2020 Kia Soul: stuck in gear or won't shift

Filed Jan 20, 2021 · Driver assistance, Engine · 16,000 miles · KY

1-on three different times I pulled out onto the highway to go and my car goes into limp mode no power how much you push the gas petal them eventually it takes off and goes. Called the dealer where I purchased my car and they told me to just drive my car in sport mode. I don't like having to drive my car in sport mode the RPM's run high and it uses more gas. 2- my forward collision assist system causes my dash lights (collision light, ABS light, traction control lights come on and again went back to kia and they basically told me until they can duplicate it they don't have anything to call kia about. 3- my gas hand lies at times I can fill my car up and the hand goes to half a tank and takes hrs to a day or two for the hand to move to full. 4-just recently in a walmart parking lot my car just shut of as if I turned the key off again my dealer said if the can't duplicate it there is nothing they can do. I don't feel safe driving my car something needs to be done I wonder if anyone else is having the same problems. This has been happening over 5 months with the last episode on jan.6,2021

Filed Nov 19, 2020 · Transmission · 4,446 miles · WA

While exiting freeway, transmission failed to shift out of 5th gear (automatic transmission). After stopping at light, car failed to shift out of 5th gear. Pulled off road started and stopped car (hoping to reset transmission) tried to engage sport mode to manually shift and transmission indicated 5th gear and would not shift. Turned engine off and on again, shifted out of sport mode. Transmission seemed to engage into lower gear, but shifted back into 5th gear while climbing hill. Turned engine off and on again, pushed accelerator to the floor, transmission revved and managed to make it to the top of hill. Went through 2 stop lights and 1 stop sign (while watching for cross traffic). This was at 11:00pm with no traffic present. Pulled car into carport parking space. Again turned car off and on and was able to put into reverse and then drive with transmission engaging correctly. Very frightening! Route from freeway to home is not a very safe area at night to just stop and wait for assistance.

Filed May 15, 2020 · Transmission · 4,200 miles · NJ

Traveling on garden state pkwy about 70 MPH. Could feel the car "bucking". Then the engine suddenly raced and revved to highest level.was able to pull off the road and turned engine off. Started but wouldn't go into gear. Restarted and was able to drive home. Kia had vehicle towed to the dealer. Have been told full transmission replacement necessary.

Filed Jan 24, 2020 · Acceleration, Engine · 7,800 miles · FL

Vehicle RPM began fluctuating while on cruise control in rainy weather. Switched to manual (sport mode) control and the problem lessened. Vehicle began to loose power and was shifting randomly between gears automatically, eventually redlining while maintaining 74mph. A loss of power occurred and nearly caused a collision on interstate 10 as my speed fell dramatically. I was able to coast to the nearest exit but the car would not shift out of 5th gear. We were stranded in a thunderstorm for several hours and dealership offered no help. Aaa saved the day, got the vehicle back, and then the dealership refused to issue a rental car for several days after the incident. Please be aware that if the transmission fails at interstate speeds, the risk of injury is high and do your best to get off the main road as safely as possible. Dealership has since issued a rental car and informed me that a transmission would be re-manufactured. For my vehicle. I am not afraid to drive a brand new vehicle anywhere away from home.

Filed Jan 8, 2020 · Transmission · 2,681 miles · MO

We drive a 2020 kia soul gt-line 2.0 with 2681 miles and build date 06/19. I was traveling at 75mph when the RPM's started surging about 300 back and forth in the standard auto mode. It went away in manual shift mode. My gas mileage was showing 21mpg. I proceeded for about 30 more miles in manual (7th) then the RPM's redlined. I was able to pull over. I let it sit 5 minutes and made it 2 miles on the shoulder of the interstate to the next exit at about 30 to 40mph in auto mode. That is all it would do. It was a slight climb after the ramp. The soul struggled. I tried to shift into manual and it says it is in 5th, and it will not shift. I figured I would add this while currently waiting for the tow. This soul was never driven hard. It was about 95% highway miles. There were no signs of failure before this. This happened quickly.the soul was towed to the nearest kia dealership, which is 3 hours from home, and had to rent a car to drive home. The official diagnosis is transmission failure and we're waiting for a replacement, which could take 6-8 weeks.

Filed Jan 4, 2020 · Engine, Transmission · 3,500 miles · TX

While driving on a southeast texas 2 lane road with a posted speed limit of 70mph, I was following a truck going less than 50mph. When visibility was clear, I pulled out to pass the truck. At about 3/4 throttle, the transmission downshifted to provide more power but the vehicle suddenly lost power in the oncoming lane of the roadway about halfway around the 18 wheeler. At this point, I started to see oncoming vehicles, at which time, I applied wot. The engine light immediately came on and flashed 3 times and the car felt to be sputtering and in some type of limp mode. I made a split second decision to brake hard and squeeze back in behind the 18 wheeler to avoid a head on collision. The situation was made worse by a vehicle behind me simultaneously trying to pass the 18 wheeler. Stopping at the next gas station I notice sputtering even in park at even very light throttle. I turned off the vehicle hoping that the ecu needed to reset. It did reset and the problem went away. Had I not made the decision I did when passing and had the person behind me not also applied the brakes quickly, I would likely have been in some type of collision whether it be head on or having to swerve off the roadway completely to avoid oncoming vehicles.