2010 Kia Soul: Reliability Data
Source: NHTSA — 192 complaints
192
Total Complaints
20,500mi
Median Mileage
Electrical System
Top Issue
31
Crash Reports
When Do Complaints Happen?
Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.
3,000
25th Percentile
20,500
Median Mileage
77,000
75th Percentile
What Fails?
Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.
Electrical System
24
Air Bags
16
Steering
12
Structure
12
Service Brakes
11
Unknown Or Other
11
Visibility
9
Vehicle Speed Control
9
Engine
9
Power Train
8
Severity Assessment
31
Crashes
24
Fires
27
Injuries
0
Deaths
Sample Complaint Reports
"TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE REVS EXCESSIVELY WHENEVER THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS RELEASED. THE RPMS WILL GO FROM 1,500 TO 3,000. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD INVESTIGATE THE ISSUE. A REPRESENTATIVE INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT IT WAS NOT A ..."
"2010 KIA SOUL WINDSHIELD HAS BROKEN THREE TIMES SINCE WE BOUGHT IT 4 MONTHS AGO. YES, CAUSED BY SMALL ROCKS FROM THE ROAD. THE FIRST TWO TIMES WE PAID OVER $50.00 TO HAVE THE CRACKS "BLOWN". THEN A FEW WEEKS LATER A ROCK HITS AGAIN THIS TIME THE SMALL ROCK HAS CREATED A MASSIVE CRACK AND WILL NEED T..."
"WITHIN A WEEK OF TAKING DELIVERY ON 7/24/09, THE INTERIOR AND MOST ESPECIALLY THE DOOR SKINS WERE ALREADY ACQUIRING MARKS AND SCRATCHES - A SLIGHT FINGER NAIL SCRATCH REQUIRED A SPECIAL PRODUCT TO REMOVE ETC. THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS. 1. WHEN RELEASING THE CLUTCH PEDAL THERE WAS A..."
Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.
When Were Complaints Filed?
Number of complaints by the year the issue occurred.
When Does Each Component Fail?
Median mileage at complaint for top components.
Electrical System
24 complaints
25th: 19,450 mi
Median: 64,000 mi
75th: 82,250 mi
Air Bags
16 complaints
25th: 29,750 mi
Median: 68,615 mi
75th: 94,500 mi
Steering
12 complaints
25th: 1,825 mi
Median: 4,050 mi
75th: 33,693 mi
Structure
12 complaints
25th: 800 mi
Median: 2,200 mi
75th: 3,000 mi
Service Brakes
11 complaints
25th: 53,000 mi
Median: 77,000 mi
75th: 132,592 mi
Where Are Complaints Coming From?
Top states by complaint count.
CA: 22
OH: 14
FL: 11
MD: 11
TX: 10
TN: 9
MA: 8
VA: 8
PA: 8
GA: 7
Kia Soul — Other Years
See how this model compares across different model years.
Active Recalls (3)
Federal safety recalls issued for this vehicle.
Roof And Pillars
Campaign 14V822000 | 29/12/2014
A detached headliner plate may increase the risk of injury to the occupant during a vehicle crash.
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.
Switch
Campaign 13V114000 | 01/04/2013
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
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.
Wiring
Campaign 10V388000 | 31/08/2010
WHEN THE LIGHTS ARE ILLUMINATED UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, AN ELECTRICAL SHORT MAY OCCUR THAT CAN RESULT IN A FIRE.
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
Maintain Your Electrical System
Based on the most common issues reported for this vehicle.
- Clean battery terminals annually with baking soda and water
- Replace the battery every 3-5 years before it leaves you stranded
- Don't leave accessories running with the engine off
- Check for corroded ground connections if you have intermittent electrical issues
- Replace dim headlights promptly — they're a safety issue and a wiring symptom
Vehicle Rankings
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Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.
Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.
Data through: 2026-03-28