Summary
The KIA Soul has 30 recalls spanning 2010 through 2024, with the most serious recent issue being a 2023 model year recall where the circuit board inside the transmission's electric oil pump can short-circuit and overheat, creating a fire risk.
The 2023 model year also has a recall where side curtain airbags can deploy without warning, raising the risk of injury to occupants. On 2021-2023 models, piston oil rings can cause progressive engine damage that leads to a stall or allows oil to reach hot exhaust components and ignite. The 2021 model year shares this engine concern independently, where the same oil ring defect can cause sudden power loss or fire.
On 2020-2021 Soul models equipped with 2.0L engines, the same piston oil ring issue applies: oil consumption increases over time, the engine can knock and eventually fail, and leaked oil can contact hot exhaust parts. The 2015-2019 Soul EV has two significant recalls. The high-voltage battery pack can develop an internal electrical short while driving, raising the fire risk. Separately, the parking mechanism can be damaged if the transmission is shifted into Park before the vehicle fully stops, allowing the vehicle to roll when parked without the parking brake applied. The 2015-2016 Soul EV shares that parking mechanism concern specifically.
On 2014-2016 models, the steering gear pinion plug can loosen and allow the pinion gear to separate from the steering assembly, resulting in complete loss of steering. Prior repair attempts under earlier recall campaigns did not fully resolve the issue on some 2014 models, leading to additional follow-up recalls for the same underlying defect. The 2014 model year also has brake lines that can corrode, leak fluid, and reduce braking effectiveness, front airbags that may not deploy if the airbag control unit loses contact with the front impact sensors, a fractured accelerator pedal that can limit acceleration, and seat heater wiring that can overheat and burn an occupant.
The 2012-2016 Soul models with 1.6L GDI engines have a catalytic converter that can overheat and damage engine pistons or break a connecting rod, which can punch through the engine block and release oil. The 2017 model year has a separate airbag control unit fault that can prevent front airbags from inflating in a crash. Going back to 2010-2013 models with sunroofs, headliner plates can detach during side curtain airbag deployment and strike occupants. The 2010 model year has wiring in front door speaker assemblies that can short and start a fire when the lights are on, and early heated seat wiring that can degrade and melt a hole in the seat fabric.
