2015 Kia Soul recalls & problems

Recent owner complaints

• Oct 11, 2026Engine
  RECALL SC176 INCOMPLETE- WHILE DRIVING IN AN UNINCORPERATED AREA IN [XXX] ([XXX] IN [XXX] COUNTY) THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST ENGINE POWER AND DUE TO THE SUDDEN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER THE VEHICLE WAS DIFFICULT TO STOP ON A DANGEROUS CURVE. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START BACK UP. THE CRUVE WAS SITUATED IN SUCH A MANOR THAT IT WAS UNSAFE TO TRY TO PUSH IT INTO THE SIDE AS IT WAS A STEEP DITCH LEAVING THE VHICLE COMPLETELY DISABLED IN THE COMPLETE DARK. EVEN WITH THE FLASHERS ON OTHER MOTORISTS INCLUDING A SEMI TRACTOR TRAILER NEARLY CRASHED INTO THE DISABLED VEHICLE MULTIPLE TIMES. WHILE ESCAPING THE DANGEROUS SITUATION ON FOOT I NOTICED THE MUFFLER WAS EMMITING SMOKE AND A STRONG ODOR. I WAS ABLE…
• Oct 14, 2026Service brakes
  An authorized Kia dealership (Car Town Kia in Lexington Ky) refused to complete federal safety recall SC334 after a technician snapped a bleeder screw, instead demanding a $3,022.83 payment for an unauthorized full brake overhaul. Citing rust buildup to deny the mandated safety repair violates federal regulations, prompting a request for an immediate NHTSA investigation.
• Sep 28, 2026Power train
  My husband purchased our 2015 Kia Soul 1.6L GDI in 04/18. It was recalled under the NHTSA 19V120 & Kia SC176 in 04/19. The recommended fix? Update ECU Logic. Completed: 04/24/19. Check engine light came in 07/19. My appointment in 08/19, at #1 Cochran Kia showed a P0455 large leak code. Per invoice, manual leak test found no leak, but found gas cap not installed correctly after adding fuel, codes were cleared, & road test performed; "mileage in": 65582, "mileage out": 65583. Was that a road test? In 01/20, the Soul at the dealer for check engine light; P050A code was found & there was no resolution. They sent me home with the check engine light on. Auto Zone recommended catalytic cleaners.…
• Sep 1, 2026 · 145,000 miles · fireEngine
  The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V750000 (Engine). The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the engine was inspected and it was determined that there was no failure with the vehicle. The contact was charged for the diagnostic test. While driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle went into LIMP Mode and failed to accelerate above 20 MPH. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer a second time, but no failure was found. The vehicle was then taken to Pep Boys, who diagnosed that the engine was leaking oil onto the exhaust system and catalytic converter. The vehicle was taken back to…
• Sep 15, 2026Seat belts
  Seatbelt on front passenger side locked up and continued to tighten until passenger had to release. Then seatbelt never returned to function. It locked up completely.
• Jul 12, 2026 · 90,000 miles · fireEngine
  The contact owned a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, there was smoke coming from the exhaust, with an abnormally loud popping sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road, and the contact exited the vehicle and became aware that there was a line of fire on the main road leading to the bottom of the vehicle. The contact stated that a week prior to the failure, there was an abnormal burning odor coming from inside the vehicle. The contact called the Emergency Services, and the Fire Department arrived and extinguished the fire. A fire report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and was deemed a total…
• Jul 28, 2026Engine
  Dealer refusing to honor open recall remedy for SC200 / NHTSA 20V750000 on 2015 Kia Soul VIN [XXX], approx 100k miles. Recall shows "no unrepaired recall found" on NHTSA VIN lookup, but KSDS update and engine bearing test were never performed. Kia of Cheyenne states: 1) must pay for recall because update not done, 2) must pay for unrelated repairs first, 3) must provide all oil receipts, 4) will not perform free remedy. Second dealer Fort Collins Kia service phone rings no voicemail. Request NHTSA reopen recall and enforce free remedy per 49 USC 30120. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
• Jul 31, 2026Engine
  Please see attached documents. I have also put them in the US mail. One to KIA: Kia Customer Care Center, Kia Motors America, Inc., P.O. Box 52410, Irvine, CA, 92619-2410 and one to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: 1200 New Jersey Avenue, S.E., Washing, DC 20590.

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.

NHTSA defect investigations

• EA21003 · opened Dec 22, 2021 · closed Feb 5, 2024 · led to recall 23V877Engine Fires
  On March 29, 2019, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened two Preliminary Evaluations (PE19-003 on Hyundai and PE19-004 on Kia) to broadly investigate incidents of non-crash fires (regardless of origin or operational status of the vehicle) on various model year Hyundai and Kia vehicles. During the PE investigations, Hyundai and Kia issued several recalls to address vehicle fires, including those due to engine failures involving various engine types. The remedies for the engine failure recalls typically involve engine inspection (to detect existing damage), and if necessary, engine replacement. Additionally, both manufacturers have been installing an engine control software modification known as Knock Sensor Detection Software (KSDS) which is intended to detect impending engine failure, alert the driver, and limit engine power (to lessen likelihood of engine failure).KSDS is…
• PE19004 · opened Mar 29, 2019 · closed Dec 22, 2021 · led to recall 20V088000Non-crash Vehicle Fires
  During this Preliminary Evaluation (PE), the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) assessed the scope, frequency and potential safety-related consequences of non-crash vehicle fires caused by both engine failures and failures of other vehicle systems/components in model year (MY) 2011-2014 Kia Optima, MY 2011-2014 Kia Sorento and MY 2010-2015 Kia Soul vehicles equipped with Theta II, Gamma, Nu and Lambda II engines (approximately 1.7 million vehicles). ODI also reviewed field and other data on other Kia vehicles (approximately 3.6 million additional vehicles) equipped with the same engines used in the above-mentioned vehicles.As a result of this PE, Kia has issued NHTSA Recalls 20V-750 and 21V-844 to address potential engine failures and fires in certain Kia vehicles equipped with various engine types.Additional information on these and other related recall actions is available in the…
• DP18003 · opened Aug 21, 2018 · closed May 10, 2019 · led to recall 18V907000Non-crash Vehicle Fires
  In a letter dated June 11, 2018, the Center for Auto Safety (CAS) petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to initiate a safety defect investigation into non-collision related fires on model year (MY) 2011-2014 Kia Optima and Sorento, and Hyundai Sonata and Santa Fe vehicles. In a letter dated July 24, 2018, CAS requested that MY 2010-2015 Kia Soul vehicles be added to the petition. CAS stated that there is a higher number of complaints to NHTSA regarding non-crash fires on these vehicles compared to other similar vehicles. The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) had already opened Recall Queries (RQ17-003 and RQ17-004) on all Kia and Hyundai vehicles equipped with Theta II engines for engine failures that may cause stalling and fires.The queries cover most of the petition subject Optima, Sorento, Sonata, and Santa Fe vehicles but not any of the subject…