2020 Kia SOUL

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2020 Kia SOUL has 479 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 6.0x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (48% of all complaints), specifically: tl* the contact owned a 2020 kia soul. while driving at 70 mph, the vehicle stalled as the engine warning light illuminated and the vehicle was merged to the side of the road. when the contact attempted to restart the vehicle, the engine caught on fire. the fire department extinguished the fire. a p. ⚠️ 9 fire reports filed.

9 fire reports 10 crash reports 5 injuries

479

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

6.0x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

228 complaints

48%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2020 KIA SOUL. WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AS THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE WAS MERGED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A P
• THE IDLE STOP - START SYSTEM SEEMS TO BE BROKEN. WHENEVER I PULL UP TO A LIGHT AND STOP THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF. THEN, WHEN I TRY TO ACCELERATE THE ENGINE STARTS BUT THE CALIBERS LOCK UP ON THE DISC CREATING A LOUD GROANING SOUND. IT CAUSES THE CAR TO SHUTTER AND BARELY GO FORWARD. ADDITIONALLY, TH
• I BOUGHT THE CAR IN MAY 2020. I FIRST REPORTED THE PROBLEM IN JULY. IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE IDLE STOP AND GO FEATURE, AS IT ONLY HAPPENS WHEN THIS IT IS BEING USED. WHEN I COME TO STOPS AT RED LIGHTS AND STOP SIGNS. EVERYTHING SHUTS DOWN. WHEN I RELEASE MY FEET OFF THE BREAKS THE CAR MAKES A

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 6 fire reports💥 3 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2020 KIA SOUL. WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AS THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE WAS MERGED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A P”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

86 complaints

18%

• I BOUGHT THE CAR IN MAY 2020. I FIRST REPORTED THE PROBLEM IN JULY. IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE IDLE STOP AND GO FEATURE, AS IT ONLY HAPPENS WHEN THIS IT IS BEING USED. WHEN I COME TO STOPS AT RED LIGHTS AND STOP SIGNS. EVERYTHING SHUTS DOWN. WHEN I RELEASE MY FEET OFF THE BREAKS THE CAR MAKES A
• AT 11,200 MILES THE TRANSMISSION ABRUPTLY MALFUNCTIONED IN HEAVY HIGHWAY TRAFFIC. RPM WOULD SHIFT WILDLY FROM IDLE TO REDLINE, AND THE TRANSMISSION SHUDDERED HARD AND LOST ALL POWER. I HAD TO MERGE FROM THE INSIDE LANE OF A 65MPH HIGHWAY TO THE OUTSIDE, NEARLY GETTING INTO A COLLISION IN THE PROCESS
• WHEN USING THE AUTO START AND STOP FEATURE WHEN RELEASING THE BRAKE AND THE ENGINE CRANKS BACK I HEAR A STRANGE NOISE THAT SOUNDS LIKE A CAT SQUALLING WHEN THE ENGINE STARTS. THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN WHEN YOUR NOT USING AUTO START. PLUS WHEN YOU SHIFT INTO PARK WHILE STOPED IT DOESN'T MAKE THIS NOISE. M

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

“I BOUGHT THE CAR IN MAY 2020. I FIRST REPORTED THE PROBLEM IN JULY. IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE IDLE STOP AND GO FEATURE, AS IT ONLY HAPPENS WHEN THIS IT IS BEING USED. WHEN I COME TO STOPS AT RED LIGHTS AND STOP SIGNS. EVERYTHING SHUTS DOWN. WHEN I RELEASE MY FEET OFF THE BREAKS THE CAR MAKES A”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

48 complaints

10%

• I LEARNED THE CAR HORN ON MY 2020 KIA SOUL DID NOT WORK WHILE ON A HIGHWAY AND CLOSE TO BEING IN AN ACCIDENT. I TRIED TO USE HORN TO ALERT THE OTHER DRIVER AND IT FAILED. I CONTACTED DEALER SERVICE DEPT FOR ASSISTANCE AND HAD TO SCHEDULE A SERVICE APPOINTMENT AND THEY ADVISED ME THE HORN SYSTEM FAIL
• VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH AUTO STOP/START. WHEN AT A STOP LIGHT THE AUTO STOP/START ENGAGED, AND BEFORE THE BRAKE WAS RELEASED THE AUTO STOP/START DISPLAYED AN ERROR IN THE DISPLAY INDICATING THAT THE CAR NEEDED TO BE SHIFTED TO P OR N AND RESTARTED AS THE STOP/START FUNCTION ENDED AND ENGINE WAS COM
• THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT LATCHES ARE INACCESSIBLE AS THEY ARE BURIED IN TIGHT UPHOLSTERY. I CAN'T ALWAYS SUCCESSFULLY LATCH THE CAR SEATS INTO THE CAR AND WHEN I SUCCEED IT IS ONLY WITH THE HELP OF SOMEONE VERY EXPERIENCED AND TAKES UPWARDS OF HALF AN HOUR. I HAVE REPORTED THIS TO KIA AND WAS ADVISE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“I LEARNED THE CAR HORN ON MY 2020 KIA SOUL DID NOT WORK WHILE ON A HIGHWAY AND CLOSE TO BEING IN AN ACCIDENT. I TRIED TO USE HORN TO ALERT THE OTHER DRIVER AND IT FAILED. I CONTACTED DEALER SERVICE DEPT FOR ASSISTANCE AND HAD TO SCHEDULE A SERVICE APPOINTMENT AND THEY ADVISED ME THE HORN SYSTEM FAIL”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

29 complaints

• MY CAR WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW OFF THE LOT WITH 28 MILES ON IT. I NOW HAVE APPROXIMATELY 15614 MILES ON MY 2020 KIA SOUL. I JUST WANTED TO REPORT THAT THE HORN, A MAJOR SAFETY FEATURE, INTERMITTENTLY STOPS WORKING. WHEN THE HORN STOPS WORKING IT INCLUDES THE STEERING WHEEL DEPRESS AND THE KEY FOB 'L
• MY AUTO START IS DEFECTIVE. IT COMES ON WHEN IT WANTS TO AND IT TURNS OFF WHEN IT WANTS TO. THE MANUAL CLEARLY STATES THIS IS DEFECTIVE BUT KIA SENT ME HOME SAYING THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. ALTHOUGH WHEN I LEFT THEIR SERVICE AREA, WITHIN 1 MILE IT WAS DOING IT AGAIN. THIS ALSO CAUSES
• 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 O

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

“MY CAR WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW OFF THE LOT WITH 28 MILES ON IT. I NOW HAVE APPROXIMATELY 15614 MILES ON MY 2020 KIA SOUL. I JUST WANTED TO REPORT THAT THE HORN, A MAJOR SAFETY FEATURE, INTERMITTENTLY STOPS WORKING. WHEN THE HORN STOPS WORKING IT INCLUDES THE STEERING WHEEL DEPRESS AND THE KEY FOB 'L”

— NHTSA complaint filing

STEERING

16 complaints

• PULLS TO THE RIGHT AT HIGHWAY SPEED - APPROX 45MPH. SEVERE ALIGNMENT PROBLEM. DEALER TOLD ME THAT THEY DID HAVE A NEW-ENOUGH MACHINE TO ALIGN THE CAR. HOW CAN KIA OF IRVINE, NOT HAVE THE PROPER EQUIPMENT TO FIX THE CARS THEY SELL? INSIDE REAR COWLING THAT GOES AROUND THE SMALL PORTAL WINDOW ON T
• THE IDLE STOP - START SYSTEM SEEMS TO BE BROKEN. WHENEVER I PULL UP TO A LIGHT AND STOP THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF. THEN, WHEN I TRY TO ACCELERATE THE ENGINE STARTS BUT THE CALIBERS LOCK UP ON THE DISC CREATING A LOUD GROANING SOUND. IT CAUSES THE CAR TO SHUTTER AND BARELY GO FORWARD. ADDITIONALLY, TH
• VEHICLE PULLS SHARPLY AND ABRUPTLY TO THE RIGHT AT SPEEDS ABOVE 45-50. WHEN I TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE, I MENTIONED TO THE SALESMAN THAT I THOUGHT IT WAS PULLING TO THE RIGHT, OF COURSE HE DIDN'T FEEL IT, BUT WOULD HAVE IT CHECKED. AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE IN APRIL, AND OWNING IT ABOUT 7 MONTHS,

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

“PULLS TO THE RIGHT AT HIGHWAY SPEED - APPROX 45MPH. SEVERE ALIGNMENT PROBLEM. DEALER TOLD ME THAT THEY DID HAVE A NEW-ENOUGH MACHINE TO ALIGN THE CAR. HOW CAN KIA OF IRVINE, NOT HAVE THE PROPER EQUIPMENT TO FIX THE CARS THEY SELL? INSIDE REAR COWLING THAT GOES AROUND THE SMALL PORTAL WINDOW ON T”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 479 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2020 KIA SOUL. WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AS THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE WAS MERGED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A P
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
TRANSMISSION: I BOUGHT THE CAR IN MAY 2020. I FIRST REPORTED THE PROBLEM IN JULY. IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE IDLE STOP AND GO FEATURE, AS IT ONLY HAPPENS WHEN THIS IT IS BEING USED. WHEN I COME TO STOPS AT RED LIGHTS AND STOP SIGNS. EVERYTHING SHUTS DOWN. WHEN I RELEASE MY FEET OFF THE BREAKS THE CAR MAKES A
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: I LEARNED THE CAR HORN ON MY 2020 KIA SOUL DID NOT WORK WHILE ON A HIGHWAY AND CLOSE TO BEING IN AN ACCIDENT. I TRIED TO USE HORN TO ALERT THE OTHER DRIVER AND IT FAILED. I CONTACTED DEALER SERVICE DEPT FOR ASSISTANCE AND HAD TO SCHEDULE A SERVICE APPOINTMENT AND THEY ADVISED ME THE HORN SYSTEM FAIL
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: MY CAR WAS PURCHASED BRAND NEW OFF THE LOT WITH 28 MILES ON IT. I NOW HAVE APPROXIMATELY 15614 MILES ON MY 2020 KIA SOUL. I JUST WANTED TO REPORT THAT THE HORN, A MAJOR SAFETY FEATURE, INTERMITTENTLY STOPS WORKING. WHEN THE HORN STOPS WORKING IT INCLUDES THE STEERING WHEEL DEPRESS AND THE KEY FOB 'L
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)