2014 Kia Soul: Reliability Data
Source: NHTSA — 1203 complaints
1203
Total Complaints
85,000mi
Median Mileage
Engine
Top Issue
52
Crash Reports
When Do Complaints Happen?
Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.
54,025
25th Percentile
85,000
Median Mileage
111,170
75th Percentile
What Fails?
Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.
Engine
538
Exterior Lighting
124
Electrical System
93
Unknown Or Other
80
Steering
55
Power Train
55
Fuel/Propulsion System
51
Engine And Engine Cooling
40
Vehicle Speed Control
30
Service Brakes
28
Severity Assessment
52
Crashes
108
Fires
40
Injuries
3
Deaths
Sample Complaint Reports
"TL* THE CONTACT RENTED A 2014 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE HEATED SEAT CAUGHT ON FIRE AND BURNED TWO HOLES THROUGH THE SEAT. THE CONTACT INFORMED THE RENTAL AGENCY OF THE FIRE. THE CONTACT DID NOT CALL THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE WAS REMOVED FROM THE FLEET. THE FA..."
"TL* THE CONTACT RENTED A 2014 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER'S SIDE HEATED SEAT CAUGHT ON FIRE AND BURNED TWO HOLES THROUGH THE SEAT. THE CONTACT INFORMED THE RENTAL AGENCY OF THE FIRE. THE CONTACT DID NOT CALL THE VEHICLE MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE WAS REMOVED FROM THE FLEET. THE FA..."
"TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2014 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH AND CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED WHIPLASH, BRUISING AND BACK INJURIES. A SECOND PASSENGER SUSTAINED BRUISING AND A SPRAINED ARM. A POLICE REPORT WAS FI..."
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.
Engine
538 complaints
25th: 80,000 mi
Median: 103,000 mi
75th: 120,000 mi
Exterior Lighting
124 complaints
25th: 46,980 mi
Median: 68,000 mi
75th: 77,800 mi
Electrical System
93 complaints
25th: 45,000 mi
Median: 68,750 mi
75th: 102,250 mi
Unknown Or Other
80 complaints
25th: 59,000 mi
Median: 80,000 mi
75th: 107,000 mi
Steering
55 complaints
25th: 17,000 mi
Median: 36,000 mi
75th: 60,000 mi
Where Are Complaints Coming From?
Top states by complaint count.
CA: 126
TX: 114
FL: 79
OH: 61
GA: 59
IL: 53
VA: 52
NC: 50
PA: 50
TN: 37
Who Files Complaints?
0.2%
Original Owners
99.8%
Second+ Owners
Kia Soul — Other Years
See how this model compares across different model years.
Active Recalls (5)
Federal safety recalls issued for this vehicle.
Engine
Campaign 20V750000 | 02/12/2020
An engine compartment fire increases the risk of injury.
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,
Engine
Campaign 19V120000 | 22/02/2019
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.
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 ma
Steering
Campaign 17V608000 | 29/09/2017
If the pinion gear separates, steering will be lost, increasing the risk of a crash.
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
Accelerator Pedal
Campaign 15V123000 | 02/03/2015
If the vehicle has a bent or broken accelerator pedal, the driver may have difficulty accelerating the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
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.
Frontal
Campaign 22V096000 | 18/02/2022
Front air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
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.
Extend Your Engine Life
Based on the most common issues reported for this vehicle.
- Change oil on schedule — this is the single most important thing you can do
- Use the manufacturer-recommended oil weight and type
- Replace the air filter every 15,000-30,000 miles
- Don't ignore the check engine light — small issues become expensive fast
- Let the engine warm up for 30 seconds before driving hard in cold weather
- Address coolant leaks immediately to prevent overheating damage
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