2012–2016 Kia Soul: Burning oil, knocking or engine failure (1.6L GDI)
Likely causes, ranked
- Carbon fouling and ring problemsShop
- Bearing wear from low oilShop
Real-owner fix counts will appear here as reports come in.
DIY or shop: See DIY or shop section
Parts to check
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Symptom: Oil level dropping fast, an oil light, then knocking or failure if it runs low.
Likely causes
- Oil consumption. Soul owners report using roughly half a quart to a quart per 1,000 miles, and some engines failing afterward.
- Kia remedies. Kia's bulletin calls for cleaning and possible engine replacement. Kia also rolled out a knock sensor software update.
DIY or shop?
Dealer first.
Useful steps
- Check oil every fill-up.
- Have a dealer run an oil consumption test.
- Ask about the knock sensor update and extended coverage.
Vehicle focus: 2012–2016 Kia Soul.
Safety / mechanic note
Low oil can make the engine fail suddenly. Verify with a mechanic or dealer.
Recalls & service bulletins
Technical service bulletins
- Kia 1.6 GDI oil consumption TSB Kia treats more than 1 quart per 1,000 miles as excessive. The fix is a combustion chamber cleaning, then engine replacement if consumption stays high. Details
NHTSA complaints: 893 keyword-matched complaints for Kia SOUL 2012–2016 (of 3,789 unique complaints queried, NHTSA complaints API by model year, queried 2026-10-15).
Always check your VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Sources
What actually fixed it?
Had this problem? Tell other owners what the real fix was. Reports are counted above; we never show made-up numbers.