The Lemon IndexThe crankshaft and the bank 1 camshaft aren't lined up the way the computer expects. Full P0017 page
13 owner complaints · the #7 code Kia Soul owners name · 7% of Kia Soul complaints that name a code (every car: 1.3%)
2020–2022 Kia Soul · most: 2020 (5), 2022 (4), 2021 (4)
Kia Soul owners named P0017 in 13 complaints to the U.S. government (NHTSA), most often on the 2020, 2022 and 2021 model years. The part they name most is the engine (replaced or rebuilt) (3 complaints). Complaints are owner reports, not proof of a defect.
Kia Soul model years that report P0017
Owner complaints naming P0017, 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 3 of the 13 complaints (23%). 2 of those mention it being replaced or repaired. Next: pistons, rings or valves (3), knock sensor (2) and timing chain, tensioner or cam phaser (2).
- Engine replaced or rebuilt3 complaints2 mention a repair or replacement · what Kia Soul owners paid
- Pistons, rings or valves3 complaints1 mentions a repair or replacement, 1 of them says the problem came back
- Knock sensor2 complaints1 mentions a repair or replacement
- Timing chain, tensioner or cam phaser2 complaints1 mentions a repair or replacement · what owners paid
- Catalytic converter2 complaintsnamed as the cause, no repair mentioned · what Kia Soul owners paid
10 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 P0017
54% of these complaints say the check engine light came on.
- Stalls or shuts off69%9 of 13 complaints
- Shakes, runs rough or misfires46%6 of 13 complaints
- Uses or leaks oil46%6 of 13 complaints
- Rattles or knocks31%4 of 13 complaints
- Loses power or goes into limp mode23%3 of 13 complaints
- Brakes or ABS act up15%2 of 13 complaints
Share of the complaints naming P0017 whose text also describes each problem. A complaint can describe more than one.
Codes owners report with it
P0014 7 P0304 3 P0303 3 P0301 2 P0302 2 P000B 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
2 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 P0017. Recall work is free at any dealer: check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with our VIN check.
Keep going
- P0017: meaning, causes and every car that reports it
- Kia Soul reliability by year
- 2020 Kia Soul problems and recalls
Other codes Kia Soul owners report
P0420 P1326 P050A P0014 P0300 P0303 P0302 P1327
P0017 on other cars
Chevrolet Traverse (25) · Chevrolet Equinox (16) · Mercedes-Benz E-Class (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 P0017 means
The crankshaft and the bank 1 camshaft aren't lined up the way the computer expects. That usually points to timing chain or belt problems, so it's worth checking early before it gets worse.
Fix soon. Book a shop visit this week. Stop driving if the car slips, shakes, overheats or warns you.
- Stretched timing chain or jumped belt
- Worn chain guides or tensioner
- Faulty cam or crank sensor
- Oil control (VVT) problem
Check the complaints yourself
NHTSA complaint numbers (search them at nhtsa.gov): 11771433, 11771070, 11748114, 11736581, 11727919, 11727757, 11723229, 11720416, 11711598, 11676696, 11648244, 11504389 and 1 more.
Quick answers
What does P0017 mean on a Kia Soul?
Crankshaft Position - Camshaft Position Correlation (Bank 1 Sensor B). The crankshaft and the bank 1 camshaft aren't lined up the way the computer expects. That usually points to timing chain or belt problems, so it's worth checking early before it gets worse.
Which Kia Soul years have the most P0017 complaints?
In complaints to NHTSA, owners of the 2020 (5), 2022 (4), 2021 (4) Kia Soul named P0017 most (13 complaints in all, 2020–2022). Raw counts, not a failure rate.
What fixes P0017 on a Kia Soul?
Owners most often name the engine (replaced or rebuilt) (3 of 13 complaints), then pistons, rings or valves and knock sensor. 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 P0017?
Fix soon. Book a shop visit this week. Stop driving if the car slips, shakes, overheats or warns you.
Sources: NHTSA owner complaints that name P0017 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.