The 2022 Kia Soul has 1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting an estimated 137,256 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 132 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the engine. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING25V0990002025-02-17137,256 affected
Defect
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Seltos and Soul vehicles. The piston oil rings may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in engine damage.
Consequence
Engine damage can cause a vehicle stall or fire, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Dealers will also install piston-ring noise sensing system (PNSS) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 4, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC336.
Complaints by component
ENGINE
50
1crashes1fires3injuries3deaths
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
19
POWER TRAIN
12
2injuries
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
12
1crashes
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
10
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
7
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
6
AIR BAGS
3
2crashes3injuries
SERVICE BRAKES
3
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
2
Total complaints132
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“• a theft attempt caused by the widely reported kia software vulnerability (documented in my police report) • a display failure that kia refused to repair • a recall that kia refused to perform because the display was broken • repeated defects lighting, battery warning indicators never…”
“• a theft attempt caused by the widely reported kia software vulnerability (documented in my police report) • a display failure that kia refused to repair • a recall that kia refused to perform because the display was broken • repeated defects lighting, battery warning indicators never…”
“• a theft attempt caused by the widely reported kia software vulnerability (documented in my police report) • a display failure that kia refused to repair • a recall that kia refused to perform because the display was broken • repeated defects lighting, battery warning indicators never…”
“Backup camera intermittently glitches and cuts to a black screen. Display will also occasionally appear darker than normal. Concern began suddenly with no known cause. It first occurred after vehicle was parked for 10-11 hours.”
“03/17/26: kia soul 2022 was brought into the dealership to have the safety recall (nhtsa: 25v099; kia: sc336) addressed. There is a description of the service that says, “piston oil ring.â€� dealership stated everything was "good to go" upon completion of this service. Per dealership document,…”
“03/17/26: kia soul 2022 was brought into the dealership to have the safety recall (nhtsa: 25v099; kia: sc336) addressed. There is a description of the service that says, “piston oil ring.â€� dealership stated everything was "good to go" upon completion of this service. Per dealership document,…”
“The check engine light came on. I took the jar to kia and also requested for the piston recall to be repaired. I was denied due to an expired warranty. The engine stalled and stopped suddenly while driving in the street. Soon the care was no longer drivable.”
“Weeks before the vehicle completely shut down, my car began stalling and shutting off in traffic without warning while driving. I was usually able to turn the vehicle off and restart it, and it would come back on temporarily. At red lights and stop signs, the vehicle would power down, stall, jerk…”
Defect investigations
InvestigationAQ25001 Opened 2025-08-06 · closed 2025-12-18
Kia 25V099 Piston Oil Ring Recall Effectiveness
On August 6, 2025, the Office of Defect Investigation (ODI) opened Audit Query (AQ) 25001 to assess the implementation of Kia America, Inc.’s (Kia) remedy program for Safety Recall 25V099, involving incorrectly manufactured piston oil rings which may damage the engine causing a loss of motive power or fire. This AQ…
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2022 Kia Soul as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.