2017 Kia SOUL

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2017 Kia SOUL has 351 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 4.4x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (56% of all complaints), specifically: i purchased my 2017 kia souls base model on jun 28 this year from quirk kia in braintree, ma. after just 2 weeks this issue happened for the first time. i was at a gas station gassing up the car, once i was done, i turned the car on, put it in drive and the car would not move ' i was pressing the ga. ⚠️ 18 fire reports filed.

18 fire reports 20 crash reports 19 injuries

351

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

4.4x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

198 complaints

56%

• I PURCHASED MY 2017 KIA SOULS BASE MODEL ON JUN 28 THIS YEAR FROM QUIRK KIA IN BRAINTREE, MA. AFTER JUST 2 WEEKS THIS ISSUE HAPPENED FOR THE FIRST TIME. I WAS AT A GAS STATION GASSING UP THE CAR, ONCE I WAS DONE, I TURNED THE CAR ON, PUT IT IN DRIVE AND THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE ' I WAS PRESSING THE GA
• MY ENGINE SHUT OFF WHILE I WAS STOPPED AT A RAILROAD CROSSING, ON AN INCLINE. I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE WHEN IT HAPPENED. ONCE THE TRAIN PASSED, I LET MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE, AND THE ENGINE SHUT OFF WITHOUT A WARNING OR INDICATION. THE CAR PROCEEDED TO ROLL BACKWARDS INTO TRAFFIC. I TURNED ON MY EME
• I BEGAN TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH MY ENGINE IN SEPTEMBER OF 2018, MY CAR WOULD JUST TURN OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE STREETS. NOTE THAT WHEN I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN I ONLY HAD 29,800 MILES ON IT. I TOOK IT INTO A DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPLACED MY ENGINE IN WHICH I DID NOT GET MY VEHICLE BACK UNTIL JANUARY

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 12 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“I PURCHASED MY 2017 KIA SOULS BASE MODEL ON JUN 28 THIS YEAR FROM QUIRK KIA IN BRAINTREE, MA. AFTER JUST 2 WEEKS THIS ISSUE HAPPENED FOR THE FIRST TIME. I WAS AT A GAS STATION GASSING UP THE CAR, ONCE I WAS DONE, I TURNED THE CAR ON, PUT IT IN DRIVE AND THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE ' I WAS PRESSING THE GA”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

33 complaints

• JUST PURCHASED FIST KEYLESS ENTRY VEHICLE. DEALER TOLD ME IF THE CAR IS RUNNING AND I WALK AWAY WITH KEYS IN MY POCKET THAT THE ENGINE WOULD SHUT OFF. AT WORK NEXT DAY GOT OUT OF CAR WITH HANDS FULL, WENT INTO BUILDING AND EXPRECTED CAR TO SHUT DOWN THREE HOURS LATER CO-WORKER TELLS ME CAR IS RUNNIN
• I PURCHASED MY 2017 KIA SOULS BASE MODEL ON JUN 28 THIS YEAR FROM QUIRK KIA IN BRAINTREE, MA. AFTER JUST 2 WEEKS THIS ISSUE HAPPENED FOR THE FIRST TIME. I WAS AT A GAS STATION GASSING UP THE CAR, ONCE I WAS DONE, I TURNED THE CAR ON, PUT IT IN DRIVE AND THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE ' I WAS PRESSING THE GA
• I PURCHASED A NEW 2017 KIA SOUL +. I HAVE AN ANDROID PHONE AND TOLD THE SALES PERSON I WANTED 2 THINGS. 1) HANDSFREE DIALING AND A BACKUP CAMERA. THEIR DESCRIPTION NEVER STATED, NOR DID YOURS ON YOUR WEBSITE, THAT THE HANDSFREE ONLY WORKS WITH IPHONES. I HAD A 2016 KIA SOUL AND IT WORKED PERFECTLY.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports💥 2 crashes

“JUST PURCHASED FIST KEYLESS ENTRY VEHICLE. DEALER TOLD ME IF THE CAR IS RUNNING AND I WALK AWAY WITH KEYS IN MY POCKET THAT THE ENGINE WOULD SHUT OFF. AT WORK NEXT DAY GOT OUT OF CAR WITH HANDS FULL, WENT INTO BUILDING AND EXPRECTED CAR TO SHUT DOWN THREE HOURS LATER CO-WORKER TELLS ME CAR IS RUNNIN”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

19 complaints

• 2017 KIA SOUL BLUETOOTH. DOESN'T WORK WITH ANDROID
• REAR CAMERA STAYS ON WHEN DRIVING FORWARD. THIS HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 5 TIMES OVER THE PAST YEAR, WHILE 7000 MILES WERE DRIVEN. I HAVE TO STOP THE CAR, GO IN TO PARK, THEN DRIVE, SOMETIMES MORE THAN ONCE, FOR THE CAMERA TO SWITCH OFF, REGULAR DISPLAY TO LIGHT UP.
• WHILE CAR WAS IN MOTION BACKING IN MY DRIVEWAY, I WAS ABLE TO PULL DRIVERS HANDLE WHILE LOCK ENGAGED AND DOOR OPENED WHILE VEHICLE WAS STILL MOVING. ALTHOUGH I PLANNED ON OPENING THE DOOR AS CAR CAME TO A REST I WAS SURPRISED HOW EASY IT WAS TO OPEN WHILE CAR IS MOVING, AND DOOR HAD DONE SO PREMATUR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“2017 KIA SOUL BLUETOOTH. DOESN'T WORK WITH ANDROID”

— NHTSA complaint filing

FUEL SYSTEM

18 complaints

• FOOT PRESSED ON GAS JUST STOPS IN MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. HAVE TO LET UP AND PRESS SECOND TIME TO GO AGAIN . WHILE DRIVING
• WHEN DRIVING, ESPECIALLY GOING AROUND CURVES, AND TURNING CORNERS, WITH FOOT COMPLETELY ON, PRESSING DOWN ON PEDAL, VEHICLE COMPLETELY STOPS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. HAVE TO TAKE FOOR TOTALLY OFF PEDAL, TRY PRESSING DOWN AGAIN TO HOPEFULLY GET IT TO GO AGAIN
• PURCHASED THIS CAR USED WITH 16K MILES IN SEPT 2018. STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION AND WHEN TRYING TO PULL OUT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RESPOND TO THE GAS PEDAL. ENGINE REMAINED AT AN IDLE EVEN AFTER FLOORING THE GAS PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES. ALMOST GOT HIT!! I RECYCLED THE KEY SEVERAL TIMES AND FINALLY IT WORK

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports

“FOOT PRESSED ON GAS JUST STOPS IN MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. HAVE TO LET UP AND PRESS SECOND TIME TO GO AGAIN . WHILE DRIVING”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

18 complaints

• WHEN PLACED IN DRIVE, AND GAS PEDAL IS DEPRESSED THE CAR JERKS FORWARD AND BACK AND WILL NOT ACCELERATE. IT SHAKES THE WHOLE CAR.. DOES IT IF CAR IS COLD OR HOT BUT SEEMS TO HAPPEN MORE WHEN CAR IS NOT FULL HOT. UNSAFE WHEN PULLING INTO TRAFFIC.
• VEHICLE HAS ONLY 75K MILES ON IT MOTOR SPUN A BARRING ON BOTTOM IT DONE ALL THE THE THINGS ON THE LAST MOTOR RECALL BUT WAS ON DIFFRENT MODEL CONTACTED DEALER AN SHOWED IT WAS THE SAME MOTOR AN NOTHING HAS HAPPEN WANT HONOR WARNTY OR ANYTHING AN IM NOT THE FIRST PERSON HAVE TALKED TO SEVERY AN THEY
• MY 2017 KIA SHOWED NO SIGNS OF PROBLEMS UNTIL I WAS DRIVING TO STORE ON STATE ROAD 9 GOING 40 MPH AND WHILE IN DRIVE IN DIED OUT ON ME. I TURNED THE KEY OVER A FEW TIMES. IT FINALLY CAUGHT AND STARTED. I CONTINUED HOME AND IT DID THIS AGAIN. ONLY THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON. I GOT IT STARTED AND MOVED OFF

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“WHEN PLACED IN DRIVE, AND GAS PEDAL IS DEPRESSED THE CAR JERKS FORWARD AND BACK AND WILL NOT ACCELERATE. IT SHAKES THE WHOLE CAR.. DOES IT IF CAR IS COLD OR HOT BUT SEEMS TO HAPPEN MORE WHEN CAR IS NOT FULL HOT. UNSAFE WHEN PULLING INTO TRAFFIC.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

FUEL SYSTEM(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 351 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: I PURCHASED MY 2017 KIA SOULS BASE MODEL ON JUN 28 THIS YEAR FROM QUIRK KIA IN BRAINTREE, MA. AFTER JUST 2 WEEKS THIS ISSUE HAPPENED FOR THE FIRST TIME. I WAS AT A GAS STATION GASSING UP THE CAR, ONCE I WAS DONE, I TURNED THE CAR ON, PUT IT IN DRIVE AND THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE ' I WAS PRESSING THE GA
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: JUST PURCHASED FIST KEYLESS ENTRY VEHICLE. DEALER TOLD ME IF THE CAR IS RUNNING AND I WALK AWAY WITH KEYS IN MY POCKET THAT THE ENGINE WOULD SHUT OFF. AT WORK NEXT DAY GOT OUT OF CAR WITH HANDS FULL, WENT INTO BUILDING AND EXPRECTED CAR TO SHUT DOWN THREE HOURS LATER CO-WORKER TELLS ME CAR IS RUNNIN
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: 2017 KIA SOUL BLUETOOTH. DOESN'T WORK WITH ANDROID
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
FUEL SYSTEM: FOOT PRESSED ON GAS JUST STOPS IN MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. HAVE TO LET UP AND PRESS SECOND TIME TO GO AGAIN . WHILE DRIVING
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)