KIA SUVs are famous because of their standard features and luxurious components. However, several KIA soul cases have been reported in America for catching fire while parking and driving.
What Year Kia Souls Are Catching Fire? KIA Souls, launched in the years 2012 to 2016 and 2023, are catching fire because of several issues. They usually catch fire because of damaged electric wires, brake fluid leakage, battery issues, oil leakage from the engine, failed catalytic converter, electric oil pump failure, and oil pan leakage.
It is necessary to decrease the risk of fire-related issues in your vehicles because they can suddenly catch fire while driving. Sudden explosions put drivers and passengers’ lives at risk and can also put surrounding vehicles and objects in danger.
What year did KIA Souls have fire-catching issues?
KIA recalled several vehicles because of different issues with their internal and external components. In addition, KIA Soul is considered ugly and has fire-catching issues for several reasons.
You can see this problem in their different models, which usually come from manufacturing defects and the use of low-quality components.
The fire-related issue in these vehicles started in 2012. It is significant in models that were launched between 2012 and 2016. Moreover, the latest model manufactured in 2023 also has the same problem.
2013 model has 400 registered complaints with NHTSA for fire risks. NHSTA documentation released in February 2022 stated that almost 378,967 KIA Souls of 2012 to 2016 models have a 1.6-liter engine with fire-related issues, and all of these are included in the recall.
Moreover, people complained that the 2014 model with a 2.0-liter engine also caught fire, but the manufacturers only recalled the model with the 1.6-liter engine.
In addition, the 2689 KIA Soul electric variants also have issues because of the faulty battery backs. People complained that smoke started to rise from the battery backs because of their blocked vents.
Many drivers complained that their SUVs caught fire while driving on the road. You should avoid driving when you feel a knocking sound from the engine and a burning smell because it represents malfunctioning components that lead to severe damage and explosions.
My friend also faced the same issue last year in his 2013 KIA Soul. He told me he felt the burning smell and heat from the engine compartment. He stopped driving, parked his SUV on the side of the road, and quickly jumped out to save his life.
He turned off the ignition to reduce the explosion and fire-related hazards. He saw flames leaping from the front end because of faulty engine parts. He reported the problem to the KIA official website. They recalled the engines of 2013 models multiple times but could not find the root cause.
According to NHTSA, more than 3100 KIA and Hyundai vehicles caught fire since 2010 and injured more than 100 people. NHTSA also reported two deaths because of fire issues.
Number of KIA Souls recalled due to fire risks
Many KIA owners reported several cases of catching fire. They complained that they had to escape the narrow routes to ensure safety.
In addition, their customers also shared their scary stories. Moreover, I was driving on a highway and saw a KIA Soul bursting into fire, and people were standing nearby because they could not do anything. I realized it was a greater economic loss because you cannot recover the burnt-out vehicle.
The issue can come from poor maintenance and minor negligence from the manufacturing industries. The manufacturing company recalled 380,000 KIA Souls manufactured from 2012 to 2016 in April 2019. However, you can also check your SUV to see its recall by entering the vehicle identification number on the official website.
You should avoid vehicles that are under recall because these can cause serious damages and irreversible economic losses.
What causes KIA Souls to catch fire?
You should check your vehicle to see if it is open to recall. I also bought the used 2016 KIA Soul from my friend, and he told me he did not face fire-related issues in any of their components.
I checked the open recall of the SUV by entering its vehicle identification number (VIN) on the US government’s official recall website. I did not find my KIA Soul on the NHTSA website because it was free from recalls. However, you can see a red box on the top of the page in case of fire-related recalls.
Damaged electric wires
These SUVs can catch fire because of damaged electric cables. Moreover, the issue also comes because of loose ground connections.
These electric shorts emit sparks, which cause your vehicle to catch fire. The spark can also cause fire when it comes in contact with flammable parts.
The major reasons for electric shorts are power surges, damaged fuses, and worn-out insulating coating. Electric short issues can also come because of corroded and damaged wires. Exposure to humid environments and metal shavings also causes the short-circuits.
Brake fluid leakage
It has an anti-lock braking system to decrease tire-skidding issues. Anti-lock braking systems also contain fluid to keep their parts lubricated.
Leakage of anti-lock braking system fluid increases the risk of fire-related hazards.
Moreover, the anti-lock braking system is flammable because of its glycol-based ingredients. Leaking fluid catches fire because of electric shorts.
Battery issues
These are electric vehicles that run on batteries as an alternative to fuel or gas-powered engines. Many people also faced issues in their electric variant because of defective battery packs.
Drivers usually complain that smoke with a burning smell comes from their battery compartment because of the overheating of batteries.
Batteries can overheat because of the undercharging and blocked air vents.
Oil leakage from the engine
Oil leakage from the engine compartment is a significant problem in vehicles. It usually comes because of damaged gaskets and broken seals.
The oil leakage problem in the KIA Soul comes from a damaged oil pan and bearings of the connecting rod. The connecting rod is the crankshaft and engine piston’s integral part. You can hear the knocking sound because of the failure of the connecting rod’s bearings.
KIA installed the knock sensor detection system in their latest vehicles to reduce the risk of engine damage.
Failed catalytic converter
Fire risks in KIA Souls can also come because of overheated catalytic converters. High-exhaust pressure increases the risk of failure of catalytic converters.
The engine component converts the harmful gasses to less harmful ones that are comparatively less toxic for the environment.
Failed catalytic converters cause the engine to overheat and catch fire.
Defective oil pump
KIA recalled the KIA Soul with defective oil pumps that overheated and caused your SUV engine to catch fire. The oil pump is the electronically controlled engine part responsible for circulating the engine oil to its various components.
In addition, it also controls the oil pressure that is moving between different parts. The oil pump can overheat because of poor lubrication and damaged bearings.
Furthermore, clogged filters and disrupted power supply also cause the overheating of this electric component.
How to prevent fire cathing issues in Kia Soul?
KIA is recalling affected SUVs, and they recommended preventive measures for the safety of drivers, passengers, and nearby buildings, structures, and vehicles.
You should always park your vehicle outside if these are under recall to decrease the risk of severe issues because of leaping fire flames.
In addition, it is better to park your KIA Soul on the side of the road and stop driving when you see smoke and burning smells from any of its components.
Keep them away from the structures and buildings because of the presence of flammable components that can exacerbate the situation. Plastic and wood materials from nearby buildings and structures catch fire.
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