2019 Kia Soul · symptom sheet
Check engine light or misfire
- 27owner reports
- 92,077median miles
- 0involved a crash
Newest report Apr 16, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
106 of the 136 complaints on this car are about the engine. 27 of those describe misfire.
Tick what matches of 27 reports
Misfire 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
These reports start with the check engine light. Many describe the engine running rough or shaking at idle, a P0300-series code, or a catalytic converter code. A worrying number say the light was flashing. Owners often list ignition coils or spark plugs already replaced, and the light coming back afterward.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the catalytic converter (10 reports), the ignition coils (3 reports) and the spark plugs (3 reports).
Recalls and investigations
No recall on the engine covers the 2019 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.
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.
Non-crash vehicle fires. Closed dec 22, 2021, led to recall 20V-088.
Non-crash vehicle fires. Closed may 10, 2019, led to recall 18V-907.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 56,000 and 106,000 miles, from the 12 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 2 service bulletins or notices for the 2019 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.
PITSTOP: DTC P0011/ P0014/ P0016/ P0017 DUE TO INCORRECT CAMSHAFT RELUCTOR WHEEL CONFIGURATION This Pitstop provides information on some 2010-2013MY Soul (AM), 2014-2019MY Soul (PS), and 2020~MY Soul (SK3) vehicles equipped with the engines listed below, which may set DTC P0011, P0014, P0016, or P0017 after an engine replacement.
SERVICE ACTION: 1.6GDI ECU LOGIC IMPROVEMENT FOR DTC P0128 (SA363) This bulletin provides the procedure to improve the logic of the Engine Control Unit (ECU) on certain 2019MY Soul (PS) 1.6GDI vehicles, produced from April 2, 2018 through November 7, 2018, which may experience a malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) ON with DTC ...
What owners wrote
“Iâve always had increased oil consumption since Iâve bought the car new. Pistons have been miss firing for over 2 years. I keep getting a P0020 code Kia had âreplacedâ catalytic converter, believing that was the issue and it wasnât. Now I have a motor thatâs not working properly.”
Filed Mar 1, 2025
“There is white smoke coming out of the tailpipe. The car is running in distress. We changed the spark plugs because there was oil on the original spark plugs. We took the car to Auto Zone for engine diagnosis. Their tests report Ignition coil failure in the power train system.. They report cylinder 2 misfire detected. They also diagnosed that the left rear vehicle speed sensor failed in the anti-lock brake system.”
Filed Sep 22, 2024
“The 2019 Kia soul is burning threw almost 2 quarts of oil a week now. It has been ran once just about to the point where there was no oil in the car. Never had a check engine light or low oil pressure light come on. The vehicle from boardman Kia.”
Filed Aug 24, 2023
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 0 of 27 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 Which lights mean pull over now? Warning lights by color and urgency
Other problems on this car
- Burns oil or oil level rises 37 reports
- Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing 36 reports
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 28 reports