Kia Soul loss of power problems

Filed Nov 4, 2026 · Brakes, Engine · OH

As the original owner of this 2016 Kia Soul (approx. 124,000 miles), I am filing this safety and consumer compliance complaint for severe engine failure and a failure of manufacturer recall notification systems. On [XXX], my vehicle experienced severe power loss on the highway and extreme oil consumption. An inspection by an independent repair facility revealed catastrophic engine failure due to piston ring degradation, severe crankcase blow-by, and oil contamination of the exhaust system. The repair shop informed me that these symptoms directly align with known manufacturing defects covered under active safety recalls, specifically the federal safety agency Recall 19V‑120 and the Hyundai/Kia Engine Litigation II settlement (No. 8-18-cv-0223-JLS-JDE, C.D. Cal), for which my VIN is a confirmed match. On [XXX], I brought the vehicle to VanDevere Kia of Akron for evaluation. Service associate Jackie Mundri informed me I was denied engine replacement coverage, with Kia claiming I waited "too long" to address the recalls. When I escalated this to Kia Consumer Affairs and spoke with a representative named Cassandra, I was told it was my personal responsibility to proactively check for recalls. I have never received any notification via mail, email, or telephone regarding Recall SC176 or any other engine campaign. Furthermore, within the past two years, I paid out of pocket for major repairs directly related to these exact safety defects (replacing the catalytic converter and two brake lines), yet neither the independent shops nor the dealership flagged these open safety recalls during those services. By blaming the consumer for a lack of communication while failing to provide mandatory notice, the manufacturer is leveraging their own notification breakdown to evade responsibility for a dangerous, defective engine. I request that the federal safety agency investigate Kia's failure to provide proper notification and their refusal to honor safety obligations for a verified class-settlement vehicle. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATIO

Filed Nov 4, 2026 · Engine · AZ

My vehicle was towed to the dealer to address a recall. Campaign 19V120/SC176. I advised them I had codes #300, 303 &304. I requested a compression test & documentation of the findings. They instead cleared the codes, addressed the ksds software update & declared the car "fixed". Upon leaving, the engine lost power (in traffic) & the check engine light returned. I limped the car back & again requested a compression test which they did not perform even after pulling codes of a "misfire". They pulled the plugs & advised replacement as well as replacement of the coils for $1,200. I believe I'm entitled to knowing the health of the engine by means of a compression test & possible short block replacement if it's deemed necessary (per recall SC176)

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 · Electrical, Engine · RI

**Vehicle:** 2018 Kia Soul\ **Mileage:** Approximately 198,000 miles 1\. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request?** The engine appears to have experienced a serious malfunction, and the vehicle is no longer moving. I believe the engine may have failed. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. 2\. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk?** There is no immediate safety risk at the moment because the vehicle is not being driven. However, an unexpected loss of engine power or the inability to move could create a dangerous situation if it occurred in traffic. 3\. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center?** No. The vehicle has not been inspected or diagnosed by a dealer or independent service center. The exact cause of the failure has not been confirmed. 4\. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others?** No. The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or any other party. 5\. Were there any warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear?** The check engine light came on, and the vehicle showed misfire codes for cylinder 1 and cylinder 3, along with an oxygen (O2) sensor code. The vehicle was also producing a significant amount of white smoke from the exhaust. These symptoms occurred before the vehicle stopped moving. The exact cause has not yet been determined because the vehicle has not been professionally inspected.

Filed Oct 18, 2026 · Engine, Fuel system · FL

Recall sc176 incomplete- while driving in an unincorperated area in [xxx] ([xxx] in [xxx] county) the vehicle suddenly lost engine power and due to the sudden loss of engine power the vehicle was difficult to stop on a dangerous curve. The vehicle would not start back up. The cruve was situated in such a manor that it was unsafe to try to push it into the side as it was a steep ditch leaving the vhicle completely disabled in the complete dark. Even with the flashers on other motorists including a semi tractor trailer nearly crashed into the disabled vehicle multiple times. While escaping the dangerous situation on foot I noticed the muffler was emmiting smoke and a strong odor. I was able to retain the services of a local towing company to provide immediate emergency response where they had to use multiple units with cones and amber lights and flagmen with strobes to set up a saftey zone to protect oncomming motorists while they cleared the immediate saftey hazard. That week I had a local mechanic shop check on the no start condition. They removed, charged, and bench tested the battery finding it to perform at an acceptable amperage. Upon inspecting the no start condition found the motor to be lockrd. They noted an incomplete saftey recall upon checking the VIN and advised the vehicle needs to go to an authorized dealer for recall service. At that point the vehicle was pushed into an outdoor storage lot and the key returned pending transport. I talked to a lady at the kia dealer in [xxx] where it was mentioned they only had 2 technicians and it would be a while to get it looked at, so I called the next closest dealer which is [xxx]. On the phone they told me to bring the car for recall inspection. Instead of processing the recall they text me mentioning diag fees and costs and tried to get me to trade it in instead. I feel duped having it towed there for recall based on there words just for them to try to get me to trade it in. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b

Filed Oct 14, 2026 · Engine · CA

On XXX my 2020 Kia Soul while on the freeway, would not accelerate and silently stalled. The check engine, oil, and battery light all came on. Putting it into Park and then Drive again, the vehicle began shifting backwards. The vehicle could not be safely driven and was towed to Kearny Mesa Kia in [XXX]. The dealer diagnosed code P0017 (crankshaft position and camshaft position correlation). The technician found the exhaust camshaft out of sync because the pin on the CVVD gear had broken, which allowed the gear to spin on the camshaft. The recommended repair is replacement of the exhaust camshaft, CVVD gear and bolt, timing chain tensioner, and valve cover gasket, quoted at $3,285.34. A borescope inspection found no valve damage. The service advisor told me this is a common problem on these vehicles. An internal engine part failing like this at about 99,000 miles is a premature failure, not normal wear. A sudden loss of camshaft timing can cause stalling or a loss of power while driving, which is a safety risk. I am the third owner and bought the car used through Carvana at about 55,000 miles, so the powertrain warranty does not cover this repair. Kia America denied my request for goodwill assistance. I ask the federal safety agency to look into CVVD gear and camshaft timing failures on the 2020 Kia Soul 2.0L engine. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Oct 11, 2026 · Engine · MA

The car was constantly burning through large amounts of oil. One night I was driving and the car started slowing down and lost power completely. This put my safety at Risk because I was on the freeway and came to a complete stop. I brought the vehicle to the dealership and they said it would be 4k to fix and did not fix the recall.

Filed Oct 7, 2026 · Engine · TX

Engine oil light came on and went to take in to get an oil change though it had 1000 miles or so to go. Had oil change but light did not go out, and service said to get it diagnosed at mechanic. Made an appointment and car then driven by my daughter stalled when entering the freeway. The car started and I had her drive it home. I tried it the next day and had no problem other than lack of power. At the car appointment, stated that it looked like a National Safety Recall problem and to take it to Kia for the problem. At Kia, they said there were a number of recall's that the fixed on the vehicle, but the safety recall for the engine did not apply as they didn't "hear" anything. They agreed it was losing power and it stalled when coming to a stop, turning and or accelerating. They said for $250 they could run a diagnostic. Having already done that with a trusted mechanic, I seemed at a loss on what to do. I had another mechanic look at it with the same recommendation that it was a recall problem and engine should be replaced.

Filed Oct 5, 2026 · Engine · TX

While driving my 2013 Kia Soul 1.6L GDI on the highway, the vehicle suddenly lost significant engine power and the Check Engine Light began flashing. The sudden loss of power at highway speed created a safety concern because I could no longer maintain normal highway speed with surrounding traffic. I exited the highway and drove home at reduced speed while the Check Engine Light continued flashing. Christian Brothers Automotive inspected the vehicle. Their diagnostic scan identified a pending P1326 code. The technician rechecked the knock sensor that had previously been replaced in July 2026 and confirmed that the sensor was functioning properly. After the engine reached operating temperature, the technician heard an abnormal internal engine knocking noise. Further testing determined that the noise was originating inside the engine, and Christian Brothers concluded that the engine requires replacement. The vehicle was subsequently taken to an authorized Kia dealership in Rosenberg, Texas and has been available for inspection. Kia declined engine replacement because the vehicle exceeds the mileage limit of its extended engine warranty. Kia also denied my request for goodwill assistance. Prior to this failure, the vehicle had experienced a knock-sensor-related issue that was repaired in July 2026. At the time of the highway incident, the significant symptoms were sudden loss of power and a continuously flashing Check Engine Light. I am concerned that the P1326 code, internal engine knock, flashing Check Engine Light and sudden loss of power may be associated with a connecting-rod-bearing/KSDS-related engine failure. I am reporting this because the sudden loss of engine power occurred while traveling at highway speed and could have resulted in a collision.

Filed Oct 2, 2026 · Engine · MD

I purchased my Kia Soul because I believed I was purchasing a dependable vehicle that I could rely on for my everyday transportation. Unfortunately, my experience with the vehicle has been very different. Over time, I have experienced ongoing and serious problems with the engine, particularly excessive oil consumption. The vehicle consumes oil frequently and requires repeated oil top-offs. I have had to visit the oil service location so often to have the oil checked and topped off that the staff now recognizes me. This is not something I consider normal maintenance for a vehicle that is supposed to be operating properly. My concerns became even more serious when my Kia Soul stalled while I was driving on the highway. I took the vehicle to Kia in [XXX] because I was extremely concerned about the safety implications of a vehicle losing power while traveling on the highway. After inspecting the vehicle, I was told that there was no engine problem. Because the excessive oil consumption continued, I later took the vehicle to Kia in Waldorf. Again, I was told that the problem was not an engine issue. I continued to have problems and eventually took the vehicle to VCD Auto in [XXX] for an independent evaluation. Their assessment was different. They agreed that there was a problem with the engine and that the engine appeared to be defective. I have also experienced problems involving the catalytic converter. After replacing the catalytic converter, I had to have another catalytic converter installed only approximately four months later. The repeated oil consumption and subsequent mechanical problems have caused me to question whether these issues are connected to an underlying engine defect. What is particularly frustrating is that I have repeatedly attempted to address these problems responsibly. I have taken the vehicle to Kia dealerships, had the vehicle inspected, maintained the oil, paid for repairs, and sought an independent mechanic's opinion. Despite INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION