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2010 Kia SoulProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 135 owner complaints about the 2010 Kia Soul, most often about the electrical system. It is covered by 3 safety recalls, and for recall 14V-822 the manufacturer reports only 62% of affected cars repaired.

2010 Kia Soul
59
CarFlaw IndexSolid year32% below the Soul median · #11 of 15 years by complaints
Safety recalls3Lowest repair rate 62%Owner complaints13556 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage63kElectrical system, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through August 24, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2010 Kia Soul has problems

135 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Electrical system248
Structure212
Air bags2116
Steering122
Service brakes113
Power train111
Visibility100
Engine92
Vehicle speed control91
17 other systems5415

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

3 recalls

2010 Kia Soul recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

62%repaired · 2016 Q2

Body: roof and pillars

Recall 14V-822 · Dec 29, 2014 · 95,314 vehicles · 59,503 repaired

Risk. A detached headliner plate may increase the risk of injury to the occupant during a vehicle crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Brake lights: switch

Recall 13V-114 · Apr 1, 2013 · 980,377 vehicles

Risk. Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Electrical system: wiring

Recall 10V-388 · Aug 31, 2010 · 35,185 vehicles

Risk. WHEN THE LIGHTS ARE ILLUMINATED UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, AN ELECTRICAL SHORT MAY OCCUR THAT CAN RESULT IN A FIRE.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Kia.

Mileage at failure

When do electrical system problems start?

63kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 20 electrical system complaints. 90% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
8under 30k miles18under 100k miles2100k miles or more
Best & worst years

2010 vs. every other Soul year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Soul median. How we score

'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2010 Kia Soul safety ratings

2010 Kia Soul 4-DR. w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

2010 Kia Soul frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crashNot rated
2010 Kia Soul side barrier test, NHTSA
Side barrierNot rated
  • Stability control: Optional
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
3 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2010 Kia Soul, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Non-crash Vehicle FiresDP18003 · closed May 10, 2019
    Led to recall 18V-907
  2. Steering Shaft SeparationPE10030 · closed Dec 14, 2010
    No recall
  3. Non-crash Vehicle FiresPE19004 · closed Dec 22, 2021
    Led to recall 20V-088
In owners' words

What Soul owners report

Recent electrical system complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

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 car’s steering wheel and ignition. Please let me know if additional information or documentation is…
Complaint 11630982 · Dec 16, 2024
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…
Complaint 11551804 · Oct 25, 2023
The airbag light is on, and the passenger airbag light is off. Kia dealership performed the electronic scan, and is obtaining message with defect in OCS sensor defect and electrical voltage. Kia said needs Kia part #95910-2K000 that Kia has discontinued. There is no way to fix the air bag issue as…
Complaint 11470926 · Jun 24, 2022

Own a 2010 Soul?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.