2020 Kia Soul problems and complaints
Owners have filed 386 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Kia Soul. The most-reported areas: Engine (243), Power Train (91), Unknown Or Other (52).
Key takeaways
- 386 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 9 involve a crash, 6 a fire, 6 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 243 | 63% |
| Power Train | 91 | 24% |
| Unknown Or Other | 52 | 13% |
| Electrical System | 28 | 7% |
| Steering | 16 | 4% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 15 | 4% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 14 | 4% |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 11 | 3% |
| Service Brakes | 11 | 3% |
| Structure | 10 | 3% |
| Exterior Lighting | 6 | 2% |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 5 | 1% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Kia Soul SUV FWD | 4/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Engine - filed 2026-10-15
On [XXX], my 2020 Kia Soul (2.0L Nu MPI, VIN [XXX], approximately 102,420 miles) suffered total engine failure: complete loss of motive power, stalled and would not restart. This is the exact defect covered by federal recall 21V259000 / Kia SC209 (piston oil rings causing engine damage and stalling). The SC209 recall r...
Engine - filed 2026-10-14
On XXX my 2020 Kia Soul while on the freeway, would not accelerate and silently stalled. The check engine, oil, and battery light all came on. Putting it into Park and then Drive again, the vehicle began shifting backwards. The vehicle could not be safely driven and was towed to Kearny Mesa Kia in [XXX]. The dealer di...
Engine - filed 2026-10-08
2nd failed motor due to code P1327, was replaced last year for same issue, less than a year later and same issue again.
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More for the 2020 Kia Soul
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.