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2014 Kia Soul

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2014 Soul.

Body SUV

The 2014 Kia Soul is a compact SUV that takes 4.2 quarts of 5W-20 or 5W-30 API-grade oil. Owner-reported data shows 890 complaints, with the engine as the primary trouble spot, alongside five recalls. This places the 2014 model year just below the 2015 peak of 898 complaints in the Soul’s 2010–2025 history, marking it as a notably problematic vintage.

Model year2025 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2014

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.2 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-20 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Lug nut torque65-80 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 121R w/o ISG · 550 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 121R w/o ISG · 550 CCAOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	163 in
Overall width	70.9 in
Overall height	63 in
Wheelbase	101.2 in
Curb weight	2970 lb
Track (front / rear)	61.8 / 62.6 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	61/39

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Soul of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

8.1–9.1 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 8.10 sec — 2014 !

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
2014	! 2.0L I-4	8.10 sec	16.40 sec	164 hp	FWD
2014	! 2.0L I-4	8.40 sec	16.40 sec	164 hp	FWD
2014	+ 2.0L I-4	8.40 sec	16.50 sec	164 hp	FWD
2014	! 2.0L I-4	8.60 sec	16.60 sec	164 hp	FWD
2014	! 2.0L I-4	8.90 sec	17.00 sec	164 hp	FWD
2014	1.6 Wagon 1.6L I-4	9.10 sec	16.90 sec	130 hp	FWD
2015	! 2.0L I-4	8.30 sec	16.40 sec	164 hp	FWD
2015	+ 2.0L I-4	8.50 sec	16.70 sec	164 hp	FWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.2 qt of 5W-20 / 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 · DOT 4 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 65-80 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to Aluminum: 33.0, Steel: 30.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3 · DOT 4
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil	5W-20 · 5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4.2 qt
Engine Oil	5W-20 · 5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	3.8 qt
Manual Transmission Fluid	75W-85 · GL-4
Manual Transmission Fluid Capacity	4.0-4.2

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts	109-116 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts	53-56 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts	87-94 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	14-17 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	22-30 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	14-17 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	22-25 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	Aluminum: 33.0, Steel: 30.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts	65-80 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub	177-199 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order	1-3-4-2
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance	.67-.91 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance	5015-6785 ohms
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance	.67-.91 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance	5015-6785 ohms
Ignition Timing	5, Not adjustable degrees
Ignition Timing Acceptable Variance	10 degrees
Ignition Timing Reference RPM	Idle rpm

Battery & A/C

Standard BCI Group Number	121R w/o ISG
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	550 cca
Standard BCI Group Number	121R w/o ISG
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	550 cca

Service checks

Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)	70.0-75.0 psi
Injector Primary Resistance	1.43-1.58 @ 68 degreesF ohms
Injector Primary Resistance	1.5 @ 68 degreesF ohms
Engine Compression	156-178 PSI. 14 maximum variation PSI.
Engine Compression	178-199 PSI. 15 Maximum variation PSI
Engine Compression	128-149 PSI. 14 Maximum variation PSI
Engine Oil Pressure	14.5 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPM	1000 rpm

Brakes

Brake Application	WITH REAR DISC / WITH STANDARD
Torque Caliper to Bracket	16-23 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle	47-54 ft-lbs / 58-72 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness	0.079 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness	0.039 in
Brake Application	WITH REAR DISC / WITH STANDARD
Rotor Max Parallel Variation	0.0004 in / 0.0002 in
Rotor Runout Limit	0.002 in / 0.001 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs — tightening sequence 1 stages

Prep M6 bolts: Step 1: 52 inch lbs.

2	104-112 inch lbs.; M8 bolts: Step 1: 7 ft. lbs.	104–112 in
2	14-17

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 2 stages

1	13-16 ft. lbs.	13–16 ft. lbs
2	90

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages

13-16 ft. lbs., Step 2: 90

13–16 ft. lbs

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

48-54 ft. lbs., step 2: 43-47

48–54 ft. lbs

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages

Prep Do not reuse old bolts. Apply a 2.00-3.00 mm bead of Hyundai sealant or equivalent RTV to the front cylinder head corners of the upper and lower head gasket. Assembly of the cylinder head must be completed within five minutes of applying the liquid gasket compound.

1	22.0 ft. lbs.	22 ft. lbs
2	90 degrees	90 degrees
3	90 degrees	90 degrees

Main Bearings — tightening sequence 2 stages

1	13-16 ft. lbs.	13–16 ft. lbs
2	90

Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages

20-23 ft. lbs., Step 2: 120-125

20–23 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs at 105,000 mi.

At 7,500 mi	Body Fasteners (inspect) · Brake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Pedal Assembly (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection)
Every 7,500 mi	Battery (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Brake Line (inspect) · Clutch Master Cylinder (inspect fluid level) · Engine Air Filter Element (inspect)
Every 15,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Air Conditioning System (inspect) · Body Fasteners (inspect) · Brake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Pedal Assembly (inspect)
At 30,000 mi	Body Fasteners (inspect) · Brake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Pedal Assembly (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection)
Every 30,000 mi	Fuel Evaporative Canister Filter (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Filter (inspect)
Every 37,500 mi	Transmission Assembly (inspect fluid level)
At 60,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 90,000 mi	Engine Valves (inspect valve lash)
At 105,000 mi	Spark Plugs (replace)

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 2014 Kia Soul sits at the apex of a clear escalation trend across its generation. Complaints rose from 134 in 2010 to 890 in 2014—a more than sixfold increase—while recalls climbed from 3 to 5 during the same period, and TSBs jumped from 74 to 177. The target year preceded the peak complaint years of 2015 (898 complaints, 7 recalls) and 2016 (801 complaints, 5 recalls), meaning 2014 captured the early stages of widespread reliability concerns rather than their full manifestation. By 2017, complaints collapsed to 269 and recalls dropped to 1, suggesting either remedies or natural attrition of problem vehicles from the fleet. Within 2014 itself, the top complaint areas were Engine (384 complaints), Exterior Lighting (81), and a combined Electrical/Exterior category (35), with Steering at 34; additionally, there were 34 crash-related complaints and 68 fire-related complaints logged, though the root causes behind these figures are not specified in the data. Compared to post-2016 model years, 2014 carries a substantially heavier burden of complaints and technical service bulletins, placing it squarely in the problematic middle of its generation arc. The takeaway: while 2014 predates the worst years, it is not a safe haven within this generation—buyers should expect elevated maintenance needs relative to later model years, and a thorough pre-purchase inspection focused on engine and lighting systems is essential.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

177

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

890

Owner complaints

34 involved a crash · 68 a fire

NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars

Overall★★★★★

Frontal★★★★★

Side★★★★★

Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’10 ’11 ’12 ’13’14’15 ’16 ’17 ’18 ’19 ’20 ’21 ’22 ’23 ’24 ’25

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 890 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine384

Exterior Lighting81

Electrical System,Exterior Lighting35

Steering34

Engine & Engine Cooling31

Unknown Or Other24

Unknown Or Other,Engine21

Electrical System21

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 5 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

20V750000EngineReported 02/12/2020

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2013 Sorento, 2012-2015 Forte and Forte Koup, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, 2014-2015 Soul, and 2012 Sportage vehicles. An engine compartment fire can occur while driving. Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine compartment for fuel and/or engine oil leaks, perform an engine test and make any repairs, including engine…

19V120000EngineReported 22/02/2019

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… Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will upgrade the Catalytic Overheating Protection Engine Control Unit logic to prevent overheating of the catalytic converter. In addition, the…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 177 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
CS2311_TSB_R4	2026-06-08	Structure	TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: THEFT DETERRENT IGNITION: CYLINDER…
SC176Y_TSB_R1	2026-03-24	Engine	TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SUBSEQUENT REPAIR ACTION: CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACEMENT AND…
PI2002B_OWNR_701	2026-02-24	Electrical System	PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN: OWNER RENOTIFICATION (PI2002B FL701) - This document is the…
CS2311_OWNR_PC201	2025-12-19	Structure	CUSTOMER SATISFACTION CAMPAIGN: POSTCARD OWNER RENOTIFICATION (CS2311) - This document is…
PS797	2025-12-09	Back Over Prevention	PITSTOP: TECHNICAL OPERATIONS: EXTERNAL DAMAGE TO ULTRASONIC SENSOR: This Pitstop…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

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. 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 121R battery Vehicles taking 4.2 qt

Reference guides

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

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Torque specifications Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2014 Soul take?

4.2 qt of 5W-20 OR 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2014 Soul have open recalls?

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