Model year record

2010 Kia Soul recalls & problems

The 2010 Kia Soul has 3 safety recalls and 135 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is electrical system (25 complaints).

Recalls3safety recalls

Complaints135filed by owners

Crashes · fires23 · 15reported in complaints

Injuries · deaths19 · 0reported in complaints

2010 Kia Soul in an NHTSA crash test — NHTSA crash test

Safety recalls

StructureDec 29, 2014

Body › Roof and pillars

Recall 14V82200095,314 vehicles

Problem: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 Kia Soul vehicles manufactured January 8, 2009, to October 2, 2013, equipped with a sun roof. A headliner plate may detach during deployment of the curtain air bag.
Risk: A detached headliner plate may increase the risk of injury to the occupant during a vehicle crash.
Fix: 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.

Exterior lightingApr 1, 2013

Brake lights › Switch

Recall 13V114000980,377 vehicles

Problem: Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Rondo, model year 2007-2011 Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, model year 2010-2011 Soul, model year 2008-2011 Optima, model year 2010 Forte, model year 2007-2009 Amanti, and model year 2009 Borrego vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Kia recalled 623,658 model year 2007-2010 Rondo and Sportage, model year 2007-2011 Sorento, model year 2007 Sedona, model year 2010-2011 Soul, and model year 2011 Optima vehicles. In September 2013, Kia informed the agency that it was adding an additional 356,719 vehicles to this campaign. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 980,377. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake-transmission shift interlock feature preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.
Risk: 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 to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.

Electrical systemAug 31, 2010

Wiring

Recall 10V38800035,185 vehicles

Problem: KIA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 SOUL AND MODEL YEAR 2011 SORENTO VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 7, 2009 THROUGH JULY 30, 2010. A LIMITED NUMBER OF WIRING HARNESSES SUPPLIED BY JCI AND USED FOR THE LIGHTING IN THE KIA SOUL VEHICLE'S ADVANCED LIGHTING SPEAKERS, LOCATED IN THE FRONT DOOR TRIM PANELS, AND THE KIA SORENTO VEHICLE'S INTERIOR ACCENT ILLUMINATION, LOCATED IN THE FRONT AND REAR DOOR TRIM PANELS, MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY SOLDERED.
Risk: WHEN THE LIGHTS ARE ILLUMINATED UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, AN ELECTRICAL SHORT MAY OCCUR THAT CAN RESULT IN A FIRE.
Fix: 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 MAY CONTACT KIA CONSUMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-333-4542.

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

Crash test ratings

2010 Kia Soul 4-DR. w/SAB

OverallNot Rated

Frontal crash	Not Rated
Side crash	Not Rated
Rollover	Not Rated
Rollover risk	15.1%

2010 Kia Soul NHTSA side crash test — NHTSA side barrier crash test

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.

Fuel economy

Soul

28mpg combined

City / highway	26 / 31 mpg
Fuel	Regular Gasoline

1.6 L · 4 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · Front-Wheel Drive · about $2,400/year to fuel

Soul

28mpg combined

City / highway	26 / 31 mpg
Fuel	Regular Gasoline

1.6 L · 4 cyl · Manual 5-spd · Front-Wheel Drive · about $2,400/year to fuel

Soul

26mpg combined

City / highway	24 / 30 mpg
Fuel	Regular Gasoline

2 L · 4 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · Front-Wheel Drive · about $2,600/year to fuel

Soul

26mpg combined

City / highway	24 / 30 mpg
Fuel	Regular Gasoline

2 L · 4 cyl · Manual 5-spd · Front-Wheel Drive · about $2,600/year to fuel

EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.

What owners report

Problem area	Complaints	Crashes	Fires	Injuries	Typical mileage*
Electrical systemWiring	25	0	9	1	63,000 mi
StructureBody; Frame and members	22	1	2	1	3,000 mi
Air bagsFrontal; Side/window	21	16	2	15	39,000 mi
Steering	12	2	0	2	4,050 mi
Power trainAutomatic transmission; Manual transmission	11	1	0	0	36,000 mi
Service brakes	11	2	2	3	77,000 mi
Unknown or other	11	0	0	0	81,250 mi
VisibilityWindshield	10	0	0	0	3,500 mi
Vehicle speed control	9	1	0	2	47,000 mi
Engine	9	0	2	0	65,000 mi
TiresPressure monitoring and regulating systems; Sidewall	6	0	0	0	30,000 mi
Engine and engine cooling	5	1	1	1	13,248 mi

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

Air bagsCrash1 injury
The air bags did not deploy and the seat belt didn't lock and at the moment it is available to be inspected. My seat belt didn't lock so it is probably why my back fractured. I don't know if the problem has ever been reproduced or confirmed. To my knowledge no one has inspected the car. There was no warning signs or lights that came on. Apparently the air bags only deploy with front or rear impact not rollovers and the seat belts don't lock either but how does a 2001 Saturn seat belts lock in a rollover but a 2010 Kia doesn't.
Jun 30, 2026
Electronic stability control (esc)
See attached document for complaint.
Feb 4, 2026
Fuel/propulsion system
Gas tank mounting are rusting and are not the correctly plated
Oct 2, 2025
Steering
Hello, I would like to report that someone attempted to steal my 2010 Kia Soul. The incident occurred on [XXX], in San Jose, CA 95111. As a result of the attempted theft, there is damage to the carâs steering wheel and ignition. Please let me know if additional information or documentation is needed to assist with this report. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Dec 14, 2024
Engine
Scanner can not communicate with the ecm/tcm U0101 code shifting issues starting issues
Feb 3, 2024
Service brakes
I bought car being financed in sac,ca. August 8, 2023. Took back referred to mechanic round corner. Brake rotor issues fixed front this was August 14 noise still exist took back turned back rotors scraping noise pulling to left took to other automotive repairs ,inspections shocks original 2010 208,000 miles , brakes rotors scratches need replacing , pads, sway bar crack or been welded, sway bar link needs replacing crack control arms bushings cracked,windshield wipers needed replacing, check engine light I replaced coils and spark plugs, valve cover gasket leak ,front tires worn . Brakes sway bar axle issues could have have tragic accidents rollover cause injury to self passengers…
Aug 8, 2023
Electrical systemFire
I was driving down the interstate on my way to work when my check engine light turned on and began flashing rapidly. I then began to get over to the shoulder and into safety when I heard what sounded like a loud dropping sound come from the engine and smoke started coming out of the hood. When I got pulled over to the shoulder, I ran and popped my hood and saw that the whole battery was on fire, within minutes the whole car was engulfed and I was told to get back for my safety by someone that stopped.
Oct 23, 2023
Air bags
The contact owns a 2010 Kia Soul. The contact stated that on several occasions when the vehicle was started, the air bag warning light illuminated and remained illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 172,470.
Jun 9, 2023 · 172,470 miles

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.

NHTSA defect investigations

Non-crash Vehicle FiresClosedLed to recall 20V088000
During this Preliminary Evaluation (PE), the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) assessed the scope, frequency and potential safety-related consequences of non-crash vehicle fires caused by both engine failures and failures of other vehicle systems/components in model year (MY) 2011-2014 Kia Optima, MY 2011-2014 Kia Sorento and MY 2010-2015 Kia Soul vehicles equipped with Theta II, Gamma, Nu and Lambda II engines (approximately 1.7 million vehicles). ODI also reviewed field and other data on other Kia vehicles (approximately 3.6 million additional vehicles) equipped with the same engines used in the above-mentioned vehicles.As a result of this PE, Kia has issued NHTSA Recalls 20V-750 and 21V-844 to address potential engine failures and fires in certain Kia vehicles equipped with various engine types.Additional information on these and other related recall actions is available in the…
PE19004 · opened Mar 29, 2019 · closed Dec 22, 2021
Non-crash Vehicle FiresClosedLed to recall 18V907000
In a letter dated June 11, 2018, the Center for Auto Safety (CAS) petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to initiate a safety defect investigation into non-collision related fires on model year (MY) 2011-2014 Kia Optima and Sorento, and Hyundai Sonata and Santa Fe vehicles. In a letter dated July 24, 2018, CAS requested that MY 2010-2015 Kia Soul vehicles be added to the petition. CAS stated that there is a higher number of complaints to NHTSA regarding non-crash fires on these vehicles compared to other similar vehicles. The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) had already opened Recall Queries (RQ17-003 and RQ17-004) on all Kia and Hyundai vehicles equipped with Theta II engines for engine failures that may cause stalling and fires.The queries cover most of the petition subject Optima, Sorento, Sonata, and Santa Fe vehicles but not any of the subject…
DP18003 · opened Aug 21, 2018 · closed May 10, 2019
Steering Shaft SeparationClosed
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) is aware of a single complaint on the subject vehicles that alleges the hand wheel became mechanically de-coupled from the road wheels when the intermediate steering shaft universal joint separated from the upper steering column.It appears that the intermediate steering shaft in the complaint vehicle was disassembled and then improperly re-assembled with the universal joint not fully engaged with the upper steering column's splined shaft and the pinch bolt was not secured in the retaining groove when fastened.The component supplier has added additional fool-proofing measures to the assembly process to further reduce the likelihood of improper assembly.Kia inspected a total of 3,695 subject vehicles and steering column assemblies at the component supplier, the vehicle assembly plant in Korea and at US ports in the weeks immediately following the…
PE10030 · opened Aug 12, 2010 · closed Dec 14, 2010