2013 Kia Soul problems and recalls

Owners have filed 660 complaints on the 2013 Kia Soul, and NHTSA has issued 3 recalls. The most cited component is the Engine (282 complaints).

660
Complaints
3
Recalls
22
Crash reports
45
Fire reports
25
Injuries
81.4
Severity index

Severity index 81.4 High. The index weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints. How it is calculated.

Middle half of all tracked vehiclesThis vehicle: 81.4p25 46p75 80cleanestworst
Severity index against the quartile range for all tracked vehicles.

Ranked 41 of 145 by severity index among 2013 vehicles with at least 40 complaints, highest first. 72% of those vehicles scored lower. Full 2013 ranking.

Components cited in complaints

EngineEngine: 282 complaints (42.7%)282 43%SteeringSteering: 150 complaints (22.7%)150 23%Service BrakesService Brakes: 99 complaints (15.0%)99 15%Electrical SystemElectrical System: 71 complaints (10.8%)71 11%HydraulicHydraulic: 67 complaints (10.2%)67 10%Unknown Or OtherUnknown Or Other: 61 complaints (9.2%)61 9%Engine And Engine Cooli…Engine And Engine Cooling: 43 complaints (6.5%)43 7%Fuel/Propulsion SystemFuel/Propulsion System: 27 complaints (4.1%)27 4%
A single complaint can cite more than one component, so shares total over 100%.
ComponentComplaintsShare of complaints citing it
ENGINE28242.7%
STEERING15022.7%
SERVICE BRAKES9915.0%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM7110.8%
HYDRAULIC6710.2%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER619.2%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING436.5%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM274.1%

Complaints filed per year

0601202013: 142014: 222015: 182016: 132017: 122018: 382019: 1172020: 712021: 582022: 502023: 802024: 1122025: 372026: 18 (partial year)1314151617181911720212223242526
Complaints by the calendar year they were filed. The hatched bar is the current year to date.
YearComplaints
201314
201422
201518
201613
201712
201838
2019117
202071
202158
202250
202380
2024112
202537
2026 (year to date)18
Filings in 2023 to 2025 were close to 2020 to 2022 (229 against 179).

Recall campaigns

CampaignReportedComponentSummary
19V12000022/02/2019ENGINEKia 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 t
14V82200029/12/2014STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARSKia 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.
23V65200025/09/2023SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULEKia 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 Con

Other Kia Soul model years

Severity index for every other model year on file. Compare all 14 years side by side.

Source. NHTSA public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-08-11. Complaints are unverified consumer reports. Totals vary with units sold and years on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.