There are 8 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2010 Kia Soulin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
Scanner can not communicate with the ecm/tcm U0101 code shifting issues starting issues
The contact owns a 2010 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, a semi-truck entered her lane of traffic which forced her vehicle onto the shoulder of the highway. The contact stated that the truck did not hit her vehicle; however, the vehicle shut off with the check engine, ABS, and brake warning lights illuminated. The contact attempted to restart the vehicle but the vehicle failed to restart after multiple attempts. Due to the failure, the contact had the vehicle towed to her residence and then to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 280,000.
Car was being driven on a neighborhood street at 25 mph a block and a half from home. The car just stopped. The electric system still worked but there was no engine activity whatsoever. There were no warning lamps or sounds prior to this event. The oil had been changed a week prior to this happening. Evidently from reading various reports online of the same type of events happening to other owners, it seems this is a known engine issue for multiple models of Kia cars. The car had to be towed to a garage where it was inspected and diagnostics were run. Dianostics determined: "found metal beneath valve cover and camshaft damaged due to apparent lack of oiling - no compression present." This car had approximately 150k miles on it and was a 2010 Kia Soul ! 4.2 0L 1975CC FI GAS N 2 model. The repair fix is a complete engine replacement at a cost of 5-6 THOUSAND dollars. Insane.
THE TRANSMISSION STOPS SHIFTING AFTER 3RD OR 4TH GEAR ON THE HIGHWAY. IT SHIFT HARD AND NOT RIGHT FROM TAKE OFF. SOMETHING IS VERY WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION.
I WAS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IN THE KIA, AFTER THAT WAS FIXED THE CAR WAS STILL NOT RUNNING RIGHT, IT WAS SLUGGISH AND USING A LOT OF GAS. THE HEAD WAS CRACKED, AND SEVERAL OF THE VALVES WERE MESSED UP AND EVENTUALLY THE WHOLE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED, THE WHOLE PROCESS TOOK APPROXIMATELY 2 1/2 MONTHS. *TR
THE 2010 SOUL HAD A MAJOR FAILURE WHEN IT IMPACTED A TREE AT 10 MPH. THERE WERE NO LEAKING FLUIDS, SIGNS OF SMOKE OR FIRE. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE ROUGHLY 15 MINUTES LATER AND BURNED TOTALLY UP BEFORE FIRE CREWS COULD GET THERE TO PUT IT OUT. THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE WAS BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND THE FIRE WALL. I FEEL AS THOUGH THE SAFETY BUMPERS THAT ARE REQUIRED BY LAW TO WORK BELLOW THE 15 MPH CONSTRAINT ARE UNDER DESIGNED. *TR
WITHIN A WEEK OF TAKING DELIVERY ON 7/24/09, THE INTERIOR AND MOST ESPECIALLY THE DOOR SKINS WERE ALREADY ACQUIRING MARKS AND SCRATCHES - A SLIGHT FINGER NAIL SCRATCH REQUIRED A SPECIAL PRODUCT TO REMOVE ETC. THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS. 1. WHEN RELEASING THE CLUTCH PEDAL THERE WAS A NOISE THAT SOUNDED LIKE A CABLE THAT HAS SINCE BECOME MORE CONSISTENT. ON 8/3/09, I HAD AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE CABLE CONNECTED TO THE THROW-OUT BEARING WHICH WAS SAID TO BE NORMAL. HOWEVER, THIS CABLE NOISE HAS NOT BEEN NORMAL WITH ANY OF MY OTHER MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS, NOR IS IT PRESENT IN ALL KIA SOULS. 2. I BEGAN TO NOTICE A KNOCKING SENSATION COMING THROUGH THE SHIFTER HANDLE WHEN SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR ALONG WITH A GRINDING SOUND WHEN DOWNSHIFTING INTO 2ND GEAR. THERE IS ALSO A SLIGHT JOLT WHEN SHIFTING INTO 2ND GEAR - IT IS NOT A SMOOTH TRANSITION LIKE THE OTHER GEARS. 3. WHEN AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT WITH THE CAR IN NEUTRAL, THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THE CAR WILL NOT GO INTO 1ST GEAR, AND WANTS TO GO INTO 3RD GEAR WHICH USUALLY TAKES A COUPLE OF TRIES BEFORE IT WILL GO INTO 1ST GEAR. 4. THERE HAS BEEN EXCESSIVE ENGINE REVVING 2X NOW. THE FIRST OCCURRED AFTER I CAME OUT OF REVERSE - THE SECOND WAS WHEN I TRIED TO GO INTO 1ST GEAR BUT ENDED UP IN 3RD GEAR AND BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO NEUTRAL. 5. THE LAST ISSUE CONCERNS EXCESSIVE WATER AND DIRT ACCUMULATING IN THE ENGINE. AFTER WASHING MY CAR, I POPPED THE HOOD AND NOTICED THE HOOD LATCH IS ALREADY STRIPPED DOWN TO THE METAL AFTER ONLY BEING OPENED AND CLOSED 4-5 TIMES. THE ENGINE DESIGN SEEMS TO ATTRACT POOLS OF WATER IN CERTAIN AREAS, WHICH ALSO OCCURS WHEN IT RAINS, AND THERE IS CONCERN OF PREMATURE RUST. SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT FOR 9/15 TO HAVE THE OIL CHANGED AT 1000 MILES AND TO GET THESE ISSUES ADDRESSED BUT HAD TO SCHEDULE A 3RD APPOINTMENT BECAUSE THE DEALER NOW NEEDS TO KEEP THE CAR FOR 5 HOURS SO THE OUTCOME IS PENDING. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE REVS EXCESSIVELY WHENEVER THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS RELEASED. THE RPMS WILL GO FROM 1,500 TO 3,000. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD INVESTIGATE THE ISSUE. A REPRESENTATIVE INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT IT WAS NOT A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A FEW DIFFERENT DEALERS, BUT THEY ALL STATED THAT THERE WERE NO FAILURES. THE VEHICLE IS STILL EXPERIENCING THE ISSUE AND THE CONTACT IS CONCERNED THAT A CRASH COULD OCCUR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 6,000. UPDATED 09/01/09 *BF
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026