RecallMyCar

Kia Soul Recalls & Complaints by Model Year

NHTSA lists 15 safety recalls and 5,553 owner complaints across 16 model years of the Kia Soul (2010–2025). The most-complained-about year is 2014.

15
safety recalls, all years
5,553
owner complaints, all years
2014
year with most recalls
2014
year with most complaints

Pick your Kia Soul model year

Model yearRecallsComplaints
2025 Kia Soul012
2024 Kia Soul030
2023 Kia Soul453
2022 Kia Soul189
2021 Kia Soul2236
2020 Kia Soul1383
2019 Kia Soul1136
2018 Kia Soul1218
2017 Kia Soul1272
2016 Kia Soul2816
2015 Kia Soul4899
2014 Kia Soul5902
2013 Kia Soul3664
2012 Kia Soul3514
2011 Kia Soul3194
2010 Kia Soul3135

What Kia Soul owners complain about

Across all model years, owners have filed 5,553 complaints with NHTSA. The 2014 model year has the most, with 902.

All Kia Soul recalls (15)

Every NHTSA safety campaign that lists a Kia Soul, most recent first, with the model years each one covers.

  1. Hard parts internal/mechanical (engine and engine cooling)

    NHTSA 25V099000 Reported 137,256 vehicles potentially affected Kia America, Inc.

    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.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Dealers will also install piston-ring noise sensing system (PNSS) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 4,…

    Model years: 2021, 2022, 2023

  2. Air bags

    NHTSA 23V830000 Reported 2,967 vehicles potentially affected Kia America, Inc.

    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.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace both side curtain air bag modules as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 31, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's…

    Model years: 2023

  3. Service brakes, hydraulic: control unit/module Park outside

    NHTSA 23V652000 Reported 1,730,192 vehicles potentially affected Kia America, Inc.

    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 Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which…

    Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk,…

    Model years: 2011, 2012, 2013

  4. Pump (power train) Park outside

    NHTSA 23V531000 Reported 39,765 vehicles potentially affected Kia America, Inc.

    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.

    Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will inspect and replace the electric oil pump controller, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification…

    Model years: 2023

  5. Instrument cluster/panel (electrical system)

    NHTSA 23V298000 Reported 108,936 vehicles potentially affected Kia America, Inc.

    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 cluster may fail to display any information when the vehicle is started. As such,…

    Remedy: Dealers will update the instrument cluster software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 26, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC270.

    Model years: 2023

  6. Software (air bags) and air bags: frontal

    NHTSA 22V096000 Reported 128,280 vehicles potentially affected Kia Motors America

    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.

    Remedy: Dealers will update the ACU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 4, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC229.

    Model years: 2014

  7. Air bags

    NHTSA 22V031000 Reported 410,619 vehicles potentially affected Kia Motors America

    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. Circuit damage may result in deactivated air bags that will not deploy in a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect the ACU, and either update the software or replace the unit, as necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 21, 2022. Owners may contact Kia…

    Model years: 2017, 2018, 2019

  8. Engine

    NHTSA 21V259000 Reported 147,249 vehicles potentially affected Kia Motors America

    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.

    Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the engine, free of charge. In addition, Kia will deploy Piston Ring Noise Sensing System (PNSS) software. The recall began June 11, 2021.…

    Model years: 2020, 2021

  9. Engine

    NHTSA 20V750000 Reported 294,756 vehicles potentially affected Kia Motors America

    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 replacement, as necessary, free of charge. In…

    Model years: 2014, 2015

  10. Engine and catalytic convertor (engine and engine cooling)

    NHTSA 19V120000 Reported 378,967 vehicles potentially affected Kia Motors America

    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 damage to one or more of the engine's pistons and possible piston connecting rod…

    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 catalytic converter will also be…

    Model years: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016

  11. Steering

    NHTSA 17V608000 Reported 342,381 vehicles potentially affected Kia Motors America

    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.

    Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and secure the pinion plug or replace the steering gear assembly, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 16, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer…

    Model years: 2014, 2015, 2016

  12. Accelerator pedal (vehicle speed control)

    NHTSA 15V123000 Reported 208,858 vehicles potentially affected Kia Motors America

    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.

    Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will add a supporting rubber underneath the pedal stopper, free of charge. The recall began on March 24, 2015. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number…

    Model years: 2014, 2015

  13. Roof and pillars (structure)

    NHTSA 14V822000 Reported 95,314 vehicles potentially affected Kia Motors America

    Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 Kia Soul vehicles manufactured January 8, 2009, to October 2, 2013, equipped with a sun roof. A headliner plate may detach during deployment of the curtain air bag.

    Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will install industrial adhesive strips to secure the headliner plates, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 2, 2015. Owners may contact Kia customer service at…

    Model years: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013

  14. Switch (exterior lighting)

    NHTSA 13V114000 Reported 980,377 vehicles potentially affected Kia Motors Corporation

    Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Rondo, model year 2007-2011 Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, model year 2010-2011 Soul, model year 2008-2011 Optima, model year 2010 Forte, model year 2007-2009 Amanti, and model year 2009 Borrego vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Kia recalled 623,658 model year…

    Remedy: Kia will send an interim notification to owners in May 2013. When parts are available, owners will receive a second notification and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. Owners may contact Kia at…

    Model years: 2010, 2011

  15. Electrical system: wiring

    NHTSA 10V388000 Reported 35,185 vehicles potentially affected KIA MOTORS CORPORATION

    KIA is recalling certain model year 2010 soul and model year 2011 sorento vehicles manufactured from september 7, 2009 through july 30, 2010. A limited number of wiring harnesses supplied by jci and used for the lighting in the KIA soul vehicle's advanced lighting speakers, located in the front door trim panels, and the KIA sorento…

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the wiring harnesses for the lights in the KIA soul vehicle's advanced lighting speakers, and the wiring harness for the KIA sorento vehicle's interior accent illumination. This service will be…

    Model years: 2010

Other Kia models

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.