2020 Kia Soul: jerking or lurching

Filed Feb 26, 2026 · MI

This issue is a significant safety concern. The vehicle intermittently loses propulsion, causing a sudden forward lurch, and then abruptly regains power, pushing me back into the seat. This unexpected deceleration and surge can create a dangerous situation in traffic and may lead to an accident if it occurs while merging, crossing intersections, or driving at highway speeds. In addition, I am experiencing significant engine oil loss between regular oil changes. This week, just before my scheduled service, I found the engine to be approximately two quarts low. There were no warning lights indicating low oil or pressure. I only became aware of the issue after hearing noticeable engine ticking, at which point I immediately parked the vehicle and have not driven it since. I added two quarts of oil due to concern over potential engine damage caused by operating at a low oil level. I have contacted my dealership to report the oil loss and the engine noise, and I am currently waiting for a return call as I had to leave a message. This level of oil consumption is abnormal and concerning, especially combined with the lack of warning indicators. I believe this condition may pose a safety risk and could potentially lead to engine failure while driving. I have recorded video showing the amount of oil needed, the dipstick readings before and after adding oil, and the process of topping up the engine. I also have receipts for the oil I purchased. I can provide all documentation upon request. Based on my research, this appears to be a documented issue reported by multiple vehicle owners, and it is known to require corrective repair. I checked my VIN on the manufacturer’s recall website and confirmed that there are currently no open recalls associated with my vehicle. However, despite the absence of an official recall, the issues I am experiencing are safety‑related and require investigation and correction.

Filed Nov 21, 2025 · Engine, Fuel system · FL

Car is suddenly stalling without warning during idling or slow acceleration. No check engine light initially appears. When the stall happens a check engine light comes on. When the car restarts there is not a check engine light. Car will sometimes mar a funny sound like a loud fan and jerking motion before acting “normal” but when idling at a light again will suddenly turn off. Car will start back up again, no warning lights, no check engine, etc. when doing a read of the computer there are no codes to determine any issues.

Filed Jul 24, 2025 · Engine · TN

My wife had went to the store and came out and went to pull out and the vehicle jerked forward and died. I went to see if it was a dead battery the vehicle would not jump. I called a tow truck and realized that the engine had completely failed. I took it to Parkside Kia in Knoxville Tennessee and they confirm that it was an engine failure there was a recall from Kia referencing SC209 Parkside Kia states that the recall was addressed on this vehicle but the dealership that I purchased the vehicle from had no record of that recall being done and they are stating that they will not goodwill it or repair the recall I understood from my research that even if the vehicle was fixed under that recall that there were some cases of it not being fixed and resulting in needing a complete engine my main concern was the fact that my wife could’ve been driving down the road and been in and a severe accident thankfully, she was just in a parking lot

Filed Jul 31, 2023 · Engine · PA

I had a noise for 2 days when I made right turns. Then my check engine light came on July 30 2023. On July 31 2023 I went to where I received the car from which was century 3 Chevrolet and they told me to go across the street to century 3 kia. I went there told them the problem. I was told they couldn't do nothing for me till September 2023. Mind you the check engine light is on. I asked would I be fine to drive it he says yeah. 30 minutes later my car start to jerk then it cut off. I restarted it it jerked then drove a little before it completely just cuts off and starts drifting backwards I was still in drive it wouldn't restart I put it in park.

Filed Oct 17, 2022 · Engine · 37,000 miles · LA

The contact owns a 2020 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving 30-40 MPH, the vehicle started jerking. The check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that upon coming to a complete stop at the traffic light, the vehicle shut off. The vehicle failed to restart after several attempts. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who diagnosed that the vehicle experienced internal engine failure. The dealer informed the contact that the engine needed to be dis-assembled to provide a final diagnostic result. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact became aware that the VIN was included in the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 21V259000 (Engine) which she associated with the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 37,000.

Filed May 3, 2021 · Driver assistance, Transmission · 20,000 miles · MO

We purchased a 2020 kia soul in january 2020, with 11 miles on it. Everything was fine for the first few months, until one day my wife was driving at about 40 miles an hour and was slowing down to take a right turn, the steering wheel locked up and she almost wrecked, thankfully she jerked the wheel hard enough to break it loose, but in doing so the speedo cluster glad shattered. It was fixed but the dealership tried to blame us saying someone had to of punched it. But when looking at the glass cluster it's obvious that not even a baby's hand could fit down into the cluster to hit the glass. Then at 20k miles almost exactly, the transmission went out, again the dealership took care of it, took about 2 weeks for a new transmission. It started revving up and would jerk like it was being down shifted while going down the highway at 70 MPH. Since then we've put about 9k miles on the new transmission and is doing the same thing again. The dealership told me there was 2 recalls on the vehicle for the transmission when it first happened, one was for an electronic update, the other was for the actual transmission, but I haven't seen any recalls posted, this is the worst new car I've ever owned

Filed Feb 25, 2021 · Transmission · 17,848 miles · NC

After having my car for 9 months and putting 17,000 miles on it my transmission started to fail. I was on the interstate going 70mph and the car began jerking like it couldn't switch gears. It then began to rev high but wouldn't accelerate. It eventually got so slow I had to pull off the side of the interstate and sit on the shoulder for a few minutes with the car off and then tried to recrank my car in which it started but continued to jerk/rock when driving. I got closer to home and when I stopped at a stop sign the car was still on but when I pressed on the gas it refused to go my car wouldn't move. I turned it off then turned it back on and it drove. The next morning I tried to drive my car to work and the car then began to jerk again and eventually the highest speed it would go to was 50 it continued to decline in speed until it eventually just stalled and wouldn't move. I tried to take it to the dealership and on my way there it broke down I then had to get a tow truck on the side of the interstate and tow it to the kia dealership where they said that I had in fact received a defective transmission. This occurred on january 15th, 2021 it is now february 25, 2021 and I don't have my car and they have no eta as to when my transmission will be here and I can have my car back. I asked if the new transmission would work properly and was told "even some of the new transmissions will be defective so we really don't know". I just want my car I bought a car brand new because I thought it was reliable it was not and there's no recall notice and a transmission stalling on the interstate is a very dangerous thing. This is unacceptable.

Filed Dec 24, 2020 · Acceleration, Engine · 23,020 miles · TX

Today while driving home. My 2020 kia soul hit 23000 miles. Shortly after as I was on highway on way home still. My vehicle started sputtering like bad gas. Then started jerking and rpms kept revving up even thou I wasnt pushing on gas any harder.about 27miles from home rpms shot up and car started slowing down. Quickly pulled over. So I put in park the shifted to drive again tried to give lil gas but car didnt move had to get towed home.

Filed Oct 23, 2020 · Engine, Transmission · 13,222 miles · TX

2020 kia soul purchased in march of 2020. Vehicle started to develop a mild "ticking" noise from the engine compartment that progressively became worse and worse at the end of october 2020. On 10/11/2020, the vehicle developed a considerable grinding/clicking noise from the engine compartment, but was still drivable. We were stopped at a stoplight that afternoon when the vehicle attempted to lurch forward, but was stopped by the brakes being applied. The vehicle made a screeching noise very briefly, and died. Vehicle was not able to be restarted, and had to be pushed to a parking lot. On attempting to restart the vehicle a few minutes later, the engine turned over, made some very considerable grinding noises and shut off again. All dash indicator lights were illuminated. Kia roadside towed to a dealership, and I have not heard from them at all. I have called 2-3 times, and was only told today by a secretary that it appeared the vehicle needs a whole new motor. I still have not been directly communicated with by the service advisor. Had this failure occurred on the freeway at speeds, the end result could have been very different.

Filed Mar 3, 2020 · Transmission · 3,800 miles · PA

Rpms kept increasing to the red line for no apparent reason while driving on the highway. The vehicle would jerk and not have acceleration at higher speeds, the transmission would slip. The transmission would not always engage when accelerating from a stopped position, or when it did it would feel like the vehicle would drag as if something very heavy was tethered to it. At the same time the rpms would increase and decrease wildly without touching the accelerator. The vehicle was returned to the dealer who diagnosed "transmission slipping at higher rpms. Internal issue in the transmission. Per tech case #...' was authorized to replace the transmission assembly"

Filed Feb 26, 2020 · Acceleration, Transmission · 1,666 miles · NC

Bought the car 2-11 with 1200 miles on it drove it for 8 days then on 2-19 it started jumping and jerking and making some really bad sounds. On 2-21 it was so bad that I had it towed to battleground kia because I was scared to drive it, they had it for 3 days and then on 2-24 called me to come get the car because they found nothing wrong with it. I had the car 1 day it started acting up again and then on 2-26 it was so bad that I drove it back to battleground kia and made a mechanic drive the car with me in it, because I was scared to death to drive it anymore so we made it all of 1 block then he turned around and headed back to the shop. We came up on a 4 way stop and he gave it gas to go and the RPM's went to 6000 and the car did not go at all, then he gave it more gas and it started jumping and jerking and knocking so bad that when we got back to the dealership he immediately said the transmission has serious issues and put in the paper work to have a new transmission put in. We both decided that driving the car the way it was was very dangerous and not safe at all. There is a serious issue with the ivt transmission that kia needs to recall, just hope the replacement transmission is not the same. At this point I'm in a rental car provided by kia while I await my fate.

Filed Feb 5, 2020 · Acceleration, Transmission · 5,000 miles · IL

The date listed below is the day I took my kia soul in for the 2nd time for surging and jerking. I found out the 3rd of february this past monday it has a bad transmission and needs replaced. They originally wanted to send me home yet again after this problem until my dad stepped in and told them to figure the problem out and just doing some "adjustment " to the engine and transmission isn't goi ng to fix the actual problem. My car has been in the shop 3 times now and I've had a loaner in total of 10 days split between all the issues with my "new" car. I bought this car because I loved it and now I cant stand it thinking I might get stranded with my kids somewhere in the cold. I want my money back or a new car. This is the 2nd time I'm posting a problem on here the first time was because of the radio going in and out of a black screen and freezing. I took it in for that and all they did was again hit a reset button and showed me how to reset it myself so I dont have to being it in again for the same issue. Sorry but it's not my job to fix this issue I wasnt happy with that statement either. And now the transmission issue in twice for that and not to mention all the lies I've caught the dealership saying to me. I've done my research and know people in the industry I dont take being lied to for easily when I'm spending over 25 grand on something. I have videos to prove what was going on since they were saying it wouldn't repeat the problem but I'm not able to attach them here.