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Battery drain 2014 Kia Soul

10K views 36 replies 11 participants last post by  drivingandcrying 
#1 ·
2014 Kia Soul Exclaim
Battery drain. Service guy says "something" may be draining the battery. Maybe electrical? No one seems to be able to locate the problem. Any suggestions?
 
#4 ·
Welcome,
First off, you've posted to a Generation 1 (2010-2013) forum, but your 2014 Soul is a Generation 2 (2014-2019) car. I have asked the moderators to move this thread to the appropriate forum for your Soul model year.

Potential problems that can cause battery issues are discussed here very often and you can review them via the Advanced Search tool. A solution might be found within these results. Below is a return of search results for "battery drain".

"Battery Drain" search results:


Sure there's a lot of posts to slog through, but unless you're prepared to get yourself a multimeter to measure voltages across you electrical system you might be better off taking the car to a qualified mechanic with electrical experience. Unfortunately if you're looking for a quick, simple fix you probably won't find it as a car's electrical system is complex as are problems associated it. Where batteries are concerned a lot of testing of the electrical system will be necessary and those knowledgeable here might walk you through these tests, but you'll need to perform those tests yourself with a basic understanding on how to use a multimeter on a car's electrical system.

That said, do you happen to have any device plugged into the ODB2 port located within the fuse box (under the left-side of the steering wheel on the dash) like a "good driver" monitor such as those issued by insurance companies or car loan companies? Those devices could drain the battery since they still draw power when the car is turnead off, dependng on the device.

Additionally, sometimes older Souls can have loose or insufficiently connected battery grounds that can cause a myriad of battery-related problems. Again the Advanced Search tool can be used:

"Battery Ground" search results:


Here are a few threads related to battery grounding problems that may help you understand the issues Soul's have with insufficient battery grounds. These may or may not help your particular problem, but it's a place to start.






Please also share here any other information you can about your Soul, such as the car's mileage, owner status (1st, 2nd, 3rd owner?), ect. This can help those here to better understand more about your vehicle's history.

Good luck.
 
#5 ·
Hope This is where I add additional info on my Kia issue...!
2014 Kia Soul Exclaim. 27K Miles on it. Purchased new.
Nothing plugged into the OBD2 port.
Low mileage due to formerly work being 5 min. from home.
Now live in small town/everything close by. Could not driving much be an issue?
Also country living, built log cabin here .... dusty roads, etc. be a problem?
Warranty is 67/5 yr so it's out of warranty.
I am "Monte600" Thanks.!
 
#6 · (Edited)
Could not driving much be an issue?

Yes it could, but not if the battery is only 6 months old as you claim. Short distance driving has prematurely killed many of our batteries on our older minivan, but we'd still got 2-3 years from the battery before problems began. Side Note; Short distance driving will also hurt your GDI engine in other ways, so be sure search these forums about oil change intervals, oil type and weight, TopTier gasoline, Techron, carbon build-up on valves, oil loss & GDI engine failure to understand how to avoid those problems down the road. (use the terms in yellow as your search terms)

You said you brought it to 3 good shops, what did they test and tell you? Do they specialize in auto electrical systems or is this a shop that's handles "everything"? For example, a muffler shop that also performs a few other maintenance services. What did they test other than the battery? Did they test the grounding wires or any other parts of the electrical system? The more we know what they already tested and what those tests showed, the better we can help you.

Who replaced the battery? Did you take it back to them and what did they say? What did they test, just the battery?

Also, are you adept at using a multimeter to test voltage and resistance and how familiar are you with automotive electrical systems? If not then asking here probably won't help you much because you're going to be asked for voltage & resistance readings from various parts of you electrical system in order for us to understand where the problem may be coming from—it's the only thing we here on these forums can do to help you remotely,you will still need to do the work. As I said before it's most likely not an easy, "flip a switch" kind of fix and will require testing and narrowing down what's not allowing your battery to recharge when driving.

Has your alternator been tested at all? Have you made sure your battery contacts are clean (no corrosion) and making good contacts with the battery posts and has a solid ground to an unpainted part of the body? When reading through the links I gave you before pay particular attention to what's been said about the battery's ground. Some Souls have had all kinds of electrical issues that have led to the grounding strap simply not making a solid ground connection.

I know these are a lot of questions, but once other members who are experienced with automotive electrical systems chime in on this thread (I'm far from an electrical expert) they're going to be asking you far more technical questions. They'll need to know just how comfortable you are with testing your car's electrical system yourself.
 
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#11 ·
I had a similar problem with another make and model, but this might be something to check - the little courtesy lights in the glove compartment and under the hood. In my case, the one in the glove compartment didn't turn off when the glove compartment was closed. Stayed on, and it was just enough draw to drain the battery in 24 hour period... Two mechanics never found it, I found it my self checking by everything after dark...
 
#12 ·
I thought about that this very afternoon....but that's kinda like seeing the refrigerator light go off :rolleyes:
I took it this morning to a repair shop highly recommended...actually I know one of the owners from way back when...they have dealt with this before, so fingers crossed they find the problem and get it fixed,,,🤞
 
#24 ·
I love my Kia
Now love it back: Feed it TopTier gas, check its oil levels weekly, change its oil often (6 months/3000 miles), use synthetic oil, and put a bottle of Techron in your gas at every oil change. Search any of these terms here in these forums for more in-depth info about how owners should properly maintain a GDI engine. The alternative could be a prematurely dead engine if not maintained faithfully.
 
#30 ·
I too had this problem and paid Kia to fix but they didn't fix the problem. Now years later after using a charger and changing the battery twice, my DH notice that I always use the park brake. He told me to stop unless I'm parked on a hill. I haven't had a dead battery since. Apparently using the emergency brake can drain the battery in two days.
 
#31 ·
Umm.....did you think to ask exactly HOW the parking brake is draining the battery? That's really the big question, because that is not normal.

I'm hoping he didn't try to sell you some vacation property in Florida as well :rolleyes:
 
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