Your vehicle report
2010 Kia Soul
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 135
- Received Jul 2009 to Aug 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Glass shatters or cracks without impact12 complaints · 8.9% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Airbags fail to deploy in crashes11 complaints · 8.2% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Vehicle catches fire from wiring7 complaints · 5.2% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #14V822000Kia 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.
- Recall #13V114000Kia 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.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 23 crashes, 15 fires, 19 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 18 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
- Unintended acceleration despite braking
- Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips
- Engine stalls and loses power while driving
1 more problem
Brakes
Electrical & lights
- Vehicle catches fire from wiring
- Infotainment screen ghost-touches and changes on its own
- Horn fails with airbag warning light
1 more problem
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2009 | 9 |
| 2010 | 35 |
| 2011 | 16 |
| 2012 | 12 |
| 2013 | 5 |
| 2014 | 4 |
| 2015 | 7 |
| 2016 | 9 |
| 2017 | 4 |
| 2018 | 4 |
| 2019 | 7 |
| 2020 | 7 |
| 2021 | 5 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2023 | 3 |
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 2 |
| Total | 135 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 12 | 8.9% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 11 | 8.2% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 7 | 5.2% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 5 | 3.7% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 5 | 3.7% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 5 | 3.7% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 5 | 3.7% | – | |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 4 | 3.0% | – | |
| Infotainment screen ghost-touches and changes on its own | 4 | 3.0% | – | |
| Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly | 4 | 3.0% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 4 | 3.0% | – | |
| Paint peels off roof and hood | 3 | 2.2% | – | |
| Horn fails with airbag warning light | 3 | 2.2% | – | |
| Airbag warning light stays on | 3 | 2.2% | – | |
| Ignition key sticks or will not turn | 3 | 2.2% | – | |
| Engine stalls and loses power while driving | 3 | 2.2% | – | |
| Brake lights fail or stay on | 3 | 2.2% | – | NHTSA recall #13V114000 |
| Transmission will not engage reverse gear | 3 | 2.2% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #14V822000December 29, 201495,314 vehicles affected
structure: body: roof and pillars
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.
A detached headliner plate may increase the risk of injury to the occupant during a vehicle crash.
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.
NHTSA recall #13V114000April 1, 2013980,377 vehicles affected
exterior lighting: brake lights: switch
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.
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.
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.
NHTSA recall #10V388000August 31, 201035,185 vehicles affected
electrical system: wiring
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.
When the lights are illuminated under certain conditions, an electrical short may occur that Can result in a fire.
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.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2010 Kia Soul.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN