2020 Kia Soul engine problems
249 of the 381 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2020 Kia Soul name the engine (NHTSA’s “Engine” heading — the engine and its cooling system). Filed under the same heading: 34 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 database3 of the 249 reports a crash · 6 a fire · 3 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2019: 5 · 2020: 17 · 2021: 35 · 2022: 20 · 2023: 30 · 2024: 28 · 2025: 62 · 2026: 52
Half of the 94 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the engine problem between 11,000 and 90,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
381 complaints in all about the 2020 Kia Soul, 52 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.
Vehicle RPM began fluctuating while on cruise control in rainy weather. Switched to manual (sport mode) control and the problem lessened. Vehicle began to loose power and was shifting randomly between gears automatically, eventually redlining while maintaining 74mph.
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving at approximately 30 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated and the vehicle decelerated independently. The vehicle was towed to a dealer (hendrick Kia of concord located at 7550 hendrick auto plaza nw, concord, nc 28027) to be diagnosed.
I purchased a new 2020 Kia Soul lx with 16 miles on the odometer. 2 months later, my car began to lose power suddenly. The engine increased RPM as i've lost power. The car would only accelerate to about 25 MPH. I drove it immediately to the dealership who told me I needed a new transmission.
While driving on a southeast texas 2 lane road with a posted speed limit of 70mph, I was following a truck going less than 50mph. When visibility was clear, I pulled out to pass the truck.
The car would shut off and I will start it back up it will crank then shut back off and to be clear it has plenty of oil so that's not the problem
What is on file about the engine
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsRecall filed under this heading
- 21V259000 HighApr 13, 2021 · 147,249 vehicles
- Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Soul, and 2021 Seltos vehicles equipped with 2.0L Nu MPI engines. The piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which may result in engine damage.
NHTSA investigation
- DP22003 Loss of Motive Poweropened Sep 12, 2022 · closed Dec 12, 2023
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles spanning Model Years (MY) 2005-2021. The Petitioners cited examples of complaints i…
34 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
The 0 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
P1327 P0017 P0014 P0605 P2181 P0606 P000B P0011
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2020 Kia Soul names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Other systems with a record on the 2020 Kia Soul
Source: the same files- transmission and drivetrain problems 89 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre engine problems common on the 2020 Kia Soul?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 249 owner complaints naming the engine on this model year (65% of everything owners filed about it), and 34 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 2020 Kia Soul?
Yes — one campaign is filed under this heading: 21V259000. A recall is matched by VIN; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
When do engine problems show up on the 2020 Kia Soul?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 30,000 miles; half of them between 11,000 and 90,000. 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.