Skip to content
EnginePart report

2014 Kia Soul Engine Problems

Complaints
554about this part
Share
61%of 903 total for the year
Median mileage
103,026miles
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

NHTSA recorded 554 complaints about the engine of the 2014 Kia Soul, 61% of the 903 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 103,026 miles. 5 of these say a crash was involved and 52 a fire, according to the filers. 1 recall campaign on record is filed under a similar system.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“I was driving my 2014 Kia SOUL in the freeway when the car started to shake and lacked on acceleration and dropped speed from 70 MPH to 40 MPH, check engine light turn on so I pulled to side of the road and got the car towed to my house. The next day I took the car to the dealership and found that it's an engine issue and need to be replace.”

NHTSA complaint #11386196, filed 2021-01, 153,476 miles

“While waiting at a light on a hill my engine shut off without any warning. I was able to restart it. Two days later while driving on a busy intersection my engine shut down again without warning. When I restarted it, it accelerated really fast. I am now afraid to drive it. It only has 52,000.miles on it and the maintenance is up-to-date on it.”

NHTSA complaint #11363239, filed 2020-10, 52,000 miles

“The vehicle shut off while I was driving, I had to push it off the road, the problem is a fuel leak, other Kia souls are currently on recall for the same reason but this plus model isn't so it's sitting in my drive way while I pay over $400 a month for the vehicle ! Recall this dangerous vehicle ! This is a defect in the Kia/hyundai engines”

NHTSA complaint #11316291, filed 2020-03, 114,141 miles

“While driving on the highway, the dash board started turn off and on the car began to lose power. I pulled off to the side and the lights on the dash came on and the car shut down completely.within a few minutes smoke started coming from the hood of the car followed by a small fire. I got out of the car and the fire grew and completly burned the car.”

NHTSA complaint #11173144, filed 2019-01, 45,000 miles

“I was driving about 30 MPH north on harbor blvd and first st in california sudendly I heard a loud knocking/clicking sound coming from the lower left side of the engine & no error codes came on prior to the noise so I pulled over and called a tow truck to take my vehicle to the nearest mechanic. Until today mechanic has unknown origin of problem”

NHTSA complaint #11181479, filed 2019-02, 80,000 miles

Related recalls

Related service bulletins

Engine: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
202518%
2024517%
20231426%
20225457%
202113958%
202024563%
20198864%
201814265%
201719170%
201656169%
201563170%
201455461%
201328643%
201221041%
20112412%
201097%

Other parts of the 2014 Kia Soul

Exterior lighting
130 complaintsElectrical system
98 complaintsOther or unknown
86 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
58 complaintsFuel system
57 complaintsEngine cooling
55 complaintsSteering
55 complaintsBrakes
35 complaintsVehicle speed control
31 complaintsAir bags
26 complaintsBody and structure
11 complaintsWheels
9 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2014 Kia Soul

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology