Model year record

2020 Kia Soul

1 recall campaign on file for this model year. 675 owner complaints on file.

Recalls

Recall campaignNHTSA 21V259000

Engine

Component: Engine
Manufacturer: Kia Motors America
Vehicles affected: 147,249
Reported to NHTSA: 2021-04-13
Owners notified: 2021-06-11

Defect description

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Soul, and 2021 Seltos vehicles equipped with 2.0L Nu MPI engines. The piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which may result in engine damage.

Safety risk

A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, oil may leak onto hot exhaust components, increasing the risk of a fire.

Manufacturer remedy

Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the engine, free of charge. In addition, Kia will deploy Piston Ring Noise Sensing System (PNSS) software. The recall began June 11, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC209.

Owner complaints

A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.

Component	Complaints	Median mileage
Engine	336	32,500 mi
Power train	97	9,200 mi
Unknown or other	68	4,500 mi
Electrical system	37	21,632 mi
Fuel/propulsion system	21	34,000 mi
Engine and engine cooling	19	93,307 mi
Steering	18	4,000 mi
Structure: body	14	200 mi
Vehicle speed control	14	12,500 mi
Service brakes	12	3,100 mi
Exterior lighting	6	3,400 mi
Air bags	4	26,000 mi
Forward collision avoidance: warnings	4	16,000 mi
Power train: automatic transmission	3	4,175 mi
Visibility/wiper	3	4,500 mi
Engine and engine cooling: engine: crank/camshaft position sensor	2	135,864 mi
Seat belts	2	—
Seats	2	20 mi
Service brakes, hydraulic	2	33,000 mi
Vehicle speed control: throttle	2	30,000 mi
Child seat: tether: strap/webbing	1	11,500 mi
Electrical system: adas: blindspot: sensors	1	—
Electrical system: ignition: anti-theft: immobilizer/proximity: key/sender	1	—
Forward collision avoidance: adaptive cruise control	1	20,000 mi
Fuel system, gasoline	1	90 mi
Lane departure: blind spot detection	1	—
Suspension	1	2,300 mi
Tether, lower anchor (on car seat or vehicle)	1	—
Wheels	1	200 mi

The 2019 model has 2 times as many complaints as this one. The 2021 model has about 1.5 times as many complaints as this one. These figures reflect raw complaint counts, not failure rates. Higher-selling model years naturally receive more complaints.

Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.