2020 Kia SOUL problems and owner complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2020 KIA SOUL. WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AS THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE WAS MERGED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN IMPOUND YARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED 10 DAYS AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACT…

Owner-reported narrative. 600 miles reported. Look up ODI 11221793 at NHTSA ↗

VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH AUTO STOP/START. WHEN AT A STOP LIGHT THE AUTO STOP/START ENGAGED, AND BEFORE THE BRAKE WAS RELEASED THE AUTO STOP/START DISPLAYED AN ERROR IN THE DISPLAY INDICATING THAT THE CAR NEEDED TO BE SHIFTED TO P OR N AND RESTARTED AS THE STOP/START FUNCTION ENDED AND ENGINE WAS COMPLETELY OFF. REPLACEMENT OF THE ECM SEEMED TO FIX THIS. NOW THE SAME VEHICLE DISPLAYS THE SAME ERROR (ENGINE STOP/START IS OFF) AS THE VEHICLE IS BEING PARKED IN A PARKING SPACE AND BEFORE THE ENGINE IS PHYSICALLY TURNED OFF (THE BRAKE IS BEING EN…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,298 miles reported. Look up ODI 11288696 at NHTSA ↗

AT 11,200 MILES THE TRANSMISSION ABRUPTLY MALFUNCTIONED IN HEAVY HIGHWAY TRAFFIC. RPM WOULD SHIFT WILDLY FROM IDLE TO REDLINE, AND THE TRANSMISSION SHUDDERED HARD AND LOST ALL POWER. I HAD TO MERGE FROM THE INSIDE LANE OF A 65MPH HIGHWAY TO THE OUTSIDE, NEARLY GETTING INTO A COLLISION IN THE PROCESS. THE VEHICLE WAS RENDERED IMMOBILE AND NEEDED TO BE TOWED. IT IS NOW AT THE DEALERSHIP WAITING ON A NEW TRANSMISSION TO BE INSTALLED. FROM WHAT I CAN TELL, THIS VEHICLE SHARES A POWER TRAIN WITH THE 2019 KIA FORTE. THAT MODEL HAS NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS…

Owner-reported narrative. 11,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 11280772 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN USING THE AUTO START AND STOP FEATURE WHEN RELEASING THE BRAKE AND THE ENGINE CRANKS BACK I HEAR A STRANGE NOISE THAT SOUNDS LIKE A CAT SQUALLING WHEN THE ENGINE STARTS. THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN WHEN YOUR NOT USING AUTO START. PLUS WHEN YOU SHIFT INTO PARK WHILE STOPED IT DOESN'T MAKE THIS NOISE. MY WIFE ALSO HAS THE SAME ISSUE WITH HER CAR SAME YEAR MODLE AND MAKE. NO CLUE I FEAR THIS MAYBE RELATED TO THE TRANSMISSION. AS WHEN PLACING IN PARK IT DOESN'T MAKE THE NOISE WHEN YOU RELEASE THE BRAKES. MY WIFE'S CAR HAS LESS THAN 12000 MILES AND MI…

Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11282940 at NHTSA ↗

I STARTED EXPERIENCING SLIPPING UNDER THE 9K MILEAGE MARK WHILE ACCELERATING. RECENTLY AROUND 25K, WHILE GETTING AN OIL CHANGE, THE DEALERSHIP SAID THERE WAS AN UPDATE REQUIRED FOR THE TRANSMISSION THAT NEEDED TO BE LOADED TO THE COMPUTER. ABOUT 300 MILES AFTER THAT UPDATE, WHILE IN PARK, MY ENGINE SHUT OFF, FOLLOWED BY THE ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON, THEN THE OIL LIGHT AND THE BATTERY LIGHT. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES RECENTLY IN SEVERAL WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND AFTER SEVERAL DIFFERENT PREVIOUS DRIVING DISTANCES. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND TH…

Owner-reported narrative. 8,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11386767 at NHTSA ↗

I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITH LESS THAN 3,000 MILES ON IT. I WAS ON A CITY STREET ABOUT TO GO ON HIGHWAY RAMP. I STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND AS USUAL ISG (IDLE STOP AND GO) FEATURE SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE, BUT WHEN THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN AND I MOVED MY FOOT OFF THE BREAK, THE CAR DID NOT START AGAIN, INSTEAD THERE WAS AN ENGINE LIGHT AND BATTERY AND OIL LIGHTS THAT WENT ON. THERE WERE CARS BEHIND ME. THANKFULLY, SINCE I WAS ON A HILL I WAS ABLE TO STEER THE CAR TOWARDS THE CURB ALLOWING THE CARS BEHIND ME TO PASS. AFTER THAT I USED MY CAR KEY TO C…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11397254 at NHTSA ↗

STARTED CAR "PUSH BUTTON" ONE EVENING AND FOUND THE STEERING WAS INOPERATIVE. SHUT DOWN AND RESTARTED AND ALL WAS FINE. IT ONLY DID THIS ONE TIME.

Owner-reported narrative. 4,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11279498 at NHTSA ↗

MY CAR WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW OFF THE LOT WITH 28 MILES ON IT. I NOW HAVE APPROXIMATELY 15614 MILES ON MY 2020 KIA SOUL. I JUST WANTED TO REPORT THAT THE HORN, A MAJOR SAFETY FEATURE, INTERMITTENTLY STOPS WORKING. WHEN THE HORN STOPS WORKING IT INCLUDES THE STEERING WHEEL DEPRESS AND THE KEY FOB 'LOCKED' SIGNAL. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS AS A HORN CAN BE THE LAST RESORT NOTIFICATION SOMEONE NEEDS BETWEEN LIFE OR DEATH.

Owner-reported narrative. 14,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 11280977 at NHTSA ↗

The contact owns a 2020 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving 30-35 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the fuel injectors were replaced; however, the failure later reoccurred while refueling the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a second dealer Gunther Kia (1900 S State Rd 7, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33317) on four different occasions where the spark plugs were replaced and the fuel tank was drained; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notifie…

Owner-reported narrative. 90 miles reported. Look up ODI 11485980 at NHTSA ↗

Car was purchased used in November 2024. Driven minimally through 2025. July of 2025 engine began stalling at low idle or when pulling into a stop and repeatedly stalling out. Took car to mechanic and replaced crankshaft position sensor, spark plugs, and fuel pump - cost $1,218. Stalling still occurred. Took it to Kia Dealership and they stated, “Cylinder 1 scoring damage, and needed new engine”. This was/is a known problem with various Kia models: “Engine stalling symptom from defect manufacturing of oil rings in cylinder that causes scoring a…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11688045 at NHTSA ↗