2018 Kia Soul Recalls, Complaints & Specs
1 safety recall lists the 2018 Kia Soul, and owners have filed 218 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
1 safety recall for the 2018 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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Air bags
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…
218 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2018 Kia Soul have filed 218 complaints with NHTSA; 14 describe a crash and 14 describe a fire. Reports cite 12 injuries and 1 death. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 54,800 miles. Complaints peaked in 2025 with 32 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“This Kia has an oil consumption issue I need to add oil every 3 to 4 hundred miles also my oil gets black at least 1 week after an oil change.”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 9, 2026 · Engine
“This Kia has an oil consumption issue I need to add oil every 3 to 4 hundred miles also my oil gets black at least 1 week after an oil change.”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 9, 2026 · Engine
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2018 Kia Soul (Soul Electric). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 27–108 MPGe |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 24–124 / 30–93 |
| Fuel | Electricity, Regular |
| EPA class | Small Station Wagons |
| Engine | 4 cyl, 1.6/2 L |
| Transmission | Automatic (A1); Automatic (AM7); Automatic (S6); 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 2018 Kia Soul
How do I know if my 2018 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. 1 campaign currently lists the 2018 Kia Soul; your car may already have been repaired under it.
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 22V031000).
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.