Owners have filed 823 safety complaints about the 2016 Kia Soul with U.S. regulators. Here's what the federal data shows, system by system.
Complaints for this vehicle report 29 crashes, 35 fires, 25 injuries. No deaths have been reported.
Complaints filed with NHTSA name the vehicle system involved. For the 2016 Kia Soul, engine & cooling issues stand far above everything else.
"I HAVE A 2016 KIA SOUL THAT HAS BEEN HAVING DRINKING OIL EVERY 2-3 WEEKS BUT THERE ISNT ANY OIL LEAKING ON THE GROUND.LAST WEEK I WAS DRIVING HOME AND MY CAR WOULNT GO OVER 20MPH I TOOK IT TO KIA AND THEY SAID I NEED A CATALYTIC CONVERTER THE OIL IS STILL ESCAPING SOMEWHERE AND WHEN I LOOKED AT THE RECALLS MY VIN DIDNT SHOW I HAD ANY BUT MY CAR IS SOMEHOW HAVING THE SAME ISSUES AND I HAVE 108,000 MILES"
"Was driving car lost power of steering and brakes black smoke filled vehicle I jumped out of the car and it went up in flames . The vehicle behind me said the flames were coming out of my front engine"
For most vehicles, complaint volume spikes early and tapers off. The 2016 Kia Soul peaked later than usual, in 2022.
Across the Kia Soul model years we track, the 2015 has the most complaints on file (908); the 2016 ranks 3 of 5.
2 recalls apply to some or all 2016 Kia Soul vehicles. Recall repairs are free at any dealer, with no time limit.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Soul and Soul EV vehicles. The pinion plug may allow the pinion gear to separate from the steering gear assembly.
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 a…
Recall repairs are free at any dealer, with no time limit. Look up your 17-character VIN on the official NHTSA site to see open recalls for your specific vehicle. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov →
NHTSA crash ratings measure how the car protects occupants in a crash — a separate question from the reliability complaints above. A vehicle can be both crashworthy and trouble-prone.
As of October 26, 2026, owners have filed 823 complaints about the 2016 Kia Soul with NHTSA. The most-reported system is engine & cooling.
The 2016 Kia Soul has 2 NHTSA recalls on file. Recall repairs are free at any dealer.
NHTSA gives the 2016 Kia Soul an overall crash rating of 5 out of 5 stars. Crash ratings measure occupant protection in a collision; they do not measure reliability, which is what the complaint data above reflects.
All figures come from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public APIs: the Office of Defects Investigation complaint database, the recalls database, and NCAP safety ratings, retrieved October 26, 2026.
Complaints are self-reported by consumers and are not verified by NHTSA or by this site. A single complaint may cite multiple vehicle systems, so system mentions can sum to more than the complaint total. Complaint volume is influenced by fleet size, media attention, and recall notices, and is not by itself a measure of defect rates.
This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer. Nothing here is repair, purchase, or legal advice. For your specific vehicle, use the official NHTSA VIN lookup and consult a qualified technician.