2016 KIA Soul Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 62 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 2016 KIA Soul, 8% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 74,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “catalytic converter” (26% of reports).
- 62power train complaints
- 74,500median miles at failure
- 0mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 34%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Catalytic converter: mentioned in 16 of 62 complaints (26%)
- Limp mode: mentioned in 5 of 62 complaints (8%)
At what mileage do power train problems happen?
Based on 24 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 62 complaints, 2 a fire.
KIA Soul power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Soul | 1 | 8% | — |
| 2024 Soul | 2 | 7% | — |
| 2023 Soul | 5 | 9% | 33,000 |
| 2022 Soul | 12 | 13% | 62,000 |
| 2021 Soul | 26 | 11% | 8,408 |
| 2020 Soul | 91 | 24% | 8,850 |
| 2019 Soul | 5 | 4% | 22,000 |
| 2018 Soul | 31 | 14% | 33,000 |
| 2017 Soul | 19 | 7% | 79,739 |
| 2016 Soul | 62 | 8% | 74,500 |
| 2015 Soul | 61 | 7% | 92,640 |
| 2014 Soul | 58 | 6% | 76,400 |
| 2013 Soul | 14 | 2% | 107,900 |
| 2012 Soul | 21 | 4% | 63,000 |
| 2011 Soul | 13 | 7% | 40,000 |
| 2010 Soul | 11 | 8% | 36,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists power train for the 2016 KIA Soul. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
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…
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The vehicle is a 2016 Kia Soul 1.6L GDI with approximately 83,000 miles. The vehicle experienced engine performance issues, loss of power, and stalling. A Kia dealership diagnosed a failed/melted…
sudden reduced acceleration / limp mode while driving P1326 knock code potential engine failure / loss of power
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2016 KIA Souls have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 62 owner complaints about power train for the 2016 KIA Soul (8% of the 816 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2016 KIA Soul power train?
No recall currently lists power train for this vehicle.
At what mileage do power train problems start?
The median reported mileage is 74,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 2016 KIA Soul?
The most frequent phrase is “catalytic converter”, in 16 of 62 complaints, followed by “limp mode” (5).
Other 2016 KIA Soul problems
See all 2016 KIA Soul problems or power train problems across all Soul years.