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Model Year Problem Record

Kia Soul 2016 - Problems, Recalls, and Investigations

The complete public record for the 2016 Kia Soul: what owners reported, which systems drew recalls, and where complaints exist that no recall has ever covered.

817Distinct owner complaintsSource: NHTSA Complaints
2Recall campaignsSource: NHTSA Recalls
1Defect investigationsSource: NHTSA Investigations
96Complaints reporting a crash or fireOwner Reports, Unverified

Complaints by System

Distinct complaints naming each system, most reported first. Select a system for its own page.

Did a Recall Cover It?

The join between complaints and recalls for this model year, system by system. A gap does not prove a defect - it means owners reported the problem and no recall campaign covers that system on this model year.

Engine670 complaints

670 complaints; 1 recall campaign covers this system. Campaigns: 19V120000.

Unknown Or Other126 complaints

126 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Fuel and Propulsion System84 complaints

84 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Power Train62 complaints

62 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Electrical System57 complaints

57 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Vehicle Speed Control33 complaints

33 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Steering30 complaints

30 complaints; 1 recall campaign covers this system. Campaigns: 17V608000.

Brakes20 complaints

20 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Lighting19 complaints

19 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Vehicle Structure18 complaints

18 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Air Bags17 complaints

17 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Driver Assistance and Stability Systems9 complaints

9 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Suspension8 complaints

8 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Visibility8 complaints

8 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Seat Belts4 complaints

4 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Seats4 complaints

4 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Tires1 complaints

1 complaints; no recall campaign covers this system.

Recall Campaigns

Every campaign covering this model year, in our own words. The campaign number is the official reference.

17V608000Reported September 29, 2017 - 342,381 vehicles potentially affected

Steering. Recall covering the steering system, reported to NHTSA on September 29, 2017. The campaign covers an estimated 342,381 vehicles across all affected models.

19V120000Reported February 22, 2019 - 378,967 vehicles potentially affected

Engine. Recall covering the engine system, reported to NHTSA on February 22, 2019. The campaign covers an estimated 378,967 vehicles across all affected models.

Defect Investigations

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened these investigations touching this model year.

EA21003Opened December 22, 2021 - Closed February 5, 2024

Engine Fires. Resulted in recall campaign 23V877.

Complaints by Year Received

When this model year's complaints reached NHTSA - whether its problems surfaced early or late in its life.

20164
201713
201818
201983
202079
2021105
2022134
2023132
2024102
202586
202661
How to Read These Counts: complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not failure rates. Older and higher-volume vehicles accumulate more reports, and counts are not adjusted for vehicles sold - no per-sales rate or reliability ranking is shown, because the public data does not support one.

Data as of October 30, 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaints, recalls, and investigations files (U.S. Government public domain). DefectRecord is not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer. For your specific vehicle, use NHTSA's VIN lookup. Report an error.