Problems · by component

2016 Kia Soul electrical system problems

57 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2016 Kia Soul cite electrical system, 7% of all 831 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
57
7% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
7
Reported by owners
Injuries
5
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the electrical system

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“I can not gain speed. The dealership says it’s the catalytic converter and there is an active recall for this on Kia souls. They previously did recall work to my car but now the catalytic converters not showing as a recall”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 9, 2026Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Unknown or otherODI 11723044
“The Instrument Cluster, the Speedometer and "NOW" the Odometer are not working--absolutely dead. "NOW" is in caps because to my surprise I noticed just recently that the Odometer is not working. In April 2021, after several weeks of waiting for the repairs to be finished, a Kia dealer, PEAK KIA in Colorado replaced the Instrument Cluster because of the faulty Speedometer. (This repair was done after several months of back and forth to more than one Kia Dealer about this problem. Unlike now where the Speedometer is dead, not moving at all, at that time it would stop working periodically, perhaps when my car was cold or not. It took several months of dealing with Kia dealerships to acknowledge that it was a problem.) Right after the replacement in 2021, I texted the PEAK KIA mechanics-representative, named Trevor, that it was still a problem, not working every now and then. He replied in a text "What?" and that he would check with his technician. He never got back to me with an answer, and would not return my phone calls.) Since that time, I've been dealing with this infrequent or sometimes-problem. Note, I work from home so I do not drive my car every day, only…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 9, 2026Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Unknown or otherODI 11709908
“When the steering wheel tilt is adjusted while driving, the vehicle experiences a complete electrical shutdown — dashboard goes black and the engine may shut off. Electrical power may return when the steering wheel position is changed again. Because this involves a total loss of power while the vehicle is in motion, I am concerned about driver safety and would like this addressed as soon as possible.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 13, 2025Electrical systemODI 11704899
“I was driving in the carpool line to Anaheim with my daughter, the car starts pulling and make a noise in the front part and start loosing speed, from 75 miles per hour to 40 miles per hours in 2 minutes. I drove to the safety zone but in high risk to a crash. All the sensor lights on in the front part. And the steering feels hard, no movement. We feel so stressed and unsafe. The police officer help us and The 511 towing help this was on October 16th. We pay $830 dlls to the AAA to bring the car to San Diego.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 3, 2025Electrical system, Service brakes, EngineODI 11697108
“While driving my 2016 Kia Soul Plus on the highway, smoke began coming from the rear of the vehicle. Within seconds, flames were visible. Other drivers flagged me down, and I was able to pull over. I evacuated three dogs from the car, but the vehicle quickly became engulfed in flames and was a total loss. The fire department responded and extinguished the fire. There were no warning lights or unusual performance issues immediately before the fire started. The vehicle had not been modified and was in regular use. This incident posed a severe risk to my safety, the safety of my pets, and others on the road. My VIN currently shows no active recalls, but Kia has issued recalls for engine and electrical fire risks in other Soul models. The fire appears related to engine, electrical, or fuel system malfunction. I strongly believe this defect should be investigated for inclusion in Kia’s fire-related recalls.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 22, 2025Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemFire reportedODI 11682398
“The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine, and the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that while the vehicle was accelerating, an abnormal sound could be heard coming from the engine. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and the contact was provided with DTC: P0014 and P0013. The contact stated that the check engine light was turned off, and the camshaft was replaced; however, the failure persisted. Additionally, the contact stated that the horn had failed to function as intended. The vehicle was taken to a different independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with electrical failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000(Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was unknown.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 5, 2025Engine and engine cooling, Electrical systemODI 11678480

Showing 6 of 57 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Electrical system: traction battery

Free remedy

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.

Electrical systemReported Mar 29, 2023NHTSA 23V218000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 10, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.