2021 Kia Soul: engine stalls while driving

Filed Oct 30, 2026 · Engine · 51,000 miles · IL

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while accelerating from a traffic light at 10 MPH, the vehicle lost power and stalled. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was later towed from the residence to the dealer. The vehicle was still being diagnosed to determine the cause of the engine failure. However, the dealer stated that the failure was not associated with the piston oil rings. The contact stated that the vehicle was included in a range of vehicle with improperly manufactured oil rings. The failure mileage was approximately 51,000.

Filed Oct 25, 2026 · Engine · GA

I bought my car brand new. 5 years later, im driving and come to a stop and stall. Crank up, drive and come.to a stop and stall again. I took to dealership twice and another shop for second review. Shop said I should be covered under the oil piston recall, but need to find out. Dealership at first only.told.me I just needed a tune-up. Then when I took it to the shop for second opinion, kia corporate then told.me.to take back to dealership. I did, on trailer, and then they confirmed what shop said and told.me.i had a bad motor. The dealership then told.me they take it as a trade in since I cant afford a.new motor, but when I get there, they tell me they won't take it. Ive paid.on this car 10 months while.trying to get answers. Now im going g to have this on my credit and I STILL DONT HAVE A CAR 10 MONTHS LATER AS A SINGLE MOM

Filed Oct 3, 2026 · Engine · NC

Was driving engine jumped time and stalled out doing 45. Vehicle only has 63499 miles on it. Had it towed to dealership. The vehicle passed the original piston oil ring recall test in 2025 and 15,000 miles later is needing a new engine due to the ineffectiveness of Kia recall.

Filed Sep 24, 2026 · Engine · MI

My 2021 Kia Soul was included in Recall SC336 involving defective piston oil rings that may cause increased oil consumption, engine damage, and stalling. The recall remedy was done in June 2025. Kia digitally inspected the engine and said it passed so no engine replacement was performed. Eight months later the car began having symptoms mirroring those of the recall. On February 13, 2026, an independent repair facility documented a check engine light, poor acceleration, timing-related engine fault codes, no oil on the dipstick, less than two quarts of oil recovered from the engine, and no visible external oil leaks. On May 21, 2026, a Kia dealership documented that the vehicle arrived three quarts low. Engine timing and performance issues later required warranty repairs. On Sept. 19 2026, the vehicle stalled while turning onto a busy roadway with four occupants inside. Following the stall event, the vehicle was again found to be extremely low on oil despite documented regular maintenance and oil changes throughout ownership. I’m worried that the recall inspection didn’t identify an affected engine and that the car then developed the symptoms in Recall SC336 - excessive oil consumption, engine-related faults, poor performance, and dangerous stalling. The car is now being evaluated by Kia. I am complaining because I believe the federal safety agency should know a vehicle that passed the SC336 recall inspection within months developed symptoms resembling the condition that recall was intended to address. I have been informed by the dealership that because Recall SC336 was already completed, Kia would not allow the recall process to simply be performed again. My concern is that the vehicle was determined to have passed the recall inspection but then developed all of the recall symptoms. I am concerned that the recall history is not being considered as part of the current diagnosis and that the underlying condition addressed by SC336 was not identified despite the vehicle having symptoms.

Filed Sep 4, 2026 · Engine · 188,000 miles · VA

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving 5 MPH, the vehicle stalled and failed to restart. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact associated the failure with the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 25V099000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); and the recall repair was previously performed on the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer but was not yet diagnosed due to the cost. The manufacturer was contacted by phone and was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 188,000.

Filed Aug 14, 2026 · Engine · 109,000 miles · GA

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was restarted but continued to stall each time the vehicle was stopped. There was an unknown warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to Auto Zone for an unknown diagnostic test and then towed to the dealer. The dealer determined that a tune-up was needed. The vehicle was also towed to an independent mechanic and associated the failure with the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 25V099000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact was advised to take the vehicle back to the dealer. The vehicle was towed back to the dealer, and it was determined that there was sludge inside the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 109,000.

Filed Aug 10, 2026 · Engine · 65,000 miles · OK

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The check engine and engine oil warning lights were illuminated. The contact added engine oil to the engine and restarted the vehicle, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who was unable to repair the vehicle. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact associated the failure with the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 25V099000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

Filed Aug 10, 2026 · Engine, Lights · FL

My 2021 Kia Soul has stalled unexpectedly while being driven on multiple occasions. When the vehicle stalls, the engine shuts off and the vehicle loses propulsion, creating a risk of a collision, particularly if it occurs in moving traffic. There have been no warning lights or messages before the vehicle stalls or when the stalling occurs. The vehicle has severe engine oil consumption. After approximately 3,000 miles, the oil level can become so low that no oil is visible on the dipstick. I do not know whether the excessive oil consumption is causing the stalling, but I believe that to be the reason. I previously brought the vehicle to an authorized Kia dealership while it was under warranty because of the oil-consumption problem. The dealership told me that the vehicle was probably leaking oil, that a part needed to be ordered, and that they would contact me when the part arrived. They never contacted me, and the problem was not resolved. I have since reported the repeated stalling and excessive oil consumption to Kia corporate. Kia instructed me to return the vehicle to the dealership for additional testing. I told Kia that I do not feel safe driving the vehicle approximately 40 minutes to the dealership because it has repeatedly stalled while being driven. I asked whether Kia would tow the vehicle, but Kia would not commit to providing a tow. I also asked Kia to put in writing its instruction that I should drive the vehicle to the dealership despite the reported stalling, and Kia declined. The vehicle remains available for inspection. The cause of the repeated stalling is most likely due to burning of excessive oil. I am concerned about an unexpected loss of propulsion occurring again while the vehicle is in traffic.

Filed Aug 5, 2026 · Engine · 102,261 miles · NM

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Soul. The contact stated that on several occasions while the vehicle was stopped, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was restarted after each failure. The contact stated that during one of the failures, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that a quart of oil needed to be added to the engine after driving every 30 miles. Additionally, on one occasion while the vehicle was stopped, the vehicle stalled and failed to be restarted. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact associated the failure with the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 25V099000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 102,261.

Filed Jul 3, 2026 · Engine · TX

Vehicle: 2021 Kia Soul LX, 2.0L Engine Subject: Loss of Motive Power and Stall While Driving Under Recall SC336 Description of Incident: On 07/02 @ roughly 6:15PM, while driving on the highway I-35E at approximately 60 MPH, my vehicle's engine experienced a sudden and complete loss of engine power, stalling while in motion. I was able to safely navigate to the shoulder, activate my hazard lights, and restart the vehicle after pulling over. This stall occurred despite the vehicle being covered by Recall SC336 for defective piston oil rings . The recall condition explicitly warns that engine seizure can result in "loss of motive power," creating a significant risk of crash or injury. Ongoing Symptoms (Documented): · Excessive oil consumption: Over 2.5 quarts low after approximately 1,000 miles since the last oil change. This aligns with the recall's "increased oil consumption" warning. · Audible engine knocking when shutting off and ticking during acceleration. This matches the "abnormal noise from the engine" described in the recall. · Active Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) stored: P0017, P0014, P000B, P0172, P0300, P0301, P0302, P0303, P0304. These indicate timing issues, misfires on all four cylinders, and oil pressure-related failures. Vehicle had similar codes when visited for recall February of this year. Was told everything looked fine. · The vehicle shows signs of instability when accessories (A/C, headlights) are engaged, suggesting the engine is struggling to maintain idle. Safety Risk: The vehicle is unsafe to drive. The stall on the highway presented an immediate crash risk due to the sudden loss of power, which also disables power steering and power brakes.

Filed Jun 3, 2026 · Engine · VA

Initial Breakdown: July 2024, my 2021 Kia Soul (under 40,000 miles) idled roughly and stalled while in motion. It restarted, but as a precaution, I towed it to Kia Greenbrier Chesapeake while it was operable. After diagnostics, the vehicle would no longer start. Warranty Denial: The dealer blamed engine sludge from two missed oil changes in 2022 and quoted $10,000 for a new engine. In August 2024, I appealed the decision but was denied (Exhibit A & B). There were no recalls active for the 2021 model at this time, but there were recalls for the 2018-2020 models for identical symptoms. Third-Party Repair: I paid $3,017 out of pocket to an independent shop for a new timing assembly to make the vehicle safe and drivable again (Exhibit C). Because my daughter is disabled and requires transportation, getting repairs was imperative. A new valve kit, fresh synthetic oil, and filter service were completed by the third-party repair shop. I also returned to Kia Virginia Beach for several subsequent oil changes (Exhibit D). In April 2025, Kia Corporate issued an official safety recall for my exact vehicle (Exhibit E). Before that, in March 2025, I attempted to have the newly issued recall (25V‑099) performed, but the dealer turned my vehicle away, claiming a lack of parts. Final Failure: In May 2025, the night before a rescheduled recall appointment, the car became permanently inoperable (at only 47,500 miles). Due to extreme financial hardship and health concerns, I am without my vehicle and without an option. Complaint: The Kia dealership refused to perform the safety recall remedy, verbally citing the same 2022 maintenance gaps from the previous year. The dealership violated federal recall regulations for a known defect. I was left stranded, resulting in a financial charge-off of my auto loan.

Filed Jun 1, 2026 · Engine · 82,000 miles · AZ

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Soul. The contact stated while at a light the vehicle stalled. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 25V099000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was determined that the valve train needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the local dealer, who informed the contact that the engine light was illuminated. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.