The Lemon IndexThe variable valve timing for the exhaust camshaft on bank 1 isn't where the computer asked it to be. Full P0014 page
17 owner complaints · the #4 code Kia Soul owners name · 9% of Kia Soul complaints that name a code (every car: 1.0%)
2015–2022 Kia Soul · most: 2015 (5), 2020 (4), 2022 (3)
Kia Soul owners named P0014 in 17 complaints to the U.S. government (NHTSA), most often on the 2015, 2020 and 2022 model years. The part they name most is the engine (replaced or rebuilt) (4 complaints). Complaints are owner reports, not proof of a defect.
Kia Soul model years that report P0014
Owner complaints naming P0014, by model year. Raw counts: years that sold more get more complaints, so this is each model year's record, not a failure rate.
What owners say caused it or fixed it
The most-named part is the engine (replaced or rebuilt), in 4 of the 17 complaints (24%). 3 of those mention it being replaced or repaired. Next: timing chain, tensioner or cam phaser (3), pistons, rings or valves (3) and catalytic converter (2).
- Engine replaced or rebuilt4 complaints3 mention a repair or replacement · what Kia Soul owners paid
- Timing chain, tensioner or cam phaser3 complaints2 mention a repair or replacement, 1 of them says the problem came back · what owners paid
- Pistons, rings or valves3 complaintsnamed as the cause, no repair mentioned
- Catalytic converter2 complaintsnamed as the cause, no repair mentioned · what Kia Soul owners paid
14 complaints mention a recall and 4 mention a warranty.
Counted from the owners' own words: a part counts when a sentence names it with a cause or repair word. What owners wrote, not a diagnosis. A shop should confirm the cause before replacing parts.
Symptoms owners describe with P0014
47% of these complaints say the check engine light came on.
- Stalls or shuts off53%9 of 17 complaints
- Rattles or knocks47%8 of 17 complaints
- Shakes, runs rough or misfires41%7 of 17 complaints
- Uses or leaks oil35%6 of 17 complaints
- Loses power or goes into limp mode29%5 of 17 complaints
- Warning lights and electrical faults18%3 of 17 complaints
Share of the complaints naming P0014 whose text also describes each problem. A complaint can describe more than one.
Codes owners report with it
P0017 7 P0303 3 P000B 3 P0011 2 P0304 2
Other codes named in the same Kia Soul complaints, and in how many.
Repair costs
Kia Soul engine replacement cost · Kia Soul catalytic converter replacement cost
Recalls on these Kia Soul years
- Engine · 2021, 2022 · issued 2025
The piston oil rings may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in engine damage. NHTSA 25V099000 - Engine · 2020, 2021 · issued 2021
The piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which may result in engine damage. NHTSA 21V259000 - Engine · 2015 · issued 2020
An engine compartment fire can occur while driving. NHTSA 20V750000 - Engine · 2015, 2016 · issued 2019
High exhaust gas temperatures may damage the catalytic converter, possibly resulting in abnormal engine combustion and damage to one or more of the engine's pistons and possible piston connecting rod failure. NHTSA 19V120000
4 recalls for the same systems (engine) on the Kia Soul model years above. A recall for the same system isn't proof it's behind P0014. Recall work is free at any dealer: check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with our VIN check.
Keep going
- P0014: meaning, causes and every car that reports it
- Kia Soul reliability by year
- 2015 Kia Soul problems and recalls
Other codes Kia Soul owners report
P0420 P1326 P050A P0300 P0303 P0017 P0302 P1327
P0014 on other cars
Chevrolet Equinox (12) · GMC Terrain (12) · Kia Sorento (10)
The details
How we count
We read every owner complaint in the NHTSA file whose text names this trouble code, and count the ones filed about this model (matched by the make, model and model year on the complaint). Mileage is what the owner entered on the form.
Parts: a complaint counts for a part when one of the owner's own sentences names that part together with a cause word (failed, bad, diagnosed, caused by, leaking ...) or a repair word (replaced, repaired, new, reprogrammed ...). "Came back" means the same complaint also says the problem returned or the repair didn't fix it. These are counts of what owners wrote, not a diagnosis, and one complaint can name several parts.
Complaints are reports, not proof of a defect, and most owners never file one. Popular models get more complaints, so the counts are not a failure rate. The code meaning is the standard SAE J2012 definition in our own words, or the carmaker's meaning where we verified it for that make.
What P0014 means
The variable valve timing for the exhaust camshaft on bank 1 isn't where the computer asked it to be. The engine can idle rough, lose power or use more fuel. Low or dirty oil is a common trigger, because oil pressure moves the timing.
Get it fixed soon. A few more days of normal driving is usually OK, but waiting can turn a small repair into a bigger one or a breakdown.
- Low, old or wrong-grade engine oil
- Sticking oil control (VVT) solenoid
- Worn or stretched timing chain
- Faulty cam phaser
Check the complaints yourself
NHTSA complaint numbers (search them at nhtsa.gov): 11777412, 11771433, 11766145, 11748114, 11736581, 11727919, 11727757, 11723229, 11711598, 11710722, 11678480, 11666469 and 5 more.
Quick answers
What does P0014 mean on a Kia Soul?
B Camshaft Position Timing Over-Advanced or System Performance (Exhaust, Bank 1). The variable valve timing for the exhaust camshaft on bank 1 isn't where the computer asked it to be. The engine can idle rough, lose power or use more fuel. Low or dirty oil is a common trigger, because oil pressure moves the timing.
Which Kia Soul years have the most P0014 complaints?
In complaints to NHTSA, owners of the 2015 (5), 2020 (4), 2022 (3) Kia Soul named P0014 most (17 complaints in all, 2015–2022). Raw counts, not a failure rate.
What fixes P0014 on a Kia Soul?
Owners most often name the engine (replaced or rebuilt) (4 of 17 complaints), then timing chain, tensioner or cam phaser and pistons, rings or valves. That's what owners wrote, not a diagnosis: have a shop confirm the cause with a scan and tests before replacing parts.
Can I drive my Kia Soul with P0014?
Get it fixed soon. A few more days of normal driving is usually OK, but waiting can turn a small repair into a bigger one or a breakdown.
Sources: NHTSA owner complaints that name P0014 on the Kia Soul, counted by The Lemon Index; NHTSA recalls; repair bills owners named. Meanings: SAE J2012 in our own words. Owner reports, not a diagnosis or repair advice for your car.