2018 Kia Soul: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 268 complaints
268
Total Complaints
54,000mi
Median Mileage
Engine
Top Issue
19
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

13,485 25th Percentile
54,000 Median Mileage
76,500 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

Engine
124
Power Train
29
Unknown Or Other
27
Electrical System
15
Air Bags
11
Fuel/Propulsion System
9
Vehicle Speed Control
7
Engine And Engine Cooling
7
Steering
5
Service Brakes
5

Severity Assessment

19
Crashes
17
Fires
15
Injuries
1
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"OUR BRAND NEW 2018 CAR ON THE MARKET HAS A TIRE MOBILITY KIT. THIS KIT ONLY SEALS A PUNCTURE & COMPRESSES FOR A SHORT TERM TRIP TO A LOCAL GARAGE. AS YOU WELL KNOW, MORE THAN A PUNCTURE CAN OCCUR WHILE DRIVING. NO SPARE WELLS ("BUT DONUTS ONLY" ALONG WITH A JACK AT EXTRA COST) ARE BUILT TO ACTUALLY ..."
"WE WERE HIT IN REAR BY A TRUCK. MY WIFE AND I WENT FORWARD TO ALMOST THE DASH AND STEERING WHEEL, THE BELTS NEVER CAUGHT. I CALLED KIA TALKED TO OFFICE IN CALIFORNIA HE SAID THEY SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT. TOOK TO KIA DEALER HAS ADVISED AND THEY SAID IT WORKED FINE. THEY ADJUSTED BECAUSE NOW YOU PULL A LIT..."
"BRAKES FAILED. WAS PUMPING PEDLE, NO BRAKES WHATSOEVER AND REARENDED DRIVER INFRONT OF ME AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY"

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 124 complaints
25th: 60,750 mi Median: 70,812 mi 75th: 98,884 mi
Power Train 29 complaints
25th: 9,650 mi Median: 24,500 mi 75th: 54,025 mi
Unknown Or Other 27 complaints
25th: 7,201 mi Median: 13,000 mi 75th: 21,727 mi
Electrical System 15 complaints
25th: 47,434 mi Median: 52,000 mi 75th: 63,000 mi
Air Bags 11 complaints
25th: 19,000 mi Median: 36,000 mi 75th: 37,000 mi

Where Are Complaints Coming From?

Top states by complaint count.

FL: 37 TX: 30 CA: 29 OH: 13 AZ: 12 MD: 11 SC: 10 NC: 9 GA: 8 MO: 7

Who Files Complaints?

0.4%
Original Owners
99.6%
Second+ Owners

Kia Soul — Other Years

See how this model compares across different model years.

YearComplaintsCrashes
201019231
201127043
201266341
201385032
2014120352
2015119659
2016110334
201733821
201918020
202045812
202125724
20221124
2023819
2024320

Active Recalls (1)

Federal safety recalls issued for this vehicle.

Air Bags
Campaign 22V031000 | 25/01/2022
Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Dealers will inspect the ACU, and either update the software or replace the unit, as necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 21, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC226.

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

Most complained Worst transmissions Worst engines Worst brakes Most crashes Compare vehicles

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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