2019 Kia Soul: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 180 complaints
180
Total Complaints
36,377mi
Median Mileage
Engine
Top Issue
20
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

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

20,000 25th Percentile
36,377 Median Mileage
80,000 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

Engine
77
Unknown Or Other
18
Air Bags
14
Fuel/Propulsion System
11
Electrical System
9
Seat Belts
6
Power Train
5
Exterior Lighting
5
Steering
5
Service Brakes
5

Severity Assessment

20
Crashes
9
Fires
20
Injuries
0
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"THE KIA BACKUP CAMERA DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY WHEN ITS DARK. YOU CANNOT SEE ANYTHING YOU CANT DISTINGUISH A GARBAGE CAN FROM A PERSON. I WENT TO THE DEALER WITH THIS PROBLEM AND THEY SAID THIS THE WAY THEY ARE. I BELIEVE THIS PROBLEM IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I CHECKED OTHER KIA SOULS AND THEY HAD THE ..."
"WALL TRIANA HWY MADISON WAS BEING PAVED ON WEDNESDAY 2/27/19. THEY HAD SPRAYED SOME TYPE OF LIQUID TAR ON THE ROAD FOR PREPPING. MY CAR IS COVERED WITH THE BLACK SUBSTANCE AND I AM UNABLE TO GET IT OFF. IT HAS COVERED MY REAR WINDOW AND BACK OF CAR. IT IS ALSO ON MY SIDE DOOR PANELS AND UNDER MY VE..."
"WALL TRIANA HWY MADISON WAS BEING PAVED ON WEDNESDAY 2/27/19. THEY HAD SPRAYED SOME TYPE OF LIQUID TAR ON THE ROAD FOR PREPPING. MY CAR IS COVERED WITH THE BLACK SUBSTANCE AND I AM UNABLE TO GET IT OFF. IT HAS COVERED MY REAR WINDOW AND BACK OF CAR. IT IS ALSO ON MY SIDE DOOR PANELS AND UNDER MY VE..."

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 77 complaints
25th: 24,085 mi Median: 50,022 mi 75th: 100,752 mi
Unknown Or Other 18 complaints
25th: 6,500 mi Median: 7,000 mi 75th: 22,000 mi
Air Bags 14 complaints
25th: 65,000 mi Median: 100,000 mi 75th: 122,500 mi
Fuel/Propulsion System 11 complaints
Median: 29,441 mi

Where Are Complaints Coming From?

Top states by complaint count.

TX: 20 FL: 19 NC: 13 CA: 13 SC: 12 OH: 11 MD: 9 NY: 9 GA: 7 NJ: 6

Kia Soul — Other Years

See how this model compares across different model years.

YearComplaintsCrashes
201019231
201127043
201266341
201385032
2014120352
2015119659
2016110334
201733821
201826819
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