2014 Kia Soul Problems

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 103,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Ask the seller not to warm the car up, and start it cold. Listen for ticking, knocking or a rough idle in the first minute.
• Pull the oil dipstick and the oil cap. Low oil, a gasoline smell or a milky film on the cap are reasons to walk away or get an inspection.
• Plug in an OBD2 scanner. Stored or pending codes matter, and so do readiness monitors that show "not ready", which usually means the codes were cleared right before the sale.
• Ask for oil change records. A gap in the records on a model known for engine complaints is a negotiating point at minimum.

Tools that help

What owners said

this vehicle was service with a new engine in 2021 by the kia dealer in South Attleboro mass the car began to start loosing power on 10/15/ 2026 it now needs a new engine again I call the kia dealer to see if it had warranted and they said because it has 198 thousand miles the warranted is gone I don't understand how is a new engine last…Owner complaint, filed 2026

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, smoke emanated from the engine bay and entered the cabin, and the vehicle stalled in traffic without warning. The rod…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 65,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Check every light: headlights on low and high, fog lights, brake lights, turn signals and reverse lights.
• Run the wipers on every speed with washer fluid, and run the defroster front and back.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2014 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at night, the front passenger’s side low-beam headlight failed to illuminate as needed. The contact stated that while activating the high-beam headlights, the driver’s side high-beam headlight failed to illuminate as needed. The vehicle was taken to the local…Owner complaint, filed 2024, at 100,000 miles

The contact owns a 2014 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at night at 45, 50 MPH, the headlights became inoperable. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to pull over, and the headlights returned to operation but were flickering. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed…Owner complaint, filed 2023

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 70,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Test every switch: windows, locks, mirrors, seat heaters, the screen, the backup camera, Bluetooth and every USB port.
• Watch the dash at startup. Every warning light should come on briefly and then go out.
• Have the battery and charging system tested. A weak alternator or battery drain shows up here.

Tools that help

What owners said

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2014 Kia Soul. The contact discovered a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 92,000. It was later discovered that the mileage on the Title was 200,000.Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 200,000 miles

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2014 Kia Soul. The contact stated that upon start of the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken an independent mechanic where the mechanic discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a purchased from a Toyota dealer.…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 138,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 76,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Drive it from cold if you can. Shifts should be smooth in every gear, including reverse.
• Feel for slipping (revs rise without the car speeding up), shudder at low speed and a delay when you put it in gear.
• Listen for whining, which is a common CVT complaint, and clunks when you go from drive to reverse.
• If it has 4WD or AWD, engage it on the test drive and ask when the transmission and differential fluids were last changed.

Tools that help

What owners said

Three repeat incidents, a few months apart, introduced same hazard to passengers and others: End of year 2022 (date not remembered): Car was stopped at stop sign at T-intersection to enter busy roadway. Break depressed. Engine RPMS started high revving, and unexpected forward motion of car lurched into busy intersection - almost…Owner complaint, filed 2023

Vehicle's engine failed months after a recall was performed on it in October 2021 to "protect the engine from damage" while failing to reason why this was necessary. Upon my vehicle breaking down on April 1st, 2022, I had it taken to a repair shop that performed about $2,000 worth of work on the vehicle, not knowing that KIA had a known…Owner complaint, filed 2022

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 85,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Smell around the engine bay and under the rear of the car for raw fuel.
• On the test drive, accelerate firmly from a stop and up a grade. Stumbling, surging or a flashing check engine light are red flags.
• Fuel pump recalls are common. Check this exact VIN for open recalls before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

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.Owner complaint, filed 2026

The contact’s wife owns a 2014 Kia Soul. The contact stated that on several occasions after refueling the vehicle, there was an abnormally strong gasoline odor inside the cabin of the vehicle and outside around the vehicle. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked on several occasions, there was condensation under the gas…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 140,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 36,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Turn the wheel lock to lock while parked and listen for groaning, clicking or binding.
• On a straight road the car should track straight with the wheel centered and no loose feeling.
• A power steering warning on the dash, even briefly, deserves a mechanic’s look before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

Despite the fixed recall of the steering coupler, this vehicle makes a steering cluck noise when turning which can be felt in the steering wheel. This especially occurs when first driving the vehicle. While under warranty the dealership reported either the sound was normal or they could not reproduce it. Now that it is out of warranty…Owner complaint, filed 2021, at 27,647 miles

My steering has a significant klunk noise. After searching the internet for information regarding this situation I find that there is a rubber drive coupling between the steering wheel and the shaft which transfers the rotary motion of the steering wheel to the linear motion of the steering rack which steers the front wheels. The…Owner complaint, filed 2020

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 43,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• The pedal should feel firm and the car should stop straight without pulling, grinding or a pulsing pedal.
• The ABS and stability control lights should go out after startup and stay out.
• Look through the wheels at the rotors. A deep lip on the edge means brakes are due soon, which is a fair thing to negotiate on.

Tools that help

What owners said

Driving and sudden brake to avoid someone coming out of there drive way to come on the road we were driving on. The rake pedal went down. We carefully Drove home and when got home my husband saw a long leak on our drive way. . Brake line gave out . . Leaking brake fluid. We have many vehicles and we never experienced this .was scary at…Owner complaint, filed 2026

I was driving my 2014 Kia Soul on Friday 12/12 when without any warning the brakes went out. Thankfully I was able to get it to a parking lot without incident and requested a tow. After having it repaired, the mechanics stated the brake lines completely popped due to brake line corrosion. After researching this issue, I found that my Kia…Owner complaint, filed 2025

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 76,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• On the test drive, press the gas gently and firmly. The response should be smooth with no lag or surge.
• Set the cruise control, then use resume and cancel to make sure each one works.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2014 kia soul. When the vehicle was in use, the rpms [VIN] to 4 without warning up 48.897 miles. The contact also noticed an abnormal fuel odor coming from the ventilation inside the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to bill doraty kia (2925 medina rd, medina, oh 44256, (888) 628-4559), but was not diagnosed or repaired.…Owner complaint, filed 2019, at 48,000 miles

No despega mas de 50 millas por hora y no rebuluciona muy vien se siente muy forsado. Tengo 3 dias que no lo muebo ya me al diler y ellos dice que la garantia ya se acabo con ellos. Que tamara ala compania que los ase por que es defector de fabricaOwner complaint, filed 2019

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 45,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• The air bag (SRS) light should come on at startup and go out within a few seconds. If it stays on, the system may not work in a crash.
• Air bag recalls are some of the most serious. Check this exact VIN for open recalls and get proof any recall work was done.

Tools that help

What owners said

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. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 175,000Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 175,000 miles

On Saturday June 18th, I was in a 4 car pile up accident. My kia soul was totaled, and the airbag did not deploy. Following the event, I am seeking medical attention for follow up. Research on the cause for failure to deploy has shown me there was a recall on these car for air bag issues. Please advise if there is a claim to file…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 36,000 miles. Parts named most: Body (8).

What to check before you buy

• Look underneath with a flashlight. Utah road salt is hard on frames, brake lines and the bottoms of doors.
• Open and close every door, the hood and the liftgate, and lock and unlock each one.
• Use a paint thickness gauge and compare panels. A panel that reads very differently from the rest has likely been repaired.

Tools that help

What owners said

This car has experienced paint issues due to poor bonding of the primer. The paint is literally peeling off the car in sheets. It has been going on for the last 1.5 years , and Kia states that it is not their problem. I have worked patiently with them for almost a year as they have instructed me to go, and get paint estimates. After this…Owner complaint, filed 2023

The contact owns a 2014 kia soul. While parked, the contact observed that the rear license tag light bulbs were protruding out of its casing. The contact put the light bulbs back in place, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed the light bulb holder had stretched. The vehicle was not repaired.…Owner complaint, filed 2016, at 36,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 37,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Read the four-digit DOT date on each tire. Tires older than about six years should be replaced, whatever the tread looks like.
• Check tread depth on all four. On AWD vehicles all four tires should match.
• The tire pressure light should go out after startup.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns 2014 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at unknown speeds, the front driver’s side tire pressure monitoring system would erroneously remain activated although the tire pressure was correct. The cause of the failure was not determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure. The…Owner complaint, filed 2022, at 95,000 miles

After reaching the 80000 mile mark I noticed a slight vibration in the car that varied with the speed of the vehicle. I eventually had the tires replaced and balanced but the vibration didn't go away. After elevating the car on it's jack stand I hand turned the rear wheels and looked carefully. I noticed there was a slight wobble. I…Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 80,000 miles

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 33,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

• Pull out and latch every seat belt, and let each one retract on its own.
• Try every seat adjuster, and watch for a passenger air bag "off" light when an adult is in the seat.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2014 kia soul. While driving 10 MPH, the contact's vehicle was involved in a crash with another vehicle. The air bags did not deploy and the seat belt failed to securely restrain the contact. The contact sustained whiplash and muscle strains, which required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was…Owner complaint, filed 2018, at 46,000 miles

I keep having alot of issues with the center rear seatbelt. It's been fixed before and still locks up so it won't pull out or go in. Very irritating to keep having this issue. Which now , isn't under warranty.Owner complaint, filed 2017, at 75,000 miles

What to check before you buy

• Drive over a few bumps and potholes slowly with the radio off and listen for clunks or rattles.
• Check the tires for uneven wear on the inside or outside edges, a sign of alignment or suspension trouble.
• Look behind the wheels for oily, wet shocks or struts.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2014 kia soul. While driving at unknown speeds, the front end of the vehicle shook. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the struts needed to be replaced. The contact was referred to the local dealer. The vehicle was taken to kia of dayton (8560…Owner complaint, filed 2019, at 46,900 miles

Various suspension components, steering, and wheel areas emit clunking metal noises when turning and going over even small road imperfections. Dealer has "retorqued" some components, but noises worsening. Something(s) is (are) loose (loosening).Owner complaint, filed 2017, at 30,000 miles

What to check before you buy

• Where it is safe, try the adaptive cruise and lane keeping on the test drive and watch for sudden braking or warnings with nothing there.
• Check the windshield in front of the camera and the bumper sensors for cracks, chips or poor repairs.
• Ask whether the windshield has been replaced. The camera has to be recalibrated afterward, and many shops skip it.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2014 kia soul. The contact stated while reversing the vehicle, the back over prevention camera malfunctioned and there was no image displayed on the screen. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to a local dealer nor an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not…Owner complaint, filed 2021, at 67,230 miles

My check engine light goes on and off and its reading catalytic converter there is a recall for that as well on kia soulsOwner complaint, filed 2021