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2012 Kia SoulProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 516 owner complaints about the 2012 Kia Soul, most often about the engine. It is covered by 3 safety recalls, and for recall 23V-652 the manufacturer reports only 28% of affected cars repaired.

2012 Kia Soul
36
CarFlaw IndexUse caution1.8× the Soul median · #5 of 15 years by complaints
Safety recalls3Lowest repair rate 28%Owner complaints51662 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage119kEngine, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 28, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2012 Kia Soul has problems

516 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
Engine21018
Steering1673
Electrical system384
Service brakes, hydraulic341
Engine and engine cooling324
Power train214
Fuel/propulsion system210
Structure185
Air bags1715
16 other systems7712

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

3 recalls

2012 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.

28%repaired · 2025 Q4

Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module

Park outside

Recall 23V-652 · Sep 25, 2023 · 1,730,192 vehicles · 478,615 repaired

Risk. An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

59%repaired · 2020 Q3

Engine

Recall 19V-120 · Feb 22, 2019 · 378,967 vehicles · 224,743 repaired

Risk. Piston damage may result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

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 →

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 engine problems start?

119kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 136 engine complaints. 35% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
13under 30k miles47under 100k miles89100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs

What owners say repairs cost

Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.

Steering

16 owners mentioned a cost

$416median

Middle half: $219 – $624

Engine

14 owners mentioned a cost

$3,900median

Middle half: $1,723 – $5,875

If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.

Best & worst years

2012 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

2012 Kia Soul safety ratings

2012 Kia Soul SUV FWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

★★★★★Overall rating
2012 Kia Soul frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crash★★★★★
2012 Kia Soul side barrier test, NHTSA
Side barrier★★★★★
2012 Kia Soul side pole test, NHTSA
Side pole★★★★★
  • Rollover: 4 stars (15.1% risk)
  • Stability control: Standard
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
5 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2012 Kia Soul, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Hyundai and Kia ABS Module FiresAQ23002 · still open
    Open
  2. Non-crash Vehicle FiresDP18003 · closed May 10, 2019
    Led to recall 18V-934
  3. Loss of Motive PowerDP22003 · closed Dec 12, 2023
    No recall
  4. Engine FiresEA21003 · closed Feb 5, 2024
    Led to recall 23V-877
  5. Non-crash Vehicle FiresPE19004 · closed Dec 22, 2021
    Led to recall 20V-101
In owners' words

What Soul owners report

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

2012 Kia Soul 1.6L GDI (VIN: [XXX]). Case #[XXX]. Safety Hazard Description: The vehicle experienced a sudden engine stalling event at highway speeds and repeatedly dropped into a restricted "Limp Mode" due to a recurring P1326 diagnostic code. This code is explicitly tied to Kia's Knock Sensor…
Complaint 11772957 · Oct 22, 2026
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The contact stated that the…
Complaint 11750027 · Jul 13, 2026 · 156,310 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, the vehicle unexpectedly stalled and failed to accelerate with the low oil warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure occurred after the contact’s spouse had added oil to the vehicle. The vehicle…
Complaint 11737340 · May 12, 2026 · 84,213 miles

Own a 2012 Soul?

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