2021 KIA Soul
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
These records cover every 2021 KIA Soul. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
2 recalls name the 2021 KIA Soul. Newest first.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Seltos and Soul vehicles. The piston oil rings may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in engine damage.
Engine damage can cause a vehicle stall or fire, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Dealers will inspect and replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Dealers will also install piston-ring noise sensing system (PNSS) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 4, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC336.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Soul, and 2021 Seltos vehicles equipped with 2.0L Nu MPI engines. The piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which may result in engine damage.
A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, oil may leak onto hot exhaust components, increasing the risk of a fire.
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the engine, free of charge. In addition, Kia will deploy Piston Ring Noise Sensing System (PNSS) software. The recall began June 11, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC209.
We have been in dispute with Hart kia and kia corporate over a reoccurring issue directly related to the recall remedy sc336 oil piston rings manufacturer defect that is affecting my vehicle.
I bought my car brand new. 5 years later, im driving and come to a stop and stall. Crank up, drive and come.to a stop and stall again. I took to dealership twice and another shop for second review. Shop said I should be covered under the oil piston recall, but need to find out. Dealership at first only.told.me I just needed a tune-up. Then when I took it to the shop for second opinion, kia corporate then told.me.to take back to dealership. I did, on trailer, and then they confirmed what shop said and told.me.i had a bad motor. The dealership then told.me they take it as a trade in since I cant afford a.new motor, but when I get there, they tell me they won't take it. Ive paid.on this car 10 months while.trying to get answers. Now im going g to have this on my credit and I STILL DONT HAVE A CAR 10 MONTHS LATER AS A SINGLE MOM
My kia's soul was part of a major safety recall for oil piston ring. The reason it's not showing on a recall list is because they claim to have fixed the issue. And it was removed. The issue is still persistent, and now the car has suffered catastrophic engine failure due to this recall issue. Kia corporate is refusing to rectify.
The car was constantly burning through large amounts of oil. One night I was driving and the car started slowing down and lost power completely. This put my safety at Risk because I was on the freeway and came to a complete stop. I brought the vehicle to the dealership and they said it would be 4k to fix and did not fix the recall.
Burning oil and piston failure in my 2021 Kia soul. But it’s not the 1 percent under recall. More than just the 1 percent
Was driving engine jumped time and stalled out doing 45. Vehicle only has 63499 miles on it. Had it towed to dealership. The vehicle passed the original piston oil ring recall test in 2025 and 15,000 miles later is needing a new engine due to the ineffectiveness of Kia recall.
consumer protection complaint against Gateway Kia of North Brunswick for wrongful warranty denial, deceptive business practices, and failure to comply with a federally mandated class action settlement.On Friday, September 25, 2026, my 2021 Kia Soul was left at Gateway Kia due to engine distress. The service department performed a physical mechanical bearing test and confirmed that the vehicle has a failed connecting rod bearing (the engine rod is shot).Despite this definitive physical proof of mechanical failure, the dealership's service department and Kia Corporate Consumer Affairs flatly refused to honor the repair or provide a mandated loaner vehicle. They claimed the vehicle is "out of warranty" and "does not match a recall."This vehicle is explicitly covered under the Kia Nu Engine Class Action Settlement, which legally mandates a Lifetime Warranty Extension for connecting rod bearing wear and failures for qualifying vehicles, regardless of original ownership or standard factory warranty expiration. Furthermore, the settlement explicitly dictates that a free loaner or alternative transportation must be provided while a class vehicle is held for a qualifying engine failure.By running a physical test that proved a settlement-covered mechanical failure, yet refusing to honor the court-ordered warranty extension, Gateway Kia is engaging in deceptive trade practices and violating federal class settlement terms. They are holding my inoperable vehicle while I am forced to maintain a $449.13 monthly finance payment to Credit Acceptance Corporation for a vehicle they refuse to fix.Requested Resolution:I request that the Division of Consumer Affairs investigate Gateway Kia of North Brunswick and compel Kia America, Inc. to immediately authorize the engine replacement under the Class Action Settlement terms.
My 2021 Kia Soul was included in Recall SC336 involving defective piston oil rings that may cause increased oil consumption, engine damage, and stalling. The recall remedy was done in June 2025. Kia digitally inspected the engine and said it passed so no engine replacement was performed. Eight months later the car began having symptoms mirroring those of the recall. On February 13, 2026, an independent repair facility documented a check engine light, poor acceleration, timing-related engine fault codes, no oil on the dipstick, less than two quarts of oil recovered from the engine, and no visible external oil leaks. On May 21, 2026, a Kia dealership documented that the vehicle arrived three quarts low. Engine timing and performance issues later required warranty repairs. On Sept. 19 2026, the vehicle stalled while turning onto a busy roadway with four occupants inside. Following the stall event, the vehicle was again found to be extremely low on oil despite documented regular maintenance and oil changes throughout ownership. I’m worried that the recall inspection didn’t identify an affected engine and that the car then developed the symptoms in Recall SC336 - excessive oil consumption, engine-related faults, poor performance, and dangerous stalling. The car is now being evaluated by Kia. I am complaining because I believe NHTSA should know a vehicle that passed the SC336 recall inspection within months developed symptoms resembling the condition that recall was intended to address. I have been informed by the dealership that because Recall SC336 was already completed, Kia would not allow the recall process to simply be performed again. My concern is that the vehicle was determined to have passed the recall inspection but then developed all of the recall symptoms. I am concerned that the recall history is not being considered as part of the current diagnosis and that the underlying condition addressed by SC336 was not identified despite the vehicle having symptoms.
Recall 25V099/SC336 was not performed on my vehicle when it was in the dealership. My vehicle is now disabled at Capitol Kia San Jose with complete engine failure. They are denying any responsibility and refusing repair coverage. I have written a formal letter to Kia Corporation requesting an immediate review of my vehicle. With this being an NHTSA recall I am hoping to get some intervention somewhere regarding this situation.
The check engine light came on in the car and within a few minutes while looking for a safe place the pull over there was a foul smell coming from the engine, followed by many error lights on the dash and the car losing the ability to accelerate and drive. The car had to be towed to a local repair shop who inspected the car and found that the engine a thrown a rod through the engine block.
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving 5 MPH, the vehicle stalled and failed to restart. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V099000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); and the recall repair was previously performed on the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer but was not yet diagnosed due to the cost. The manufacturer was contacted by phone and was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 188,000.
My kia soul has high oil consumption. When informed of the recall for the piston rings, I had First Team Kia look at it. They informed me that they didn't see anything wrong so they cleared the recall. They NEVER performed the oil consumption test. Within 3 weeks, I traveled over 800 miles, round trip, and upon my return home I had to put 4 qrts of oil back in my car. I took my car to Southern Auto. They performed the oil consumption test that revealed the car has high oil consumption, burning 3.5 qrts of oil within 1000 miles. This engine could freeze up at any given moment putting my life and many other lives at risk as I drive this car daily on the interstate for work. The dealer confirmed there is a high oil consumption. No one has inspected this vehicle because First Team cleared the recall without properly testing my vehicle for the said issue. No lights are on the dashboard but I an constantly topping off my oil atleast 1-2 times a week.
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The contact stated that the high oil consumption might cause a fire in the engine bay due to a failure with the piston rings. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V099000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); as the possible cause for the failure. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, and the dealer declined to perform the recall repair because the vehicle did not experience a specific failure, even though all the other issues the vehicle had experienced were listed in the recall notice. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 215,000.
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was restarted but continued to stall each time the vehicle was stopped. There was an unknown warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to Auto Zone for an unknown diagnostic test and then towed to the dealer. The dealer determined that a tune-up was needed. The vehicle was also towed to an independent mechanic and associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V099000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact was advised to take the vehicle back to the dealer. The vehicle was towed back to the dealer, and it was determined that there was sludge inside the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 109,000.
My 2021 KIA Soul has a recall order for P1327 code which is the knocking noise from the piston ring. The KIA dealership in Idaho Falls is denying the recall order, claiming that it has to be from the upper chamber, not the lower chamber. Which is not stated in the recall letter. They have done everything to avoid this recall. I have evidence that they know the engine have all the symptoms of the piston ring, but trying to avoid everything to replace the engine. They even deny giving the part name that is causing the knocking noise and not giving me the diagnostic report. Even charging $6,000 for the engine replacement.
My 2021 Kia Soul has stalled unexpectedly while being driven on multiple occasions. When the vehicle stalls, the engine shuts off and the vehicle loses propulsion, creating a risk of a collision, particularly if it occurs in moving traffic. There have been no warning lights or messages before the vehicle stalls or when the stalling occurs. The vehicle has severe engine oil consumption. After approximately 3,000 miles, the oil level can become so low that no oil is visible on the dipstick. I do not know whether the excessive oil consumption is causing the stalling, but I believe that to be the reason. I previously brought the vehicle to an authorized Kia dealership while it was under warranty because of the oil-consumption problem. The dealership told me that the vehicle was probably leaking oil, that a part needed to be ordered, and that they would contact me when the part arrived. They never contacted me, and the problem was not resolved. I have since reported the repeated stalling and excessive oil consumption to Kia corporate. Kia instructed me to return the vehicle to the dealership for additional testing. I told Kia that I do not feel safe driving the vehicle approximately 40 minutes to the dealership because it has repeatedly stalled while being driven. I asked whether Kia would tow the vehicle, but Kia would not commit to providing a tow. I also asked Kia to put in writing its instruction that I should drive the vehicle to the dealership despite the reported stalling, and Kia declined. The vehicle remains available for inspection. The cause of the repeated stalling is most likely due to burning of excessive oil. I am concerned about an unexpected loss of propulsion occurring again while the vehicle is in traffic.
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The check engine and engine oil warning lights were illuminated. The contact added engine oil to the engine and restarted the vehicle, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who was unable to repair the vehicle. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V099000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Soul. The contact stated that on several occasions while the vehicle was stopped, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was restarted after each failure. The contact stated that during one of the failures, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that a quart of oil needed to be added to the engine after driving every 30 miles. Additionally, on one occasion while the vehicle was stopped, the vehicle stalled and failed to be restarted. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V099000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 102,261.
Took my vehicle in a year ago for the oil piston recall to the Kia dealer in North Huntington, Pa. I was told they corrected the recall during other servicing. My vehicle just broke down and is unable to be driven due to this unresolved issue.
Noise while driving and over bumps and steering
Vehicle: 2021 Kia Soul LX, 2.0L Engine Subject: Loss of Motive Power and Stall While Driving Under Recall SC336 Description of Incident: On 07/02 @ roughly 6:15PM, while driving on the highway I-35E at approximately 60 MPH, my vehicle's engine experienced a sudden and complete loss of engine power, stalling while in motion. I was able to safely navigate to the shoulder, activate my hazard lights, and restart the vehicle after pulling over. This stall occurred despite the vehicle being covered by Recall SC336 for defective piston oil rings . The recall condition explicitly warns that engine seizure can result in "loss of motive power," creating a significant risk of crash or injury. Ongoing Symptoms (Documented): · Excessive oil consumption: Over 2.5 quarts low after approximately 1,000 miles since the last oil change. This aligns with the recall's "increased oil consumption" warning. · Audible engine knocking when shutting off and ticking during acceleration. This matches the "abnormal noise from the engine" described in the recall. · Active Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) stored: P0017, P0014, P000B, P0172, P0300, P0301, P0302, P0303, P0304. These indicate timing issues, misfires on all four cylinders, and oil pressure-related failures. Vehicle had similar codes when visited for recall February of this year. Was told everything looked fine. · The vehicle shows signs of instability when accessories (A/C, headlights) are engaged, suggesting the engine is struggling to maintain idle. Safety Risk: The vehicle is unsafe to drive. The stall on the highway presented an immediate crash risk due to the sudden loss of power, which also disables power steering and power brakes.
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V099000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost automotive power while the accelerator pedal was depressed. No warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over to the shoulder of the road, where the vehicle was later towed to the residence. The vehicle was towed to a local independent dealer, where it was determined that the engine oil level was low. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign: 25V099000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The local dealer was contacted and submitted a claim along with service records. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a claim was not filed. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.
The vehicle burns oil. The first incident occurred when the car stopped running. Fortunately I was in a residential area and was able to pull into a parking lot. My mechanic confirmed it was lack of oil in the engine. I have taken it to the dealership and had it tested, but they said it was not enough, and then with the recall, they again said it was not the problem. It continues to burn oil and I have to check it at every gas refill to check the level.
I am filing this complaint regarding my 2021 Kia Soul due to repeated engine and powertrain failures and concerns about the quality and safety of the repairs. While my vehicle was under Kia's 100,000-mile powertrain warranty, I repeatedly brought it to the dealership for excessive oil consumption and transmission problems. Despite multiple visits, the dealership performed minor repairs or claimed they could not identify the transmission issue. I also contacted Kia Consumer Affairs but received no assistance. Shortly after my warranty expired, Kia determined both the engine and transmission required replacement. The repairs were completed as a "good faith" repair rather than a warranty or recall repair, using remanufactured components. Since then, I have continued experiencing problems. The replacement engine appears to have been installed improperly, including stripped motor mount bolts/pins and a missing bracket. Within months, I also developed radiator and coolant reservoir problems, raising additional safety concerns. I understand Kia has issued recalls and service campaigns involving similar engine and powertrain defects. When I previously checked my VIN, I recall it showing an engine-related recall. However, a recent search showed no open recalls. Regardless, my vehicle experienced the same failures and required replacement of both the engine and transmission after I repeatedly sought repairs while still under warranty. I believe these repeated failures and the apparent improper installation of the replacement engine warrant investigation. I have repair records documenting my complaints, the repairs, and the continuing issues.
Nothing happened - YET. I'm reporting a manufacturing error. Refer to my upload. I wouldn't be suprised that this defect has been the root cause of some accidents though.
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.
On August 6, 2025, the Office of Defect Investigation (ODI) opened Audit Query (AQ) 25001 to assess the implementation of Kia America, Inc.’s (Kia) remedy program for Safety Recall 25V099, involving incorrectly manufactured piston oil rings which may damage the engine causing a loss of motive power or fire. This AQ was opened in response to consumer complaints alleging of an ineffective remedy, inconsistent inspection results to determine whether an engine replacement was needed, and the unavailability of recall remedies. On August 11, 2025, an Information Request (IR) was issued to Kia requesting: 1) why the inspection test was revised from requiring a ‘cold’ engine to a ‘warm’ engine; 2) why the recall remedy was suspended from April 30, 2025 to May 7, 2025; 3) how Kia notified customers of the recall remedy suspension and the need to re-test engines that failed the ‘cold’ engine test; 4) the number of post-recall remedy complaints alleging engine or other engine related failures; and 5) the warranty coverage Kia is offering to vehicles that passed either inspection tests. On September 10, 2025, Kia responded to NHTSA’s IR: Kia reported the change in temperature from ‘cold’ to ‘warm’ engine testing was done to increase accuracy. The inspection test uses diagnostic tools that detects abnormal engine vibrations to identify damaged engines. From the initial launch of the Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) on April 4, 2025 through April 28, 2025, ‘cold’ engine testing resulted in a higher-than-expected failure rate when compared to the pre-recall warranty claim rate. This discrepancy led Kia to re-evaluate its inspection test and found that performing the inspection on a ‘cold’ engine can result in imprecise test results due to normal cold-start vibrations. Kia revised the inspection to ‘warm’ engine testing to minimize vibration interference. Kia sampled the field and performed a comparative analysis between ‘cold’ and ‘warm’ engine testing, and validated that ‘warm’ engine testing was more accurate in identifying damaged engines. Kia also reported the suspension of the recall remedy was due to a software error in the diagnostic tool, which was introduced in concert with the April 29, 2025 launch of the TSB that revised the inspection from ‘cold’ to ‘warm’ engine testing. The software error resulted in all inspection tests reporting false positives for a damaged engine. On April 30, 2025, Kia suspended the remedy until May 7, 2025, which was when the software error was corrected with the release of the latest TSB and software update. The recall remedy remains available to eligible customers. Kia reported owners were not mailed letters concerning the suspension to the recall remedy. Kia reasoned since it resolved the issue faster than it would have taken to draft and mail letters, Kia did not want to create unnecessary customer confusion involving an issue that would have already been addressed upon receipt of a letter. Kia also determined that mailing letters about re-testing engines was unnecessary since those vehicles were already at the dealer awaiting engine replacement. In most instances, Kia Customer Care agents would respond to customer inquiries related to the recall, including remedy availability, dealer issues, and questions about differing test results. Kia provided ODI a review of engine related consumer complaints received on post recall-remedied vehicles. Kia did not find any common patterns or trends related to those complaints following completion of the recall, as the complaints included issues that were unrelated to the subject defect. To aid in the diagnosis of whether a complaint is related to the recall, the remedy includes the installation of a software program, the Piston-ring Noise Sensing System (PNSS), that monitors the engine for unusual noise patterns (an indicator of potential damage to the piston oil rings), and alerts the customer by flashing the check engine light and setting Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) P1327. Kia confirmed that it is not offering any specific warranty coverage for this recall. Instead, Kia has instructed dealers to replace the engine, at no cost to the customer, with no time or mileage limitation, following the installation of the PNSS software and the presence of DTC P1327. On September 4, 2025, Kia issued Subsequent Repair Action (SRA) # SC336YZ, which provided engine diagnosis and replacement instructions for vehicles with a potentially related complaint following completion of the recall. Under this SRA, customers whose vehicles set DTC P1327 will have their engine replaced. If DTC P1327 is not set and it is unclear whether the issue is related to the recall, dealers are instructed to contact Kia's Technical Assistance Center to ensure the issue is appropriately handled. Kia notes that any issues determined to be unrelated to the recall are subject to the 10-year / 100,000-mile Powertrain warranty for original purchasers and a 5-year / 60,000-mile Limited Basic Warranty for subsequent purchasers. In summary, Kia identified the insufficiencies of its initial inspection test that led to a pause to its recall campaign, explained why it did not mail letters to affected customers about the paused campaign or revised inspection test, reviewed existing consumer complaints that did not identify any potential trends related to the recall, and identified its warranty coverage for any vehicles exhibiting qualifying engine symptoms. After review of Kia’s response to the IR, ODI has determined that no further action from Kia is necessary at this time, and ODI will close this AQ investigation accordingly. The Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.