RoadVitals

2017 Kia Soul Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
270
Latest Jul 23, 2026
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
16
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
31

What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2017 Kia Soul, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Reports by component

Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Each component in detail

What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words

Engine

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.

197
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

One day I noticed my oil light flashed on and off about three times during a drive down the road, simultaneously a loud knocking started in my engine. Although I had gotten my oil changed just a couple months prior and always practiced appropriate maintenance I decided to pull over and check my oil, it was empty. No warnings, the oil light had never come on, the engine light had never come on. A modern car shouldn’t have complete engine failure due to oil starvation with no warning whatsoever. That is separate from the other problem where the car had obviously been burning oil excessively. I got my vehicle towed to the dealership and was told I don’t fall under any warranties. The cars engine failed at 92,000 miles with no warning, with regular maintenance and with low mileage driven per week.

NHTSA ID 11752468 · filed Jul 23, 2026

The engine has structural manufacturer defect causing extreme internal engine oil consumption with zero external leaks, creating a severe risk of sudden oil starvation catastrophic mechanical engine failure. The severe oil consumption problem was confirmed by a certified national corporate service center (Firestone Auto Care). An intermittent P0420 catalytic converter warning is actively appearing on the dashboard, which is a documented consequence of internal engine oil burning. When attempting to get this mechanical defect diagnosed and repaired under the class-action parameters, manufacturer dealerships (Findlay Kia and Jim Marsh Kia) declined to schedule the mandatory manufacturer diagnostic testing, preventing a known vehicle defect from being resolved.

NHTSA ID 11750111 · filed Jul 13, 2026
All 197 reports naming engine

Fuel system

Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.

19
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

The engine has structural manufacturer defect causing extreme internal engine oil consumption with zero external leaks, creating a severe risk of sudden oil starvation catastrophic mechanical engine failure. The severe oil consumption problem was confirmed by a certified national corporate service center (Firestone Auto Care). An intermittent P0420 catalytic converter warning is actively appearing on the dashboard, which is a documented consequence of internal engine oil burning. When attempting to get this mechanical defect diagnosed and repaired under the class-action parameters, manufacturer dealerships (Findlay Kia and Jim Marsh Kia) declined to schedule the mandatory manufacturer diagnostic testing, preventing a known vehicle defect from being resolved.

NHTSA ID 11750111 · filed Jul 13, 2026

While driving under normal conditions, the check engine light began flashing and the vehicle suddenly lost power and entered limp mode. Acceleration was severely limited, making it difficult to maintain speed in traffic. The vehicle was later diagnosed with diagnostic trouble code P1326, which is associated with engine rod bearing failure. This caused an unexpected loss of engine power and created a safety risk while driving. The vehicle had to be taken to a dealership for inspection due to the severity of the power loss.

NHTSA ID 11715878 · filed Feb 5, 2026
All 19 reports naming fuel system

Powertrain (other)

Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.

19
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

The engine has structural manufacturer defect causing extreme internal engine oil consumption with zero external leaks, creating a severe risk of sudden oil starvation catastrophic mechanical engine failure. The severe oil consumption problem was confirmed by a certified national corporate service center (Firestone Auto Care). An intermittent P0420 catalytic converter warning is actively appearing on the dashboard, which is a documented consequence of internal engine oil burning. When attempting to get this mechanical defect diagnosed and repaired under the class-action parameters, manufacturer dealerships (Findlay Kia and Jim Marsh Kia) declined to schedule the mandatory manufacturer diagnostic testing, preventing a known vehicle defect from being resolved.

NHTSA ID 11750111 · filed Jul 13, 2026

2017 KIA SOUL, at approximately 87,000 miles began to show intermittent oil warning lights under regular G-loads pointing to oil starvation issues.Vehicle was taken to KIA Dealer for oil change. Dealer stated that possible oil consumption would trigger a need to return to dealer before the 1000 mile marker for second round of warranty checks per TSB 222 rev 8 Excessive Oil Consumption Nu/GAMMA/theta/kappa engines. Dealer is claiming that PN Oil Pressure Switch 94750 37100 is culprit and wanting to charge for service and parts. Existing TSB 237, Oil Pressure Switch Replacement, which outlines that the lambda engines have this exact same PN covered under warranty at no cost to client. This should set precedent that the TSB needs to include the same engine types in TSB 222 as the issue seems to be recurrent in engine types across the fleet of KIA manufactured vehicles. KIA corporate has a letter outlining that the repairs are to be covered by dealers for the Oil Pressure Switch in question.

NHTSA ID 11737896 · filed May 14, 2026
All 19 reports naming powertrain (other)

Electrical

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.

19
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

I reported the issue yesterday, but we have additional information. Here is a timeline of the incident as recorded by the doorbell camera: 2026-05-03 085400 Car parked 101423 Car is already trying to start by itself 101713 Car still starting, starter slowing down 101734 Starter sounds overheated 101740 Starter slows to stop 101835 First visible smoke 102304 Neighbor notices 102338 I was notified 102452 Used extinguisher 102600 Fire out 102744 Called the fire department 103600 Fire department arrives shortly after I have camera videos showing much of the timeline. I cannot upload because they exceed the limits of this form. Well over an hour after the car was driven, the starter engaged. It ran for almost 4 minutes straight as far as I can tell. In the videos we have, you can hear it seize up from the heat. About a minute later, smoke is visible. Had this not been caught in thte timely manner that it was, it would have been devastating. Here is a link to two of the videos. [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID 11735880 · filed May 5, 2026

After multiple recent services at the dealership, the car caught fire while idle in the driveway. The fire was under the hood in the front part of the engine compartment, just behind the latch mechanism. Fire was extinguished and verified by the local fire department. The parking spaces are close to other cars and townhouses.

NHTSA ID 11735549 · filed May 4, 2026
All 19 reports naming electrical

Airbags

Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.

16
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

The contact owns a 2017 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V031000 (Air Bags); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated the vehicle was consuming one quart of oil every 2-3 days. The oil warning light was illuminated with an abnormal clacking sound coming from the engine. The dealer was contacted and claimed that the vehicle was repaired. The contact sought confirmation from the manufacturer and was informed that the vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle with engine failure and stated that the spark plug was fractured and was not properly installed. The contact was informed that the engine was only running on 2 cylinders and was running at 1 PSI. The contact was also informed that there was fuel leaking from the exhaust pipe, causing failures with the fuel injectors. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID 11675313 · filed Jul 22, 2025

Dear Officer, I'm writing to report the powertrain and engine issue on my Green Kia Soul 2017 with a 1.6L engine. The engine misfired when I was driving on Interstate 26 with my whole family (including my wife, mom, and 4-year-old daughter). The speed was down first with no signal and then the car started to shake strongly. It was extremely dangerous as it would very likely have made a collision from the back. I was so scared after that. I couldn't imagine the consequences if the car crashed due to a sudden engine misfire on the interstate. Thank Goodness, we are blessed as there was an exit that led us to get off the interstate. After towing the car to the dealer for a full inspection, I was told to pay at least $6,600 to buy a new engine to fix this issue without a warranty. I do need your help on the engine issue. More importantly, I hope no more similar safety events happening to other drivers and their families. I greatly appreciate your immediate attention and response. Thank you very much. Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID 11569125 · filed Jan 31, 2024
All 16 reports naming airbags

Brakes

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.

14
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

2017,Kia soul plus brakes failed with no warning and we crashed into an intersection and hit a dump truck. I suffered severe broken bones including a compound femur fracture and broken arm. I was trapped in the car for over a hour. Both my arm and leg have rods and pins now. I also suffer from severe ptsd and nightmares. I hospitalized from 6/25-7/4, and in a nursing home until 7/4-8/1, learning to walk again. I received the voluntary recall letter on 7/11when I was in the nursing home. It was sent too little too late. I’m contacting an attorney and Kia deserves to pay. Kozlowski towing took the care away. I do not know if they still have it

NHTSA ID 11677994 · filed Aug 2, 2025

The contact owns a 2017 Kia Soul. The contact stated that there was a continual clicking sound coming from the front of the vehicle while making a left or right turn. Additionally, while the brake pedal was depressed, there was a clicking sound coming from the engine compartment. Additionally, when the brake pedal was depressed, the oil light illuminated. The contact stated that after the brake pedal was released, the warning light disappeared. The contact stated that on another occasion, while driving approximately 5 MPH, the vehicle lunged forward and stalled. The vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 74,000.

NHTSA ID 11521109 · filed May 9, 2023
All 14 reports naming brakes

Steering

Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.

10
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

The vehicle experiences major engine performance issues following a replacement engine installation (approximately 8,000 miles on the new engine). Additionally, the catalytic converter is malfunctioning, the steering exhibits significant pulsation during braking, and the suspension system is malfunctioning. These combined defects create an unsafe driving condition and pose a serious risk to the driver, passengers, and other motorists.

NHTSA ID 11736438 · filed May 7, 2026

While driving car began shaking, which lead to a puff of white smoke then blac smoke followed by car locking up in highway. Break petal would not move and when put in neutral power steering was gone every though car was on and everything else besides break worked. Turn on and off and car drive off again with strong shaking. When taken to mechanic I was told a spark plug melted into the engine and the shaking caused one of the ignition coil to become loose and oil to seep in. Now I am being told I need a new engine, all fluids where fine and oil had just been changed Thursday prior to incident, car is unsafe to drive because of random lock ups and extreme shaking

NHTSA ID 11546981 · filed Sep 27, 2023
All 10 reports naming steering

Driver assistance

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.

9
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

UNKNOWN

NHTSA ID 11604961 · filed Jul 28, 2024

While sitting in line with brake applied the idle speed suddenly jumped up and car accelerated forward despite application of brakes. Without any change from me the RPMs suddenly dropped and car stopped again. The car moved a total of a quarter car length, which had I not been angled away from car in front of me would have caused a collision, and had I been at an intersection could have caused an accident or struck a pedestrian.

NHTSA ID 11507744 · filed Feb 17, 2023
All 9 reports naming driver assistance

Suspension

Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.

4
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

The vehicle experiences major engine performance issues following a replacement engine installation (approximately 8,000 miles on the new engine). Additionally, the catalytic converter is malfunctioning, the steering exhibits significant pulsation during braking, and the suspension system is malfunctioning. These combined defects create an unsafe driving condition and pose a serious risk to the driver, passengers, and other motorists.

NHTSA ID 11736438 · filed May 7, 2026

My struts we’re going through my dash board and I had it repaired and my engine light is just constantly on.

NHTSA ID 11485618 · filed Sep 21, 2022

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Body & structure

Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.

3
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

Paint on the car is delaminating and chipping off and the vehicle is becoming compromised due to the paint coming off the car. This has been confirmed by my dealership where I take the vehicle for service. Kia dealership has inspected the vehicle No, there are not warning lamps to tell me the paint is coming off the vehicle.

NHTSA ID 11535317 · filed Jul 30, 2023

The paint on my 2017 Kia Soul is peeling (delaminating) on the hood of the vehicle. The paint color is Pearl White, mileage is 81k, photos taken August 13, 2022.

NHTSA ID 11479327 · filed Aug 15, 2022

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Other / unspecified

Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.

3
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

The contact owns a 2017 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while attempting to park on an incline, the vehicle experienced unintended acceleration which resulted in a crash. The contact crashed into a handicap ramp. The vehicle then unintended accelerated in reverse where the vehicle crashed into a cement pole and a bush. No warning lights were illuminated. A police report was filed. There were no injuries reported. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence pending another tow by the insurance company. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 12,114.

NHTSA ID 11562157 · filed Dec 27, 2023

WE DROVE THE CAR FOR 5900 MILES WHEN WE NOTICED A BUBBLE ON THE SIDE WALL FOR ONE OF THE TIRES. THE TIRES ARE KUMHO SOLUS TA31. WE CONTACTED THE USA REP AND WERE DIRECTED TO A SEARS AUTOCENTER FOR AN INSPECTION. WE WERE TOLD THAT THE SEARS CENTRE WILL OPEN THE CLAIM FOR US. TE SERAS CENTER DID NOT OPENED THE CLAIM AND ISSUED A REPORT WITHOUT ANY DETAILS ABOUT THE CONDITION OF THE TIRE. WE MADE A SECOND CALL TO THE KUMHO REP AND GOT THE RUN AROUND ABOUT GOING TO THE CENTER WITHOUT A CLAIM OPENED. THEY OPENED FINALLY A CLAIM AND THEY SUGGESTED TO GO TO A KIA DEALERSHIP. WE VOICED OUR CONCERN ABOUT LOSING TIME AND WORK HOURS, NOT TALKING ABOUT USING A CAR THAT MAY BE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. WE ARE CONCERNED THAT ANOTHER TIRE MAY EXHIBIT THE SAME ISSUE IF THEY ARE FROM THE SAME SERIES?! WE ARE NOT SATISFIED WITH THE WAY THAT KUMHO HONORED THE WARRANTY THEY ISSUED FOR THESE TIRES. IT WILL BE MUCH FASTER TO PAY 120$ AND PURCHASE A NEW TIRE, HOWEVER WE ARE CONCERNS ABOUT THE TYPE OF WARRANTY THAT IS OFFERED BY KUMHO

NHTSA ID 11092780 · filed May 9, 2018

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Tires & wheels

Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

MY COMPLAINT ODI # IS 11243280. REGARDING KUMHO TIRES SAFETY AND BUBBLE IN THE SIDEWALL.

NHTSA ID 11243373 · filed Aug 12, 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 KIA SOUL EQUIPPED WITH KUMHO SOLUS TIRES, SIZE: P205/65R16 (NA). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A LARGE BUBBLE ON THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE TIRE COULD BLOW OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN SLOWLY TO CAR PROS KIA (18835 BEACH BLVD, HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA 92648, (714) 274-4632) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FAILURE WAS COMMON; HOWEVER, THEY DID NOT WANT TO REPAIR THE TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE DOT NUMBER AND VIN WERE UNKNOWN. THE TIRE AND VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000.

NHTSA ID 11243280 · filed Aug 12, 2019

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Seat belts

Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

MY KIA SOUL WAS MANUFACTURED 11/16 & HAS 8,643 MILES ON IT AS 10/8/19. I STARTED MY CAR THE MORNING OF 10/719 & THE AIR BAG AND ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL INDICATOR LIGHTS WENT ON AND WILL NOT GO OFF. THIS MORNING THE PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT LIGHT WAS FLASHING ALSO. ARE THERE ANY RECALLS ON THESE ITEMS FOR MY VEHICLE?

NHTSA ID 11267017 · filed Oct 8, 2019

TAKATA RECALL MY AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED, THE BRAKES NEVER TOOK EFFECT TO MAKE ME SLIDE SKID OR STOP. SEATBEAT NEVER HELD ME BACK FROM SLAMMING INTO STEERING WHEEL.

NHTSA ID 11242840 · filed Aug 9, 2019

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Visibility

Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

Backup camera no longer works; when in reverse, the screen is totally blank, no image and no guide lines.

NHTSA ID 11678407 · filed Aug 5, 2025

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Interior & seats

Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

TL* THE CONTACT RENTED A 2017 KIA SOUL. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT BECAME AWARE OF A BRUISE AROUND THE TAIL BONE AREA. THE CONTACT HAD AN X-RAY PERFORMED AND WAS INFORMED THAT HE HAD SUSTAINED A FRACTURED TAIL BONE. THE CONTACT WAS TREATED FOR THE FRACTURED TAIL BONE. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE CLOTH SEAT FABRIC COVERING WAS EXTREMELY THIN. ENTERPRISE RENTAL CAR WAS NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS SENT TO SUMMIT PLACE KIA WEST (4575 PLAINFIELD AVE NE, GRAND RAPIDS, MI 49525, (616) 323-1400) NEAR ENTERPRISE RENTAL CAR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000.

NHTSA ID 11065921 · filed Jan 30, 2018

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Exterior lighting

Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

The contact owns a 2017 Kia Soul. While the contact was asleep, they were awoken by an abnormal burning smell. Upon investigation, the contact discovered that the rear end of the vehicle had caught fire. A neighbor called the authorities and the fire department extinguished the fire. The fire department informed the contact that the fire was caused by an electrical wiring failure in the rear taillights. No injuries were reported. A police report was filed. The vehicle remained in the contact's possession. The vehicle had yet to be inspected or diagnosed for the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 63,000.

NHTSA ID 11610986 · filed Aug 26, 2024

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

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.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .