NHTSA lists 902 complaints for the 2014 Kia Soul, 33 of them mention a crash and 69 mention a fire. 24 complaints mention an injury, with 28 injuries and 1 deaths reported.
Data build 2026-10-09.
NHTSA lists this vehicle as KIA SOUL.
Model-generated complaint tags
These labels are model-generated, not NHTSA data.
Failure modes| Label | Count | Share of tagged | Mean confidence |
|---|
| mechanical failure | 362 | 40.1% | 0.82 |
|---|
| loss of control | 164 | 18.2% | 0.80 |
|---|
| visibility or lighting | 101 | 11.2% | 0.82 |
|---|
| electrical electronic | 96 | 10.6% | 0.72 |
|---|
| fire or overheating | 84 | 9.3% | 0.86 |
|---|
| fluid or fuel leak | 38 | 4.2% | 0.67 |
|---|
| unclear | 21 | 2.3% | 0.83 |
|---|
| restraint or airbag | 20 | 2.2% | 0.91 |
|---|
| noise or comfort | 12 | 1.3% | 0.67 |
|---|
| structural or corrosion | 4 | 0.4% | 0.76 |
|---|
Severities| Label | Count | Share of tagged | Mean confidence |
|---|
| moderate | 578 | 64.1% | 0.80 |
|---|
| low | 223 | 24.7% | 0.66 |
|---|
| high | 66 | 7.3% | 0.83 |
|---|
| critical | 29 | 3.2% | 0.81 |
|---|
| none | 6 | 0.7% | 0.85 |
|---|
Model: typesafe/jev-1.13-20260917; schema version: tag-v1. 902 tagged complaints of 902 complaints (100.0%).
Confidence is the model's own probability for the label it chose (0 to 1), not accuracy.
Model-generated labels on tagged complaints only. Model years 2013 and newer are tagged in full; 2012 in part (see tagged_share); earlier model years have no tags. NHTSA's own flags remain separate in the complaints block.
Recalls
See new recalls and investigations this week.
5 recalls.
Date: 2022-02-18. Systems: AIR BAGS.
Defect: 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.
Consequence: Front air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the ACU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 4, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC229.
Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.
Date: 2020-12-02. Systems: ENGINE.
Defect: 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. (excerpt)
Consequence: An engine compartment fire increases the risk of injury. (excerpt)
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine compartment for fuel and/or engine oil leaks, perform an engine test and make any repairs, including engine replacement, as necessary, free of charge. In addition, Kia dealers will update the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) software, free of charge. The recall began January 27, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-80 (excerpt)
Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.
Date: 2019-02-22. Systems: ENGINE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING.
Defect: 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. (excerpt)
Consequence: 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. (excerpt)
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 custom (excerpt)
Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.
Date: 2017-09-29. Systems: STEERING.
Defect: 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. (excerpt)
Consequence: If the pinion gear separates, steering will be lost, increasing the risk of a crash. (excerpt)
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and secure the pinion plug or replace the steering gear assembly, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 16, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC155. Note: This recall supersedes campaigns 14V-332 and 15V-736. Vehicles previously remedied under those numbers are bei (excerpt)
Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.
Date: 2015-03-02. Systems: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL.
Defect: 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.
Consequence: If the vehicle has a bent or broken accelerator pedal, the driver may have difficulty accelerating the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will add a supporting rubber underneath the pedal stopper, free of charge. The recall began on March 24, 2015. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC116.
Do not drive: No. Park outside: No.
Investigations
3 investigations; 0 open.
EA21003
Opened: 2021-12-22. Closed: 2024-02-05.
Engine Fires
On March 29, 2019, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened two Preliminary Evaluations (PE19-003 on Hyundai and PE19-004 on Kia) to broadly investigate incidents of non-crash fires (regardless of origin or operational status of the vehicle) on various model year Hyundai and Kia vehicles.A During the PE investigations, Hyundai and Kia issued several recalls to address vehicle fires, inclu
Systems: ENGINE.
Linked campaign numbers: 23V877.
PE19004
Opened: 2019-03-29. Closed: 2021-12-22.
Non-crash Vehicle Fires
During this Preliminary Evaluation (PE), the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) assessed the scope, frequency and potential safety-related consequences of non-crash vehicle fires caused by both engine failures and failures of other vehicle systems/components in model year (MY) 2011-2014 Kia Optima, MY 2011-2014 Kia Sorento and MY 2010-2015 Kia Soul vehicles equipped with Theta II, Gamma, Nu and
Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, UNKNOWN OR OTHER.
Linked campaign numbers: 20V088000, 20V100000, 20V101000, 20V518000, 20V519000, 20V750000, 21V331000, 21V844000.
DP18003
Opened: 2018-08-21. Closed: 2019-05-10.
Non-crash Vehicle Fires
In a letter dated June 11, 2018, the Center for Auto Safety (CAS) petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to initiate a safety defect investigation into non-collision related fires on model year (MY) 2011-2014 Kia Optima and Sorento, and Hyundai Sonata and Santa Fe vehicles. In a letter dated July 24, 2018, CAS requested that MY 2010-2015 Kia Soul vehicles be added to
Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, EXTERIOR LIGHTING, UNKNOWN OR OTHER.
Linked campaign numbers: 18V907000, 18V934000, 19V120000, 19V204000.
Manufacturer communications
175 manufacturer communications.
Communications by system| System | Count |
|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 62 |
|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 51 |
|---|
| EQUIPMENT | 46 |
|---|
| ENGINE | 17 |
|---|
| STEERING | 13 |
|---|
| EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY | 11 |
|---|
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 11 |
|---|
| POWER TRAIN | 10 |
|---|
11036313
Date: 2026-08-25. Type: Service Campaign. Systems: SERVICE BRAKES.
VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: OWNER RENOTIFICATION (SC334 Flight 201) - This document is the owner renotification advising that Kia is conducting a Voluntary Service Campaign to inspect and, if necessary, replace the brake line(s) in certain 2014-2019 MY Soul vehicles that were originally sold in or a
11033803
Date: 2026-06-09. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: STRUCTURE.
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: THEFT DETERRENT IGNITION: CYLINDER PROTECTOR & DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2311) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provi
11030346
Date: 2026-03-24. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: ENGINE.
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SUBSEQUENT REPAIR ACTION: CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACEMENT AND ENGINE INSPECTION/REPLACEMENT (SC176Y) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin pr
11029041
Date: 2026-02-24. Type: Other. Systems: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE.
PRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN: OWNER RENOTIFICATION (PI2002B FL701) - This document is the owner renotification advising that Kia is conducting a Product Improvement Campaign to perform a software update on 2014-2016 MY Soul vehicles equipped with 2.0L Gasoline Direct Injection (a GDIa ) engines to
11026989
Date: 2025-12-19. Type: Other. Systems: STRUCTURE.
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION CAMPAIGN: POSTCARD OWNER RENOTIFICATION (CS2311) - This document is the owner renotification advising that Kia is conducting Customer Satisfaction Campaign. Kia has developed a new zinc-reinforced ignition cylinder protector hardware upgrade and can be installed at the ignition
11026698
Date: 2025-12-09. Type: Other. Systems: BACK OVER PREVENTION.
PITSTOP: TECHNICAL OPERATIONS: EXTERNAL DAMAGE TO ULTRASONIC SENSOR: This Pitstop provides information related to Parking Distance Warning (PDW) alerts and repairs involving ultrasonic sensors. The PDW system alerts the driver while parking, by calculating distance based on the difference in signal
11022353
Date: 2025-08-20. Type: Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions. Systems: SERVICE BRAKES, STRUCTURE.
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN UNDERBODY INSPECTION & ANTI-CORROSION MATERIAL APPLICATION (SC334) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides
11019786
Date: 2025-06-26. Type: Service Campaign. Systems: SERVICE BRAKES.
VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: UNDERBODY INSPECTION & ANTI-CORROSION MATERIAL APPLICATION (SC334) - This bulletin provides information to apply additional anti-corrosion material to underbody components, including inspection/replacement of the brake line(s), on certain 2014-2019MY Soul (PS) vehicles pr
11019717
Date: 2025-06-23. Type: Service Campaign. Systems: SERVICE BRAKES.
VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: OWNER NOTIFICATION (SC334) - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia is conducting a Voluntary Service Campaign to inspect and, if necessary, replace the brake line(s) in certain 2014-2019 MY Soul vehicles that were originally sold in or are currently re
11019658
Date: 2025-06-21. Type: Service Campaign. Systems: SERVICE BRAKES.
VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: DEALER PRINCIPAL MEMO (SC334) - This document is the announcement to the dealer principals advising that Kia is conducting a Voluntary Service Campaign to inspect and, if necessary, replace the brake line(s) in certain 2014-2019 MY Soul vehicles, manufactured from July 21