2021 Kia Soul Power Train
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
In April 2023 I purchased a 2021 Kia Soul. I had no issues at all with my Used Kia Soul. In Nov 2023 I was in an accident. I hit a deer and that did cause damage. My insurance company fixed it. I got my car back in Dec [XX], 2023 with approximately 96,000 miles on it. A few days later on my way to work. I entered the highway the car was running fine at 70mph then all of a sudden it lost power.. No power in the middle of the busy Atlanta Highway!! I was able to coast onto the shoulder. At that point I turned the car off. Turn the car back on to see if I was able to get it into Drive. Unfortunately that didn’t work my car didn’t move at all. I had to call the tow company get it towed back down to the collision shop. Only for the collision shop to send it to a Kia dealership. My car had been at the dealership for a few weeks. Today is February 8. I got the notice from my insurance company that the Kia dealership said I had metal shavings inside of my transmission and fluid. How does that happen? Then I decided to do some research and I noticed that this transmission is a problem. Not only a problem for people that are struggling with bills and finance charges but a problem with the manufacturing of this product. I’m not sure why there isn’t a recall on this transmission, if I was unable to get off of the highway I would have been hit. What is being done about this problem? To add injury to insult my 100,000 mile warranty isn’t any good because I’m the second owner of the car. I don’t understand how this isn’t a safety recall issue. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I bought my 2021 Kia Soul on 10/21/20. Then on 11/11/20 my car started having transmission issues within less than one month of ownership & nearly 1000 miles on it. The transmission was replaced in late Nov./early Dec. of 2020. On 12/15/22, My Soul started revving up & the RPM needle was bouncing while driving, but the car would not go any faster when I pressed the gas pedal. I realized, I was having transmission issues with my 2021 Kia Soul, AGAIN. The car has less than 37,500 miles on it. I contacted Power Kia of Salem Oregon that day & the first appointment that I could get was on 12/29/22. I had the car towed to Power Kia on 12/27/22, then received a voicemail & text msg. from Power Kia on 12/28/22 that they will diagnose the issue. That was the last time that I got any information about my car without me contacting them. It has been OVER THREE MONTHS & Power Kia STILL has my vehicle & has not bothered to contact me with updates unless initiated by me. They have not provided any assistance for transpiration during this difficulty, even though that I told them multiple times, that I commute 80 miles daily. I bought a brand-new car to have reliable transportation to & from work, only to have to replace the transmission TWICE & be without my vehicle for nearly four months. The complete disregard of my safety by Power Kia when driving a car with a faulty transmission is reprehensible. I have developed anxiety issues, have had sleepless nights, and now have panic attacks just at the thought of dealing with this matter.
I was on the freeway, and the car was shuddering a bit before I lost the ability to accelerate. It would rev but no power to the wheels. Had to pull over and get towed to the dealer. I think it may be a transmission failure.
I own a 2021 Kia Soul with 34,130 miles. Purchase brand new in 5/21. I just had it serviced on 2/3/23. On 2/10/23, I was driving toward home on I-40 east, near mile marker 418 and the rpms suddenly started to jump up and down from 1000x to 6000x and the car had no ability to go anywhere close to the speed limit. There was a whistle noise coming from under the car. I took the I-81 north interchange to try to get the 80 or so miles back home but could not get the vehicle to go more than 15 mph. I was terrified I was going to get hit by the 18 wheelers whizzing by me. I got in the break down lane and limped to exit 8. The car began to shake violently and barely move. I got off the exit ramp praying no one would rear end me. I called Kia roadside and they towed it to the closest dealership in Moristown because they only tow up to 50 miles, unless I paid the requested $300+ to take it the extra 30 miles to my dealership where I bought the car. The service department called on 2/11/23 to tell me it was being evaluated now, but I have heard nothing else since. I had to sit at the dealership in Moristown until my sister could drive from Lexington KY to take me home. I have severe walking impediment due to broken neck from a car wreck. This whole experience was terrifying.
The vehicle started loosing power. the engine would rev up but the car wouldn't go. the car had to be towed to the dealership because the vehicle would not engage into drive or reverse. the dealership is replacing the transmission. It is the IVT transmission
I I WAS ON THE INTERSTATE AND MY CAR STARTED MAKING A LOUD NOISE AND DECELERATED. IT SEEMED TO LOSE POWER, I TURNED AROUND AND STARTED HOME AS I WAS VERY FRIGHTENED. THE CAR ACCELERATED WITHOUT PRESSING THE GAS, DECELERATED WITHOUT PRESSING THE BRAKE. THE TACHOMETER WAS SWINGING AROUND WILDLY. THE CAR MOST OF THE TIME SEEMED TO HAVE NO POWER. I WAS AFRAID OF A REAR END HIT BY ANOTHER CAR OR FLYLING INTO THE BACK OF THE CAR IN FRONT. I WAS TRYING TO LIMP IT IN TO THE DEALER. THE CAR ONLY HAD 3400 MILES ON IT AND I HAD HAD IT FOR 7 MONTHS. AT ONE POINT I HAD TO STOP FOR A RED LIGHT AND THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. I PUT ON THE WARNING FLASHERS AND TIRED TO EDGE TO THE SIDE OF THE STREET AS THERE WAS A BIT OF SLOPE. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTED IT AND WAS ABLE TO GET IT TO THE DEALER ABOUT 2 MILES AWAY WITH VERY LITTLE POWER. THEY TOLD ME IT HAS TO HAVE A NEW TRANSMISSION. THEY SAID THEY ARE REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION WITH A DIFFERENT KIND AND IT WILL BE SAFE NOT TO WORRY, THOUGH CONFIDENCE IN THE VEHICLE IS DIMINISHED. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE IVT TRANSMISSION THAT KIA DEVELOPED IN 2020 HAS BEEN GIVING PROBLEMS.
VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON A SLIGHT SLOPE PARKING SPACE BACKING TO A ONE-WAY PUBLIC ROAD IN NATIONAL PARK.IT WAS A DESIGNATED PARKING SPACE. THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING AND IN THE P MODE OF GEAR SELECTION. I EXITED THE DRIVER'S DOOR FOR FEW MINUTES. THEN OPENED THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WITH THE INTENT TO SHUT THE ENGINE. THE CAR STARTED ROLLING BACK, CROSSED THE ROAD, AND STOPPED BY A SANDY EMBANKMENT. I WAS THROWN OFF BY THE OPEN DOOR ON THE SANDY BANK. THE ENGINE STOPPED AND I OBSERVED THE VEHICLE IN D MODE BY ITSELF. I WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR IN THE P MODE AND WAS PULLED OUT WITH HELP OF SEVERAL PEOPLE WHO OBSERVED THIS NEAR-MISS SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THIS WAS A RENTAL CAR. NO FURTHER PROBLEMS OBSERVED. CAR RETURNED TO THE RENTAL COMPANY.
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Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 2021 Kia Soul has 7 Power Train complaints on file. 1 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.