, said I was over the mileage. And would probably cost the dealer $9000. 00. The car is almost 10 years old. It was a good car. It was a standard, which should mad it last longer.

While driving my 2016 kia Soul on the highway, the vehicle suddenly began shaking and immediately lost power. The check engine light came on and the car would not accelerate, even when pressing the gas pedal. This happened with no prior warning. I had to coast to the shoulder in moving traffic, which created a safety concern. The engine then stalled completely and would not restart. The vehicle was towed to findlay kia in las vegas. Their technicians diagnosed a major internal engine failure. The repair report shows zero compression in cylinder 2, a cracked intake valve, oil contamination, and extensive internal engine damage requiring a full engine replacement. Diagnostic trouble codes included p0300, p0302, p0303, and p0326. There were no earlier symptoms, no overheating, and the vehicle has been properly maintained. The failure was sudden and left the car completely inoperable. I opened case #[xxx] with kia corporate. They reviewed all documents, service records, and the dealer’s findings. Although they did provide assistance in reviewing the case, the final outcome was not in my favor, and they declined to cover the repair. This is concerning given the history of engine-related issues and recalls involving kia Souls from similar model years, particularly involving sudden engine failure and loss of power. My vehicle remains inoperable at the kia dealership. The sudden loss of power while driving presents a clear safety risk. Based on my experience and the dealership’s findings, I believe this engine failure is safety-related and should be evaluated further by NHTSA. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Had 3 oil consumption test 2 oil leak repairs, low to no oil each time, now car is stalling , catalytitic converter problem, yellow engine light is blinking, kia of newton new jersey need to fix my car.

Rcall sc176 I have tried multiple times to schedule the required recall repair for my kia, but my local dealer has not responded to phone calls or emails. I cannot travel to another state to complete this recall. Kia has not provided a reasonable option to complete the safety repair. I am requesting assistance to get this recall completed safely and locally, and at no cost.

I was driving in the carpool line to anaheim with my daughter, the car starts pulling and make a noise in the front part and start loosing speed, from 75 miles per hour to 40 miles per hours in 2 minutes. I drove to the safety zone but in high risk to a crash. All the sensor lights on in the front part. And the steering feels hard, no movement. We feel so stressed and unsafe. The police officer help us and the 511 towing help this was on October 16th. We pay $830 dlls to the aaa to bring the car to san diego.

The contact owns a 2016 kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact heard an abnormal clunking sound coming from underneath the vehicle. In addition, the rpms increased to 3,000 and the vehicle lost motive power. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road. The contact turned the vehicle off. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle started. However, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the rpms increased to 3,000 again. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate above 20 mph. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with catalytic converter failure. The contact was informed that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that the repair was not covered under any unknown recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. In addition, the contact referenced NHTSA campaign number: 19v120000 (engine, engine and engine cooling). However, the contact was informed that the repair was already performed on the vehicle and was not covered under warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 97,945.

The engine makes a noise like a knock, when the car is running or the speed increases the noise becomes louder and it feels like a strong blow coming from the engine.

I was on my way home from work and the car just cut off . It wont move forward or backwords. . The lights,radio all was on the car just wouldnt move . . I turned the key off and tried to start it up. . It did nothing . . Waited bout 10 minutes it started back up . . I looked up the recalls . Sc176 sounds like what happen to it.

A. Safety defect and failure sequence I am filing this complaint because my kia Soul, which is subject to the widespread engine defect and extended warranty under the Hyundai/kia class action settlement, suffered a catastrophic failure immediately following dealership intervention. Responsible action: I brought the vehicle to the authorized kia dealership on September 25th the instant the check engine light illuminated for the very first time. The vehicle was driven to the dealership under its own power. Triggering event: the dealership performed the required engine-related software update (knock sensor detection system, ksds) and routine service. Immediately following this service, the engine went into limp mode and ceased functioning, requiring a complete engine replacement. This sequence strongly suggests the failure was either caused by the known defect covered by the recall or was triggered by the software update itself. Manufacturer denial: kia is denying the claim under the class action extended warranty (which provides a lifetime or 15-year/150,000-mile warranty) using the unsubstantiated and unjustifiable excuse of "damage done prior to bringing the car in. " b. Manager misconduct and manufacturer bad faith the service manager, braden anaya, has demonstrated calculated deception and bad faith, resulting in severe financial and logistical harm: fraudulent promise: the manager explicitly promised me the engine replacement would be approved if I titled, registered, and insured the vehicle. Relying on his direct word, I incurred a financial loss of $800 in fees for an unusable vehicle. Documented deception: after a long delay, mr. Anaya sent a formal denial email on December 5th confirming kia would not cover the engine replacement. Despite this formal denial, he then contacted me and demanded "trust and patience," claiming he was actively fighting the claim for the following three weeks. This was an intentional stall and clear act of deception. Logistical negli.

Car was purchased from dealership August 25, 2025 on September 19, 2025 at about 9:38 pm. Car experienced catastrophic engine failure due to an active recall/campaign that was not disclosed to buyer for an ecu problem. This problem caused total brake failure in the power brake system, forcing buyer to swerve across three lanes of traffic into breakdown lane.

Check engine light came on. 4 new engine coils and spark plugs. Carb cleaner in gas. Check engine light on again then while driving car jerked and check engine light blinking. Code 420 catalytic converter. This vehicle was under recall for same issue but was ok at time of recall. Was checked at kia dealership u see recall time.

My 2016 kia Soul is experiencing severe oil consumption, piston ring failure, and smoke from the exhaust. The vehicle is covered under kia’s engine warranty extension (product improvement campaign pi2002b and subsequent updates), which extends coverage to 15 years/150,000 miles on the engine short block/long block assembly. The dealership confirmed the failure is due to piston oil rings, but kia America has denied warranty coverage, stating that because the rod bearing clearance test passed, the repair is not covered. This denial contradicts kia’s own documentation, which defines the covered “short block assembly” as including pistons and piston rings, in addition to bearings and connecting rods. By refusing coverage, kia is effectively narrowing the warranty in a way that leaves consumers unprotected, despite the campaign language. This issue raises a safety concern because excessive oil consumption and piston ring failure can lead engine smoke and emissions problems, sudden power loss, and increased risk of engine failure while driving. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate kia’s handling of piston ring and oil consumption failures under the engine warranty extension, as kia appears to be limiting coverage only to rod bearing failures, despite covering the entire short/long block assembly on paper. Summary: VIN covered under pi2002b/ksds update. Engine is consuming oil and smoking due to piston ring failure. Kia refuses coverage because rod bearings passed the clearance test. Piston rings are part of the short block, yet warranty is being denied. Safety issue due to risk of engine failure and increased emissions.

My 2016 kia Soul is now consuming oil excessively and emitting smoke from the exhaust. These symptoms only began after a dealership performed recall-related work (knock sensor replacement and ksds software update). The vehicle is covered under kia’s technical service bulletin eng222 (rev. 7, Feb. 2025), which lists the kia Soul (2012–2024) as eligible for evaluation and repair of oil consumption due to piston oil ring failure. This bulletin requires that a sealed oil consumption test be performed when customer complaints of oil consumption or smoke are verified. Despite this, kia America has denied warranty coverage, stating the vehicle passed the rod bearing clearance test (bct) and therefore does not qualify for an engine replacement under the class action settlement. This is misleading and incomplete because: the oil consumption issue is a separate covered defect under TSB eng222. My vehicle is within the mileage (94k) and time limit (15 years/150k miles). Kia has refused to authorize the required oil consumption test. The smoking and oil consumption symptoms only began after the dealer performed recall service. This denial leaves me with a vehicle that is unsafe to drive due to risk of sudden engine failure, increased emissions, and potential fire hazard from oil burning. Kia is not following its own published service procedures, leaving consumers without protection despite official warranty extensions. I request that NHTSA investigate kia’s handling of oil consumption claims under eng222, as owners are being denied the mandated oil consumption test and warranty repairs even when they clearly qualify.

2016 kia Soul- while driving, vehicle lost power, check eng light came on and vehicle would not accelerate, engine started making noise- pulled over and shut car off. Had vehicle towed to independent shop and was diagnosed with bad catalytic (manifold) convertor- they changed oil and filter and also found metal in oil, which I never experienced till this incident- upon research I found that there was a recall on that convertor, I called dealer, had towed there- diagnosed as convertor, was told covered one day, then called next and told it was not. Evidently, looking at reviews and complaints, there are many people driving 2016 kia Souls that were not covered under this catalytic recall. Seems that kia never fixed the original issue. Warning don't buy a kia- I have contacted kia customer care, case#25526209 and they have said car did not have recall and are not giving any assistance. To edit, this is my grandson's vehicle.

While driving my 2016 kia Soul plus on the highway, smoke began coming from the rear of the vehicle. Within seconds, flames were visible. Other drivers flagged me down, and I was able to pull over. I evacuated three dogs from the car, but the vehicle quickly became engulfed in flames and was a total loss. The fire department responded and extinguished the fire. There were no warning lights or unusual performance issues immediately before the fire started. The vehicle had not been modified and was in regular use. This incident posed a severe risk to my safety, the safety of my pets, and others on the road. My VIN currently shows no active recalls, but kia has issued recalls for engine and electrical fire risks in other Soul models. The fire appears related to engine, electrical, or fuel system malfunction. I strongly believe this defect should be investigated for inclusion in kia’s fire-related recalls.

The vehicle started losing power and then stalled just as we pulled onto our road to our home, no light indicators were on and it started back up, but the traffic behind us causing slowing and potential risk to us and others. When restarted it would not accelerate appropriately and at that time we were able to put it in neutral and push it the remaining way, again causing a very dangerous situation. Upon inspection it was noticed that the oil was barely readable. We added 4 quarts (the vehicle has routine oil changes and is not due for another month or 1,000 miles) and let it sit for about 20 minutes. Upon restarting, the engine started making a loud pinging sound and oil was noticed coming out around the butterfly valve. At that time the cabin air filter and engine air filter was changed, butterfly valve cleaned and another quart of oil with valvoline stop leak added. Engine started and ran decent. Used car next day after rechecking oil, after about 15 minutes of driving it stalled once again, in traffic and pinging was tremendous, black smoke from the exhaust. The vehicle is the only vehicle we have, only transport to work and have now lost out on 4vdays. We need this addressed. This is ridiculous that our VIN isn't included in the recalls that are experiencing the exact issues in the exact year makes and models. Help please!!!.

Kia 2016 died in mid traffic, would not switch out of 1st gear as an automatic, on a major road in texas, no warning lights etc. Could be transmission or catalytic convertor.

Engine has lower end knocking noise,internal failure.

4 29 23 at 101091 miles the catalytic converter was replaced. The car sucks up oil before even the 3000 . Mark. . Kia performed. Then on7/8/25 wg baker replaced catalytic converter again. Also coding of abs brakes now and why would catalytic converter need replacing? because car is eating off oil. Yes my car stopped on the interstate and I had to pull over. I've already done two tune ups.

Check engine light came on 6months ago the code was p0420 I took it to a kia dealership they said my catalytic converter was worn out and it would be $1500 to replace it I brought up how there was a recall he told me the vehicle already had the recall taken care of from the previous owner of the vehicle and would not fix it again I have no proof they fixed the recall and if they did it obviously didn’t work now that car don’t drive at all the catalytic converter is clogged I’m still making payments on the car this hell for me having hard time getting to work now with no transportation I need some guidance it’s not fair they can just tell me the previous owner got it fixed and even if they did it didn’t work or they didn’t do it right is there anything I can do?.

Component/system failed: engine and power train. Available for inspection: yes, the vehicle is currently at the dealership. After a loud ticking/knocking noise from the engine began, the car lost power while driving. It matches symptoms associated with kia’s known connecting rod bearing failure issue (covered under recall sc176 and campaign pi2002a). There were no warning lamps at first, but later the oil pressure warning light began to flash intermittently. A kia dealership confirmed the issue and completed the pi2002a ecu update. However, they denied the extended engine warranty coverage under the campaign, saying that the vehicle was purchased at an auction, even though this issue stems from a known manufacturing defect and recall that should apply to the vehicle, regardless of ownership history. This creates a serious safety concern, as the engine could seize while driving. This issue has been reproduced and confirmed by the dealership and documented under kia case #25414628 and #25331856. This denial contradicts the campaign terms and puts drivers and others at risk.