Kia Soul

Where it stands out against its peers

• Engine: more complaints than 99% of 2015 cars — 70% of its 902 complaints, where an ordinary 2015 car has 20%.
• Engine and engine cooling: more complaints than 93% of 2015 cars — 6% of its 902 complaints, where an ordinary 2015 car has 2%.

Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.

Before you buy one

Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.

• ENGINE — 445 owners reported this, 1 involving a crash, 40 involving a fire
• ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING — 28 owners reported this, 2 involving a fire
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — 25 owners reported this, 3 involving a fire
• ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,ENGINE — 25 owners reported this
• POWER TRAIN,ENGINE — 25 owners reported this, 3 involving a fire
• ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM — 24 owners reported this, 1 involving a crash, 1 involving a fire
• EXTERIOR LIGHTING — 24 owners reported this

Crash test

Crash-tested by NHTSA, the American road safety agency.

Specification

Recalls

Filed by the manufacturer with a regulator. A recall is repaired free of charge, whoever owns the car now.

77% of 2022 cars have more recall campaigns than this one, and an ordinary one has 3. More of them means more to check the service record for, not a worse car.

• 14V822000

  A detached headliner plate may increase the risk of injury to the occupant during a vehicle crash.

  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 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC112.

• 15V123000

  If the vehicle has a bent or broken accelerator pedal, the driver may have difficulty accelerating the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

  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 for this recall is SC116.

• 17V608000

  If the pinion gear separates, steering will be lost, increasing the risk of a crash.

  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 service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC155. Note: This recall supersedes campaigns 14V-332 and 15V-736. Vehicles previously remedied under those numbers are being recalled again under this campaign.

• 19V120000

  Piston damage may result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash. A broken connecting rod may puncture the engine block allowing engine oil to escape. The leaking oil may contact the exhaust, increasing the risk of a fire.

  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 replaced if it has been damaged. Depending on the extent of any damage, the engine may also be replaced, free of charge. The recall began April 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC176.

• 20V750000

  An engine compartment fire increases the risk of injury.

  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 addition, Kia dealers will update the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) software, free of charge. The recall began January 27, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC200.

• 21V259000

  A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, oil may leak onto hot exhaust components, increasing the risk of a fire.

  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. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC209.

• 22V031000

  Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.

  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 customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC226.

• 22V096000

  Front air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.

  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.

2 more campaigns have been filed against this model. A dealer can check by VIN which apply to one car.

Regulator investigations

Opened by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation is a question the regulator asked about a possible defect, not a fault it found — most end without a recall.

• Kia 25V099 Piston Oil Ring Recall Effectiveness

  Audit query, opened August 2025, closed December 2025.

• Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires

  Audit query, opened November 2023, still open.

• Loss of Motive Power

  Defect petition, opened September 2022, closed December 2023.

• Engine Fires

  Engineering analysis, opened December 2021, closed February 2024.

• Non-crash Vehicle Fires

  Preliminary evaluation, opened March 2019, closed December 2021.

• Non-crash Vehicle Fires

  Defect petition, opened August 2018, closed May 2019.

• Steering Shaft Separation

  Preliminary evaluation, opened August 2010, closed December 2010.

What the maker told its dealers

Service bulletins are the manufacturer's own repair guidance to dealers, filed with NHTSA. A bulletin is not a defect finding; the count rises with how many things a maker writes down, not only with how many go wrong.

Kia filed 12 bulletins about the 2025 Soul.

• Electrical system: 10
• Back over prevention: 1
• Power train: 1

• TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM SOFTWARE UPDATE USING UPDATE.KIA.COM - This bulletin provides information and service procedures for updating the infotainment systems on applicable… · June 2026
• PITSTOP: TECHNICAL OPERATIONS: EXTERNAL DAMAGE TO ULTRASONIC SENSOR: This Pitstop provides information related to Parking Distance Warning (PDW) alerts and repairs involving ultrasonic sensors. The… · December 2025
• TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: HORN ASSEMBLY INSPECTION/REPLACEMENT (WTY041) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a… · September 2025
• TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE ACTION: MDPS CONNECTOR LOCKING INSERT INSPECTION (SA623) - This bulletin provides information to inspect the steering MDPS connector on certain 2025MY Soul (SK3)… · July 2025
• TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: TRANSMISSION FLUID APPLICATION GUIDE - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar… · April 2025
• WARRANTY EXTENSION CAMPAIGN: OWNER NOTIFICATION (WTY041) - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia is extending the New Vehicle Limited Warranty coverage, to all owners, for repairs… · April 2025
• TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE ACTION: KIA CONNECT MODEM RESET (SA611) - This bulletin outlines the procedure for resetting the modem in certain 2016-2025MY Kia vehicles listed on page 3 that… · March 2025
• TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: WARRANTY EXTENSION CAMPAIGN: HORN ASSEMBLY INSPECTION/REPLACEMENT (WTY041) - This bulletin provides information associated with the ‘Warranty Extension Program’ (WTY041)… · March 2025

4 more.

Grouped by NHTSA's top-level system; a bulletin filed under a sub-heading counts toward its system.