NHTSA Complaint #10478179 — 2012 KIA SOUL
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING issue reported to NHTSA
Complaint Details
| ODI Number | 10478179 |
| Vehicle | 2012 KIA SOUL |
| Component | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING |
| Date of Incident | |
| Date Filed | |
| Mileage | 1,200 miles |
| Crash | No |
| Fire | No |
| Injuries | 0 |
| Deaths | 0 |
| Vehicle Towed | No |
| State | VT |
Consumer Description
I BOUGHT A 2012 KIA SOUL FROM CAPITAL CITY KIA IN MONTPELIER, VERMONT JUST OVER A MONTH AGO. IT HAD 600 MILES ON IT. AFTER TWO WEEKS OF DRIVING IT VERY SELDOM, IT STOPPED OPERATING WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT AND I HAD IT TOWED TO THE NEAREST KIA DEALERSHIP. THEY KEPT IT THERE FOR A COUPLE HOURS AND WORKED ON IT WHILE I WAITED AND THEN SENT ME ON MY WAY. THEY SAID IT WAS JUST LOOSE CONNECTIONS. A HALF AN HOUR LATER THE CAR QUITE WHILE I WAS DRIVING AGAIN AND I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED AGAIN. THEY KEPT THE CAR FOR DIAGNOSTICS. I WAS FRUSTRATED AND AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR WITHOUT SOME REASSURANCE THAT IT WAS TRULY FIXED. THEY SAID THEY DID EVERYTHING THEY COULD. I LEFT WITH THE CAR AND WENT INTO A STORE FOR A HALF OF AN HOUR AND WHEN I WENT TO DRIVE HOME, IT DIED AGAIN. THIS TIME THEY SENT THEIR MOST EXPERIENCED TECHNICIANS TO ME WHO EXPERIENCED STARTING IT UP AND THEN HAVING IT DIE AGAIN. THEY HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED AGAIN. UPON PICKING IT UP AFTER IT WAS WORKED ON, I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A SPECIFIC THING( DON'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS OR HOW TO EXPLAIN) AND THAT IT WAS SET TO GO. YESTERDAY, WHILE I WAS OUT RUNNING ERRANDS IT DIED WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT FOR AGAIN. KIA IN WILLISTON SAID THEY WOULD TAKE IT IN BUT I WOULD HAVE TO GET RIDE HOME, SO I ASKED TO HAVE IT TOED TO WHERE I BOUGHT IT IN MONTPELIER AND STATED THAT I WOULD NOT DRIVE THE CAR EVER AGAIN, CITING THE DANGER OF HAVING IT QUIT AGAIN AND THIS TIME IN A DANGEROUS PLACE AND AT A DANGEROUS SPEED. CAPITAL CITY HAS AGREED TO REPLACE THE CAR WITH A 2013, WITH HIGHER PAYMENTS. I DO NOT WANT THAT. I DO NOT WANT TO HAVE A CAR FROM KIA, AS I FEEL THAT THEIR PRODUCT IS INFERIOR AND THEIR SERVICE IS UNSATISFACTORY. I WOULD LIKE MY MONEY BACK AND I WOULD LIKE THAT CAR TO BE DESTROYED SO THAT NO ONE ELSE WILL EVERY BE IN DANGER WHILE DRIVING IT. *TR
Related Complaints for the 2012 KIA SOUL
Other ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING Complaints
#11615417
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact heard an abno...
#11537138
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the engine was misfiring. The check engine...
#11528499
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 5 MPH the braking system sud...
#11525552
The contact's daughter owns a 2012 Kia Soul. The contact stated while her daughter was driving at an unknown speed, t...
#11524918
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engi...
Recent Complaints for the 2012 KIA SOUL
#11714892
STEERING
I have a used kia soul 2012 which I bought 3 years ago. It's steering column has started making strange clicking nois...
#11711934
ENGINE
On Oct. 14, 2025, this vehicle experienced a sudden catastrophic engine failure while driving approx. 70 mph on a hig...
#11710763
STEERING
I am submitting this complaint regarding a known defect with the steering wheel coupler in my 2012 Kia vehicle. The s...
#11709889
ENGINE
On 12/ 22/ 2025 I went to start the 2012 KIA Soul and it would act like it would start but, it would not turn over. B...
#11709889
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
On 12/ 22/ 2025 I went to start the 2012 KIA Soul and it would act like it would start but, it would not turn over. B...