2013 Kia Soul
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 662 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 4th highest complaint count among 16 Soul model years with reports.
Of the 2013 reports, 22 involved a crash and 45 involved a fire. 25 people were injured.
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
EngineFeb 22, 2019
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Kia Soul vehicles equipped with 1.6L Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) engines. High exhaust gas temperatures may damage the catalytic converter, possibly resulting in abnormal engine combustion and damage to one or more of the engine's pistons and possible piston connecting rod failure.
Piston damage may result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash. A broken connecting rod may puncture the engine block allowing engine oil to escape. The leaking oil may contact the exhaust, increasing the risk of a fire.
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will upgrade the Catalytic Overheating Protection Engine Control Unit logic to prevent overheating of the catalytic converter. In addition, the catalytic converter will also be replaced if it has been damaged. Depending on the extent of any damage, the engine may also be replaced, free of charge. The recall began April 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC176.
Campaign 19V120000 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
Representative owner complaints
662 reports, newest first.
Air bags, Nov 12, 2013, crash
AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED WHERE OUR 2013 KIA SOUL HIT THE REAR OF ANOTHER CAR. EXCESSIVE DAMAGE OCCURRED TO OUR CAR TO THE POINT WHERE IT WAS NOT DRIVEABLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR
Service brakes, Nov 1, 2013
AT STOP LIGHT, BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR AND VEHICLE STARTED TO MOVE FORWARD INTO INTERSECTION. THANKFULLY NO VEHICLES WERE AT THAT INTERSECTION AT THAT TIME! AFTER FIVE OR FEWER SECONDS THE BRAKES CAUGHT AND I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. *TR
Service brakes, Sep 27, 2013
MY BRAKES MAKE THIS SCREECHING SOUND WHEN BACKING UP, AFTER HAVING ONLY 2 MONTHS. THEY WOULD ALSO NOT HOLD SOMETIMES. THE 3 MOST FRIGHTENING WAS 1. ALMOST RAN OVER A PERSON, 2. RAN OUT INTO INTERSECT WITH ENTIRE FAMILY IN CAR B 4 STOPPING 3. WITH MY BOYS IN CAR ON WAY TO SCHOOL GOING DOWN HILL BRAKES WON'T CATCH. I CALLED DEALERSHIP IT TOOK THEM ALMOST A WK TO GET ME IN SHOP TO SAY THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG.DIDN'T DRIVE IT THOUGH. THE PERSON THAT YOU AS TO CALL AND GET ME IN WAITED TIL MON TO CALL. I HAD CALL CORP. OFFICE AND WAS TOLD TO BRING IN SAT B 4 THAT. WASN'T OFFERED A RENTAL OR ANOTHER CAR TIL WHAT WAS WRONG WAS FIXED. THE BRAKE ISSUE HAS BEEN GOING ON OFF AND ON FOR MONTHS. I BOUGHT THIS SOUL NEW OFF SHOW ROOM FLOOR. AFTER MONTHS OF GOING BACK AND FORTH WITH THIS, CORP SENT TO ANOTHER LOCATION THAT TOLD ME BRAKES DO THIS CAUSE CAR OUTSIDE CONDENSATION CAUSING IT. THIS NOT FIRST NEW CAR NEVER HAPPENED B 4, AFTER OTHER DEALERSHIP KEEPS A WEEK THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE PROBLEM, I HAVEN'T DRIVEN MY CAR MUCH GOT IN IT OTHER DAY CREEP TO STORE BACKED UP AGAIN BRAKES DIDN'T HOLD RAN INTO SHRUBBERY AND A WALL. CALLED BBB TO FILE COMPLAINT UNDER LEMON LAW. WANT DIFFERENT VEHICLE. JUST SAW TO THAT KIA DOING A RECALL OVER THERE BECAUSE OF BRAKES, THEY KNOW SOMETHING WRONG WHY NOT JUST TAKE THE CAR BACK & LET ME GET ANOTHER THIS IS JUST BAD BUSINESS. IF I RUN OVER SOMETHING, SOMEONE OR INJURY MYSELF THEY'RE GOING TO B OUT OF MORE. THEY GOT RIGHT PERSON NOT GIVING UP TIL WRONG MADE RIGHT. THE KIA SOUL BRAKING SYSTEM IS SUBSTANDARD. THEY ALL KNOW THIS TOO. *TR
Electrical system, Aug 29, 2013
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE CHECK WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE WIRING CODING WAS SOY BASED AND THAT ANIMALS WERE EATING THE WIRES. AS A RESULT, THE WIRING HARNESS AND THE EMISSION WIRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THE SAME SOY BASED CODING WIRING WAS USED TO REMEDY THE DEFECT AND HE WAS CONCERNED THAT THERE WOULD BE A RECURRENCE IN THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 1,000.
Structure, Jul 23, 2013
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE DRIVER'S SIDE A-PILLAR TRIM COVER DETACHED UNEXPECTEDLY. THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE FORCE OF THE WIND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR THE NEW REPLACEMENT PART. THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE DEFECT WAS A COMMON ISSUE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 780. UPDATED 09/05/13*LJ
Service brakes, Jul 3, 2013
BRAND NEW CAR PURCHASED 04/06/13 AND HAS 2900 MILES AND BRAKES SQUEAK. BRAKES HAVE BEEN SQUEAKING SINCE MAY BUT UNABLE TO LEAVE IT DUE TO LONG PERIODS OF WAITING FOR CAR. WAS TOLD BY SERVICE MANAGER THAT BRAKES ARE GLAZED AND ITS COMMON AND HAPPENS AND THEY WILL DEGLAZE BUT IT WILL KEEP HAPPENING BECAUSE ITS JUST THE BRAKES. I HAVE OWNED AND DRIVEN MANY CARS AND NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM PRIOR TO THIS VEHICLE AND THE VAN I HAVE THAT IS ALSO MANUFACTURED BY THE SAME PARENT COMPANY AND HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS. I WAS TOLD THAT IT GLAZED BECAUSE MY VAN WAS HEAVY BUT THIS NEW CAR IS VERY SMALL AND LIGHT. A CUSTOMER IN THE WAITING AREA SAID HE HAS NEVER HEARD OF GLAZING AND WORKED ON CARS FOR 30 YEARS. I BELIEVE THAT THESE CARS MADE FROM HYUNDAI/KIA ARE MADE WITH CHEAP PARTS THAT HAVE TO BE REPLACED OFTEN AND THAT'S HOW THE MAKE UP FOR CHEAPLY SOLD CARS. I NEED HELP FIGURING OUT HOW TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. *TR
Visibility/wiper, Jun 4, 2013
OPENED DRIVERS DOOR, GOT IN AND SHUT THE DOOR AND THE REAR HATCH WINDOW BLEW OUT. VEHICLE IS NOW AT DEALERSHIP AND THEY CALLED TO SAY CAR IS NOT TO BE TOUCHED BECAUSE PRODUCTS INVESTIGATIONS IS GOING TO LOOK AT THE CAR BEFORE ANOTHER WINDOW CAN BE INSTALLED. THERE ARE OTHER COMPLAINTS THAT ARE THE SAME AS MINE AND THE WINDOW BROKE IN SHARDS AND SPLINTERS UNCOMMON TO A NORMAL CAR WINDOW. *TR
Visibility/wiper, Jun 4, 2013
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THEY CLOSED THE DOOR AND THE WINDOW ON THE HATCH SHATTERED OUTWARDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND WAS BEING REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 1,000. *TR
Visibility/wiper, Jun 3, 2013
I WAS HIT BY A SMALL ROCK GOING AROUND 40MPH WHICH RESULTED IN A CHIP/CRACK. IN THE 3 WEEKS SINCE THEN IT HAS HAPPENED 2 MORE TIMES. SPEEDS WERE NOT EXCESSIVE AND THE ROCKS WERE SMALL. I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN IN 20 YEARS OF OWNING CARS UNTIL THIS NEW CAR. *TR
Steering, May 28, 2013
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED WITHOUT WARNING AND THE STEERING ASSIST WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THREE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 850. *TR
Service brakes, Mar 6, 2013
DURING BRAKING AND HITTING SMALL HOLE IN ROAD I NOTICED THE BRAKES SKIPPING AND BRAKE PEDAL JUMPING UP AND DOWN AS IF IT WAS A POWER DEFECT. I HAD THE SAME EFFECT HAPPEN AFTER BAD RAIN AND APPROACHING A RED LIGHT THE CAR SKIPPED TO THE STOP. WHEN IT SNOWED OUT THE BRAKES REALLY SKIPPED MADE NOISE AND SEEMED TO SLIP AND WOULD NOT STOP. I FIGURED THE CAR WAS NEW OR THE BRAKES ARE ADJUSTING KIND TO SPEED BUT NOW KNOW THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG. MARCH IS THE FIRST WHOLE MONTH I OWN THE CAR AND THIS IS TIME TO CALL THE DEALER AND GET THIS FIGURED OUT. THERE WAS WITNESS IN THE CAR ON 2 OF 3 OCCASIONS. *TR
Visibility/wiper, Jan 23, 2013
I HAVE WASHER FLUID FOR LOW TEMPS. THE WASHER LINES KEEP FREEZING MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE OUT OF WINDSHIELD. THIS IS VERY HAZARDOUS, ESPECIALLY IN NORTHEASTERN OHIO WEATHER. I CALLED KIA AND WAS TOLD BY KIA THAT THEY HAVE BEEN GETTING CALLS NONSTOP ABOUT IT AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT. APPARENTLY THE WASHER LINES ARE NOT NEAR ENGINE BLOCK SO THERE IS NO WARMTH TO PREVENT THEM FROM FREEZING IN COLD TEMPS. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS CAR MODEL ASAP. *TR