2018 KIA Soul Engine Problems
Owners have filed 141 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2018 KIA Soul, 64% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 70,812 miles. The words owners use most often: “oil consumption” (21% of reports).
- 141engine complaints
- 70,812median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $6,650typical repair cost reported by owners
- 57%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.
- Oil consumption: mentioned in 29 of 141 complaints (21%)
- Engine failed: mentioned in 11 of 141 complaints (8%)
- Knock sensor: mentioned in 9 of 141 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine repair on the 2018 KIA Soul at $6,650, and half of them between $470 and $8,650.
Based on 5 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2022–2026), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 36 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 141 complaints, 1 mention a crash, 10 a fire.
KIA Soul engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Soul | 1 | 8% | — |
| 2024 Soul | 5 | 17% | 7,000 |
| 2023 Soul | 14 | 26% | 8,872 |
| 2022 Soul | 54 | 57% | 27,000 |
| 2021 Soul | 138 | 58% | 41,000 |
| 2020 Soul | 243 | 63% | 24,037 |
| 2019 Soul | 87 | 64% | 50,045 |
| 2018 Soul | 141 | 64% | 70,812 |
| 2017 Soul | 191 | 70% | 82,000 |
| 2016 Soul | 561 | 69% | 86,000 |
| 2015 Soul | 630 | 70% | 93,000 |
| 2014 Soul | 553 | 61% | 103,052 |
| 2013 Soul | 285 | 43% | 117,000 |
| 2012 Soul | 209 | 41% | 119,150 |
| 2011 Soul | 24 | 12% | 107,000 |
| 2010 Soul | 9 | 7% | 65,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine for the 2018 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 am reporting excessive engine oil consumption in my 2018 Kia Soul, VIN [XXX], with over 150,000 miles. The engine consumes approximately 1-2 quarts of oil every 1,000 miles. There are no visible external oil leaks, and the vehicle does not produce visible exhaust smoke. I am concerned that this…
This Kia has an oil consumption issue I need to add oil every 3 to 4 hundred miles also my oil gets black at least 1 week after an oil change.
This Kia has an oil consumption issue I need to add oil every 3 to 4 hundred miles also my oil gets black at least 1 week after an oil change.
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2018 KIA Souls have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 141 owner complaints about engine for the 2018 KIA Soul (64% of the 219 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 2018 KIA Soul engine?
No recall currently lists engine for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 70,812 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix engine problems on the 2018 KIA Soul?
Owners report a typical cost of $6,650 (half paid between $470 and $8,650), from 5 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2018 KIA Soul?
The most frequent phrase is “oil consumption”, in 29 of 141 complaints, followed by “engine failed” (11).
See all 2018 KIA Soul problems or engine problems across all Soul years.