2021 Kia Soul: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 257 complaints
257
Total Complaints
34,000mi
Median Mileage
Engine
Top Issue
24
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

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

4,815 25th Percentile
34,000 Median Mileage
80,536 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

Engine
104
Engine And Engine Cooling
35
Unknown Or Other
22
Power Train
20
Electrical System
14
Service Brakes
10
Fuel/Propulsion System
9
Steering
9
Visibility/Wiper
5
Automatic Emergency Braking
4

Severity Assessment

24
Crashes
4
Fires
12
Injuries
0
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"VEHICLE KEEPS PULLING. VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT. PERFORMED A STEERING ANGLE RELEARNED, AND WHEEL ALIGNMENT. CROSS ROTATED TIRES AND NOW THE VEHICLE PULLS TO THE LEFT. TOLD NOTHING ELSE CAN BE DONE AT THIS TIME. CAR IS CONSTANTLY. FIGHTING ITSELF WITH STEERING ASSIST."
"VEHICLE KEEPS PULLING. VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT. PERFORMED A STEERING ANGLE RELEARNED, AND WHEEL ALIGNMENT. CROSS ROTATED TIRES AND NOW THE VEHICLE PULLS TO THE LEFT. TOLD NOTHING ELSE CAN BE DONE AT THIS TIME. CAR IS CONSTANTLY. FIGHTING ITSELF WITH STEERING ASSIST."
"VEHICLE KEEPS PULLING. VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT. PERFORMED A STEERING ANGLE RELEARNED, AND WHEEL ALIGNMENT. CROSS ROTATED TIRES AND NOW THE VEHICLE PULLS TO THE LEFT. TOLD NOTHING ELSE CAN BE DONE AT THIS TIME. CAR IS CONSTANTLY. FIGHTING ITSELF WITH STEERING ASSIST."

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 104 complaints
25th: 8,000 mi Median: 34,000 mi 75th: 84,000 mi
Engine And Engine Cooling 35 complaints
25th: 45,000 mi Median: 68,600 mi 75th: 96,000 mi
Power Train 20 complaints
25th: 3,437 mi Median: 4,815 mi 75th: 12,000 mi
Electrical System 14 complaints
25th: 661 mi Median: 10,407 mi 75th: 32,150 mi

Where Are Complaints Coming From?

Top states by complaint count.

FL: 39 CA: 30 OH: 22 TX: 21 GA: 16 NC: 10 AL: 9 AZ: 8 TN: 8 WI: 8

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
201826819
201918020
202045812
20221124
2023819
2024320

Active Recalls (2)

Federal safety recalls issued for this vehicle.

Engine
Campaign 21V259000 | 13/04/2021
A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, oil may leak onto hot exhaust components, increasing the risk of a fire.
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the engine, free of charge. In addition, Kia will deploy Piston Ring Noise Sensing System (PNSS) software. The recall began June 11, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this
Hard Parts Internal/Mechanical
Campaign 25V099000 | 17/02/2025
Engine damage can cause a vehicle stall or fire, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Dealers will inspect and replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Dealers will also install piston-ring noise sensing system (PNSS) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 4, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 800-333-4542. Kia's number for th

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