general problems of the 2018 Kia Motor Soul - part 1

I am writing to report safety concerns regarding my 2018 kia Soul plus. I have been experiencing several engine issues, including knocking noises, hesitation during acceleration, excessive oil consumption, and an active check engine light. Recently, while driving with my daughter, the vehicle began shaking and the check engine light flashed three times. Although I strictly adhere to the recommended maintenance schedule, these issues persist. My mechanic identified code p0455, but a smoke test did not reveal a leak. Additionally, despite having a full tune-up in August [2025] at 105,636 miles, I am being told I require another tune-up due to engine misfires. I am concerned about the frequency of these repairs and the overall safety of the vehicle’s engine.

My 2018 kia Soul with the 2. 0l nu gdi engine is experiencing severe oil consumption of approximately 1 quart every 300–400 miles. The engine and lubrication system are available for inspection upon request. My check engine light is currently on. The dealer performed several recalls on the vehicle, including pi2107 (ksds), sc226, and cs2311a, but refused to perform the required oil?consumption test described in TSB eng 222 (rev 8). The service technician stated that because the oil?consumption test is “not on the VIN,” they would not perform it under warranty. I was told I could pay $250 out of pocket for the test, but that even if the test confirmed a defect, the dealership would not cover any repairs. I was also told to “run the car until the motor seizes up” before they would help. This instruction is unsafe and contradicts kia’s own safety systems, including ksds, which is specifically designed to prevent engine seizure while driving. Driving a vehicle with rapid oil loss until the engine seizes can cause sudden loss of power, loss of steering assist, and a crash hazard. The problem is ongoing and repeatable, but the dealer refused to diagnose it properly. I am reporting this because the dealership refused to perform required safety?related diagnostics and instructed me to operate the vehicle until catastrophic engine failure occurs, creating a significant safety hazard for me and other motorists.

My kia Soul 2018 caught on file while driving. The whole engine was in flames. I didn't want to die because my car has a manufacturing issue that kia was not aware about. The dealership I've purchased the car from denied to give me a copy of the mechanical inspection done at the dealership stonebriar Chevrolet in frisco, TX. The flames started under the car and made its way to the engine, smoke was coming from the ac vents. People were able to put the fire down before it got to the gas tank. Due to the seriousness of the damage, the car stopped working and we left it on the side of the road.

The contact owns a 2018 kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from underneath the hood. The check engine and oil warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed with a blown engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 20v750000 (engine); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 95,000.

Unknown. . . The car goes into limp mode suddenly. . . My battery was boiling an shot liquid out of it, prior to this my other battery leaked an the alternator was bad . . . . When this happens suddenly you have no steering, an if course the boiling battery may explode. . . . I've had this car checked over several times since begining of January with everything checking out fine but this still happening.

My car was fine one day the next day without warnings was driving on highway and it starting riding sluggish making a rough noise I had pull over to the side of highway turn car off started back up drove home and that was the day my nightmare started. I took my car to the dealership and had a diagnosis performed and they said I need a new engine 8000. 00. On 07/25/2024my car was having similar problems the y said it was a knock sensor they fixed that problem. Now I'm02 without transportation. This engine has has a lot of issues. Can anybody help with this problem.

Was going down the freeway the check engine light came on pulled over and found there to be no oil on the dip stick and I had just checked it a week ago. Now the engine is knocking due to the oil consumption.

Excessive oil consumption.

The engine seized up at 165,000 miles. According to one [xxx] at trinity automotive in fairfield, ohio, it's a known issue. According to [xxx] at prebco in eaton, ohio, the issue is related to low-pressure piston rings. Compression tests showed between 0 psi in one cylinder and between 55 and 58 psi in the other three cylinders. These issues have been verified at matt castrucci service center. With a gdi engine, I had been chasing down the usage of too much oil for several months. I get oil changes at 3,000 miles, and I would be 1/2 quart to 1 quart low at 3,000 miles. Dealership service staff in beavercreek, ohio, said that kia considers the usage of one additional quart of oil per 1,000 miles to be "acceptable" - that makes zero sense. I was told that they would do a piston soak, and they directed me to a formal procedure on kia's website. I used this process, and it definitely cleaned out all of the carbon. This did not fix the issue. Taking my youngest daughter to a dinner following her high school national honors society induction, I experienced an engine knock as I accelerated onto the i75 north. It felt like a strong jolt back. The 2018 kia Soul plus has been a 3,100-pound roadside decoration since November 2025. I still owe $14,000 on this loan, and I cannot afford an additional car payment. Replacement of the engine will be $8,500. Kia customer service told me this is an out-of-pocket expense as their warranty ended at 150,000 miles. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Kia is aware of these issues why haven't they issued a recall for engine oil composition low and causing problems.

Engine is loosing oil into the #2 cylinder, causing an damage to the downstream exhaust. Once the cylinder fills with oil, the care immediately drops in operation speed causing significant driver response and immediately surrounding vehicles.

Description of the problem: my 2018 kia Soul has a recurring and unresolved safety issue involving sudden loss of power while driving. The check-engine light repeatedly comes on, and at times the vehicle will hesitate or lose acceleration unexpectedly, creating a risk of being unable to maintain speed in traffic. Chronology: this issue has been occurring for over a year. I have taken the vehicle to the kia dealership multiple times for the same problem. Each time, the dealership has either been unable to diagnose the cause or has returned the vehicle stating the issue was repaired, but the problem returns within weeks. Most recently, the dealership kept the vehicle for over a month and still could not identify or resolve the cause of the power loss or the recurring check-engine light. They then instructed me to pick up the car and drive it until the warning light comes back on, despite my reporting that the vehicle loses power while driving and is unsafe to operate. Safety concern: the loss of power happens without warning and can leave me unable to accelerate or maintain speed. This has made it unsafe to drive in normal traffic conditions, such as merging onto highways or crossing intersections. I cannot safely operate the vehicle in its current condition. Attempts to resolve: all service has been performed at the same kia dealership since the car was purchased new. Despite multiple repair visits, including a month-long stay at the dealership, the problem remains unresolved. Kia customer care has been contacted, but the issue continues with no effective resolution or repair. Reason for NHTSA complaint: because the malfunction involves sudden power loss and repeated failure of the authorized dealership to diagnose or repair the issue, I am reporting this as a potential safety defect. I am concerned that this may reflect a broader problem affecting this vehicle model.

Low compression on cylinder 3 and 4 and the car only has 40,000 miles on it. It's not covered in warranty because it's a 2018 model but I've only had the car for 1. 5 years and still owe 18,000 on it and I'm a officer and a single mother and can't afford to let the car go back when kia knows these cars have engine issues and low compression engine problems.

9/25/25 car would not accelerate on exit ramp and engine seized just as I pulled into romeo kia kingston car repair center, causing a dangerous driving situation. No prior noise or warning lights for the 6 years I have owned the car. 10/6/25 per jared illg, district kia mgr. , “although, my 2018 kia Soul 2. 0 engine is under the class action settlement, my car is not under extended warranty, because I did not have the ksds software update. ” I did not receive any mailings over the years, but two August, 2025 re-notifications. •kia ksds software 2018 update (172/953), why wasn't update performed by romeo auto group dealership before I purchased car? •kia’s parent company, Hyundai motor group removed the ksds update requirement for its lifetime engine warranty, why hasn’t kia? •the romeo auto group dealership owned this car and used it as a lease car. I am second owner, why didn't I get a transferable / powertrain warranty? •why would I get a limited warranty knowing the kia Soul has faulty 2. 0 engines since 2012, defects that arise in the car that originate from the factory; resulting in numerous lawsuits and class action settlements. This is not a case of owner neglect; I have taken excellent care of my 2018 kia Soul. •I did not receive TSB-19 and TSB 222 which refers to known defects of all these connected components: excessive oil consumption, defective piston rings, and rod bearing failure; resulting in catastrophic engine failure. My mechanic has installed a used 53,000 mi. Used engine. I now have a debt of $8,817. 91 for a 2018 kia Soul I have owned for six (6) years. I am so stressed this has a disastrous impact on my financial situation. Desired resolution: I am asking for kia America, inc. To reimburse me my expenses of $8,817. 91 (replacement engine, towing, and car rentals; attached) and provide the extended warranty for 150,000 mi.

Out of no where my engine just started knocking. No engine light came on, no oil light came on, no warnings at all. I just got an oil change 12/18/2024, with 2 top offs 04/23/25 and 07/23/25. And August 24 th my engine started knocking. I took it to midtown kia on 08/25/25 and they told me kia customer care won't cover the engine recall.

The contact owns a 2018 kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the piston oil rings, resulting in damages to the engine. The contact was informed that a piston was missing, and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 25v099000 (engine and engine cooling); but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 130,000.

On 8/12/25, my 2018 kia Soul (approx. 126,000 miles) suddenly began shuddering at low rpm with a flashing check engine light, near-stalling, and smoke from the exhaust. A warning message appeared for an engine control issue. Prior to failure, the engine intermittently knocked and displayed an oil pressure warning light. The engine burned oil at an excessive rate between routine oil changes. At the kia dealership, diagnostic codes p0300 and p0303 were found. The dealer reported a burnt valve and seized starter, estimating $2,960 for valve repair or $6,437 for engine replacement, and stated these were not covered under kia’s extended warranty or e2 class action settlement because no p1326 code appeared. However, the symptoms match the rod bearing wear defect already covered under the e2 settlement. The dealer refused to perform the bearing clearance test (kia’s required diagnostic for this defect) without payment, even though the settlement and extended warranty specify kia must cover all inspection, diagnostic, and repair costs for potential rod bearing failures within the 15-year/150,000-mile coverage period. The engine failure created a serious safety risk when the vehicle lost power and nearly stalled in traffic. The burnt valve and seized starter are likely secondary effects of bearing-related long block failure. Kia’s refusal to inspect the vehicle without charge contradicts the settlement’s intent and prevents proper diagnosis of a known defect. I request that NHTSA investigate kia’s handling of inspection and warranty coverage for vehicles showing these symptoms but lacking code p1326.

Check engine light flashing and began to lose exceleration. Pulled off the highway and vehicle died. Unable to start it. Told that the engine is bad by a mechanic.

I have owned this car now, for 3 years and uh, in those 3 years, I have had to add a quart of oil to it every week. There is a problem with oil consumption. It does not burn it and it does not leak it. And uh, apparently, kia says there is no problem. So in my opinion, the 1. 6 l kia engine is garbage. It has blow by if I take the oil cap off. The oil cap will sit there and rattle and blow off. Now it sou ds like it is getting ready to blow the motor, it has a rod knocking.

Car burned out all oil and stalled.

The vehicle has been well maintained. About 1. 5 years ago, it experienced a fuel injector failure. All four injectors were replaced to ensure the health of the engine. Recently, while on an 8-hour trip, halfway through, the engine experienced a sudden loss of power on the highway, nearly resulting in a crash, and the check engine light illuminated. The car was towed to a kia dealership, where they stated the engine had failed. Cylinders 3 and 4 have ring and valve damage. The car had been performing well with no issues or warning signs, such as a trouble light or high temperatures. All other diagnostics were rated green by kia.

The contact owned a 2018 kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, a loud pop and smoke emanated from the engine compartment, prompting her to pull to the shoulder of the roadway. After a visual inspection, the contact observed flame jutting up from the engine. The contact was able to extinguish the fire herself using a gallon of water she had on hand. No warning lights were illuminated. A fire report was filed. A police report was not filed, and no injuries were reported. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a nondescript failure with the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to an NHTSA campaign but was unaware of the NHTSA campaign number. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 125,000.

While climbing a hill, the engine began to sputter and lose power immediately, throwing multiple cel codes. I was barely able to get it off the side of the road and shut the engine off. We were very lucky to be driving at a time when the road was not as busy as usual and experienced no collisions, though we were stranded on the side of a road with no cellular service for 2 hours before we could get towed. A mechanic reviewed the engine and suggested the piston rings blew and there was oil leaking from the exhaust manifold. Smoke was pouring from the rear of the engine, likely from it burning through the exhaust manifold, and the back of the engine was covered in oil and dripping out what oil was left in the engine at a rapid pace on the side of the road. This aligns with known issues for these engines involving oil consumption at unreasonable rates and the class action settlement for rod knock issues. The vehicle is able to be inspected. I am not comfortable starting the car as it continues to make horrible noises. The cel codes produced were multiple misfires and individual cylinder misfires, p0300, p0301, p0302, p0303. The cel illuminated after the engine lost power and made the noises, flashing repeatedly along with the oil indicator light. The oil light had not illuminated at all prior to indicate an issue with oil levels or pressure. Oil was present in the vehicle at acceptable levels approximately 95 minutes or 100 miles prior to the failure. Only the mechanic hired has looked at the engine so far.

The camshaft bolt broke off and destroyed the engine. A second bolt worked itself loose and photos show it at least half way out. Less than 100k on vehicle. The car was on the freeway when it lost acceleration ability. The dealership requested the extended warranty cover the replacement of the engine and they denied coverage. A few months before the codes for camshaft sensor came on. We replace the sensor and the car worked fine until recently.

My engine under, the 2018 kia Soul engine recall, first problem was on October 2023 when it arrived at the dealership with 'no oil'. The mechanic said for kia to replace the engine. At this time they also found 'sludge' for the first time. I had done my oil changes at the dealership and the most current was August 2023; 2000 miles prior. Kia extended my 100k miles engine warranty to 150k miles. Since, I have experienced excessive oil consumption and firing of the engine. In December 2024, the engine light went on. The kia mechanic said the engine must be replaced. This time I had a problem finding two maintenance receipts. Kia refused to honor the warranty. The dealership refused to work more on the car. In March 2025, the car began to fire large bangs, then much smoke and the engine seized. What if I was driving on a busy street when this happened? what if the car caught fire? I towed the car to the dealership. Kia manufacturer refuses to honor the engine warranty. I explained to kia my car has documented engine problems. The sludge found is part of the engine problem. The car uses excessive oil, the high burning is coagulating in the bottom of the engine causing the sludge. I have followed the scheduled maintenance in the owner's manual. I have been harassed, badgered, called names at the kia dealership who wants me to take my car away. I told all of them I have a car with a well known and documented engine defect that they must fix. I read the NHTSA 23v-099 recall. My kia Soul has experienced similar problems according to the descriptions from the kia mechanic. Because my car does not fall within the specific car description kia keeps turning me away. I am driving an unreliable and unsafe car on the road. We cannot allow kia to continue to sell unsafe cars they have no intention to correct. Another problem that began after the October 2023 break is the car has an error that reads, '. . . The battery is on'. I have replaced 3 die hard batteries since. Thank you.

My 2018 kia Soul burns oil creating the engine to misfire, stall, putter, tick. Ive had my oil changed on a Friday, and by Tuesday, there is no oil left in my engine. The local kia dealership is currently doing an "oil consumption" test, however was alerted by kia corporate to not go any further unless I get them 7 years of my oil change records. My car is still under warranty. I have provided the oil change records. The local kia dealership advised I drive my car if I need to, knowing there is a faulty engine, and that could cause harm or death! kia does not stand by their warranty and tries to nickel and dime their good, loyal customers. They manufacture faulty engines, putting peoples lives at risk! my car is sitting at the dealership, waiting on approval from kia while I am left with no car. Also, the dealer does not have any loaners available.

While driving on the interstate @70mph with the cruise control activated and set the engine started without any warning to slow down. At this time the engine was sputtering, and the check engine light came on and we were unable to keep the car at speed. 12the vehicle was then driven about a mile to a kia dealership. We were then told the engine had a multiple engine misfire and they would want the car for about 3 weeks to determine what happened. We then had the car towed to another mechanic who in a couple of days told us that there was no compression in cylinder #4 and the engine was blown.

The contact owns a 2018 kia Soul. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed and approaching a stop sign, the vehicle almost stalled. The contact stated that her daughter was able to safely park the vehicle in a parking lot and the had the vehicle towed to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed. The contact was informed that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 116,000.

Nov 10,2024 my 2018 kia Soul “1. 6” (1. 6 is important because only the 2018 kia Soul 2. 0 got recognized in class action lawsuit for exact reason my 1. 6 did engine fire but yet you nor kia will take responsibility for the fire and you guys for not doing a recall on it) biggest problem I have is when I purchased it from kia lot in carlsbad CA the salesman never mentioned one word they’re known for catching fire nor mentioned someone actually died in car from engine fire to me that’s crappy customer care all the way around and kia does not give a crap about their customers what so ever!! was driving down fwy going to work and smoke coming from my engine my engine was on fire. Aug 2024 I had oil change and tuneup just months before the engine fire. Nhtsa doesn’t care either how many people like myself could’ve burned up in kia death trap. To date they still haven’t made kia responsible for the 1. 6 only 2. 0 I hope they have a family member experience what I did I betcha they would take care of it then! kia corp has denied everything being their faulty piston oil rings that they continue making and using even on their new 2025 cars that are being recalled now! do I have to die in the car to get recognized and reimbursed for all my out of pocket expenses?? yep! kia sucks never again!.

We purchased this vehicle for our [xxx]. It was going to be his first vehicle, and we shined it up and changed the battery, detailed it, changed all spark plugs, the whole nine yards…so on his [xxx] we give it to him, and we take it for a test drive, and the engine seizes up and we have to tow it to our mechanic. He assesses the car, and its rod bearing wear that is under a class action lawsuit. After calling kia, they will not do anything about it because it has never had a specific software update that is under a product improvement action. A knock sensor detection that would detect prior to engine failure. I told kia that we looked up recalls on the vehicle and there was nothing regarding that on the search. From both their website, and NHTSA. And they said that it wasn’t their responsibility to do so. But it was their failed product and design, that put my child at risk, and we had no reasonable way of knowing about it. They said it wasn’t their responsibility. I don’t understand how a detection system of the engine failure, would be required after the failure? there’s no prevention aspect to the “product improvement”. At this point, it serves no purpose, the engine failed for that reason. And installing the software update prior to failure wouldn’t have changed anything. They have orchestrated a loophole to not be accountable for a design and product they out on the public market, which they received financial compensation for, that could have cost my child’s life. In fact, they won’t even pay to replace the deficient engine that broke because of their negligence in design and risk assessment. They are 100% unwilling to address the defective product they sold. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

I have a 2018 kia Soul I have been having problems with my oil running low and my oil and engine light coming on after I have had an oil change this has been going on since 12/21:2023 inhace taken my car to the dealearship over and over only for them to tell me I don’t have oil leak they have done oil consumption test and still said nothing was wrong with the vehicle continued to take to get oil change and same thing has kept happening finally paid for diagnostic after months of being told my car was fine to find out the oil was leaking to my catalytic converter now my catalytic converter has gone out on my 2018 kia Soul and dealership quoted me a $5400 repair price I have 2 warranty and none cover exhaust repair kia has given me the run around and also said my car wasn’t under recall but I am experiencing all the recall symptoms related to the 2018 kia Soul base mode 1. 6 engine.

I have a 2018 kia Soul base model with a 1. 6 l engine. At the moment, the engine is making a loud knocking noise when the car is running. Also, upon checking the vvt solenoid there were metal shavings as well, which is a common symptom of engine failure. The safety of mine as well as other drivers are at risk as the engine can stop automatically while driving without any warning. The problem has not yet been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer and has not been inspected by others. There are no warning lamps or messages besides the loud knocking noise and metal shavings found.

The contact owns a 2018 kia Soul. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine compartment, after which the vehicle stalled and was unable to be restarted. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 19v120000 (engine, engine and engine cooling); but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 111,000.

The contact owned a 2018 kia Soul. The contact stated while her daughter was driving 65 mph, another driver advised her to pull over. The contact stated that the vehicle started jerking and the driver noticed that there was smoke coming from underneath the front end of the vehicle. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact's daughter was able to veer to the side of the road and exited the vehicle. The driver then noticed fire underneath the front end of the vehicle. The contact stated that the entire vehicle caught on fire. The fire was extinguished by the fire department. The contact was unsure whether a fire department report and a police report were filed. There were no injuries sustained. The vehicle was towed and totaled. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 63,000.

Engine knocking noise .