Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Seltos and Soul vehicles. The piston oil rings may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in engine damage.
2010-2025 · 16 model years
Kia Soul Problems by year
Owners have filed 5,391 complaints about the Kia Soul across 16 model years, and it has 15 recalls. The 2015 has the most complaints once its age is allowed for (909), while 2024, 2025 have far fewer than a typical year. The most reported problem area is the engine & cooling, followed by the steering.
- Complaints
- 5,391
- Recalls
- 15
- Crashes
- 261
- Fires
- 323
- Injuries
- 259
- Deaths
- 18
Soul complaints by model year
Highlighted: the year with the most complaints for its age. Older vehicles have had more time to collect complaints - the Safety Index grade allows for that.
Most common Soul problems
Kia Soul recalls 15
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Soul and 2024 Seltos vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the side curtain air bags may deploy unexpectedly.
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Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The...
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Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Soul, Sportage, and 2023-2024 Seltos vehicles. The electronic controller for the Idle Stop & Go oil pump assembly may contain damaged electrical components that can cause the pump to overheat.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage Plug-in Hybrid, Niro Hybrid, Niro Plug-in Hybrid, Soul, and Telluride vehicles equipped with a digital instrument cluster containing a 4.2" LCD screen. The instrument...
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2014 Soul vehicles. The front air bags may not deploy during a crash if the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) loses communication with the front impact sensors.
Covers2014 Kia Soul
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Sedona, Soul, Soul EV, 2017-2018 Forte, and 2017 Forte Koup vehicles. The Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) cover may contact a memory chip on the printed circuit board and damage the electrical circuit...
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Soul, and 2021 Seltos vehicles equipped with 2.0L Nu MPI engines. The piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which may result in engine damage.
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.
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 in abnormal engine combustion and...
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.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Soul and Soul electric vehicles manufactured July 21, 2013, to January 8, 2015. A section of the accelerator pedal may bend and fracture.
Latest Soul complaints
During driving my car loses acceleration and is only able to drive no higher than 16 mph. This occurred on the highway, side streets and it starts within 20 minutes of starting the car. There is currently a settlement for a SC - 199. I found out that it only qualifies for Kia souls 2020 through 2021 standard models and mine is a XL.
My 2018 Kia Soul is burning oil at a very fast rate. I am aware of an engine recall for this model and I need to have it looked at for this problem. I have been sometimes running on no oil in my engine, but unaware of it even though I have oil changes done on a very regular basis.
My car had cylinder 4 misfire and was shaking. 4 spark plugs had to be replaced.
This is a recall for the fuel sensor, obviously. I contacted Kia immediately to inspect the car but they are very slow to take any action and now the tow lot is getting ready to take ownership of the car and it will not be available after next week. Kia was negligent in meeting the reasonable deadline initially provided to them. I parked at a gas pump at a busy gas station across the street from a fireworks store. The car started smoking and then fire engulfed the entire engine compartment. It took a few minutes...
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for the fire department to get there, and my car burned at a gas pump presenting a significant danger to everyone in the vicinity. This car is part of a recall for the fuel sensor problem. Kia has refused to meet the tow lot's deadlines for inspection availability. There is a Sheriff's report available and 2 fire departments should have reports on it. My minimum liability insurance does not cover this kind of incident. There were no warning signs before the fire started other than a brief amount of smoke. The car was parked and turned off. Now Kia is saying they will not be able to compensate me for my losses because they waited too long to inspect the car. However, I provided them with videos of my car burning which would match exactly with the recall associated with this issue.
Authorized KIA dealer is refusing to execute an active safety recall (SC176) on this vehicle experiencing the exact engine failure described in the defect report. It is currently at Don Franklin KIA in Somerset, KY. Vehicle experienced complete loss of oil pressure from engine failure. Was towed to this dealership who stated the because the title is rebuilt because of unrelated cosmetic hail damage only, they would not perform the safety recall or the diagnostic testing because they feel the warranty is void...
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because of the cosmetic damage. Contacted KIA customer support who also states they would only perform safety recall or diagnostic testing if I paid out of pocket. This is a Kentucky Blue, rebuilt title related strictly to cosmetic hail damage only.
I own a 2017 Kia Soul with the 1.6L GDI engine (VIN [[redacted]]), approximately 84,000 miles. In [redacted] the check engine light came on, the engine began misfiring and running rough, and the vehicle lost power to the point it was unsafe to drive. A Kia dealer (Kia of Bedford, Bedford, OH) diagnosed the failure and reported that the cylinder 4 piston is severely damaged, requiring engine replacement. The vehicle has been out of service since [redacted]. This failure - piston damage on the 1.6L Gamma GDI engine -...
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matches the failure pattern covered by recall SC176 for this same engine in 2012-2016 Kia Soul models. My 2017 model year falls just outside that recall. No accident or injuries occurred. I have also opened a case with Kia Consumer Affairs (#[redacted]), which is pending INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Questions about the Kia Soul
Which Kia Soul years have the most problems?
Which Kia Soul years have the fewest complaints?
What are the most common Kia Soul problems?
Across every model year, owners report problems with the engine & cooling (3,250), steering (516), electrical system (512) most often.
How many recalls does the Kia Soul have?
NHTSA lists 15 recalls across all Kia Soul model years. Each year's page lists the recalls for that year; check your own vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether the repair has been done.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked daily. Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data