2014 Kia Soul: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 892 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 5 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
892
Complaints
5
Recalls
34
Crash reports
69
Fire reports
30
Injuries
93.0
Severity index
Severity index 93.0 - Medium. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 139 2014 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2014 Kia Soul ranks 44 of 139 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 68% of its model-year peers. See the full 2014 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | 547 | 61.3% |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 130 | 14.6% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 98 | 11.0% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 81 | 9.1% |
| POWER TRAIN | 56 | 6.3% |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 55 | 6.2% |
| STEERING | 55 | 6.2% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 51 | 5.7% |
The single most-reported system is ENGINE, cited in 547 of 892 complaints (61.3%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 26 |
| 2015 | 19 |
| 2016 | 26 |
| 2017 | 33 |
| 2018 | 72 |
| 2019 | 177 |
| 2020 | 165 |
| 2021 | 119 |
| 2022 | 81 |
| 2023 | 75 |
| 2024 | 37 |
| 2025 | 41 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 20 |
Complaint volume is declining, consistent with a defect that was addressed by recall or that affected early builds.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20V750000 | 02/12/2020 | 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. |
| 19V120000 | 22/02/2019 | ENGINE | 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 t |
| 17V608000 | 29/09/2017 | 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. |
| 15V123000 | 02/03/2015 | VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL | 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. |
| 22V096000 | 18/02/2022 | 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. |
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.