2020 Kia Soul

2020 Kia Soul SUV FWD

Overall

★★★★☆

Front Crash

★★★★☆

Side Crash

★★★★★

Rollover

★★★★☆

ENGINE

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Soul, and 2021 Seltos vehicles equipped with 2.0L Nu MPI engines. The piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which may result in engine damage.

Campaign: 21V259000

STRUCTURE

I’m having trouble with my pearl white paint peeling off my car. I am available for an inspection. The car has not inspected by anyone at this time. Waiting on instructions. This started last year July and just keeps getting worse every day.

ENGINE

I own a 2020 Kia Soul with approximately 39,000 miles. I brought the vehicle to an authorized Kia dealer in connection with an engine safety recall (sc209). During the recall process, the engine failed Kia’s required testing, and I was advised that engine replacement was being submitted for approval. Kia subsequently requested my historical oil-change records and advised the dealer that the PWA case would be closed and denied if additional maintenance records were not provided within five business days. I no longer have complete receipts for oil changes that were performed over the approximately six years I have owned the vehicle. My concern is that the vehicle failed testing performed as part of an acknowledged safety recall, yet the recall remedy may be denied solely because I cannot produce a complete historical set of oil-change receipts. The vehicle has fewer than 40,000 miles. I am requesting that NHTSA review whether conditioning the recall-related engine replacement on complete maintenance documentation is consistent with the required remedy for this safety recall.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE

This car was purchased in December of 2025 with 26K miles on it. There are stall issues when using the auto start stop feature. I had to power down the car and restart it up to get the car to move. It also will throw the check engine light code and then after you drive it, it goes away which makes it difficult to take to a service shop for diagnosis. Recently the car is now at 28K (9 mo later) and it has an intermittent stutter when driving; I can only describe it as a push/pull motion and its random, during this time the check engine light came on again. On my way to take it to a service station for diagnosis, it went away. Not sure if this has been reported by other 2020 Kia Soul owners.

STRUCTURE

Last year the left rear driver side door the paint started to peel off. It is now 12 inch area. I brought this up to Bulldawg, Athens, Ga. KIA where the care was purchased and got a so sorry, nothing we can do. No accident, no harsh weather.

POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE

The vehicle has experienced intermittent stalling and near-stalling while driving. The problem began after a prior Kia engine replacement related to DTC P1327/P132700. After the engine replacement, the vehicle developed additional drivability and warning-light concerns, including P0420 and communication/CAN faults. An authorized Kia dealer later documented that the vehicle had stalled a few times, identified P0420, reported a clogged catalytic converter, and found 11 additional lost-communication/CAN-related codes. The dealer stated that approximately eight additional diagnostic labor hours would be required to investigate the remaining faults. The vehicle was returned with the intermittent stalling condition unresolved. The stalling presents a safety risk because the vehicle can lose motive power unexpectedly while being driven. The vehicle remains available for inspection. The dealer confirmed the stalling complaint and performed diagnostic testing, but the complete cause has not been determined. Kia previously performed an engine replacement related to the earlier P1327 condition, and the current stalling occurred afterward.

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2020 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the spark plugs and coils needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the taillights were inoperative, there was oil leaking from the bottom of the vehicle and the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that after the vehicle was restarted, the vehicle returned to normal operation. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed and the dealer stated that there was an oil consumption issue with the vehicle; however, cause of the failure was not yet determined. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the bolts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

ENGINE

Back in 2021 there was a safety recall for the engine burning oil and having a high risk of catching fire. I leased this car from the Kia dealership in Asheville, NC and was guaranteed that the issue was not with this car. Here I am a year later and I have to basically put oil into the car at least every two weeks because the engine is burning the oil so fast and the car is basically running terribly. I have made multiple complaints to a bunch of mechanics including the dealership where they are trying to over charge me for a full engine replace because my vin doesn’t follow with the recall notice.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I am filing this complaint regarding a serious paint defect on my Kia in which the exterior paint is peeling off in large sheets. I purchased the vehicle used from Dean McCurry Kia, and the dealership was aware of the paint issue before selling the vehicle to me but failed to properly repair or disclose the condition before the sale. The paint has continued to deteriorate and is now peeling extensively, leaving exposed areas of the vehicle. I have contacted both Dean McCurry Kia and Kia regarding the problem, but both have refused to take responsibility or provide a reasonable solution. I believe this is a pre-existing manufacturing or paint defect that was known to the dealership before the vehicle was resold to me, and I am concerned that Kia and the dealership are refusing to address a potentially widespread safety and quality issue. I am requesting that NHTSA document and investigate this complaint and determine whether this paint defect affects other Kia vehicles and warrants further action.

ENGINE

Making a left turn car stalled in middle of turn lane.

ENGINE

Engine piston recall defect. Car has been at the dealership 12 days today and has been diagnosed and has been submitted to a Kia corporate case for repair free of charge. Car had no warning lights on and basically blew up on me driving home from my overnight work shift Thursday into Friday, July 31 morning. Every day they tell me they will give me a loaner and every day they lie. I have called until I’m blue in the face and no action has happened. I’m making a report because I’m about to lose my home and the car in the shop being repaired both because I’m stranded at my house as a single woman with a child with no alternate transportation. It is at the Kia dealership in Southhaven Mississippi 745 East Goodman Rd. I maintained this vehicle and paid every single note on time and did nothing wrong. I’m gonna lose everything because of this recall repair needed that I never knew anything about. It wasn’t on my auto report in 2024 when I bought the car somehow or I probably wouldn’t have bought it with any engine issues but I was unaware. The car literally never had any lights on or issues until the morning when it blew up. During this time I thought I was supposed to get alternate transportation and that hasn’t happened. Because I invested in Kia I’m the only one suffering right now about to lose my home and job because they have my car and won’t give me alternate transportation. A free repair is no good if you’re going to lose everything you work hard to maintain while it’s being repaired. I will never buy Kia again and I will never tell anyone else to buy. Absolute horrible experience so far. I’ve already paid out-of-pocket for a tow which can’t be reimbursed until 6 to 8 weeks after the repair is complete from what I read. If I end up homeless over this 6 year old car I thought would last me, I’m not gonna want the car anymore.