2018 Kia Soul power train problems
31 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the power train on the 2018 Kia Soul — 15% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2018 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, the vehicle stalled and jerked while accelerating and experienced severe jerking while decelerating. The failure had occurred on several occasions. On June 18, 2024, the vehicle failed to accelerate or shift…”
filed Jun 23, 2026
“On [XXX], my 2018 Kia Soul (VIN [XXX] ) displayed DTC P1326 with a blinking check engine light and went into limp mode. Ray’s Automotive documented P1326 in writing, added oil, and cleared the light only to allow safe transport. At Greenway Kia (Avenues), they charged $199 and refused to create a…”
filed Jun 3, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Power Train problems in other Soul years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 Soul | 2 | 7% |
| 2023 Soul | 4 | 8% |
| 2022 Soul | 12 | 14% |
| 2021 Soul | 26 | 12% |
| 2020 Soul | 88 | 24% |
| 2019 Soul | 5 | 4% |
| 2017 Soul | 19 | 7% |
| 2016 Soul | 61 | 8% |
| 2015 Soul | 60 | 7% |
| 2014 Soul | 56 | 6% |
| 2013 Soul | 14 | 2% |
| 2012 Soul | 21 | 4% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2018 Kia Soul
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.