Owners have filed 902 complaints with NHTSA about the 2014 Kia Soul over 13 years — 24 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Soul years here — over the median of the other years, which is 14. NHTSA has 5 recalls on file, including Frontal, Engine, and Steering.
902
24
5
13
The complaints owners file most often name Engine (553 of 902), then Exterior lighting (130) and Electrical system (98). Those filings include 34 that report a crash, 69 that report a fire, 25 that report an injury, and 1 that reports a death.
The 2013 Soul has 662 complaints, 18 per year, and the 2015 has 904 complaints, 22 per year. The 2014 has more complaints per year than the 2013. The 2014 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2015.
The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2014 Kia Soul. How we count. Data as of .
34
69
25
1
"I bought the car August 21st 2026 and I'm September 20th I was driving down the interstate and my car starting shaking. I found out it's the catholic converter. I read they're was a recall on the Kia for that issue."
"The Engine powered down to the point where the car stalled out. It would not accelerate. This was quite dangerous! I was in traffic when this happened. Trying to get it to a safer spot, I restarted the engine a few…"
"The contact owns a 2014 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving, the vehicle suddenly lost power and came to a complete stop. After cooling down for approximately 10 minutes, the vehicle was restarted; however,…"
"The contact owns a 2014 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine. The contact researched and discovered that there were several unknown…"
"The contact owns a 2014 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light unexpectedly illuminated. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired.…"
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 Kia Soul SUV FWD | 5 stars | 5 stars | 5 stars | 4 stars |
Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.
| Trim | Engine | Transmission | Drive | City | Hwy | Combined | Annual fuel cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soul | 1.6L, 4-cyl | Automatic 6-speed | Front-wheel drive | 24 | 30 | 26 MPG | $2500 |
| Soul | 2L, 4-cyl | Automatic 6-speed | Front-wheel drive | 23 | 30 | 26 MPG | $2500 |
| Soul | 1.6L, 4-cyl | Manual 6-speed | Front-wheel drive | 24 | 30 | 26 MPG | $2500 |
| Soul ECO dynamics | 2L, 4-cyl | Automatic 6-speed | Front-wheel drive | 24 | 30 | 26 MPG | $2500 |
NHTSA campaign 19V120000. Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Kia Soul vehicles equipped with 1.6L Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) engines. High exhaust gas temperatures may damage the catalytic converter, possibly resulting in abnormal engine combustion and damage to one or more of the engine's pistons and possible piston connecting rod failure. Piston damage may result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash. A broken connecting rod may puncture the engine block allowing engine oil to escape. The leaking oil may contact the exhaust, increasing the risk of a fire. Kia will notify owners, and dealers will upgrade the Catalytic Overheating Protection Engine Control Unit logic to prevent overheating of the catalytic converter. In addition, the catalytic converter will also be replaced if it has been damaged. Depending on the extent of any damage, the engine may also be replaced, free of charge. The recall began April 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC176.
Owners have filed 902 complaints with NHTSA about the 2014 Kia Soul over 13 years — 24 per year. That is more complaints per year than most Soul years here — over the median of the other years, which is 14. NHTSA has 5 recalls on file, including Frontal, Engine, and Steering.
The complaints owners file most often name Engine (553 of 902), then Exterior lighting (130) and Electrical system (98). Those filings include 34 that report a crash, 69 that report a fire, 25 that report an injury, and 1 that reports a death.
The 2013 Soul has 662 complaints, 18 per year, and the 2015 has 904 complaints, 22 per year. The 2014 has more complaints per year than the 2013. The 2014 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2015.
The 2014 Kia Soul has 5 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.
Owners have filed 902 complaints about the 2014 Kia Soul with NHTSA.
EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2014 Kia Soul is 26 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.
5W-20 or 0W-20 (1.6L and 2.0L)
NHTSA campaign 19V120000.
2nd generation (PS) (2012-2019).
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