2014 Kia Soul · symptom sheet
Burns oil or oil level rises
- 87owner reports
- 100,000median miles
- $2,011median quote
- 0involved a crash
Newest report Aug 27, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
602 of the 874 complaints on this car are about the engine. 87 of those describe oil consumption.
Tick what matches of 87 reports
Oil consumption on other Soul years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them.
What this problem usually is
Two different complaints land here. The more common one is an engine that uses oil: owners add a quart between changes, get a low-oil warning, or are told by the dealer that the rate is normal. The other is the opposite, where the oil level climbs and the oil smells of gasoline. Both deserve a proper test, and both are easier to argue with records in hand.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the piston rings (18 reports), the engine (13 reports) and the PCV valve (3 reports).
Recalls and investigations
2 recalls on the engine cover the 2014 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.
An engine compartment fire can occur while driving.
High exhaust gas temperatures may damage the catalytic converter, possibly resulting in abnormal engine combustion and damage to one or more of the engine's pistons and possible piston connecting rod failure.
All 5 recalls on the 2014 Kia Soul, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
NHTSA investigations into the engine on the Soul
Kia 25v099 piston oil ring recall effectiveness. Closed dec 18, 2025.
Loss of motive power. Closed dec 12, 2023.
Engine fires. Closed feb 5, 2024, led to recall 23V-877.
What owners paid
18 of the 87 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $300 to $5,600.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 70,000 and 115,000 miles, from the 65 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 6 service bulletins or notices for the 2014 Kia Soul that deal with this problem. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION NU/GAMMA/THETA/KAPPA ENGINES This bulletin provides information on diagnosing and/or repairing some 2011-2024MY vehicles (refer to the table on pages 9 and 10 for applicable models and engine), which may exhibit a symptom of excessive oil consumption.
PITSTOP: LOW OIL PRESSURE AT IDLE AFTER GAMMA 1.6L GDI SHORT BLOCK ENGINE REPLACEMENT This bulletin provides information equipped with a Gamma 1.6L GDI regarding a 'low oil pressure' concern during engine idle on vehicles engine due to a missing dowel pin, after a short block engine replacement.
EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION NU/GAMMA/THETA/KAPPA ENGINES This bulletin provides information on diagnosing and/or repairing some 2011-2021MY vehicles (refer to the tables on pages 8-9 for applicable models and engine), which may exhibit a symptom of excessive oil consumption.
EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION NU/GAMMA/THETA/KAPPA ENGINES This bulletin provides information on diagnosing and/or repairing some 2011-2019MY vehicles (refer to table below for applicable model and engine), which may exhibit a symptom of excessive oil consumption.
2 more on the 2014 Kia Soul page.
What owners wrote
“Lack of power and would not go above 60 on highway. KIA of Des Moines says oil consumption and oil everywhere and that Catalytic converter clogged which made the piston rings blow out.”
Filed Jan 18, 2022
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 0 of 87 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Paid for this repair before a recall covered it? How recall reimbursement works
Other problems on this car
- Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing 245 reports
- Check engine light or misfire 188 reports
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 187 reports
- Headlights too dim or fail 114 reports
- Engine rattles or ticks 75 reports
- Vehicle fire 57 reports
- Engine leaks oil 39 reports
- Engine overheats or leaks coolant 32 reports
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 31 reports