repaired · 2023 Q1
Engine
Risk. A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
2020 Kia SoulProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 393 owner complaints about the 2020 Kia Soul, most often about the engine. It is covered by 1 safety recall, and for recall 21V-259 the manufacturer reports only 82% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 11, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2020 Kia Soul has problems
393 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
248Engine9 crash/fire/injury
91Power train2 crash/fire/injury
28Electrical system
16Steering
15Fuel/propulsion system
14Vehicle speed control
11Structure
11Engine and engine cooling
10Service brakes
2813 other systems
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 248 | 9 |
| Power train | 91 | 2 |
| Electrical system | 28 | 1 |
| Steering | 16 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 15 | 1 |
| Vehicle speed control | 14 | 2 |
| Structure | 11 | 0 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 11 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 10 | 2 |
| 13 other systems | 28 | 2 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
1 recall
2020 Kia Soul recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Kia.
Mileage at failure
When do engine problems start?
24kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 86 engine complaints. 85% were reported before 100,000 miles.
Only 41% of complaints for this model year include a mileage.
47under 30k miles73under 100k miles13100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Engine
15 owners mentioned a cost$5,000median
Middle half: $1,209 – $7,500
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2020 vs. every other Soul year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Soul median. How we score
'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2020 Kia Soul safety ratings
2020 Kia Soul SUV FWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
★★★★★Overall rating
Frontal crash★★★★★
Side barrier★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★
- Rollover: 4 stars (14.7% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: Optional
- Lane departure warning: Optional
1 investigation
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2020 Kia Soul, and the recalls they led to.
- Loss of Motive PowerNo recall
In owners' words
What Soul owners report
Recent engine complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
Since XXX our Kia Soul has been stalling and burning oil. It stalled out on a city street near me and had to be towed to the kia dealership where it is serviced. They said it was out of oil. We just had it serviced in XXX with complete oil and filter done. On research, we have learned this car…
Engine stalled all lights came on On a 2020 Kia Soul GT, the “Gas Saver” (ISG) button disables the Idle Stop & Go system for that drive, but if the engine still cuts off at stops, it’s likely a fault in the ISG or related electrical system — often a weak AGM battery or a failing Low‑Voltage…
Reason for Dispute & Desired Resolution: I am filing an executive escalation regarding a catastrophic engine failure on my 2020 Kia Soul, which is actively included in the Piston Oil Ring Safety Recall (Campaign SC209). The engine suffered a total structural failure where a rod broke and punctured…
Own a 2020 Soul?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.