Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2018 Kia Soul owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact's daughter owned a 2018 Kia Soul. The contact stated while her daughter was driving approximately 65 MPH, another driver honked the horn to inform the driver of an issue with the vehicle. The contact was informed to pull over. The contact stated that the vehicle started jerking and the driver started seeing smoke coming from the engine compartment. The contact stated that her daughter's hair was singed by the fire. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated once the driver saw smoke coming from the vehicle. The driver pulled over off the highway and exited the vehicle and saw smoke coming from under the vehicle before the vehicle became engulfed in flames. The contact stated that the vehicle had previously been serviced and there were no issues found with the vehicle. The fire was extinguished by the Fire Department. …
The contact owned a 2018 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, a loud pop and smoke emanated from the engine compartment, prompting her to pull to the shoulder of the roadway. After a visual inspection, the contact observed flame jutting up from the engine. The contact was able to extinguish the fire herself using a gallon of water she had on hand. No warning lights were illuminated. A fire report was filed. A police report was not filed, and no injuries were reported. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a nondescript failure with the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to an NHTSA Campaign but was unaware of the NHTSA Campaign Number. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 125,000.
Car stalled in the middle of the road while driving. Took it in to dealer ship for a recall to get this repaired or flashed. Engine burning excessive oil. Car has always been kept up with maintenance. While operating the vehicle the car stalled due to low oil compression. Vehicle has aprox 155k miles. Check engine light has came on. Due to the issue that car engine is burning oil there is a new permanent code p0420 which is a bad catalyc converter since the cars emission system is failing. Car has been sitting at home for about 1 month or longer as we don't drive it and are still financing the vehicle
Nov 10,2024 my 2018 Kia soul "1.6" (1.6 is important because only the 2018 Kia soul 2.0 got recognized in class action lawsuit for exact reason my 1.6 did engine fire but yet YOU nor KIA will take responsibility for the fire and you guys for not doing a recall on it) biggest problem I have is when I purchased it from kia lot in Carlsbad ca the salesman NEVER mentioned one word they're known for catching fire nor mentioned someone actually died in car from engine fire to me that's crappy customer care all the way around and Kia DOES NOT GIVE A CRAP ABOUT THEIR CUSTOMERS WHAT So EVER!! Was driving down fwy going to work and smoke coming from my engine my engine was on fire. Aug 2024 I had oil change and tuneup just months before the engine fire. NHTSA doesn't care either how many people like myself could've burned up in kia death trap. …
The contact owns a 2018 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the engine was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The contact had to add one quart of oil per week. The battery was replaced on three occasions. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to exceed 57 MPH while driving. There was an abnormal creaking sound coming from the vehicle. The contact also stated that there was no oil in the oil pan, but there was no indication of a leak. The oil light was illuminated. The contact stated that the engine was limp, and the starter was becoming inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine was becoming inoperable, and an engine replacement was recommended. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to another local dealer, Kia of Naples (3325 Westview Dr, Naples, FL 34104) for an oil consumption and rod bearing test. …
The contact owns a 2018 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the engine made abnormal ticking sounds. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road. The contact stated that he turned off and restarted the vehicle however, the failure persisted. The contact stated he was able to drive the vehicle, however, the engine was making abnormal loud knocking sounds. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring more increasingly. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle could not be repaired under TSB Number: PI2107 as the original owner of the vehicle failed to complete an unknown software update on the vehicle. …
The contact's daughter-in-law owns a 2018 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The oil warning light illuminated, and the contact's husband poured oil into the oil reservoir. The vehicle was towed to the contact's daughter-in-law's residence. An unknown dealer was made aware of the failure but informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The vehicle was diagnosed by two independent mechanics with engine damage and connecting rod failure, which punctured the engine block. The engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that they had issued a Product Improvement Campaign for the engine in November 2020; however, they did not have the contact's daughter-in-law's address. …
The contact owns a 2018 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the piston oil rings, resulting in damage to the engine. The contact was informed that a piston was missing and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V099000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 130,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Kia Soul. The contact stated that after the vehicle received an oil change by an independent mechanic, his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, and the vehicle lost motive power with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that a connecting rod had gone through the engine block and fallen out underneath the vehicle. The vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the residence. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact was made aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle remained with the independent mechanic awaiting the repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.
The contact's fianc owns a 2018 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while the vehicle was idling at a stop light, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact's fianc then depressed the accelerator pedal and the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that he pushed the vehicle to a nearby parking lot where it was towed to an independent mechanic. The contact was informed that the vehicle was included in an unknown engine recall and that the engine rod bearings needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the customer was responsible for keeping contact information up to date, but no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000.
Engine complaints in other Soul years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2018 Kia Soul?
NHTSA has 147 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2018 Kia Soul, 67% of the model year's 219 complaints. The component named most often is engine › engine control module (ecu/ecm) (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2018 Kia Soul engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2018 Kia Soul, though it has 1 recall for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2018 Kia Soul engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 73,000 miles, and 7% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 10 fires and 0 injuries to engine & cooling problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.