Kia›Soul EV›2016›Electric/kia/soul-ev/2016/electric/

2016 Kia Soul EV

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2016 Soul EV.

Body SUVEngine Electric

The 2016 Kia Soul EV Electric is a battery-powered SUV that represents the model’s early push into the electric vehicle segment, pairing the boxy urban-friendly design of its conventionally powered counterpart with a zero-emissions drivetrain; as the second model year of this electric variant, it carries forward the core architecture while building on lessons from the inaugural 2015 launch. Across the 2015–2019 complaint period, the 2016 model year recorded 800 total owner complaints with engine-related issues cited as the top concern, alongside five documented recalls—a profile that places it between the model's highest-complaint debut year of 2015 (898 complaints) and its eventual low point in 2017 (17 complaints), suggesting that while early production issues persisted into this model year, the trajectory pointed toward meaningful improvement in owner satisfaction.

Model year202020192018201720162015

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI NS · NS CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI NS · NS CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnLAMPOEM · verified
Tire size205/60R16, 215/55R17, P235/45R18OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6.5, 6.5, 7.5 inOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length163 in
Overall width70.9 in
Overall height63 in
Wheelbase101.2 in
Curb weight3289 lb
Track (front / rear)61.8 / 62.6 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)61/39

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine DOT 3 · DOT 4 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission Fluid75W-85 · GL-4
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity2.0
Brake FluidDOT 3 · DOT 4
Engine CoolantEthylene Glycol

Chassis torques

Steering Track (Rod End) Bolts17.4-24.6 ft-lbs

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier TorqueFront or rear: 16-23 / 16-23
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueFront: 58-; Rear: 47-; Front: 58-; Rear: 47-
ABS Sensor Torque7 / NS
Minimum Pad Thickness0.079 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for ReplacementFront: 1.040; Rear: .331
Variation from Parallelism Thickness Variation.0002
Maximum Rotor RunoutFront: .0016; Rear: .002

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Every 3,750 miTire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
At 7,500 miAir Conditioning System (inspect) · Battery (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Pedal Assembly (inspect)
Every 15,000 miAir Conditioning System (inspect) · Battery (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Pedal Assembly (inspect)
At 30,000 miAir Conditioning System (inspect) · Battery (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Pedal Assembly (inspect)
Every 37,500 miTransmission Assembly (inspect fluid level)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2016 Kia Soul EV shows 800 complaints, 5 recalls, 3 investigations, and 177 TSBs — a modest improvement over the 2015 debut year's 898 complaints and 7 recalls, but still far above the 2017 trough of just 17 complaints. The complaint trend across the generation forms a sharp V: high at launch, collapsing in 2017, then rising moderately through 2018-2019, placing the 2016 model near the peak of the early-production arc. The leading complaint category for 2016 is "Engine" with 333 reports, followed by "Engine & Engine Cooling" at 51, though the data does not specify whether these refer to the electric drive unit, thermal management, or another subsystem. Crash and fire complaints stand at 29 and 34 respectively, figures that are notable but not outlier within the dataset. With recalls and investigations tapering after 2016, the model year benefits from early-field fixes but carries the highest complaint volume after the launch year. For a used buyer, 2016 is a reasonable choice if the vehicle has had all five recalls addressed, but the elevated complaint count warrants a thorough pre-purchase inspection of the powertrain and cooling systems.

5
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
177
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
3
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
800
Owner complaints
29 involved a crash · 34 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent
’15’16’17’18’19

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 800 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine333
Engine & Engine Cooling51
Unknown Or Other47
Engine & Engine Cooling,Engine45
Unknown Or Other,Engine30
Engine,Fuel/Propulsion System27
Power Train,Engine18
Steering14

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 4 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

20V389000Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Gear Position Indication (Prndl)Reported 02/07/2020

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Kia Soul Electric Vehicle (EV) vehicles. The parking mechanism may become damaged if the driver moves the gear shift lever into Park 'P' before the vehicle comes… Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will update the electronic control unit software, free of charge. The recall began August 7, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at…

17V608000SteeringReported 29/09/2017

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. Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and secure the pinion plug or replace the steering gear assembly, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 16…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 177 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
CS2311_TSB_R42026-06-08StructureTECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: THEFT DETERRENT IGNITION: CYLINDER…
SC176Y_TSB_R12026-03-24EngineTECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SUBSEQUENT REPAIR ACTION: CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACEMENT AND…
SC310Z_TSB_R12026-03-04Electrical SystemTECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SUBSEQUENT REPAIR ACTION: HIGH-VOLTAGE BPA REPLACEMENT…
SC267Z_TSB_R22026-03-04Electrical SystemTECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SUBSEQUENT REPAIR ACTION: HIGH-VOLTAGE BATTERY PACK ASSEMBLY…
PI2002B_OWNR_7012026-02-24Electrical SystemPRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN: OWNER RENOTIFICATION (PI2002B FL701) - This document is the…

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Soul EV. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group NS battery

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBsMaintenance schedules

Frequently asked

Does the 2016 Soul EV have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.