2010 Kia Soul Engine Problems

Scanner can not communicate with the ecm/tcm U0101 code shifting issues starting issues

NHTSA ID

11570456

Incident

Feb 3, 2024

I was driving down the interstate on my way to work when my check engine light turned on and began flashing rapidly. I then began to get over to the shoulder and into safety when I heard what sounded like a loud dropping sound come from the engine and smoke started coming out of the hood. When I got pulled over to the shoulder, I ran and popped my hood and saw that the whole battery was on fire, within minutes the whole car was engulfed and I was told to get back for my safety by someone that stopped.

NHTSA ID

11551804

Incident

Oct 23, 2023

The contact owns a 2010 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, a semi-truck entered her lane of traffic which forced her vehicle onto the shoulder of the highway. The contact stated that the truck did not hit her vehicle; however, the vehicle shut off with the check engine, ABS, and brake warning lights illuminated. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle but the vehicle failed to restart after multiple attempts. Due to the failure, the contact had the vehicle towed to her residence and then to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 280,000.

NHTSA ID

11467850

Incident

Feb 14, 2022

Mileage

280,000 mi

Car was being driven on a neighborhood street at 25 mph a block and a half from home. The car just stopped. The electric system still worked but there was no engine activity whatsoever. There were no warning lamps or sounds prior to this event. The oil had been changed a week prior to this happening. Evidently from reading various reports online of the same type of events happening to other owners, it seems this is a known engine issue for multiple models of Kia cars. The car had to be towed to a garage where it was inspected and diagnostics were run. Dianostics determined: "found metal beneath valve cover and camshaft damaged due to apparent lack of oiling - no compression present." This car had approximately 150k miles on it and was a 2010 Kia Soul ! 4.2 0L 1975CC FI GAS N 2 model. The repair fix is a complete engine replacement at a cost of 5-6 THOUSAND dollars. Insane.

NHTSA ID

11417762

Incident

May 12, 2021

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2010 KIA SOUL. WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, A LOUD NOISE WAS DETECTED FROM THE VEHICLE AND MULTIPLE UNKNOWN WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE HIGH BEAM HEADLIGHTS ILLUMINATED AUTOMATICALLY. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED SMOKE, WHICH LED TO FIRE, UNDER THE HOOD. THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND THE KEY WAS REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION, THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL BODY SHOP AND THEN TOWED TO THE VEHICLE'S INSURANCE COMPANY. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE INSURANCE COMPANY TOWED THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER UNKNOWN LOCATION WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS CONSIDERED A TOTAL LOSS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

NHTSA ID

11170642

Incident

Jan 16, 2019

Mileage

90,000 mi

THE TRANSMISSION STOPS SHIFTING AFTER 3RD OR 4TH GEAR ON THE HIGHWAY. IT SHIFT HARD AND NOT RIGHT FROM TAKE OFF. SOMETHING IS VERY WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION.

NHTSA ID

11035286

Incident

Sep 5, 2017

Mileage

95,500 mi

WIRING CONNECTOR CONNECTED TO THE RADIATOR FAN ASSEMBLY MELTED. I HAD REPLACED THE RADIATOR FAN ASSEMBLY A YEAR EARLIER TO ITS FAILURE. UPON THE REPAIR SHOP I TOOK MY CAR TO CALLING THE DEALER, IT WAS MENTIONED THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM BY THE DEALER. THE MELTING OF THIS CONNECTOR CAUSED THE ENGINE TO START OVER HEATING AND THE A/C TO NO LONGER COOL. DEALER MENTIONED THAT THE CONNECTOR IS NOT AVAILABLE AND IT WOULD TAKE REPLACING THE WHOLE ELECTRICAL HARNESS. THE CAR ONLY HAS ABOUT 65,000 MILES ON IT.

NHTSA ID

11015078

Incident

Aug 4, 2017

Mileage

65,000 mi

MY 2010 KIA SOUL IS CEASING AND LOCKING UP ON ME AND MY ENGINE IS SHUTTING OFF. IT HAS DONE THIS FIVE TIMES. I DOCUMENTED TWICE. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, I WAS TOLD TO RECREATE IT. I CAN'T BELIEVE SOMEONE WOULD SAY THIS. WHEN I TURN RIGHT THE WHEEL WILL TURN LEFT AND IT WILL STIFFEN AND SHUTT OFF. I ALMOST CRASHED 5 TIMES. 'INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).'

NHTSA ID

10824145

Incident

Feb 3, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 KIA SOUL. ON TWO OCCASIONS, THE WHEELS LOCKED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE BATTERY FAILED AFTER ONE YEAR. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, THEY ONLY OFFERED TO RECHARGE THE BATTERY. A DAY LATER, THE BATTERY FAILED. THE AUTHORIZED DEALER DID NOT REPLACE THE BATTERY AND THE CONTACT HAD THE BATTERY REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V388000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM), BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO STALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS WHO WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE CORRECTLY TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000.

NHTSA ID

10695313

Incident

Sep 5, 2010

Mileage

63,000 mi

I OWN A PRE-OWNED 2010 KIA SOUL! WITH APPROXIMATELY 47K MILES, CLEAR TITLE AND NO ACCIDENTS. ON SUNDAY 12/29/13 MY CAR EXPERIENCED SUA (SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION). I WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, APPROACHING A ROTARY, WHEN MY CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. THE RPMS SPIKED UP TO 4000-5000 AND MY CAR LUNGED FORWARD AND THE ENGINE WAS RACING VERY LOUDLY. I HAD TO PUMP THE BRAKES MULTIPLE TIMES TO DECELERATE AND BRING THE CAR TO A COMPLETE STOP. THIS INCIDENT IS NOW THE 4-5TH TIME I HAVE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION (WITHIN 1 YEAR), USUALLY HAPPENING BETWEEN THE 35-45MPH RANGE. THE CAR WILL ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN (EVEN IF I'VE BEEN AT A COMPLETE STOP, IT WILL JUMP FORWARD WITH RPMS RUNNING ABNORMALLY HIGH) AND I'LL HAVE TO PRESS ON THE BRAKES SIGNIFICANTLY. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO LEV KIA IN FRAMINGHAM MA WHERE THEY RAN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST (12/30/13) AND APPARENTLY FOUND NO RECORDED "TROUBLE CODES" AND SAID THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM BEFORE AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT IF THEY CANNOT RECREATE THE INCIDENT. WITH SOME MINIMAL RESEARCH ONLINE, I WAS ABLE TO FIND OTHER KIA OWNERS REPORTING THE SAME ISSUE, INCLUDING ANOTHER 2010 KIA SOUL THAT RESULTED IN A SEVERE ACCIDENT DUE TO THE SPEED CONTROL. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY NOT A SECLUDED INCIDENT AND FURTHER RESEARCH MUST BE DONE. I FEEL UNSAFE DRIVING MY KIA SOUL! *TR

NHTSA ID

10557847

Incident

Dec 29, 2013

Mileage

47,000 mi

I WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IN THE KIA, AFTER THAT WAS FIXED THE CAR WAS STILL NOT RUNNING RIGHT, IT WAS SLUGGISH AND USING A LOT OF GAS. THE HEAD WAS CRACKED, AND SEVERAL OF THE VALVES WERE MESSED UP AND EVENTUALLY THE WHOLE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED, THE WHOLE PROCESS TOOK APPROXIMATELY 2 1/2 MONTHS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10430517

Incident

Jun 30, 2011

Mileage

13,248 mi

THE 2010 SOUL HAD A MAJOR FAILURE WHEN IT IMPACTED A TREE AT 10 MPH. THERE WERE NO LEAKING FLUIDS, SIGNS OF SMOKE OR FIRE. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE ROUGHLY 15 MINUTES LATER AND BURNED TOTALLY UP BEFORE FIRE CREWS COULD GET THERE TO PUT IT OUT. THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE WAS BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND THE FIRE WALL. I FEEL AS THOUGH THE SAFETY BUMPERS THAT ARE REQUIRED BY LAW TO WORK BELLOW THE 15 MPH CONSTRAINT ARE UNDER DESIGNED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10351526

Incident

Aug 15, 2010

Mileage

20,000 mi

WITHIN A WEEK OF TAKING DELIVERY ON 7/24/09, THE INTERIOR AND MOST ESPECIALLY THE DOOR SKINS WERE ALREADY ACQUIRING MARKS AND SCRATCHES - A SLIGHT FINGER NAIL SCRATCH REQUIRED A SPECIAL PRODUCT TO REMOVE ETC. THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS. 1. WHEN RELEASING THE CLUTCH PEDAL THERE WAS A NOISE THAT SOUNDED LIKE A CABLE THAT HAS SINCE BECOME MORE CONSISTENT. ON 8/3/09, I HAD AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE CABLE CONNECTED TO THE THROW-OUT BEARING WHICH WAS SAID TO BE NORMAL. HOWEVER, THIS CABLE NOISE HAS NOT BEEN NORMAL WITH ANY OF MY OTHER MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS, NOR IS IT PRESENT IN ALL KIA SOULS. 2. I BEGAN TO NOTICE A KNOCKING SENSATION COMING THROUGH THE SHIFTER HANDLE WHEN SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR ALONG WITH A GRINDING SOUND WHEN DOWNSHIFTING INTO 2ND GEAR. THERE IS ALSO A SLIGHT JOLT WHEN SHIFTING INTO 2ND GEAR - IT IS NOT A SMOOTH TRANSITION LIKE THE OTHER GEARS. 3. WHEN AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT WITH THE CAR IN NEUTRAL, THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THE CAR WILL NOT GO INTO 1ST GEAR, AND WANTS TO GO INTO 3RD GEAR WHICH USUALLY TAKES A COUPLE OF TRIES BEFORE IT WILL GO INTO 1ST GEAR. 4. THERE HAS BEEN EXCESSIVE ENGINE REVVING 2X NOW. THE FIRST OCCURRED AFTER I CAME OUT OF REVERSE - THE SECOND WAS WHEN I TRIED TO GO INTO 1ST GEAR BUT ENDED UP IN 3RD GEAR AND BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO NEUTRAL. 5. THE LAST ISSUE CONCERNS EXCESSIVE WATER AND DIRT ACCUMULATING IN THE ENGINE. AFTER WASHING MY CAR, I POPPED THE HOOD AND NOTICED THE HOOD LATCH IS ALREADY STRIPPED DOWN TO THE METAL AFTER ONLY BEING OPENED AND CLOSED 4-5 TIMES. THE ENGINE DESIGN SEEMS TO ATTRACT POOLS OF WATER IN CERTAIN AREAS, WHICH ALSO OCCURS WHEN IT RAINS, AND THERE IS CONCERN OF PREMATURE RUST. SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT FOR 9/15 TO HAVE THE OIL CHANGED AT 1000 MILES AND TO GET THESE ISSUES ADDRESSED BUT HAD TO SCHEDULE A 3RD APPOINTMENT BECAUSE THE DEALER NOW NEEDS TO KEEP THE CAR FOR 5 HOURS SO THE OUTCOME IS PENDING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10284471

Incident

Jul 31, 2009

Mileage

100 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE REVS EXCESSIVELY WHENEVER THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS RELEASED. THE RPMS WILL GO FROM 1,500 TO 3,000. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD INVESTIGATE THE ISSUE. A REPRESENTATIVE INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT IT WAS NOT A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A FEW DIFFERENT DEALERS, BUT THEY ALL STATED THAT THERE WERE NO FAILURES. THE VEHICLE IS STILL EXPERIENCING THE ISSUE AND THE CONTACT IS CONCERNED THAT A CRASH COULD OCCUR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 6,000. UPDATED 09/01/09 *BF

NHTSA ID

10277569

Incident

Mar 20, 2009

Mileage

5 mi