2020 Kia Soul Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2020 Kia Soul most often describe drivetrain-related problems: transmission failures that appear at very low mileage, and engine stalling, oil consumption and rattling noises that appear over a much wider mileage range. Many engine complaints reference recall 21V259000 or the piston-ring service campaigns, and several describe the same symptoms recurring after a recall inspection or repair was performed.

1. 1
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission slips, revs high, or fails to shift

   • 57 complaints (15%)
   • median 8,697 mi at 0.6 yrs old (43 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2019–2026

   Owners describe the RPM climbing or fluctuating erratically while driving at highway speed, the vehicle jerking or losing acceleration, and the engine revving without the car speeding up. Several report the transmission getting stuck in a single gear, or failing to engage from a stop. Complaints state that dealers diagnosed transmission failure and replaced the unit, often with long waits for parts. Mostly reported below 20,000 miles, often during highway driving.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Drive at highway speed and note whether the RPM stays steady with light throttle, and check for hesitation when pulling away from a stop. Ask whether the transmission control module software update or the IVT oil pressure sensor has been addressed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I purchased a new 2020 Kia SOUL lx with 16 miles on the odometer. 2 months later, my car began to lose power suddenly. The engine increased RPM as I've lost power. The car would only accelerate to about 25 MPH. I drove it immediately to the dealership who told me I needed a new transmission. My car stayed in the dealership shop for two months awaiting a transmission that was on back order.”

   NHTSA complaint #11301363, filed 2020-01, 2,230 miles

   “On december 30 my Kia SOUL began acting as it was cutting out and it was using a lot of fuel the RPM would shoot up a tad bit finally the RPM red lined and the car stopped moving on the freeway going 70 MPH. We safely exited and made it to the nearest dealership which luckily was only about 3 miles away. Had 17607 miles on the car they kept my car from 12/30/2019 to 1/31/2020 while replacing the transmission. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11309379, filed 2020-02, 17,801 miles
2. 2
   Engine

   Engine stalls and loses power while driving

   • 123 complaints (32%)
   • median 26,000 mi at 2.3 yrs old (55 state mileage)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $5,855 (median of 9 quotes)
   • filed 2019–2026

   Owners report the vehicle shutting off or losing motive power while driving or while stopped at a light, sometimes with a fluttery or rattling sound beforehand and sometimes with no warning lights. Complaints describe dealers finding engine damage, replacing engines, or being unable to reproduce the problem. Some mention the stalling returned after a recall inspection or a software update. Reported from roughly 10,000 miles upward, with many examples between 13,000 and 90,000 miles.

   Recall 21V2590003 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether recall 21V259000 was completed and keep the paperwork. Have a mechanic scan for stored codes and listen for rattling on a cold start before buying.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Bought car new in october of 2019 in march 2020 car turned off as I was driving I put it in park turned back on with a loud noise called the shop they said it was low on oil but they just changed the oil 3 weeks prior so they added more oil told me to come back in 30 days and a month later it shut off on me again so I brought it back to the dealership and they determined I needed a new engine so they ordered a new engine and something was wrong with the new engine so they had to order another engine I finally after about 2 months maybe more I …”

   NHTSA complaint #11328644, filed 2020-06, 9,200 miles

   “The contact owns a 2020 Kia SOUL. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road and restart the vehicle. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to a local dealer to be inspected. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.”

   NHTSA complaint #11446909, filed 2022-01, 30,000 miles
3. 3
   Engine

   Excessive oil consumption and engine noise

   • 105 complaints (27%)
   • median 68,912 mi at 4.6 yrs old (32 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $6,069 (median of 11 quotes)
   • filed 2020–2026

   Owners describe the oil level dropping to the point that the dipstick is dry, low-oil and check-engine lights coming on, and having to add multiple quarts between changes. Complaints also mention knocking or rattling from the engine, smoke from the exhaust, and dealers attributing consumption to varied reasons or being unable to identify one. Several reference the piston-ring recall or service campaigns for this symptom. Mostly reported between about 60,000 and 140,000 miles, with a few cases at much lower mileage.

   Recall 21V2590003 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check the oil level on the dipstick and look at service records for oil added between changes. Ask whether the excessive oil consumption bulletin or the piston-ring campaign work has been performed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The contact owns a 2020 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact stated that the check engine, low oil, and battery warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was making an abnormal rattling sound before the vehicle stalled. The contact coasted to a stop but was unable to restart the vehicle. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11673902, filed 2025-07, 93,307 miles

   “The contact owns a 2020 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the engine was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The contact stated that while at a stop, the vehicle lunged forward and stalled. The vehicle was restarted. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined that there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine and referred the contact to the local dealer. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11641980, filed 2025-02, 88,000 miles
4. 4
   Engine

   Engine vibration, knocking or piston-ring noise

   • 110 complaints (28%)
   • median 55,000 mi at 4.5 yrs old (40 state mileage)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $6,427 (median of 10 quotes)
   • filed 2019–2026

   Owners report a knocking, ticking or rattling sound from the engine compartment, sometimes accompanied by rough running, a check-engine light, or a code indicating a piston or knock-sensor problem. Complaints state that dealers performed vibration inspections or replaced engines under the piston-ring service action, and a few describe the symptom returning after that work. Appears across the mileage range, from low-mileage examples to vehicles well over 100,000 miles.

   Recall 21V2590003 related service bulletins

   What to check: Listen to the engine at idle and on a short drive for ticking or knocking, and ask whether the piston noise sensing system inspection or engine replacement under SC209Y was completed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The contact owns a 2020 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the check engine warning light illuminated while driving. The contact stated that he was a mechanic, and the contact had retrieved a diagnostic code indicating a vibration in the pistons. The dealer and the manufacturer were not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 112,704.”

   NHTSA complaint #11741590, filed 2026-06, 112,704 miles

   “The contact owns a 2020 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the contact pulled over. The contact stated that upon inspecting the vehicle, the contact became aware that there was no engine oil in the vehicle. The contact added engine oil, and upon starting the vehicle there was an abnormal rattling sound coming from the engine. The contact scanned the vehicle and retrieved DTC: P1327 (Knock Sensor Issue). …”

   NHTSA complaint #11670838, filed 2025-07, 94,815 miles
5. 5
   Other or unknown

   Idle stop-and-go restart noise or no restart

   • 18 complaints (5%)
   • median 5,000 mi at 0.3 yrs old (11 state mileage)
   • filed 2019–2026

   Owners describe a groan or whine from the front of the vehicle as it restarts from the idle stop-and-go feature, and in some cases the engine failing to restart when the brake is released, with warning lights on. Complaints state dealers had no agreed repair and that disabling the feature made the noise stop. Mostly under about 30,000 miles, often shortly after purchase.

   What to check: During a test drive, let the idle stop feature shut the engine off at a light and listen on restart. Ask whether any repair has been attempted for the restart noise.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “When the automatic start stop start is on when I stop and the engine shuts off as it should, when I release the brake it makes a whining noise for a few seconds. Also happens when going up my driveway. Have read that this is happening in a lot of people's 2020 Kia SOUL's and nobody seems to know or have a fix.”

   NHTSA complaint #11407823, filed 2021-04, 26,500 miles

   “I was driving the vehicle with less than 3,000 miles on it. I was on a city street about to go on highway ramp. I stopped at a red light and as usual isg (idle stop and go) feature shut down the engine, but when the light turned green and I moved my foot off the break, the car did not start again, instead there was an engine light and battery and oil lights that went on. There were cars behind me. Thankfully, since I was on a hill I was able to steer the car towards the curb allowing the cars behind me to pass. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11397254, filed 2021-02, 2,500 miles

Buying note. Complaints for this model year concentrate on the transmission at low mileage and on engine oil consumption and stalling at higher mileage, so a pre-purchase inspection that includes a scan for stored codes, an oil level check and a highway test drive is worthwhile. Confirm in writing whether recall 21V259000 and any related engine service campaigns were completed on the specific vehicle.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.