2016 Kia Soul · symptom sheet
Rod bearing failure
- 35owner reports
- 103,000median miles
- 0involved a crash
Newest report Sep 15, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
35 of the 227 reports of engine failure on the 2016 Soul describe rod bearing failure.
Part of Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing (227 reports) · also: engine knock, engine seized
Tick what matches of 35 reports
Rod bearing failure 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. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the rod bearing (35 reports) and the engine (3 reports).
Recalls and investigations
One recall on the engine covers the 2016 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.
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 2 recalls on the 2016 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.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 89,912 and 150,000 miles, from the 14 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 11 service bulletins or notices for the 2016 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.
OWNER NOTIFICATION This document is the owner notification advising that Kia is conducting a Product Improvement Campaign to perform a software update on 2014-2016 MY Kia Soul vehicles equipped with 2.0-liter engines to protect the engine from excessive connecting rod bearing ...
OWNER NOTIFICATION This document is the renotification to the 2014-2016 MY Soul vehicle owners advising them to have the Product Improvement Campaign (PI2002B) performed.
PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN 1.6L GDI KNOCK SENSOR DETECTION SYSTEM (KSDS) LOGIC IMPROVEMENT (PI2002A) - This bulletin provides information related to a software update to the Engine Control Unit (ECU) to install the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) in order to protect the engine ...
OWNER NOTIFICATION This document is the notification to the owners of all 2012-2016 MY Soul vehicles equipped with 1.6L Gasoline Direct Injection ("GDI") engines to protect the engine from excessive connecting rod bearing damage (PI2002A).
7 more on the 2016 Kia Soul page.
What owners wrote
“A broken connecting rod caused the Kia Soul 2016 engine to fail in a 2.0L engine, which seems to be the same issue as the 1.6L engine affected by a 2019 recall. The problem was diagnosed at a Kia Dealership by a mechanic. If the engine fail had happened on a highway rather than a neighborhood street, it could have definitely resulted in a crash and injury.”
Filed Jan 3, 2022
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 0 of 35 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 stalls or loses power while driving 215 reports
- Check engine light or misfire 207 reports
- Burns oil or oil level rises 95 reports
- Engine overheats or leaks coolant 41 reports
- Engine leaks oil 39 reports
- Engine rattles or ticks 38 reports
- Vehicle fire 35 reports
- Loses power when accelerating 31 reports