repaired · 2024 Q3
Air bags
Risk. Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
2017 Kia SoulProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 273 owner complaints about the 2017 Kia Soul, most often about the engine. It is covered by 1 safety recall, and for recall 22V-031 the manufacturer reports only 57% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through November 4, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2017 Kia Soul has problems
273 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
192Engine14 crash/fire/injury
19Electrical system
19Power train
18Fuel/propulsion system
16Air bags
12Service brakes
10Steering
9Engine and engine cooling
8Vehicle speed control
2212 other systems4 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 192 | 14 |
| Electrical system | 19 | 4 |
| Power train | 19 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 18 | 1 |
| Air bags | 16 | 11 |
| Service brakes | 12 | 4 |
| Steering | 10 | 1 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 9 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 8 | 0 |
| 12 other systems | 22 | 4 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
1 recall
2017 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.
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?
82kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 75 engine complaints. 73% were reported before 100,000 miles.
Only 43% of complaints for this model year include a mileage.
7under 30k miles55under 100k miles20100k 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$6,793median
Middle half: $6,225 – $9,000
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
2017 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
2017 Kia Soul safety ratings
2017 Kia Soul SUV FWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
★★★★★
Frontal crash★★★★★
Side barrier★★★★★
Side pole★★★★★
- Rollover: 4 stars (14.7% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: Optional
- Lane departure warning: Optional
In owners' words
What Soul owners report
Recent engine complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The Soul I bought from a Dealership with low miles has nothing wrong with it and I'm very good at maintaining my vehicle. I always check my oil and noticed almost within the first two months of owning that my oil was burning off with no leaks. Ive put a lot of miles on it (about 40K) but I go…
This car since I had it burns alot and I mean alot of oil between oil changes i have to keep oil on hand and constantly checking the oil I have alot of friends with this car and the same issue I had my soul for over 5 years and it's still burning oil I take care of my car im still paying on it and…
One day I noticed my oil light flashed on and off about three times during a drive down the road, simultaneously a loud knocking started in my engine. Although I had gotten my oil changed just a couple months prior and always practiced appropriate maintenance I decided to pull over and check my…
Own a 2017 Soul?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.