2016 Kia Soul engine problems
668 of the 822 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Kia Soul name the engine (NHTSA’s “Engine” heading — the engine and its cooling system). Filed under the same heading: 72 manufacturer bulletins, 1 recall, 1 NHTSA investigation. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the engine
Source: NHTSA complaint database5 of the 668 reports a crash · 31 a fire · 4 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2018: 7 · 2019: 55 · 2020: 52 · 2021: 84 · 2022: 131 · 2023: 124 · 2024: 92 · 2025: 80 · 2026: 43
Half of the 327 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the engine problem between 72,000 and 114,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
822 complaints in all about the 2016 Kia Soul, 43 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Engine” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Kia Soul engine problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the engine. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
Check engine light came on. Vehicle taken into a auto shop. Told it was the catalytic converter. I saw that 2016 Kia souls were being recalled with damaged catalytic converters. Wanting to know if my vehicle qualified
Driving on highway and car started slipping gears and having trouble accelerating from a stop. Oil light came on and it had no oil, added proper amount and type of oil. When idling check oil light flashes red even with proper oil level. Dealership states sounds like, they currently are checking it, engine and rod issue
I purchased my Kia Soul in february 2016. I've driven around 45,000 miles and really enjoyed it until the other night. Driving about 45mph on a major street when a loud screech came from the engine. The car jerked and I thought it was going to stall but it didn't.
After taking the car to my mechanic for an oil change, I was advised to take the car to the dealership because the engine was making a loud banging sound on start up. My mechanic had the vehicle over night and the engine was started cold in the morning on a quiet street.
After a short drive, I parked my 2016 Kia Soul in the garage and 15 minutes later I heard a noise in the garage. My husband opened the door to the garage and found flames coming from the stationary Kia. The entire garage caught fire and included my other car which was an infiniti g35.
What is on file about the engine
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsRecall filed under this heading
- 19V120000 CriticalFeb 22, 2019 · 378,967 vehicles
- Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Kia Soul vehicles equipped with 1.6L Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) engines. High exhaust gas temperatures may damage the catalytic converter, possibly resulting in abnormal engine combustion and damage to one or more of the engine's pistons and possible piston connecting rod failure.
NHTSA investigation
- EA21003 Engine Firesopened Dec 22, 2021 · closed Feb 5, 2024
- 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, includ…
72 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
- SC176Y_TSB_R1 Service bulletinMar 24, 2026
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SUBSEQUENT REPAIR ACTION: CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACEMENT AND ENGINE INSPECTION/REPLACEMENT (SC176Y) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides catalytic converter and engine sub-assembly diagnosis and repair information on certain 2012-
The 1 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Trouble codes named on this system
P0420 P1326 P050A P0014 P0302 P0326 P0441 P0300
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2016 Kia Soul names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Other systems with a record on the 2016 Kia Soul
Source: the same files- fuel system problems 83 complaints
- transmission and drivetrain problems 65 complaints
- electrical problems 58 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre engine problems common on the 2016 Kia Soul?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 668 owner complaints naming the engine on this model year (81% of everything owners filed about it), and 72 manufacturer bulletins, 1 recall, 1 NHTSA investigation are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the engine on the 2016 Kia Soul?
Yes — one campaign is filed under this heading: 19V120000. A recall is matched by VIN; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
When do engine problems show up on the 2016 Kia Soul?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 91,283 miles; half of them between 72,000 and 114,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Engine" heading cover?
The engine and its cooling system. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.