Third generation (SK3)
2021 Kia Soul
The most reported problem on the 2021 Kia Soul is stalling, with 99 complaints, usually around 50,000 miles.
- 234owner complaints
- 2recalls
- 12involved a crash
- 46,500median miles at failure
Newest report Sep 28, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
What is your Soul doing?
Each one opens a sheet built from the owner reports of that problem on the 2021 model year.
Is the 2021 Kia Soul reliable?
Of the 12 Soul model years since 2014, it has the 6th most complaints. Complaint counts rise with sales as well as faults, so read what owners report below before deciding.
At a glance
- Next to the 2020 and 2022
- Complaints ease off across these three model years. Counted per year on the road, the 2020 draws 54, the 2021 39 and the 2022 18.
- Top problem
- One problem takes up much of the file: stalling, named in 99 of the 234 complaints (42%). A quarter of the 50 owners who gave a mileage for stalling saw it by about 12,000 miles, and half by about 50,000.
- Crash, fire and injury reports
- 14 of the 234 complaints (6%) report a crash, a fire or an injury, about the 6% typical of vehicles on this site. Counted separately (one report can carry more than one), 12 reports mention a crash, 3 mention a fire and 5 people were hurt. The most crash reports, 6 of 12, fall under brake wear.
- Recalls behind the top problems
- stalling, engine failure and misfire all have recalls on the same system, and the same campaigns cover them: 21V-259 and 25V-099. A recall on the same system doesn't always cover the failure owners describe, so compare its summary with the complaints.
- When owners filed
- Filings jumped in 2025, with 92 complaints, 3.7 times the next busiest year. So far in 2026, 73 more have come in.
When each problem shows up
Each bar covers the middle half of the mileages owners reported for that problem. A quarter saw it earlier, a quarter later. The tick is the median. Most reported: engine stalls or loses power while driving, 99 complaints.
middle half of reports, median tick. The heavier grey bars have 75 or more reports.
Behind you
Around your mileage
Ahead of you
How this compares
234 complaints is 1.2 times the median 2021 model on this site. Among the 8 Soul model years here it ranks 6th for complaints. Counts follow sales volume as much as reliability, so a truck that sells 700,000 a year draws more reports than a sedan that sells 200,000.
Service bulletins for the 2021 Kia Soul
Kia filed 117 bulletins and other notices with NHTSA that list the 2021 Kia Soul. 10 of them deal with a problem owners have reported on this car. 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.
Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing 3 bulletins · 67 complaints
SUBSEQUENT REPAIR ACTION: ENGINE REPLACEMENT INSTRUCTIONS FOR PISTON RING NOISE DTC 1327 (SC209Y) This bulletin provides information related to the Technical Service Bulletin previously published in (SC209A) titled “ECM Logic Improvement for Piston Ring Noise Sensing System”.
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.
1 more on this problem
SUBSEQUENT REPAIR ACTION: ENGINE REPLACEMENT INSTRUCTIONS FOR PISTON RING NOISE DTC P1327 (SC209Y) This bulletin provides information related to the Technical Service Bulletin previously published in (SC209A) titled "ECM Logic Improvement for Piston Ring Noise Sensing System".
Check engine light or misfire 3 bulletins · 61 complaints
This bulletin provides instructions to perform an engine vibration inspection using the Kia Diagnostic System (KDS) tablet on certain Kia engine/model vehicles.
SERVICE ACTION: MIL ON DTC P0605 AND/OR P2181 ECM LOGIC IMPROVEMENT (SA463) This bulletin provides the procedure to improve the logic of the Engine Control Module (ECM) on some 2020-2021MY Soul (SK3) vehicles and 2021MY Seltos (SP2) vehicles produced in the date ranges shown below, equipped with NU 2.0L ATK engines, which may exhibit ...
1 more on this problem
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN SERVICE ACTION: MIL ON DTC P0605 AND/OR P2181 ECM LOGIC IMPROVEMENT (SA463) - This bulletin provides the procedure to improve the logic of the Engine Control Module (ECM) on some 2020-2021MY Soul (SK3) vehicles produced from November 24, 2018 through January ...
Burns oil or oil level rises 3 bulletins · 44 complaints
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.
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.
1 more on this problem
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.
Engine misfire 1 bulletin · 7 complaints
MISFIRE CONCERN DUE TO OVERRUNNING ALTERNATOR DECOUPLER This bulletin provides information to address unresolved misfire events on some 2020–2024MY Forte (BDm) produced from January 1, 2019 through September 30, 2024, and 2020–2022MY Soul (SK3) vehicles produced from November 1, 2018 through May 31, 2022 equipped ...
Complaints filed by year
92 complaints came in 2025, 6.6 times the year before. Owners file in waves when a problem gets press or an investigation, so a spike measures attention as much as failures.
NHTSA investigations
Kia 25v099 piston oil ring recall effectiveness. Closed dec 18, 2025.
NHTSA summary
Recalls that include the 2021 Kia Soul
Whether your car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Seltos and Soul vehicles. The piston oil rings may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in engine damage.
Risk and remedy
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Dealers will also install piston-ring noise sensing system (PNSS) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 4, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC336.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Soul, and 2021 Seltos vehicles equipped with 2.0L Nu MPI engines. The piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which may result in engine damage.
Risk and remedy
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the engine, free of charge. In addition, Kia will deploy Piston Ring Noise Sensing System (PNSS) software. The recall began June 11, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC209.
All 2 recalls on the 2021 Kia Soul, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
Guide Buying one used? How to research one car’s history before you pay
Questions
What is the most common problem on the 2021 Kia Soul?
Stalling, with 99 of the 234 complaints. Owners who gave a mileage for it put the median at about 50,000 miles.
At what mileage do 2021 Kia Soul problems start?
Of the 98 complaints that give a mileage, a quarter came by about 12,000 miles and half by about 46,000.
Is the 2021 Kia Soul better or worse than the 2020 and 2022?
Counted per year on the road, the 2021 has fewer complaints than the 2020 and more complaints than the 2022: 39 a year against 54 and 18.
How many 2021 Kia Soul complaints involve a crash, fire or injury?
14 of them (6%). The typical vehicle on this site is at 6%.
Is there a recall for stalling on the 2021 Kia Soul?
Yes, NHTSA lists 2 recalls on the same system: 21V-259 and 25V-099. Its summary says which failure it covers, and that isn't always the one owners describe.