2014 Kia Soul Recalls, Complaints & Specs
5 safety recalls list the 2014 Kia Soul, and owners have filed 902 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
5 safety recalls for the 2014 Kia Soul
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Software (air bags) and air bags: frontal
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.
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Engine
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…
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Engine and catalytic convertor (engine and engine cooling)
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…
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Steering
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…
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Accelerator pedal (vehicle speed control)
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…
902 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2014 Kia Soul have filed 902 complaints with NHTSA; 33 describe a crash and 69 describe a fire. Reports cite 28 injuries and 1 death. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 85,422 miles. Complaints peaked in 2019 with 177 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“I purchased my Kia Soul because I believed I was purchasing a dependable vehicle that I could rely on for my everyday transportation. Unfortunately, my experience with the vehicle has been very differ”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, October 2, 2026 · Engine
“Trouble with acceleration, when coming to a full stop then trying to accelerate the car feels like it doesn't want to move. Slows down to approximately 15mph when going up hills even when gas pedal pu”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 29, 2026 · Unknown or other
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2014 Kia Soul (Soul ECO dynamics). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 26 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 23–24 / 30 |
| Fuel | Regular |
| EPA class | Small Station Wagons |
| Engine | 4 cyl, 1.6/2 L |
| Transmission | Automatic 6-spd; Manual 6-spd |
Compare Kia Soul model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Kia Soul model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 Kia Soul | 3 | 135 |
| 2011 Kia Soul | 3 | 194 |
| 2012 Kia Soul | 3 | 514 |
| 2013 Kia Soul | 3 | 664 |
| 2014 Kia Soul | 5 | 902 |
| 2015 Kia Soul | 4 | 899 |
| 2016 Kia Soul | 2 | 816 |
| 2017 Kia Soul | 1 | 272 |
| 2018 Kia Soul | 1 | 218 |
| 2019 Kia Soul | 1 | 136 |
| 2020 Kia Soul | 1 | 383 |
| 2021 Kia Soul | 2 | 236 |
| 2022 Kia Soul | 1 | 89 |
| 2023 Kia Soul | 4 | 53 |
| 2024 Kia Soul | 0 | 30 |
| 2025 Kia Soul | 0 | 12 |
Checking a specific 2014 Kia Soul
How do I know if my 2014 Kia Soul has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 5 campaigns currently list the 2014 Kia Soul; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Kia dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 15V123000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Kia models
- Sorento10,183 complaints
- Optima7,512 complaints
- Sportage4,699 complaints
- Forte2,553 complaints
- Sedona2,410 complaints
- Telluride2,026 complaints
- Sephia1,705 complaints
- Rio1,291 complaints
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.