Diagsheet

2018 Kia Soul · symptom sheet

Engine knocking or ticking

  • 45owner reports
  • 86,000median miles
  • $7,522median quote
  • 0involved a crash

Newest report May 4, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026

45 of the 73 reports of engine failure on the 2018 Soul describe engine knock.

Part of Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing (73 reports)

No recall on this systemas of Oct 2, 2026
No crash reportedin 45 reports

Tick what matches of 45 reports

43
1
8
4
4

Engine knock on other Soul years

2014113 reports2015132 reports2016111 reports201755 reports201845 reports

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: 2019, 2020, 2021.

What got replaced

Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the knock sensor (9 reports), the rod bearing (7 reports) and the engine (5 reports).

Recalls and investigations

No recall on the engine covers the 2018 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.

NHTSA investigations into the engine on the Soul

AQ25-001opened Aug 6, 2025
Engine · model years 2021 to 2023

Kia 25v099 piston oil ring recall effectiveness. Closed dec 18, 2025.

DP22-003opened Sep 12, 2022
Engine · model years 2012 to 2020

Loss of motive power. Closed dec 12, 2023.

EA21-003opened Dec 22, 2021
Engine · model years 2012 to 2016

Engine fires. Closed feb 5, 2024, led to recall 23V-877.

None of these investigations covers the 2018 model year.

What owners paid

11 of the 45 reports quote a price. Each dot is one quote. The middle half runs $5,000 to $8,500.

$5,000$7,522$8,500
$0k$2k$4k$6k$8k

When it happens

The middle half of failures fell between 68,170 and 105,636 miles, from the 25 reports that gave a mileage.

Complaints by the year NHTSA received them: 2020: 3, 2021: 8, 2022: 13, 2023: 3, 2024: 9, 2025: 5, 2026: 43'208'2113'223'239'245'254'26

Is this a known problem?

The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 3 service bulletins or notices for the 2018 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.

What owners wrote

“Was going down the freeway the check engine light came on pulled over and found there to be no oil on the dip stick and I had just checked it a week ago. Now the engine is knocking due to the oil consumption.”

Filed Dec 16, 2025

“Out of no where my engine just started knocking. No engine light came on, no oil light came on, no warnings at all. I just got an oil change 12/18/2024, with 2 top offs 04/23/25 and 07/23/25. And August 24 th my engine started knocking. I took it to Midtown kia on 08/25/25 and they told me Kia customer care won't cover the engine recall.”

Filed Sep 4, 2025

“car began knocking noise on highway, heard a loud boom, and coasted to the shoulder. the repair facility determined there was a hole in my engine that was caused by the knocking.”

Filed Nov 23, 2022

“Engine started to knock, then it got louder and finally the engine stopped running. If it would have shut down on the busy interstate, it could have been a disaster. The problem has not been inspected by Manufacture. Trying to report to KIA. Engine has less than 84000. The oil light came on right before it died.”

Filed Oct 13, 2021

Should you keep driving it?

This page can't tell you that. 0 of 45 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 Taking it to a shop? How to describe this problem so it gets found

Other problems on this car