2016 KIA SOUL EV — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
N/A
Safety Rating
8
Owner Complaints
4
Recalls
17
Service Bulletins
0
Investigations
Overview of the 2016 KIA SOUL EV
The 2016 KIA SOUL EV has received a total of 8 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). There have been 11 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL), ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE. 17 technical service bulletins have been issued by Kia America, Inc. for this model year. The most commonly reported problems involve the Power Train (3 complaints), Unknown Or Other (2 complaints), and Electrical System12v24v48v Battery (1 complaint).
Recalls for the 2016 KIA SOUL EV
NHTSA has recorded 11 recalls for the 2016 KIA SOUL EV, potentially affecting up to 385,613 vehicles.
Recall 23V724000 — POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
| 6,262 vehicles affected
Defect: Kia America, Inc. (KIA) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Soul EV vehicles. The parking mechanism may be damaged, which can result in unintended vehicle movement when the gear shift lever is in the Park 'P' position and the parking brake is not applied while the vehicle is powered on.
Consequence: Unintended vehicle movement can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the electronic control unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 21, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC287. This recall expands and replaces recall...
View full details →Recall 23V724000 — POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
| 6,262 vehicles affected
Defect: Kia America, Inc. (KIA) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Soul EV vehicles. The parking mechanism may be damaged, which can result in unintended vehicle movement when the gear shift lever is in the Park 'P' position and the parking brake is not applied while the vehicle is powered on.
Consequence: Unintended vehicle movement can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the electronic control unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 21, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC287. This recall expands and replaces recall...
View full details →Recall 23V724000 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
| 6,262 vehicles affected
Defect: Kia America, Inc. (KIA) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Soul EV vehicles. The parking mechanism may be damaged, which can result in unintended vehicle movement when the gear shift lever is in the Park 'P' position and the parking brake is not applied while the vehicle is powered on.
Consequence: Unintended vehicle movement can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the electronic control unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 21, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC287. This recall expands and replaces recall...
View full details →Recall 23V724000 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
| 6,262 vehicles affected
Defect: Kia America, Inc. (KIA) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Soul EV vehicles. The parking mechanism may be damaged, which can result in unintended vehicle movement when the gear shift lever is in the Park 'P' position and the parking brake is not applied while the vehicle is powered on.
Consequence: Unintended vehicle movement can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the electronic control unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 21, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC287. This recall expands and replaces recall...
View full details →Recall 23V218000 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY
| 2,689 vehicles affected
Defect: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Soul EV vehicles equipped with an E400 battery. The high-voltage battery pack may experience an electrical short-circuit while driving.
Consequence: A battery electrical short-circuit increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will update and/or replace the battery management system and software, as necessary, free of charge. The new software will illuminate the EV warning light, limit charging capacity, and reduce vehicle power if abnormal voltage is detected. If this occurs,...
View full details →Recall 23V218000 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY
| 2,689 vehicles affected
Defect: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Soul EV vehicles equipped with an E400 battery. The high-voltage battery pack may experience an electrical short-circuit while driving.
Consequence: A battery electrical short-circuit increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will update and/or replace the battery management system and software, as necessary, free of charge. The new software will illuminate the EV warning light, limit charging capacity, and reduce vehicle power if abnormal voltage is detected. If this occurs,...
View full details →Recall 23V218000 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY
| 2,689 vehicles affected
Defect: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Soul EV vehicles equipped with an E400 battery. The high-voltage battery pack may experience an electrical short-circuit while driving.
Consequence: A battery electrical short-circuit increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will update and/or replace the battery management system and software, as necessary, free of charge. The new software will illuminate the EV warning light, limit charging capacity, and reduce vehicle power if abnormal voltage is detected. If this occurs,...
View full details →Recall 23V218000 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY
| 2,689 vehicles affected
Defect: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Soul EV vehicles equipped with an E400 battery. The high-voltage battery pack may experience an electrical short-circuit while driving.
Consequence: A battery electrical short-circuit increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will update and/or replace the battery management system and software, as necessary, free of charge. The new software will illuminate the EV warning light, limit charging capacity, and reduce vehicle power if abnormal voltage is detected. If this occurs,...
View full details →Recall 20V389000 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
| 3,714 vehicles affected
Defect: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Kia Soul Electric Vehicle (EV) vehicles. The parking mechanism may become damaged if the driver moves the gear shift lever into Park 'P' before the vehicle comes to a complete stop. If the parking mechanism is damaged, unintended vehicle movement may occur when the gear shift lever is in the Park 'P'...
Consequence: Unintended vehicle movement can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will update the electronic control unit software, free of charge. The recall began August 7, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC191.
View full details →Recall 20V389000 — POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
| 3,714 vehicles affected
Defect: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Kia Soul Electric Vehicle (EV) vehicles. The parking mechanism may become damaged if the driver moves the gear shift lever into Park 'P' before the vehicle comes to a complete stop. If the parking mechanism is damaged, unintended vehicle movement may occur when the gear shift lever is in the Park 'P'...
Consequence: Unintended vehicle movement can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will update the electronic control unit software, free of charge. The recall began August 7, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC191.
View full details →Recall 17V608000 — STEERING
| 342,381 vehicles affected
Defect: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Soul and Soul EV vehicles. The pinion plug may allow the pinion gear to separate from the steering gear assembly.
Consequence: If the pinion gear separates, steering will be lost, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and secure the pinion plug or replace the steering gear assembly, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 16, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number...
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 2016 KIA SOUL EV
8 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2016 KIA SOUL EV. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Deaths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Or Other | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical System12v24v48v Battery | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibilitywiper | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Most Recent Complaints
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul EV. The contact stated that on several occasions while the vehicle was on the charging port, the vehicle failed to hold the charge and only displayed an 83 percent charge. Additionally, the contact stated that when the vehicle was fully charged, the energy percentage display rejected and while driving after a full charge, the percentage displayed at 70 percent after driving approximately 25 MPH. An unknown warning light was intermittently illuminated. The contact then stated that while driving at undisclosed speed, there was a burning odor throughout the vehicle. The contact was concerned for his safety while operating the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however, the appointment was rescheduled for diagnostic test on October 18, 2023. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 129,000.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS PLACED INTO PARK AFTER DRIVING. THE CAR INDICATED IT WAS IN PARK, HOWEVER THE CAR ROLLED - IT WAS NOT IN PARK. APPLYING THE FOOT BRAKE WORKED. APPLYING THE PARKING BRAKE WORKED, HOWEVER THE GEARSHIFT DID NOT ENGAGE PARK PROPERLY.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WAS PLACED INTO PARK AFTER DRIVING. THE CAR INDICATED IT WAS IN PARK, HOWEVER THE CAR ROLLED - IT WAS NOT IN PARK. APPLYING THE FOOT BRAKE WORKED. APPLYING THE PARKING BRAKE WORKED, HOWEVER THE GEARSHIFT DID NOT ENGAGE PARK PROPERLY.
THE HORN AND ALARM DONT WORK EVEN WHEN I SET THE ALARM THERES NO BEEP JUST FLASHES AND IVE PRESS THE HORN MULTIPLE TIMES AND IT DOESN'T MAKE A SOUND THIS OCCUR DURING DRIVING AND AFTER WHILE I WAS STATIONARY JUST TO CHECK
BACKED UP DRIVEWAY TO PARK CAR IN GARAGE. PUT CAR IN "PARK". GOT OUT TO CLEAR PARKING SPACE IN GARAGE. TURNED AROUND TO SEE CAR ROLLING DOWN DRIVEWAY INTO WALL- WHILE IN "PARK".
Safety Rating for the 2016 KIA SOUL EV
NHTSA has not yet tested the 2016 KIA SOUL EV in its New Car Assessment Program.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 2016 KIA SOUL EV
Kia America, Inc. has issued 17 technical service bulletins (TSBs) for the 2016 KIA SOUL EV. TSBs are notices sent by manufacturers to their dealers describing a known issue and the recommended repair procedure.
SC310A_DP — FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: DEALER PRINCIPAL MEMO (SC310A) - This document is the announcement to the dealer principals that Kia is conducting a Voluntary Service Campaign to update the battery management system (BMS) software on certain 2015-2017 MY Soul EV vehicles manufactured from July 15, 2014 through July 4, 2017 that...
TSB_ELE310_R1 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: HIGH-VOLTAGE BATTERY PACK AND BATTERY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information regarding the replacement of the High-Voltage Battery Pack Assembly (HV BPA)...
SC310Z_TSB — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: SUBSEQUENT REPAIR ACTION: HIGH-VOLTAGE BPA REPLACEMENT (SC310A) - This bulletin provides information regarding the replacement of the High-Voltage Battery Pack Assembly (HV BPA) on certain 2015-2017MY SOUL EV (PS EV) produced from July 15, 2014 through June 30, 2017 which were not included in...
TSB_ELE138_CLSD — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE ACTION: OBC REPLACEMENT (SA307): CLOSED - This bulletin is now closed. This bulletin provided the procedure to replace the On-Board Charger (OBC) on some 2016MY Soul EV (PS EV) vehicles, produced from January 16, 2015 through December 21, 2015, which may have exhibited a malfunction indicator...
TSB_ELE137_CLSD — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE ACTION: OBC UPDATE, INSPECTION AND/OR REPLACEMENT (SA306) CLOSED - This bulletin is now closed. This bulletin provided the procedure to update, inspect, and if necessary, replace the On-Board Charger (OBC) on some 2015-17MY Soul EV (PS EV) vehicles, produced from July 15, 2014 through January 15,...
TSB_ELE310 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: HIGH-VOLTAGE BATTERY PACK AND BATTERY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - This bulletin provides information regarding the replacement of the High-Voltage Battery Pack Assembly (HV BPA) on some 2015-2017MY SOUL EV (PS EV) produced from July 15, 2014 through June 30, 2017 which were not included in SC267 Safety Recall...
TSB_CHA084_R5 — STEERING
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: PARTIAL REPAIR OF C-MDPS MOTOR, ECU, WORM GEAR AND/OR STEERING COLUMN HOUSING - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information regarding the partial repair of the...
TSB_CHA098_R3 — EQUIPMENT
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: IBAU SYSTEM REPAIR FOR NOISE AND AIR BLEEDING - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides the repair procedure for the Integrated Brake Actuation Unit (iBAU) system...
TSB_ELE155_R1 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: BMS LOGIC IMPROVEMENT AFTER REPLACEMENT OF BATTERY PACK OR BMS - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. This bulletin provides the procedure to improve the logic of the Battery Management System (BMS) on some 2015-2017MY Soul EV (PSEV) vehicles, produced from July 15, 2014...
TSB_TRA085 — EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: DCT ACTUATOR ROD LENGTH ADJUSTMENT - This bulletin provides the procedure to adjust the Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) actuator rod lengths using the applicable SST on some 2016MY~ vehicles equipped with 6 speed DCT (D6KF1) or 7 speed DCT (D7UF1) in order to prevent unnecessary replacement of...
Showing 10 of 17 technical service bulletins.
NHTSA Investigations for the 2016 KIA SOUL EV
There are no NHTSA defect investigations on record for this vehicle.
Other Model Years of the KIA SOUL EV
- 2014 KIA SOUL EV — 2 complaints
- 2015 KIA SOUL EV — 7 complaints
- 2016 KIA SOUL EV (current)
- 2017 KIA SOUL EV — 23 complaints
- 2018 KIA SOUL EV — 4 complaints
- 2019 KIA SOUL EV — 6 complaints
- 2020 KIA SOUL EV — 0 complaints
Other KIA Models
- KIA SORENTO — 13,451 total complaints
- KIA OPTIMA — 10,045 total complaints
- KIA SOUL — 7,147 total complaints
- KIA SPORTAGE — 6,540 total complaints
- KIA FORTE — 3,450 total complaints
- KIA SEDONA — 3,334 total complaints
- KIA SEPHIA — 3,080 total complaints
- KIA TELLURIDE — 2,109 total complaints