Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2018 Kia Soul submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 13 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
The ABS/traction warning lights came on. On April 29,2026, I took it to Beck and Masten Group 1 Kia inTomball, Texas and they diagnosed as HECU failure. The repair cost $2377.16. KIA corporate denied reimbursement. Lights were resolved after HECU replacement. There was no accident/injury/fire. mileage was 60400. I wanted to note and document as a potential safety trend.
The contact owns a 2018 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, while depressing the accelerator pedal, the front of the vehicle suddenly jumped. The contact was unsure if any warning lights were illuminated during the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was not available.
a.e.b. ,autonomous braking system has been a defect since the day it was delivered in 2018. the company and the dealership have attempted to fix this problem 13 times in five years, and it keeps coming back. they kept throwing parts at it until the warranty expired on 12/31/2023 and they refuse to fix it again. they will not extend the warranty or buy it back as requested. the factory tech that the company sent to look at it stated he did not know what was wrong with it back in 2019 but he will start with the forward camera. fast forward to 2/2024 and i paid to have it looked at the dealer and the tech stated on the work order that he did not know what was wrong with it and he would start with the forward camera, same problem five years later. the car is like new with only 37,000 miles on it. not only is it a defect but kia has been commenting fraud by hiding the defect. now i have a car that cannot be fixed and i cannot sell. i have all of the work orders and Communcation with kia. your help in this issue will be appreciated
When driving down a perfectly straight Road, if you take your hands off the steering wheel for a Split Second, the car drifts to the left over the center line of the road. [XXX] did a four-wheel alignment, however, the receipt said I told them it was pulling to the right, I specifically told them it was pulling to the left. I have an appointment with them on 6 September 2022 to try to correct their mistake. I am not sure an alignment will correct the problem. Second item: there was a recall of the airbags on this vehicle. This recall was cleared by Rusty Wallace GMC Kia, 300 King Avenue, Morristown Tennessee 37014 phone 423-586-1441. I am concerned about the drifting to the left when hands are lifted from the steering wheel on a straight Road. This could cause an accident. What is the remedy for this problem? Thank you [XXX] [XXX] car was acquired on 11/11/ 21 INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
While driving to work in my 2018 Kia soul on 10/16/21 vehicle has a significant hesitation pulling away from a stop sign/red-light. A very slight knocking noise could be heard. the oil light flickered on and then immediately went off. Next thing I know while doing 65 on the highway the oil, engine, and battery lights all lit up then suddenly power to the vehicle was gone! I managed to get the vehicle off the highway onto the shoulder of the road where I watched smoke pouring out of the engine bay. My vehicle only has 69059 miles. the 2.0L motor that is subject to many other recalls and issues is the same as what is in my Soul. . I've only had this car for less than two years! KIA REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT!!
On several occasions now the vehicle has sped up on its own while parked. Thank goodness I had my foot on the brake but as soon as I let go of the brake, it went fast without my peddle on the gas. I stopped it with the break peddle and it did it again once I let go of the brake peddle. It usually takes a couple of times for the car not to do that. Also, the oil light hasn't warned me that the oil is low. The motor began rattling while I was near work and I stopped the vehicle. Someone helped me and told me that there was barely any oil in the engine. So, we added oil but now it's always rattling. It has also stalled while going up a hill. That's happened on two occasions. I believe I may have a lemon in my hands. KIA has yet to accept that it's still under warranty and they keep brushing me off.
THE CRUISE CONTROL SOMEHOW AFFECTS THE ENGINE AND OR TRANSMISSION WHEN IN CRUISE IT SPEEDS UP WITH OUT PRESSING ON THE GAS THE MPR GOES WAY OVER 4 MPR THEN I CANCEL THE CRUISE AND RESET IT AND SAME THING HAPPENS THIS IS ON HWY
I WAS DRIVING MY 2018 KIA SOUL ON MADISON HWY IN VALDOSTA,GA.L SAW SMOKE COMING OUT MY HOOD SO I WAS ABLE TO PULL INTO A CONVENIENT STORE ! THE PEOPLE IN THE STORE CAME RUNNING OUT WITH FIRE EXTINGUISHERS AND WE WERE ABLE TO PUT OUT THE FIRE.
I GOT TOLD BY A KIA MECANIC WELL AT LEAST SEEN IT ON MY DASH CAM THAT I AM SOL THAT MY TICKING PROBLEM IS AN ENGINE DEFECT ON KIA'S PART THAT IS CAUSING ENGINE ISSUES AS WELL AS SOMEHOW MAKING MY ENGINEREV EXTREMELY HIGH WHILE STARTING UP AND SOMETIMES THROUGHOUT THE DAY TO THE POINT IF I DON'T HAVE MY BRAKES ON I WILL GO THROUGH A WALL . THAT'S A MENTION SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE AIR CONDITION UNIT/HEATER THAT THE HEATER WILL BLOW EXTREMELY HOT SO HOT THAT THE VENTS BECOME PLIABLE AND THE AIR CONDITIONER AND WON'T COME ON UNLESS I START MESSING WITH BUTTONS OFF AND ON OFTEN ON HIGH AND LOW HIGH AND LOW.I HAVE BEEN IN TO KIA MOTORS FIVE TIMES FOR THE ISSUE
I HAVE A 2018 KIA SOUL+ AND RECENTLY THERE IS A BURNING SMELL COMING FROM THE CAR ESPECIALLY WHEN THE A/C IS ON. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALER REGARDING THE PROBLEM, BUT WAS TOLD THAT THEY DID NOT SEE ANYTHING WRONG OR SMELL ANYTHING BURNING ON THE CAR. THE PROBLEM HAPPENS MOSTLY WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. I'M AFRAID THAT THE CAR IS GOING TO CATCH ON FIRE. THE CAR ALSO LOSES POWER WHILE DRIVING EX. I CAN BE DRIVING 60 MILES AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR STARTS TO DECREASE IN SPEED AND YOU HAVE TO RAVE UP THE CAR TO GET IT GOING AGAIN. NOT GOOD AT ALL.
WHEN MY WIFE WAS STOPPED IN A SCHOOL PARKING LOT WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PREPARING TO BACK INTO A PARKING SPACE THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. I RAN INTO A PARKED CAR AND THE ONLY WAY I COULD GET IT TO STOP WAS TO TURN THE CAR OFF. ME, OUR DAUGHTER AND SON ALL HAVE HAD A SURGING ISSUE BUT WAS ALWAYS A MINOR ISSUE. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS ISSUE AND KIA NEEDS TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE.
TWO INCIDENCES OF DECELERATION..ONE CAUSED ME TO EXIT FREEWAY ONTO THE FRONTAGE ROAD.. ONE INSPECTION AT DEALERSHIP AFTER 2ND INCIDENT STATED "NOTHING FOUND"...HAD I BEEN SURROUNDED BY VEHICLES FRONT AND REAR, I AND OTHERS COULD HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT...I WAS ABLE TO GET OFF THE FRONTAGE ROAD ONTO A SHOULDER. THE 2ND INCIDENT WAS NEAR MY RESIDENCE AND FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NO ONE ON THE STREET AT TIME....WHILE THE DEALER TECHNICIANS MAY NOT HAVE THESE EVENTS OCCUR AT THE TIME OF SERVICE, THESE INCIDENCES I BELIEVE ARE SPONTANEOUS AND THEREFORE DANGEROUS TO THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS OF MY AND OTHER VEHICLES. THESE INCIDENCES KEEP ME IN FEAR OF DRIVING THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE ASKED THE LOCAL DEALER FOR A TRADE TO ANOTHER BRAND BUT ONLY RESPONSE SOMETIME APRIL 2019... WE WILL WORK ON IT. I STARTED BY EMAILING SALESMEN AND MANAGERS OF DEALERSHIP AND FINALLY CALLED WHICH FINALLY PRODUCED A RESPONSE TO ATTEMPT TO FIND A DIFFERENT BRAND VEHICLE...THIS IS A NEW LOAN OF MARCH 2018.,THIS VEHICLE SUPPOSEDLY WAS BUILT IN SEPT. 2017.....FIRE HAZARD IS MENTIONED WITH ONE DEATH OF WOMAN IN TEXAS DUE TO ONE OF THESE TWO CAUSES.MY VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE AND I DO NOT WANT ANOTHER KIA SOUL.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 KIA SOUL. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS IN GEAR. WHILE THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO PARK IN FRONT OF HER HOUSE, WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE SPONTANEOUSLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE. THE FRONT DRIVER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A BROKEN NOSE THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY TO A LOT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000.
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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