2016 KIA Soul Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Soul years
- Far more complaints than other years 3rd of 16 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 816 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 KIA Soul. That ranks 3rd out of 16 Soul model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (561 complaints, 69%), typically at around 86,000 miles. Complaints mention 28 crashes, 35 fires, 25 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 816owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 28complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2016 KIA Soul problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine problems | 561 | 69% | 86,000 | “catalytic converter” (28%) | $3,700 |
| Unknown or Other | 123 | 15% | 75,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 106 | 13% | 101,150 | “catalytic converter” (50%) | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System problems | 84 | 10% | 72,617 | “catalytic converter” (26%) | — |
| Power Train problems | 62 | 8% | 74,500 | “catalytic converter” (26%) | — |
| Electrical System problems | 56 | 7% | 63,061 | “catalytic converter” (11%) | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 33 | 4% | 68,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 30 | 4% | 53,500 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 18 | 2% | 50,415 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 18 | 2% | 45,639 | — | — |
| Structure | 18 | 2% | 55,061 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 17 | 2% | 33,956 | — | — |
| Suspension | 8 | 1% | 35,911 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 7 | 1% | 30,650 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 6 | 1% | 48,500 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 4 | 0% | 14,300 | — | — |
| Seats | 4 | 0% | 10,000 | — | — |
| Firerelated | 3 | 0% | 82,000 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 2 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 0% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 0% | 52,080 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 0% | 25,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 0% | 80,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2016 KIA Soul recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Engine; engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:emission control:catalytic convertor
Problem: 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.
Risk: Piston damage may result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash. A broken connecting rod may puncture the engine block allowing engine oil to escape. The leaking oil may contact the exhaust, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will upgrade the Catalytic Overheating Protection Engine Control Unit logic to prevent overheating of the catalytic converter. In addition, the catalytic converter will also be replaced if it has been damaged. Depending on the extent of any damage, the engine may also be replaced, free of charge. The recall began April 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC176.
Steering
Problem: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Soul and Soul EV vehicles. The pinion plug may allow the pinion gear to separate from the steering gear assembly.
Risk: If the pinion gear separates, steering will be lost, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and secure the pinion plug or replace the steering gear assembly, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 16, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC155. Note: This recall supersedes campaigns 14V-332 and 15V-736. Vehicles previously remedied under those numbers are being recalled again under this campaign.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Engine Fires (EA21003) — opened Dec 22, 2021, closed Feb 5, 2024, led to recall 23V877.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Vehicle suffered a sudden, dangerous loss of power on the highway at 70 mph, dropping immediately to 20 mph, creating a severe safety risk. The vehicle has an active P0420 code. The official NHTSA database confirms that Safety Recall SC176 (Campaign 19V120) is INCOMPLETE for this vehicle. However…
I have a 2016 kia soul that has been having drinking oil every 2-3 weeks but there isnt any oil leaking on the ground.last week i was driving home and my car woulnt go over 20mph i took it to kia and they said i need a catalytic converter the oil is still escaping somewhere and when i looked at the…
Dear Kia Customer Care, I am writing to formally express my disappointment and serious concern regarding my 2016 Kia Soul, VIN [XXX], its engine failure, the applicable engine recall/warranty coverage, and my experience obtaining assistance and repairs through Kia. Most importantly, this situation…
My 2016 Kia Soul 1.6L GDI has an unresolved engine-related safety and recall concern. The vehicle is associated with safety recall SC176 / NHTSA 19V120, which remains identified as incomplete in the vehicleâs recall records. Kia also sent a recall renotification stating that the recall had not…
The engine long-block assembly suffered a catastrophic, terminal internal collapse and sudden stall due to abrasive substrate particle ingestion from a previously failed, melted manifold catalytic converter under Safety Recall SC176 (NHTSA Campaign 19V120000). The vehicle has been extracted to…
Other KIA Soul years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Soul | 12 | 0 |
| 2024 Soul | 30 | 0 |
| 2023 Soul | 54 | 4 |
| 2022 Soul | 94 | 1 |
| 2021 Soul | 238 | 2 |
| 2020 Soul | 386 | 1 |
| 2019 Soul | 136 | 1 |
| 2018 Soul | 219 | 1 |
| 2017 Soul | 272 | 1 |
| 2016 | 816 | 2 |
| 2015 Soul | 901 | 4 |
| 2014 Soul | 902 | 5 |
| 2013 Soul | 666 | 3 |
| 2012 Soul | 514 | 3 |
| 2011 Soul | 194 | 3 |
| 2010 Soul | 135 | 3 |
See all KIA Soul problems by year, every KIA model, or the KIA VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2016 KIA Soul?
Owners most often report engine, unknown or other, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 561 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2016 KIA Soul?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2016 KIA Soul a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Soul model years, the 2016 has far more complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.