CSR

Kia · NHTSA safety record

2010 Kia Soul

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

134

Complaints

22

Crashes

15

Fires

18

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2010 Kia Soul have filed 134 safety complaints with NHTSA between July 2009 and April 2026. The most complained-about system is the electrical system, named in 24 of them (18%). The typical failure was reported at 20,000 miles, the median across the 105 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 3 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (3)

STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS

14V822000 · December 29, 2014

The defect
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.
The risk
A detached headliner plate may increase the risk of injury to the occupant during a vehicle crash.
The 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 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC112.

Kia Motors America · up to 95,314 vehicles across all model years covered

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH

13V114000 · April 1, 2013

The defect
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 2007-2010 Rondo and Sportage, model year 2007-2011 Sorento, model year 2007 Sedona, model year 2010-2011 Soul, and model year 2011 Optima vehicles. In September 2013, Kia informed the agency that it was adding an additional 356,719 vehicles to this campaign. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 980,377. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake-transmission shift interlock feature preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.
The risk
Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of PARK without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.
The 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 1-800-333-4542. Kia's recall campaign number is SC098.

Kia Motors Corporation · up to 980,377 vehicles across all model years covered

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

10V388000 · August 31, 2010

The defect
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 VEHICLE'S INTERIOR ACCENT ILLUMINATION, LOCATED IN THE FRONT AND REAR DOOR TRIM PANELS, MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY SOLDERED.
The risk
WHEN THE LIGHTS ARE ILLUMINATED UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, AN ELECTRICAL SHORT MAY OCCUR THAT CAN RESULT IN A FIRE.
The 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 PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 13, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA CONSUMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-333-4542.

KIA MOTORS CORPORATION · up to 35,185 vehicles across all model years covered

Defect investigations (3)

An investigation means NHTSA has decided a pattern is worth examining. A preliminary evaluation is often closed with no action; an engineering analysis is the stage that usually precedes a recall.

Non-crash Vehicle Fires

PE19004

Closed preliminary evaluation · opened March 29, 2019 · closed December 22, 2021 · led to recall 20V088000

the electrical system, the engine, the engine and its cooling, the exterior lighting, unknown or other

During this Preliminary Evaluation (PE), the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) assessed the scope, frequency and potential safety-related consequences of non-crash vehicle fires caused by both engine failures and failures of other vehicle systems/components in model year (MY) 2011-2014 Kia Optima, MY 2011-2014 Kia Sorento and MY 2010-2015 Kia Soul vehicles equipped with Theta II, Gamma, Nu and Lambda II engines (approximately 1.7 million vehicles). ODI also reviewed field and other data on other Kia vehicles (approximately 3.6 million additional vehicles) equipped with the same engines used in the above-mentioned vehicles.As a result of this PE, Kia has issued NHTSA Recalls 20V-750 and 21V-844 to address potential engine failures and fires in certain Kia vehicles equipped with various engine types.Additional information on these and other related recall actions is available in the downloadable version of this resume available at NHTSA.gov.In addition, ODI has upgraded this PE to an Engineering Analysis (EA) 21-003 which will focus on potential recall scope concerns and recall remedy concerns related to the engine failure-related recalls mentioned above and conducted previously.See the EA21-003 Opening Resume available at NHTSA.gov for more information.Also available in the downloadable version of this resume is a list of the reference numbers for the 444 ODI reports, or Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs), cited above which ODI received through mid-November 2021.Note that the Manufacturer reports cited above are customer complaints received through March 2019.

Non-crash Vehicle Fires

DP18003

Closed defect petition · opened August 21, 2018 · closed May 10, 2019 · led to recall 18V907000

the electrical system, the engine, the engine and its cooling, the exterior lighting, unknown or other

In a letter dated June 11, 2018, the Center for Auto Safety (CAS) petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to initiate a safety defect investigation into non-collision related fires on model year (MY) 2011-2014 Kia Optima and Sorento, and Hyundai Sonata and Santa Fe vehicles. In a letter dated July 24, 2018, CAS requested that MY 2010-2015 Kia Soul vehicles be added to the petition. CAS stated that there is a higher number of complaints to NHTSA regarding non-crash fires on these vehicles compared to other similar vehicles. The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) had already opened Recall Queries (RQ17-003 and RQ17-004) on all Kia and Hyundai vehicles equipped with Theta II engines for engine failures that may cause stalling and fires.The queries cover most of the petition subject Optima, Sorento, Sonata, and Santa Fe vehicles but not any of the subject Soul vehicles.On August 21, 2018, ODI opened a Defect Petition (DP18-003) to evaluate whether to grant or deny the CAS petition. ODI sent Information Request letters to Kia and Hyundai (September and October 2018) requesting information on all engine and non-engine related fires in the petition vehicles.ODI performed extensive analysis on the information obtained from Kia and Hyundai. During the DP18-003 analysis, Kia and Hyundai each initiated three additional safety recalls related to engine compartment fires on certain petitioned and non-petitioned vehicles (nearly 740,000 total vehicles: Recalls 18V-907, 18V-934, 19V-101, 19V-063, 19V-120, and 19V-204). Based on ODI?s review of the applicable materials, including responses to Information Requests sent to multiple manufacturers, Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQ), and Early Warning Data, NHTSA decided to grant the petition.The CAS petition was granted on March 29, 2019. Preliminary Evaluations (PE19-003 on Hyundai and PE19-004 on Kia) have been opened to assess the scope, frequency, and potential safety-related consequences of alleged defects relating to non-collision vehicle fires in the 2011-2014 Kia Optima and Sorento, 2011-2014 Hyundai Sonata and Santa Fe, and 2010-2015 Kia Soul.Attached is a list of the reference numbers for the 404 VOQs cited above.

Steering Shaft Separation

PE10030

Closed preliminary evaluation · opened August 12, 2010 · closed December 14, 2010

the steering

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) is aware of a single complaint on the subject vehicles that alleges the hand wheel became mechanically de-coupled from the road wheels when the intermediate steering shaft universal joint separated from the upper steering column.It appears that the intermediate steering shaft in the complaint vehicle was disassembled and then improperly re-assembled with the universal joint not fully engaged with the upper steering column's splined shaft and the pinch bolt was not secured in the retaining groove when fastened.The component supplier has added additional fool-proofing measures to the assembly process to further reduce the likelihood of improper assembly.Kia inspected a total of 3,695 subject vehicles and steering column assemblies at the component supplier, the vehicle assembly plant in Korea and at US ports in the weeks immediately following the opening of this pursuit and found no evidence of improper assembly.Kia also conducted a service action (SA057) to inspect another 169 subject vehicles (out of 336) manufactured on the same day as the complaint vehicle and a total of 594 subject vehicles (out of 1,747) manufactured during the same week as the complaint vehicle and found no issues to report.An additional 342 subject vehicles outside the scope of the service action were also inspected and again Kia found no evidence of improper assembly.A safety-related defect trend has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist.The agency will take further action if warranted by the circumstances.

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 134.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 24 18%
STRUCTURE 21 16%
AIR BAGS 20 15%
STEERING 12 9%
POWER TRAIN 11 8%
SERVICE BRAKES 11 8%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 11 8%
VISIBILITY 10 7%
ENGINE 9 7%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 9 7%
TIRES 6 4%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 5 4%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2010 at 35.

2009 2010 2026
2009 to 2026, the last of them a part year

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

AIR BAGS

2 injured · crash · 78,000 miles

AUTO SE ACELER CAUSANDO ACCIDENTE. ENTRANDO AL ESTACIONAMIENTO SE ACELER CHOCANDO CON LA PARED DEL CONDOMINIO

NHTSA complaint 11151094. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · fire · crash · towed · 53,000 miles

AS I WAS DRIVING NORTH ON I-95 IT HAD STARTED TO RAIN. I WAS IN THE LEFT LANE OF A TWO LANE HIGHWAY GOING 60 MPH IN A 70 MPH ZONE WHEN AN 18 WHEELER WENT BY ME GOING 85 MPH OR MORE. IT PUSHED WATER ON THE ROAD OVER INTO MY LANE AND I FELT MY WHEELS BEGIN TO MOVE. I LET OFF THE GAS AND GRIPPED THE WHEEL. MY ESC LIGHT NEVER TURNED ON. I HYDROPLANED FROM MY LANE INTO THE RIGHT LANE THEN BACK INTO MY LANE AND OFF THE ROAD. THE WHEELS LOCKED ABOUT 20 FEET OFF THE ROAD AND THE CAR TIPPED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND HIT A TREE. I HAD MY SEATBELT ON AS I SAT AND DIALED 911. MY WINDSHIELD WAS SPIDERWEBBED, MY HOOD OF THE CAR WAS UP, AND ALL MY BELONGINGS WERE THROWN ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR. I WAS

NHTSA complaint 10935357, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · fire · crash · towed · 191,284 miles

"TAKATA RECALL" THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY WHEN THE CAR WAS HIT TRAVELING SOUTH BOUND. A VEHICLE PULLED OUT IN FRONT AND COULD NOT AVOID HITTING THE VEHICLE. TRAVELING ON A STRAIGHT WAY ON CITY STREET. INSURANCE HAVE TOTALED THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint 11208079. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

1 injured · fire · crash · 20,000 miles

THE 2010 SOUL HAD A MAJOR FAILURE WHEN IT IMPACTED A TREE AT 10 MPH. THERE WERE NO LEAKING FLUIDS, SIGNS OF SMOKE OR FIRE. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE ROUGHLY 15 MINUTES LATER AND BURNED TOTALLY UP BEFORE FIRE CREWS COULD GET THERE TO PUT IT OUT. THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE WAS BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND THE FIRE WALL. I FEEL AS THOUGH THE SAFETY BUMPERS THAT ARE REQUIRED BY LAW TO WORK BELLOW THE 15 MPH CONSTRAINT ARE UNDER DESIGNED. *TR

NHTSA complaint 10351526. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
See attached document for complaint.

NHTSA complaint 11728848. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Gas tank mounting are rusting and are not the correctly plated

NHTSA complaint 11691093. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

STEERING
Hello, I would like to report that someone attempted to steal my 2010 Kia Soul. The incident occurred on [XXX], in San Jose, CA 95111. As a result of the attempted theft, there is damage to the car’s steering wheel and ignition. Please let me know if additional information or documentation is needed to assist with this report. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint 11630982. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
Scanner can not communicate with the ecm/tcm U0101 code shifting issues starting issues

NHTSA complaint 11570456. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES
I bought car being financed in sac,ca. August 8, 2023. Took back referred to mechanic round corner. Brake rotor issues fixed front this was August 14 noise still exist took back turned back rotors scraping noise pulling to left took to other automotive repairs ,inspections shocks original 2010 208,000 miles , brakes rotors scratches need replacing , pads, sway bar crack or been welded, sway bar link needs replacing crack control arms bushings cracked,windshield wipers needed replacing, check engine light I replaced coils and spark plugs, valve cover gasket leak ,front tires worn . Brakes sway bar axle issues could have have tragic accidents rollover cause injury to self passengers

NHTSA complaint 11555882, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

fire

I was driving down the interstate on my way to work when my check engine light turned on and began flashing rapidly. I then began to get over to the shoulder and into safety when I heard what sounded like a loud dropping sound come from the engine and smoke started coming out of the hood. When I got pulled over to the shoulder, I ran and popped my hood and saw that the whole battery was on fire, within minutes the whole car was engulfed and I was told to get back for my safety by someone that stopped.

NHTSA complaint 11551804. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Kia Soul

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2023 48 4 1
2022 88 1 3
2021 227 2
2020 370 1 8
2019 134 1
2018 213 1 1
2017 270 1
2016 798 2
2015 896 4 1
2014 893 5 1
2013 660 3
2012 514 3 2
2011 193 3 1

Other 2010 Kia models

Every Kia on this site — 176 vehicles, 208 recall campaigns and 1 open investigation .

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst