2020 Kia Soul Brakes Problems

Owner of 2020 Kia soul experiencing engine failure symptoms including stalling and oil consumption vehicl is associated with engine fire risk safety recall vehicle is currently disabled at mechanic and unsafe to drive I requested kia arrange a tow to authorized dealership for recall diagnosis but kia customer service refused to cover tow bc this involves potential engine fire hazard I believe manufacturers should arrange safe transport for inspection under the recall

NHTSA ID

11724192

Incident

Mar 13, 2026

The contact owns a 2020 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while her son was driving at approximately 35 MPH and going up a slight hill, the vehicle stalled. The contact's son said multiple unknown warnings illuminated. The son depressed the brake pedal and felt that it was very hard to depress. The son was able to restart the vehicle and continued on to his destination. The contact stated that the engine stalling failure had occurred once, however the failure of the brakes had occurred several times. The contact's son stated that when he was slowing the vehicle, as he was in reverse (R) backing out of a parking spot, he was unable to stop the vehicle using the brake pedal and had to use the emergency brake to stop. The son stated that another brake failure occurred as he was slowing for traffic. The son stated that he depressed the brake pedal and it was stiff and the vehicle was not stopping. The front end of his vehicle crashed into the rear end of the vehicle in front. The son said that when the brake failure occurred the check engine, oil check and the battery warning illuminated. The son stated that he used the emergency brake to stop. The police were called and wrote a report, both of the vehicles were drivable and there were no injuries. The son stated that there were minor dents and scratches on the front bumper and grill of his vehicle and dents and scratches on the rear bumper and trunk of the other vehicle. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer where it was determined that there was no mechanical issue with the brakes or the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 12,000. The contact stated that in 2021 the vehicle had an engine failure and the engine had been replaced.

NHTSA ID

11684758

Incident

Jul 7, 2025

Mileage

12,000 mi

The contact owns a 2020 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver’s side tire was making a metal scraping sound. In addition, the contact stated there was an abnormal chemical odor entering into the cabin of the vehicle. No warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over to the shoulder of the road, and had the vehicle towed to a local dealer. The vehicle was diagnosed with a stuck valve inside the ABS module, causing the passenger’s side front brake caliper piston to not function as intended, and a brake fluid leak. The hydraulic unit, brake fluid, Pad Kit Front Disk B, and Disk Front wheel Brake parts were replaced and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 33,000.

NHTSA ID

11665690

Incident

May 28, 2025

Mileage

33,000 mi

I was driving to work. 12 miles my oil leaked. A state trooper turned around when seeing flames and called the fire department and tow truck. I lost control of the car, nothing was working. I was only ever given one recall notice which I fixed 2 months after buying the car. The car also has issues with security. Only certain insurance companies will cover the car and their prices are higher. We took car to dealership . three months later I contact attorney general. The GM this started attacking us, denying anything happened etc. He should be fired for how he treats people. Reviews of their business show others have had issues. Kia corporate has always told us they r waiting on images yet this GM contacted them, told us to leave, and screamed he would charge us for every day it was on lot. So we had it towed the next day. Insured company will be doing their own I xpection. This isn't about money, its about safety and these cars have slot of issues. It is wrong to blame the consumer for a faulty product. We had to get new car and now upside down in this one. We bought thus Kia be,cause the previous one the engine seized. We expressed our concerns, but got put in another car with issues. Kia corporate has been non talking to us the entire three months, so the only findings can be based on what GM said. They washed the motor. It sat so long the battery died. Someone went through papers in the glove box then left them out. We had medicine in the loaner, which they say is a lie. My daughter drives the car and recently was laid off. So now she can't have her medication..... Although she left it in the car they had no right to do that. There was plenty of other issues along the way.

NHTSA ID

11606634

Incident

Apr 27, 2024

Mileage

114,502 mi

Engine burning oil..started knocking

NHTSA ID

11582843

Incident

Apr 14, 2024

My car will not turn on

NHTSA ID

11511427

Incident

Mar 12, 2023

The contact owns a 2020 Kia Soul. The contact stated while reversing the vehicle and depressing the brake pedal to stop the vehicle, the brake pedal was rigid and failed to stop the vehicle. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact turned off the vehicle to stop the vehicle. The contact stated that after restarting the vehicle, the brake pedal operated as needed. The contact stated while the vehicle was in park(P), the message to shift to park(P) was displayed. Additionally, the oil pressure and charging warning lights were intermittently illuminated. The contact stated that the front windshield wipers failed to work intermittently. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer; however, the mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. The failure persisted. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID

11501020

Incident

Feb 1, 2020

OUR KIA SOUL 2020 HAS SOME FAILURE RELATED TO THE AUTO STOP FEATURE (ISG). STARTING AT ABOUT 3000 MILES, THE CAR GROANS AS IT COMES OUT OF AUTO STOP, WITH THE NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT LEFT. KIA CORPORATE DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THIS AS A REPEATED ISSUE, THOUGH THERE ARE MANY FORUMS ONLINE RECORDING THIS EXACT PROBLEM AROUND THIS MILEAGE. THERE SEEMS TO BE NO CONSENSUS ON THE REPAIR, AND NO CONSENSUS ON WHETHER IT IS SAFE TO DRIVE. IF THE AUTO STOP (ISG) FEATURE IS DISABLED, THE NOISE DOES NOT HAPPEN. MORE ACCOUNTS CAN BE FOUND HERE: HTTPS://WWW.KIASOULFORUMS.COM/THREADS/ENGINE-GRINDS-WHEN-COMING-OUT-OF-THE-AUTO-START-STOP.116042/ A VIDEO WITH THE SAME NOISE CAN BE FOUND HERE: HTTPS://YOUTU.BE/1TA6BH6ZPU8 THIS UNNERVING NOISE OCCURS AFTER ABOUT 10 MINUTES OF DRIVING (NO NOISE PRIOR TO THAT).

NHTSA ID

11382945

Incident

Nov 20, 2020

Mileage

3,100 mi

MY AUTO START IS DEFECTIVE. IT COMES ON WHEN IT WANTS TO AND IT TURNS OFF WHEN IT WANTS TO. THE MANUAL CLEARLY STATES THIS IS DEFECTIVE BUT KIA SENT ME HOME SAYING THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. ALTHOUGH WHEN I LEFT THEIR SERVICE AREA, WITHIN 1 MILE IT WAS DOING IT AGAIN. THIS ALSO CAUSES A DELAY ON THE RESTART. THE ENGINE IS HESITANT TO START WHEN IT DOES WORK. THIS ALL STARTED OCCURRING AT 21,632 MILES AFTER MY TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. THE BREAKS ALSO NOW GRIND OR SOMETHING GRINDS NEAR THE WHEELS WHICH KIA WAS NOT ABLE TO REPLICATE EITHER. IT IS GOING BACK IN THIS WEEK AT 25,502 MILES.

NHTSA ID

11320237

Incident

Jan 3, 2020

Mileage

21,632 mi

PROBLEM WITH IDLE STOP/START SYSTEM-WHEN I STOP AT A LIGHT, THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF, WHEN I TRY TO ACCELERATE, I HEAR A LOUD GROAN SOUND, AND THE CAR SHUTTERS BEFORE EVENTUALLY MOVING FORWARD. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE SOUND THEY HEARD WAS "NORMAL", BUT IF IT CONTINUED TRY TO GET A AUDIO RECORDING OF THE SOUNDS I WAS HEARING, AND THEY WOULD LOOK IN TO IT. RIDICULOUS! I HAVE SEEN AT LEAST 2 MORE COMPLAINTS FOR THIS SAME ISSUE. RIGHT NOW I TURN THE FUNCTION OFF AS SOON AS I GET IN THE VEHICLE, WHAT GOOD IS IT IF YOU CAN'T USE IT?

NHTSA ID

11278633

Incident

May 22, 2019

Mileage

325 mi

THE IDLE STOP - START SYSTEM SEEMS TO BE BROKEN. WHENEVER I PULL UP TO A LIGHT AND STOP THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF. THEN, WHEN I TRY TO ACCELERATE THE ENGINE STARTS BUT THE CALIBERS LOCK UP ON THE DISC CREATING A LOUD GROANING SOUND. IT CAUSES THE CAR TO SHUTTER AND BARELY GO FORWARD. ADDITIONALLY, THE CAR CONSISTENTLY PULLS TO THE RIGHT. IT CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO BEGIN TO VEER OFF THE ROAD. ON TWO OCCASIONS THE DEALER, KIA OF IRVINE, TOLD ME THEY DID NOT HAVE THE EQUIPMENT FO FIX THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

11268199

Incident

May 1, 2019

Mileage

15 mi