2014 Kia Soul Engine Problems

NHTSA component category: ENGINE · data through 07/12/2026

544Engine complaints

61.3%Of all 888 complaints

#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How engine ranks on this vehicle

ENGINE544 · 61.3%

EXTERIOR LIGHTING124 · 14%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM93 · 10.5%

Unspecified / other81 · 9.1%

POWER TRAIN56 · 6.3%

Share of the 888 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2014 Kia Soul overview page.

What owners report

“MY CAR ENGINE EXPLODED AND CAR CAUGHT FIRE. KIA SAID THEY WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. THE ENGINE WAS MAKING A LAWN MOWER NOISE…”NHTSA complaint 11110876 — filed 07/11/2018

“I LENT MY CAR TO A FRIEND WHOM WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH, HE PULLED QUICKLY INTO A GAS STATION AND PARKED. HE…”NHTSA complaint 11109489 — filed 07/03/2018

“VEHICLE ENGINE SHUT OFF WITHOUT ANY WARNING, COULD NOT GET IT TO START. HAD IT TOWED TO LOCAL FIRESTONE SHOP WHERE THEY DETERMINED THE ENGINE…”NHTSA complaint 11100492 — filed 06/08/2018

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Engine complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2014 Kia Soul have engine problems?

Engine is the most-reported problem area on the 2014 Kia Soul: 544 of 888 complaints on file (61.3%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2014 Kia Soul have in total?

888 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 33 involved a crash, 68 involved a fire, 27 reported injuries, and 1 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's engine category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ENGINE category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.