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#BS-2016-KIASOU-7C4D

2016 Kia Soul

Based on reports from 1,000 owners and 2 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
1,000
Crashes
33
Fires
55
Recalls
2
TSBs
129
🛑

Preliminary Verdict

Red Flag

Based on 1,000 complaints, 33 crashes, 55 fires, and 2 recalls. Complaint rate is 4.3x the class average. This is the worst model year for this vehicle.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

engine blown

10 complaints • Severity 9.8/10

$X,XXX
2

excessive oil consumption

5 complaints • Severity 9.2/10

$X,XXX
3

catalytic converter loss of power and gas milage

2 complaints • Severity 6/10

$X,XXX

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the EngineHIGH

529 owners reported engine issues — failures commonly reported around 80K miles.

!Inspect the Fuel SystemMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

54
0–30K
78
30–60K
160
60–90K
121
90–120K
54
120–150K
20
150K+

Peak failure range: 60–90K miles (160 reports) • Median: 80K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Engine (529 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Engine529 (53%)
Other104 (10%)
Fuel System74 (7%)
Drivetrain54 (5%)
Electrical49 (5%)
Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System:emission Control:catalytic Convertor35 (4%)
Steering27 (3%)
Speed Control26 (3%)

2016 Kia Soul: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Engine Issues

Engine complaints account for 53% of all reports filed for the 2016 Kia Soul, with 529 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 80,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 80K-mile mark.

Fuel System Issues

Fuel System complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 2016 Kia Soul, with 74 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to fuel system-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Drivetrain Issues

Drivetrain complaints account for 5% of all reports filed for the 2016 Kia Soul, with 54 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to drivetrain-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Electrical Issues

Electrical complaints account for 5% of all reports filed for the 2016 Kia Soul, with 49 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

4
16
15
17
26
18
114
19
111
20
161
21
185
22
189
23
130
24
58
25
7
26

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2016 Kia Soul. Recent trend: decreasing.

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Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (2 recalls)

17V608000Nov 2017

STEERING

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.

19V120000Apr 2019

ENGINE

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Kia Soul vehicles equipped with 1.6L Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) engines. High exhaust gas temperatures may damage the catalytic converter, possibly resulting in abnormal engine combustion and damage to one or more of the engine's pistons and possible piston connecting rod failure.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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This is the worst model year for the Kia Soul according to owner complaint data. The biggest problem area is engine.

2016 Kia Soul vs. Class Average (Small Station Wagons)

This vehicle

1,000

Class avg

234

4.3x the class average — significantly more complaints than typical small station wagons vehicles.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 1,000 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 2 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Kia Soul Model Years

2025202420232022202120202019201820172016201520142013201220112010
View all Kia Soul years →

2016 Kia Soul: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2016 Kia Soul?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2016 Kia Soul is related to the engine, with 529 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2016 Kia Soul reliable?
The 2016 Kia Soul has 1,000 complaints, 33 crash reports, and 55 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is 4.3x the class average — higher than typical for its segment.
How much does it cost to fix 2016 Kia Soul problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 2016 Kia Soul have any recalls?
Yes, the 2016 Kia Soul has 2 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Kia Soul problems start?
Based on 487 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 80,000 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 60–90K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 1,000 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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