I am reporting excessive engine oil consumption in my 2018 Kia Soul, VIN [XXX], with over 150,000 miles. The engine consumes approximately 1-2 quarts of oil every 1,000 miles. There are no visible external oil leaks, and the vehicle does not produce visible exhaust smoke. I am concerned that this excessive oil consumption may indicate an internal engine defect and could lead to engine damage or sudden engine failure if the oil level becomes too low . Having to add oil so frequently creates an ongoing risk that the engine could become dangerously low on oil between checks, potentially resulting in engine failure while driving and creating a safety hazard for the driver and other motorists. I contacted Kia America to report the problem and request assistance with diagnosis and engine repair or replacement. Kia reviewed my VIN and stated in writing that there are no applicable oil-consumption recalls, service campaigns, or warranty extensions for my vehicle. Kia also denied my request for goodwill assistance. I am concerned that this problem may affect other Kia Soul owners and believe it warrants further investigation. I am submitting this complaint so that the federal safety agency can document the excessive oil consumption and determine whether further investigation is warranted INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
2018 Kia Soul: excessive oil consumption
42 of the 221 complaints about the 2018 Kia Soul describe excessive oil consumption.
- owner complaints
- 42
- of this car's complaints
- 19%
- typical repair cost reported
- $6,437
- typical mileage
- 89,400
- recalls
- 0
Excessive oil consumption by model year
What owners say
This Kia has an oil consumption issue I need to add oil every 3 to 4 hundred miles also my oil gets black at least 1 week after an oil change.
This Kia has an oil consumption issue I need to add oil every 3 to 4 hundred miles also my oil gets black at least 1 week after an oil change.
This Kia has an oil consumption issue I need to add oil every 3 to 4 hundred miles also my oil gets black at least 1 week after an oil change.
This Kia has an oil consumption issue I need to add oil every 3 to 4 hundred miles also my oil gets black at least 1 week after an oil change.
This Kia has an oil consumption issue I need to add oil every 3 to 4 hundred miles also my oil gets black at least 1 week after an oil change.
My car has very high oil consumption. I regularly take it for oil changes and have never missed an oil change. In between oil changes I need to put anywhere between 2-3 bottles of oil in. I have taken it in to the dealership for a couple of oil consumption tests that both failed step one so they kept it overnight and did some kind of flush or cleanse and then it passed step 2 both times. The car is good for a little while and then it starts consuming alot of oil again. Due to the high consumption of oil my catalytic converter is going bad and the engine seems very sluggish at times. I do have a yellow check engine light constantly on and the code is for the catalytic converter due to high oil comsumption. The dealership told me they can't do anything about the warning light until it starts to flash yellow instead of being solid yellow. I brought it into the dealership for that and they acknowleded my year make and model are known for excessive oil consumption which can cause the catalytic converter to go bad. They won't do anything about it because it passes step 2 of oil consumption test. but they keep giving me a hard time about just permanently fixing it under the warranty since it passes step 2 even though I am back months later for the same problem. I feel they are trying to run my warranty out so they won't have to fix it. My car now won't pass an emissions test because of the catalytic converter.
The vehicle is suffering from an extreme internal engine oil consumption defect, burning approximately 3 quarts of engine oil every 500 to 600 miles with no external leaks. The internal oil burning heavily fouled the vehicle's ignition system (spark plugs and coil packs), causing severe engine misfires and a sudden vehicle stall while operating in motion on public highways. This unexpected loss of motive power creates an extreme safety hazard. The local dealership, Paramount Kia of Hickory, refused to follow proper factory Technical Service Bulletin (TSB-ENG219) testing protocols to document the defect, leaving the consumer operating an unsafe vehicle.
My 2018 Kia Soul has failed on oil consumption test and needs and engine replacement. Kia knows of these issues with these cars but will not cover the engine replacement cost bc the class action suit does not cover oil consumption failure only rod bearings. This will be an issue sooner or later with the oil problem. Kia has several recalls on other vehicles for the exact same thing.
Engine control system is STILL faulty. The engine light will not go off, even after the so called recall Software fix and the brand new engine put in my car in 2025 among other MULTIPLE brand new parts and repairs to my car trying to resolve the engine issue, oil consumption and fuel/gas consumption at rapid and alarming rate, every time after I fill my gas tank.
The contact owns a 2018 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, the vehicle stalled and jerked while accelerating and experienced severe jerking while decelerating. The failure had occurred on several occasions. On June 18, 2024, the vehicle failed to accelerate or shift properly. On January 15, 2025, the vehicle shuddered violently and nearly stalled. On April 14, 2026, the vehicle was jerking, and the transmission shifted gears improperly. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, and observed that the vehicle was consuming oil excessively. The dealer replaced the spark plugs and performed an induction cleaning and transmission valve service. The dealer was unable to duplicate the failure after a 36-mile test drive, after the service. From May 27 to May 29, 2026, the vehicle failed to start and was towed to the dealer again, where a new short-block engine assembly was installed. On June 2, 2026, a technician discovered that there was no oil in the engine, resulting in a critical crankshaft failure code. Despite the short block replacement and oil correction, the powertrain failures persisted, and the vehicle failed to exceed 50 MPH. The vehicle violently stalled and jerked while accelerating and decelerating, creating a safety hazard. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 92,573.
I am writing to report safety concerns regarding my 2018 Kia Soul Plus. I have been experiencing several engine issues, including knocking noises, hesitation during acceleration, excessive oil consumption, and an active check engine light. Recently, while driving with my daughter, the vehicle began shaking and the check engine light flashed three times. Although I strictly adhere to the recommended maintenance schedule, these issues persist. My mechanic identified code P0455, but a smoke test did not reveal a leak. Additionally, despite having a full tune-up in August [2025] at 105,636 miles, I am being told I require another tune-up due to engine misfires. I am concerned about the frequency of these repairs and the overall safety of the vehicle’s engine.
Service bulletins that may apply
- Excessive oil consumption nu/gamma/theta/kappa engines
- Owner renotification (PI2107)
- Product improvement campaign: subsequent repair action: engine replacement instructions for DTC P1326...
- Owner renotification (PI2107)
- Voluntary emissions service campaign: nu 2.OL GDI sulev ECU emissions logic improvement (SC251)
- Pitstop: low oil pressure at idle after gamma 1.6L GDI short block engine replacement
- Voluntary emissions service campaign: owner notification
- Voluntary emissions service campaign: nu 2.OL GDI sulev ECU emissions logic improvement (SC251)
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the 2018 Kia Soul oil consumption
Is excessive oil consumption a common problem on the 2018 Kia Soul?
42 of 221 owner complaints about the 2018 Kia Soul (19%) mention excessive oil consumption. The model year with the most reports is 2014.
How much does it cost to fix excessive oil consumption on the 2018 Kia Soul?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $6,437 (median of 7 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2018 Kia Soul?
There are 0 recalls and 36 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
Other symptoms on the 2018 Kia Soul
Knocking 53Engine failure 48Check engine light 42Stalling 24Fire or smoke 19Loss of power 19Misfire 8Hesitation 7No deployment 6
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