Your vehicle report
2012 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
- 515
- Received Sep 2011 to Oct 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Steering wheel clunks or clicks when turning82 complaints · 16% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Engine stalls and loses power while driving62 complaints · 12% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Steering wanders or pulls at highway speed36 complaints · 7.0% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #23V652000Park outsideKia 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 Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
- Recall #19V120000Kia 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 the engine's pistons and possible piston connecting rod failure.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
- Steering wheel clunks or clicks when turningFirst signal: Oct 2017
- Engine stalls and loses power while drivingFirst signal: Apr 2019
Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 25 crashes, 23 fires, 25 people injured, 2 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 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
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 |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 3 |
| 2012 | 19 |
| 2013 | 19 |
| 2014 | 7 |
| 2015 | 13 |
| 2016 | 8 |
| 2017 | 25 |
| 2018 | 50 |
| 2019 | 96 |
| 2020 | 43 |
| 2021 | 50 |
| 2022 | 47 |
| 2023 | 62 |
| 2024 | 39 |
| 2025 | 22 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 12 |
| Total | 515 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering wheel clunks or clicks when turning | 82 | 16% | 31.5× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Oct 2017 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.3% |
| Engine stalls and loses power while driving | 62 | 12% | 17.5× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Apr 2019 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 0.3% |
| Steering wanders or pulls at highway speed | 36 | 7.0% | 5.9× | |
| Steering wheel seizes or locks suddenly | 25 | 4.9% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 23 | 4.5% | – | NHTSA recall #23V652000 |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 16 | 3.1% | – | |
| Engine knocking from rod or main bearings | 12 | 2.3% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 10 | 1.9% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 8 | 1.6% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 8 | 1.6% | – | |
| Engine burns excessive oil between changes | 8 | 1.6% | – | |
| Power steering cuts out while driving | 7 | 1.4% | – | |
| Hood latch fails and hood flies open | 6 | 1.2% | – | |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 6 | 1.2% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 5 | 1.0% | – | |
| Instrument cluster or speedometer fails | 5 | 1.0% | – | |
| Rearview backup camera fails or goes black | 4 | 0.8% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 4 | 0.8% | – | |
| Steering wheel shakes violently at highway speed | 4 | 0.8% | – | |
| Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps | 4 | 0.8% | – |
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 #23V652000September 25, 20231,730,192 vehicles affected
Park outside: NHTSA advises this until the repair is done.
service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module
Kia 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 Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy
Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed November 14, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2024 through June 18, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC284.
NHTSA recall #19V120000February 22, 2019378,967 vehicles affected
engine; engine and engine cooling: exhaust system: emission control: catalytic convertor
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 the engine's pistons and possible piston connecting rod failure.
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.
Remedy
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.
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.
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 2012 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