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Body and structurePart report

2016 Kia Soul Body and structure Problems

Complaints
18about this part
Share
2%of 816 total for the year
Median mileage
55,061miles
Trend
StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.

NHTSA recorded 18 complaints about the body and structure of the 2016 Kia Soul, 2% of the 816 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 55,061 miles. 2 of these say a crash was involved and 4 a fire, according to the filers.

Example complaints

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

“My car caught on fire. The whole car is damaged. There is no front the interior is gone. I have started a case with Kia. My vehicle was going up a hill about 30 minkes an hour when it started smoking. It was pulled over and the hood was popped. The engine was on fire. Soon the whole front and middle of the car was on fire. This was at 14000 jericho street at the entrance of bowie state university in bowie md. Police and fire departments were called.”

NHTSA complaint #11403965, filed 2021-03, 87,100 miles

“The crash at about 2:30am early tuesday morning on nov. 24, 2020, on her way home from her nearby 2nd shift job, my wife's 2016 Kia sol was hit hard on the driver's side by a car being pursued by police. Luckily, and possibly because my wife is short and sits high, she appears uninjured although visibly shaken and very nervous about night driving. My wife had pulled her car over to the right side of the 4+ lane road when she heard sirens. …”

NHTSA complaint #11383822, filed 2020-12, 35,911 miles

“On 2/18/17 my daughter was involved in a front end collision in our 2016 Kia SOUL. She struck a stopped toyota carolla at over 45mph on southbound I-5 in seattle wa. This was a direct front end collision and the airbags in the Kia SOUL did not deploy even though the metal bumper bar was completely bent in a v shape back beyond the radiator. Kia USA first claimed that this was due to under riding. …”

NHTSA complaint #10957400, filed 2017-02, 2,200 miles

“Sold damaged car by ron bouchard Kia. Door doesn't close and it rains and snows inside. Said I locked my keys in car, I didn't. They fixed the bashed in driver's door but won't fix other door. Convinced me it was seatbelt damage. At dealership the nick's and dents were visible but I didn't notice the gap, salesman stood in front of it. I'm afraid to drive this car. Less than 5k in over a year. I can't find any records of damage. I saw that it was purchased at an insurance and salvage auction.”

NHTSA complaint #11415093, filed 2021-05, 44,000 miles

“Car caught on fire. There was no accident involved. It started smoking and seconds later caught on fire. My son was driving on a city street, the car started smoking, he turned into a parking lot, got out of the car and the car caught on fire.”

NHTSA complaint #11390673, filed 2021-01, 80,000 miles

Related service bulletins

Body and structure: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
202211%
202131%
2020103%
201943%
201852%
201741%
2016182%
2015162%
2014111%
2013152%
2012184%
2011126%
20102116%

Other parts of the 2016 Kia Soul

Engine
561 complaintsOther or unknown
127 complaintsEngine cooling
106 complaintsFuel system
84 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
62 complaintsElectrical system
56 complaintsVehicle speed control
33 complaintsSteering
30 complaintsBrakes
20 complaintsExterior lighting
18 complaintsAir bags
17 complaintsSuspension
8 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2016 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