2011 Kia Soul
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Service brakes is the leading concern among 194 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 10th highest complaint count among 16 Soul model years with reports.
Of the 2011 reports, 27 involved a crash and 5 involved a fire. 29 people were injured and 1 person died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Service brakes, hydraulic, antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, control unit/modulePark outsideSep 25, 2023
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed November 14, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2024 through June 18, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC284.
Campaign 23V652000 on NHTSA.gov
Structure, body, roof and pillarsDec 29, 2014
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.
A detached headliner plate may increase the risk of injury to the occupant during a vehicle crash.
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.
Campaign 14V822000 on NHTSA.gov
Exterior lighting, brake lights, switchApr 1, 2013
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.
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.
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.
Campaign 13V114000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: service brakes
45 reports, newest first. Show all
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Electrical system, Mar 5, 2026
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while her husband was at a stop sign, the vehicle suddenly shut off. The vehicle was successfully jump-started; however, after driving approximately one mile, the vehicle began jerking and lost power again and was pushed to a residence. The contact referenced NHTSA ID Number: 23V652000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC); as a possible cause for the failure; however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 154,655.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Dec 11, 2024
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Service brakes, Firerelated, Nov 27, 2024, fire
The contact owned a 2011 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked overnight on his driveway, caught on fire, and exploded in the early morning. The fire started from the engine bay. The vehicle was unoccupied during the fire. The fire originated from the front engine bay, and soon after engulfed the entire vehicle. The vehicle was totaled, the side of the house was damaged, a motorcycle was destroyed and parts of the contacts shop were damaged. The fire department arrived and extinguished the fire. A fire department report was filed. A police department report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. No warning lights were illuminated prior. The local dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 165,000. The contact stated that they believed NHTSA campaign number 23V652000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) was responsible for the failure of the vehicle.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Oct 24, 2024
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the MIL warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the failure persisted. Additionally, the contact stated while the vehicle was idling, the contact noticed an abnormal burning odor. The dealer was notified of the failure and advised the contact that a fee would be charged for additional repairs. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 152,000.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Jul 5, 2024
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Jun 21, 2024
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Jun 20, 2024
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Jun 5, 2024
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, May 22, 2024
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, May 21, 2024
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Soul. The contact observed that there was a leak of oil due to spotting on the driveway. The contact drove the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the leak was from the ABS system. The independent mechanic stated that the failure was related to a recall and informed the contact of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) and referred the contact to the dealer. The contact contacted a dealer, and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 128,000.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, May 20, 2024
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact called another local dealer, Peak Kia (5077 S Wadsworth Wy, Denver, CO 80123). The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, May 14, 2024
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Engine, May 7, 2024
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The contact stated that while driving at approximately 40 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the residence and parked. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 128,169.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, May 7, 2024
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. An unknown dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, May 6, 2024
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, May 2, 2024
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that the parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Apr 26, 2024
The contact's daughter owns a 2011 Kia Soul. The contact's daughter stated that the battery was drained, and while the contact was going to jumpstart the vehicle, the contact observed that the ABS module was running while the vehicle was turned off. The contact discovered how to disconnect the ABS module and disconnected it. The contact was concerned that the ABS module would cause a fire. The contact was notified of the NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a hydraulic module failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 101,350.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Apr 16, 2024
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Apr 4, 2024
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated while driving at approximately 60 MPH, the traction control warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was independently braking. The contact stated that she was able to pull over, the vehicle stopped, and the engine was still running. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated; however, the vehicle would not move forward while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that she pulled over, turned off the vehicle, and then attempted to restart the vehicle, but had to wait for over 20 minutes until the vehicle was able to be restarted. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent but occurred at various speeds. Additionally, the contact stated that she smelled a burning plastic odor after another failure. The contact had spoken to a dealer but was informed that parts were not yet available. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Service brakes, Mar 28, 2024
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brake, Hydraulics) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Mar 13, 2024
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Soul. The contact received notification NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The local dealer was notified of the issue and confirmed that the parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Mar 12, 2024
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Engine, Mar 6, 2024
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated while driving 45-50 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as needed and stalled. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and continued driving. The contact stated that the failure recurred several times while driving. Additionally, the contact stated that on one occasion, the vehicle failed to restart and was towed to the residence. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic, where the contact was informed that the ECM was not reading and the cause of the failure could not be determined. The mechanic replaced the camshaft and crankshaft sensors and the spark plugs; however, the failure persisted. An unknown dealer was notified of the failure and an appointment was scheduled. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Mar 6, 2024
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Jan 5, 2024
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the Malfunction Indicator Lamp was illuminated. The failure mileage was 84,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.