Kia Soul misfire problems

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 Nov 2, 2026 · Engine · VT

Sudden engine misfire and stall in major metropolitan area in high traffic. Diagnosis from my mechanic was failed valve and complete loss of compression to 2nd cylinder. Symptomatic of repeat catalytic converter issues leading to engine damage. Catalytic converter has been replaced twice-- once out of pocked and once under extended warranting for SC176/the federal safety agency 19V-120000 at a kia dealership. Engine light turned on just minutes before failure. I am now beyond the extended 150,000 warranty-- engine failed at 167,000.

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 21, 2026 · Engine · 33,000 miles · LA

The contact owns a 2022 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 25V099000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the engine was not replaced under the recall. While the contact's wife was driving 10 MPH, the vehicle started sputtering. The vehicle later lost motive power while the contact was driving. Upon inspection, the contact discovered there was no engine oil inside the engine. The vehicle was taken to O'Reilly's and diagnosed with a cylinder #3 misfire. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who performed an oil change, but after 3,000 miles there was no oil in the engine. The check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer several times for oil consumption tests, and the spark plugs were replaced; however, the contact was informed that the engine could not be replaced under recall because the engine oil level was full at inspection. The manufacturer was notified of the failure by phone. The failure mileage was approximately 33,000.

Filed Oct 15, 2026 · Engine · AL

On [XXX], my 2020 Kia Soul (2.0L Nu MPI, VIN [XXX], approximately 102,420 miles) suffered total engine failure: complete loss of motive power, stalled and would not restart. This is the exact defect covered by federal recall 21V259000 / Kia SC209 (piston oil rings causing engine damage and stalling). The SC209 recall remedy had already been performed on this vehicle at Kia of Daphne (Daphne, AL) in June 2026. The recall did not prevent the failure. Symptom history matches the defect: the vehicle has burned oil excessively its entire life (oil changed every 3,000 miles; oil like sludge by approximately 2,000 miles) - the textbook piston-ring symptom. Sputtering began June 2026; a spark-plug replacement bought two to three months before total failure. Diagnostic codes at failure: P0304 (cylinder 4 misfire), P219F (cylinder imbalance), P0014 and P0017 (camshaft/crankshaft timing correlation), P1327 (knock sensor) - internal engine and timing damage consistent with the recalled defect. On [XXX], Kia of Daphne inspected the vehicle ([XXX]). The technician found low compression and wrote the failure 'does not have to do with recall campaign sc209A' and is 'not covered under Kia warranty or recall,' quoting $5,855.28 for an engine long block. I dispute this: low compression plus lifelong excessive oil consumption is the classic signature of worn piston oil rings - the exact SC209 defect. The one-sentence dismissal does not address the documented symptom history. Kia corporate cases [XXX] (opened 09/30/2026) and [XXX]; rebuttal submitted 10/07/2026 requesting field-engineer review; no response as of 10/15/2026, cases now closed. Safety: total loss of motive power AFTER the remedy was performed. This post-remedy SC209 failure belongs in the federal safety agency's investigation of Kia recall remedy effectiveness. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Sep 24, 2026 · Engine · CA

The engine long-block assembly suffered a catastrophic, terminal internal collapse and sudden stall due to abrasive substrate particle ingestion from a previously failed, melted manifold catalytic converter under Safety Recall SC176 (the federal safety agency Campaign 19V120000). The vehicle has been extracted to preserve evidence and is available for immediate physical inspection. The vehicle suffered a complete, sudden loss of motive power and stalled while traveling at high speeds on a busy public highway. It went into an un-accelerated limp mode, creating an immediate hazard of a high-speed rear-end collision on the highway shoulder. Authorized franchise facility Garden Grove Kia officially confirmed the terminal block failure under Repair Order #6238999. A diagnostic scan confirmed multi-cylinder misfires (P0300–P0304). A physical compression test confirmed a terminal drop to 59.6 psi in Cylinder 2, and an internal camera borescope confirmed a catastrophic internal Cylinder 2 wall crash damage not sealing alongside a fractured spark plug tip inside Cylinder 4. The dealership officially recommended a total engine replacement. The vehicle was inspected by a certified franchise dealer technician representing the manufacturer. A formal enforcement case has been opened regarding this vehicle asset and documentation file with the California Bureau of Automotive Repair (BAR) under Reference Case #669B-C5PDRP

Filed Sep 19, 2026 · Transmission · AZ

I will be accelerating and the car will on occasion start to sputter like it is going to die and loose power on me. It has done it three different times the last time it through a code on my OBD monitor read it and said P0304 the 4th cylinder is misfiring. I took it in and they couldn't see the code or even the history of there being a code thrown. Please help my ladst car that did this needed to have the engine replaced and is recall was issued after we sold it to a junk yard, and I can't afford that again.

Filed Aug 12, 2026 · Engine · 59,242 miles · CA · 1 injury

The contact's grandmother owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while his grandmother was driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheated. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that due to the failure and the outside temperatures, his grandmother was stuck inside the inoperable vehicle. The contact's grandmother sustained a heat stroke while waiting for assistance. The contact's grandmother was transported to the hospital. The vehicle was taken to Firestone, where DTC: P0420 and P0302 were retrieved. The contact was informed that the codes indicated an engine misfire. While driving to Firestone, the failure reoccurred, and the vehicle stalled. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to the dealer for assistance. The vehicle was towed to the dealer; however, the failure was not duplicated. In addition, the vehicle was repaired under the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling); in 2021. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 59,242.

Filed Jul 25, 2026 · Electrical, Engine · NC

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.

Filed Jul 16, 2026 · Engine · 151,000 miles · NC

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that there was a misfire in the engine. The contact associated the failure with the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling). The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 151,000.