2018 Kia Soul UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
After 84000 miles my catalystic convertor is going out.
unknown. My car was stolen last Monday 2/26 about 10:15 AM. I've filed a police complaint as well.
My 2018 Kia burns through oil before 3000 miles. I have been told that this is not normal at all. I have been having this issue for some time now. The most recent time was this week. It’s been and issue for at least a year or close to it.
The alarm won’t let me in the car. Got a jump started for a few. Cut it off now it has not started again. Changed starter that did nothing. Can’t connect to the key, dashboard keeps blinking, Alarm keeps crashing. Battery checked out good. No ideal what is wrong
So, I was driving down the road and there was like a tapping sound coming from the engine. It had been doing that tapping noise for a couple of days. All of a sudden a heard like a loud bang/pop noise and see smoke coming out of my engine area. The car stalled and I slowly let it coast to the side of the road. I looked at my rear view mirror and I see black smoke and a man running toward me yelling, "Get out of the car! Get out of the car! It's going to explode! Get out of the car!" Other cars were stopping and I couldn't tell what all the fuzz was about. I picked up my work lap top, parked the car, and took the keys off the ignition. Smoke was coming into the cabin and I realized this was something else. I opened the door and the man yelled again, "Get out!, Get out!" I did. I slowly got out of the car and made my way away from the car. I began recording because I was mad that this KIA that I had bought just over a year prior had broken down. It wasn't until I stepped further back that I see the fire coming upward and the engine was on fire as well. The KIA Soul 2018 burned completely down in less than 10 minutes. I was lucky to get out alive.
During a front end accident the car burst into flames and the driver was trapped and passed away at the scene.
On the evening of 7/31/2021 myself and my 2 brothers were on our way home from shopping. It had just got dark outside. Suddenly there was a loud noise under the hood and the vehicle stopped dead in the middle of the road. Thank GOD we were not hit from behind. I put the flashers on to warn others. Other cars were blowing there horns, it was very dangerous for us and others as well. I called and got AAA there as soon as possible. The car was smoking and oil was every where. I had the car taken to an independent shop. They told me the connecting rod had gone through the engine block and that it was very bad. They suggested that I take it to the Kia dealership. They said Kia would know about the warranty's. I had AAA take it to the Kia dealer ship in west Orlando. I paid them 265.00 to do the diagnostics on the car. They told me the connecting rod bearing had caused the rod to go thru the engine block. They said I would Have to have a new engine (approx. 10,000.00 ). I said if I gave them the money when could i get my car? They said they didn't know. I ask if I could have a loaner vehicle to get myself to work. They said they don't do that. They also said at that cost I would not get a new engine. I was not treated very nice. I never had any trouble with my car. I had no warning of any kind it just suddenly stopped. I am a widow and my husband always told me to keep my oil changed. He said it is the life of the car. So I always changed my oil ahead of the scheduled time for it to be changed. I got my oil changed on 7/29/2021 and the bearing went bad on 7/31/2021. A friend from my church tried to contact Kia Corp. in California for assistance,but was treated rudely.I know there have been recalls on different Kia and Hundai engines for connecting rod Bearing issues.This was very dangerous many people could have been hurt or killed. Kia Will not help. I only have 71,000 miles on my car. I was the second owner of the car so my warranty is no good. 3 tech's have seen it.
2 INSTANCES HAVE OCCURRED. 1. IN REVERSE, THE CAR MOVED FORWARD AND NEARLY HIT A WALL. 2. IN REVERSE, THE CAR MOVED FORWARD AND NEARLY HIT ANOTHER CAR. THEN PUT IN NEUTRAL TO PUSH BACK. BUT CAR MOVED FORWARD IN NEUTRAL AS WELL. LET THE CAR SIT FOR A HALF HOUR. AND IT SHIFTED INTO REVERSE CORRECTLY AGAIN.
I WAS SITTING AT A JACKS DRIVE THROUGH WHEN MY CAR ACCELERATED ON ITS ON. MY CAR WAS STOPPED WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. I COULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE. IT PLOWED INTO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME BUT THE REESE HITCH ON HIS TRUCK WENT THROUGH MY BUMPER. THERE WAS NO INJURY.
AROUND 11:40PM ON 12/3/2019 I PARKED MY CAR IN AN EMPTY PARKING LOT - CAR WAS STATIONARY. IT WAS 51 DEGREES OUT AND CLOUDY, BUT NO RAIN OR ANY PRECIPITATION. THE CAR WAS NOT RUNNING; THE HEAT/AC WERE NOT ON. NO ONE WAS AROUND. SUDDENLY, THE WINDSHIELD IN THE BACK (LARGE HATCH DOOR WINDOW) SHATTERED ENTIRELY. IT SOUNDED LIKE A SHOT. NOTHING FELL ON THE CAR, NO PEOPLE OR ANIMALS WERE AROUND. THE WHOLE WINDOW WAS SHATTERED AND CRUMBLING ALONG THE EDGES. NO ROCKS, BBS, PELLETS, BRANCHES, BALLS, OR OTHER OBJECTS ANYWHERE. NO OTHER DAMAGE MADE AT THAT MOMENT TO THE CAR AT ALL. THE PANE STAYED TOGETHER UNTIL I OPENED/CLOSED MY DRIVER SIDE DOOR. THEN IT STARTED TO FALL APART. NO EVIDENCE OF FOUL PLAY. ONLY 12,600 MILES ON THE CAR. CHECKED WITH THE POLICE, BUT NO SIMILAR INCIDENTS HAD BEEN REPORTED. OCCURRED IN KIRKLAND, WA. NO PREVIOUS ACCIDENTS AS FAR AS I KNOW. EXCEPT A FEW WEEKS PRIOR, ON THE HIGHWAY DURING RUSH HOUR, A LON CRACK APPEARED ON THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE FRONT WINDSHIELD, STARTING FROM THE TOP EDGE ABOUT 9" LONG. NO EVIDENCE OF ROCK, DEBRIS, OR IMPACT.
ON JUNE 22 2018 I WAS TOWING MY KIA BEHIND MY RV ON I-10 NEAR MONTICELLO FL. IT BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES. IT WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED .THE FHP ARRIVED SHORTLY THEREAFTER AS DID THE LOCATION FIRE DEPARTMENT. UNFORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS HURT HOWEVER RV SUSTAINED $20K DAMAGE. THERE A FHP REPORT ON FILE (FHP01LRO23143). I REPORTED THIS TO KIA IN LAKE CITY, FL.THERE RESPONSE WAS YES THERE HAD BEEN REPORTS BUT NUMBER WAS WASN'T TOO BAD. CALLED THEM SEVERAL TIMES BUT ACTION. I HAVE PHOTOS AND THE FHP REPORT IF NEEDED. NO FUTURE SAFETY RECALL INFORMATION IS REQUIRED, VEHICLE.IA IN THE BONEYARD.
I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. THE CAR STALLED AND DIDN'T KNOW IT. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE. ALSO SEVERAL TIMES I START THE VEHICLE AND IT STALL OUT IMMEDIATELY. DEALER COULDN'T FIND NOTHING WRONG. STOPPED AND IN DRIVE OR PARKED.
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Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 2018 Kia Soul has 12 UNKNOWN OR OTHER complaints on file. 2 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.