Owner-reported complaints naming the other system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2012 Kia Soul submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
Steering makes a clicking noise and will pull either direction while driving straight. I took it to the dealership and they want me to pay for the repair. They state that the problem is the steering coupler. To me this is a safety issue, they said my warranty is expired so they wont cover the cost. I am afraid to drive it. It is also making my tires wear to fast and they are new.
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the traction control warning light was continuously flashing on and off. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 189,000.
BOUGHT WIFE BRAND NEW 2012 KIA SOUL IN 2012. GOT STANDARD TRANSMISSION. AT AROUND 20K I NOTICED A SQUEAL COMING FROM THE VEHICLE WHEN THE CLUTCH WAS COMPLETELY DISENGAGED, BY THAT I MEAN VEHICLE RUNNING FOOT COMPLETELY OFF CLUTCH. I PRESUMED IT WAS A THROW OUT BEARING. TOOK IT TO LOCAL MECHANIC AND HE AGREED. SO I TOOK IT TO LOCAL KIA DEALER. BOUGHT VEHICLE IN DENTON TEXAS, BUT HAD MOVED 7 HOURS SOUTH TO CORPUS CHRISTI AREA. WHEN I TOOK IT TO KIA IN CORPUS I GOT THE RUN AROUND. YES OF COURSE THEY COULD HEAR IT BUT EVERYTHING WAS WORKING MECHANICALLY. SO I WAS BASICALLY TOLD TOO BAD. WIFE REALLY WANTED THE SOUL. AND NOW I HAVE TO TELL HER KIA DOESN'T CARE IF IT MAKES EMBARRASSING NOISES WHILE SHE'S DRIVING, JUST AS LONG AS I'M MAKING THE PAYMENTS. THROW OUT BEARINGS ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO SQUEAK OR SQUEAL. THAT NOISE IS METAL ON METAL FRICTION, THE ENERGY IT TAKES TO MAKE THAT NOISE HAS TO BE MADE BY SOME SORT OF FUEL. IN THIS CASE IT'S METAL RUBBING ON METAL IN A FASHION THAT CAUSES AN UNBEARABLE AMOUNT OF PRESSURE UNTIL SOMETHING FINALLY GIVES PREMATURELY. WIFE DECIDED SHE WOULD DO HER BEST TO IGNORE IT. AND JUST ENJOY HER NEW CAR. HERE WE ARE 2015. HAS MADE THAT HORRIBLE NOISE ALL THESE YEARS. WE BOTH DESPISE THE VEHICLE AND KIA IN GENERAL FOR THE LACK OF ETHICS. LAST MONTH SHE WAS DRIVING BEHIND A WORK TRUCK AND THE WORK TRUCK HAD A MAJOR MALFUNCTION. FRONT PASSENGER TIRE BROKE OFF OF THE TRUCK AT THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS. THE ASSEMBLE FLEW BACK AND SMASHED INTO MY WIFE'S CAR. THE GUYS INSURANCE CLAIMED HIS RESPONSIBILITY. THEY HAD THE VEHICLE AT ALLEN SAMUELS FOR 5 WEEKS. PICKED IT UP LAST NIGHT. THROW OUT BEARING IS UNBEARABLY LOUD AND NEW SQUEAL AS WELL. BODY SHOP SAID NOT THEIR PROBLEM. SHOULD HAVE REPLACED IT WHEN I FIRST HEARD IT. THEY REPLACED WHOLE FRONT RIGHT OF VEHICLE, BUT DIDN'T TOUCH LOUD NEW SQUEAL.
ON APRIL 23, 2015, WE DROVE FROM OUR HOME IN MIAMI TO NORTH GEORGIA. THE FIRST TIRE FAILED ON THE WAY TO NORTH GEORGIA, NEAR GAINESVILLE, FL. THE SECOND TIRE FAILED ON THE RETURN TRIP NEAR LENNOX, GA. AS YOU CAN PLAINLY SEE FROM THE ATTACHED IMAGES, BOTH TIRES APPEAR TO HAVE FAILED IN THE EXACT SAME WAY. I STILL HAVE THE SECOND TIRE IN MY POSSESSION IF YOU FEEL AN INSPECTION IS CALLED FOR. AT THE TIME OF THE FIRST 2 FAILURES, THE CAR HAD APPROXIMATELY 26,500 MILES ON SEPTEMBER 5, 2015, A THIRD TIRE FAILED IN THE EXACT SAME MANNER AS THE PREVIOUS TWO. AT THIS POINT I REPLACED THE REMAINING 2 TIRES EVEN THOUGH THE FOURTH ONE HAD NOT YET FAILED. I STILL HAVE THESE TIRES IN MY POSSESSION AS WELL. AT THE TIME OF THIS FAILURE THE CAR HAD APPROXIMATELY 28,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED IN DECEMBER 2011 AND SOLD AS NEW TO US IN MARCH 2012. FORTUNATELY NEITHER MY WIFE NOR I WERE INJURED DURING EITHER OF THE FAILURES AND WE MAKE NO CLAIM FOR ANY INJURY. ALSO, THE COST OF TOWING OUR VEHICLE WAS COVERED BY OUR CAR INSURANCE, AND WE MAKE NO CLAIM FOR THAT EITHER. WHAT WE BELIEVE WOULD BE APPROPRIATE WOULD BE A REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE TWO REPLACEMENT TIRES WE WERE FORCED TO PURCHASE DURING OUR TRIP. THE FIRST REPLACEMENT TIRE PURCHASED IN GAINESVILLE, FL COST $78.92. THE SECOND TIRE, PURCHASED IN ADEL, GA COST $101.58 FOR A TOTAL OF $180.50. ADDITIONALLY, BECAUSE OF THESES FAILURES, THE RELIABILITY OF THE TWO REMAINING TIRES IS QUESTIONABLE. WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE BOTH REMAINING TIRES REPLACED AT YOUR COMPANY'S EXPENSE.
PRIOR TO PREVIOUS SERVICE, I NOTICED LUG NUTS WERE BEGINNING TO RUST. SUMMIT PLACE KIA HAD ONE FOR THIS MODEL AND REPLACED THE WORST ONE AND WAS TO ORDER A NEW SET FOR ALL WHEELS AS A WARRANTY ITEM. THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO CALL ME WHEN THESE CAME IN. NEVER RECEIVED A PHONE CALL. I ASKED ABOUT THIS UPON NEXT SERVICING AND THEY FOUND THAT NOBODY HAD EVER ORDERED THE REMAINING LUG NUTS. I DIDN'T WORRY ABOUT THIS BETWEEN SERVICE APPTS. SINCE IT APPEARED TO ONLY BE SURFACE RUST AT THIS POINT...NO THREAT OF DANGER, YET. THE GOOD PEOPLE OF THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT ORDERED THE PARTS WHILE I WAS STANDING THERE SO WE KNEW THEY'D GOTTEN ORDERED AND ARE TO BE REPLACED WITHIN THE WEEK. I'VE HAD 10-12 CARS IN MY LIFE AND HAVE NEVER HAD A LUG NUT RUST ON A VEHICLE WHICH IS 2 MODEL YEARS OLD...ESPECIALLY ON A GARAGE-KEPT VEHICLE. HOPEFULLY THIS NEXT SET DOES NOT FOLLOW SUIT OR I'LL BE HEADED OVER TO THE PARTS STORE AND WILL REPLACE THEM MYSELF. *TR
THE VEHICLE DOES NOT COME WITH A SPARE TIRE OF ANY KIND. INSTEAD YOU ARE GIVEN A SMALL AIR COMPRESSOR AND A CAN OF TIRE SEALANT. THIS WILL NOT HELP IF YOU HAVE A COMPLETE TIRE BLOW OUT. IN THAT INSTANCE YOU WOULD NEED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED AND TAKEN TO A TIRE DEALER. IF YOU ARE IN A REMOTE AREA, WITH NO CELL PHONE COVERAGE YOU ARE STRANDED. (IN MY CASE, THE DEALER DID NOT TELL ME THAT THERE WAS NO SPARE. I DISCOVERED IT AFTER I'D HAD THE VEHICLE FOR 2 MONTHS.) *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT STATED THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING 35 MPH WHEN THE TIRE FAILED. THE TIRE PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT ALSO ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. WHEN THE DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO CHANGE THE TIRE THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH A REPAIR KIT INSTEAD OF A SPARE TIRE. THE REPAIR KIT WAS FIX-A-FLAT AND A DC AIR PUMP. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THEY WERE AWARE THAT SOME VEHICLES DO NOT HAVE SPARE TIRES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7200.
THE 2012 KIA SOUL DOES NOT COME WITH A SPARE TIRE, INSTEAD IT COMES WITH A CAN OF FIX- A- FLAT AND A AIR PUMP. THERE IS NO JACK EITHER. THE FLAT MAY BE FIXED IF THE DAMAGE IS ON THE TREAD AND THE HOLE IS UNDER 1/4 INCH IN DIAMETER. IF THE DAMAGE IS ON THE SIDEWALL OR GREATER THAN 1/4 INCH, THE VEHICLE HAS TO BE TOWED. FOR THOSE PEOPLE THAT HAVE NO CELL PHONE OR ARE IN AN AREA THAT GETS NO RECEPTION THEY WILL BE STRANDED UNTIL ANOTHER MOTORIST COMES ALONG AND THESE DAYS MOST MOTORISTS DON'T STOP FOR OTHER DRIVERS. KIA OFFERS ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE WITH THE VEHICLE, BUT IF YOU ARE TRAVELING IN A REMOTE AREA, IN THE SOUTHWEST (LIKE DEATH VALLEY FOR EXAMPLE) WHAT DO YOU DO WITHOUT A SPARE? IF YOUR CELL PHONE QUITS, YOU'RE DONE. EVEN IF YOU HAVE AAA, THEIR DRIVER WILL HAVE TO TOW THE VEHICLE AS HE WON'T HAVE A SPARE EITHER. I PURCHASED A SPARE,JACK, AND TOOLS FOR A 2011 KIA SOUL WHEN I REALIZED I HAD NO SPARE.KIA TOLD ME THAT ALL THE MANUFACTURES HAVE GONE TO THE FIX- A -FLAT AND PUMP VERSES THE DONUT SPARE AND JACK. THERE ARE GOING TO BE A LOT OF ANGRY PEOPLE WHEN THEY START REALIZING THEY DON'T HAVE A SPARE AND THEY ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE AND CAN'T GET A CELL SIGNAL. MY CONCERN IS TRAVELING AT NIGHT IN REMOTE AREAS AND BECOMING PRAY TO OTHER MOTORIST WITH NOT SO GOOD INTENTIONS. I THINK THIS IS A POTENTIAL DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN. MOST DRIVERS DON'T CHECK FOR A SPARE WHEN THEY BUY A NEW VEHICLE, THEY JUST ASSUME IT HAS ONE. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS TREND. IF NOTHING ELSE HAPPENS AT LEAST LOOK INTO MAKING KIA PROVIDE A DISCLAIMER BEFORE THE VEHICLE IS SOLD. I FOUND OUT AFTER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. *TR
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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