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2013 Kia SoulProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 672 owner complaints about the 2013 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.

2013 Kia Soul
30
CarFlaw IndexUse caution2.3× the Soul median · #4 of 15 years by complaints
Safety recalls3Lowest repair rate 28%Owner complaints67288 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage117kEngine, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 10, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: SsmIntrigue, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2013 Kia Soul has problems

672 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
Engine28733
Steering1551
Electrical system739
Service brakes, hydraulic6810
Engine and engine cooling464
Service brakes313
Fuel/propulsion system283
Air bags1814
Vehicle speed control170
18 other systems9916

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

3 recalls

2013 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?

117kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 180 engine complaints. 34% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
10under 30k miles62under 100k miles118100k 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.

Engine

12 owners mentioned a cost

$4,610median

Middle half: $3,107 – $6,520

Steering

12 owners mentioned a cost

$525median

Middle half: $392 – $741

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

2013 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

2013 Kia Soul safety ratings

2013 Kia Soul SUV FWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

★★★★★Overall rating
2013 Kia Soul frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crash★★★★★
2013 Kia Soul side barrier test, NHTSA
Side barrier★★★★★
2013 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
4 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2013 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-907
  3. Engine FiresEA21003 · closed Feb 5, 2024
    Led to recall 23V-877
  4. Non-crash Vehicle FiresPE19004 · closed Dec 22, 2021
    Led to recall 20V-088
In owners' words

What Soul owners report

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

This is a recall for the fuel sensor, obviously. I contacted Kia immediately to inspect the car but they are very slow to take any action and now the tow lot is getting ready to take ownership of the car and it will not be available after next week. Kia was negligent in meeting the reasonable…
Complaint 11777134 · Nov 10, 2026
There are multiple recalls, including total engine failure recall, Kia is refusing to have it towed or reimburse for tow to dealership to fix recalls. I’ve attempted through local dealership and through Kia care corporate. There have been at least 6+ recalls, 3 of which are “urgent”, Kia has failed…
Complaint 11772118 · Oct 19, 2026
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving 25 MPH, the check engine and TPMS warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to Auto Zone, where DTC: P0420 was retrieved. The contact was informed that the failure was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000…
Complaint 11769689 · Oct 7, 2026 · 190,000 miles

Own a 2013 Soul?

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