2021 Kia Soul Recalls, Problems & Maintenance

“the engine is consuming a quart of oil per thousand miles”

“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 vehicle consumes one quart of engine oil every 1,000 miles. There were no warning lights illuminated”

“On 01/12/2026, I had my 2021 Kia Soul (VIN: [XXX] ) inspected by a technician at J&K Automotive after discovering a significant drop in oil. The technician found the engine oil dipstick completely dry”

“The contact owns a 2021 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while turning the ignition on and off, there was a knocking sound coming from the dashboard. After pulling into a parking lot, a red exclamation point illuminated the instrument panel, and the steering wheel seized”

“I purchased vehicle in Nov 2025 from Autonation. It drove well for awhile, but once I drove steadily for several miles, the steering wheel started drifting back and forth, rather like it was driving itself”

“First off I do not use my lane keep assist. When traveling at any speed on a long curves of 100 to 150 ft or longer or sitting in a parking lot with the steering wheel angled between 15 to 30 degrees either left or right of center for 15 to 30 seconds the system will”

“Manufacturer defect: Massive paint delamination/adhesion failure on the roof. Large sheets of paint are flaking off while the vehicle is in motion, creating a debris hazard for following drivers and distracting the operator”

“Paint chipping and peeling in several places”

“Paint is peeling on the roof of my 2021 Kia Soul - for no reason. I have read that other KIA owners have this problem and Kia is not taking responsibility for this”

“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 contact owns a 2021 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the engine seized. The contact stated that nearby drivers assisted with pushing the vehicle to the shoulder of the roadway”

“While driving, the vehicle began running rough and stalled shortly after. It would not restart. The vehicle was towed to a dealership, where they diagnosed “excessive cylinder wall scoring” and no engine compression”

“My Kia Soul had a recall for the Pistons to be replaced due to faulty pistons. Now they are saying my engine is needing replacement, even with regular scheduled oil changes being done. They said the top was full of sludge”

“Description of Problem: My 2021 Kia Soul experienced complete engine failure consistent with the defect described in Recall 25V099 (SC336), which addresses faulty piston oil rings that can cause engine damage, stalling, and potential fire risk”

“2021 Kia Soul | VIN: [XXX] | Recall SC336 (NHTSA 25V099) | Kia America Case No. XXX DEALER: Team Kia of El Cajon, 541 N. Johnson Ave, El Cajon, CA 92020 SYMPTOMS: Rapid oil consumption, abnormal engine noise, overheating, vehicle stalling at complete stops, difficulty restarting”

“I was on the freeway, and the car was shuddering a bit before I lost the ability to accelerate. It would rev but no power to the wheels. Had to pull over and get towed to the dealer. I think it may be a transmission failure”

“A few days later on my way to work. I entered the highway the car was running fine at 70mph then all of a sudden it lost power.. No power in the middle of the busy Atlanta Highway!! I was able to coast onto the shoulder. At that point I turned the car off”

“The transmission on the vehicle has gone bad twice since we purchased it used. The car has 34,400 miles on it. The problem puts the driver in an unsafe situation as the problem causes the car to lose power while at high speeds”

“Driving, slowing down for a stop light. Put the brakes on, they did not work. Push the all the way to the floor. Hit the vehicle in front of me. Luckily going slow between lights”

“Description of Incident: On February 9, 2026, at approximately 3:00 PM, I was driving my 2021 Kia Soul on Calvine Road and Winterberry in Elk Grove, CA. A vehicle suddenly merged into my path”

“I immediately attempted to apply the brakes, but the pedal failed to depress or engage normally. Despite the imminent collision, the Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA) failed to provide any alert, and the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) system did not activate”