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.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Other or unspecified, Engine, Aug 12, 2024, fire
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact stated that after driving the vehicle, thirty minutes later, the vehicle was parked in the driveway unattended and caught fire. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was burned from the engine to the door panel. There were no reported injuries, air bag deployment, or police report. The fire department extinguished the fire. The contact stated that the failure was due to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic,). The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
Steering, Aug 1, 2024
The steering wheel is making a noise and is having a caution sign with the steering wheel on it
Engine, Jul 19, 2024, fire
I cranked car letting it warm up, pulled out of my park onto main road, got approximately 300 yards to the red light, while sitting at the red light the cars idling went aradic, I opened the driver's side door and looked under the car, the catalytic converter was glowing red, solid red, I tried to pull into the store next to the red light, the check engine light came in and the car had no power when I mashed the gas, people behind me helped me push it into the store, after getting home that evening I checked and seen they had a catalytic converter recall on my car stating that the catalytic converter can catch on fire and harm the engine, I took the car to Kia south in Union city they gave us the run around stating that I had to have a new engine I told them the catalytic converter recall states that the catalytic converter will cause fire and engine damage, before even inspecting the car their tech had already made up his mind that's not what killed the engine, then started stating that my car wasn't under the recall I ask him how us that possible when it did the same thing 749.000 kia cars did, then was called a week later tech saying he couldn't do the recall cause he couldn't get the car to crank, but the tech said he did a diagnostics on I asked how if he couldn't get the car to crank, we took a mechanic to Kia with us, to look at the car ,after looking at the car, the mechanic told us this is the exact same damage that he has work on because of the catalytic converter, the tech showed us a picture on his phone stating the were metal pieces in the oil , that the car was ran out of oil, upon further inspection of his pictures the tech was caught in a lie, the picture wasn't even a picture of my car , our mechanic told the tech that this falls under the recall and Kia knows it.. Kia and the tech acknowledge my car falls under the recall but said I have more than 150.000 miles on it, so if i want it fixed it would cost $8000 dollar for new engine
Steering, Jul 15, 2024
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to a dealer for the recall repair however, the vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that the steering coupler needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that the unknown recall had expired. The failure mileage was approximately 100,234.
Engine, Jul 11, 2024
I recently serviced my Kia Soul 2013 in May and March 2024. Completing oil service, air filter replacement and new brakes and rotors. End of June, the car's engine light went on and there was a jump when idle. Took it to Kia Service Center and they reported there is an internal failure in the top assembly with an unknown cause. The car is currently unsafe to drive and needs further diagnosis, which Kia is refusing to complete. I was not notified of the recent recall issue with engire fire safety concern until the end of June 24.
Service brakes, Engine, Jul 9, 2024
Gas peddle gets very touchy before incident. RPMs spike to 3-4K, unable to stop car. Brakes do not work. Brakes get very hard and high brake peddle. Have to put the car in neutral, pull over, turn car off, put in park. Let car sit for a few minutes. Start car, something must reset because car is back to normal. My regular mechanic was unable to resolve, therefore took to dealer. $3500 later, the car is currently at the dealer for the 4th time trying to resolve. Very dangerous due to the car acceleration and inability to stop!! Has been happening for approx. 4 years. Started out happening once or twice per year, then increased to 4 times in one day. Did not happen for 5 months after brake booster was replaced in January 2024. Most recent incident 7-3-24
Structure, Jul 7, 2024
Paint is bubbling up and peeling off everywhere on my car
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Jun 25, 2024
The contact owns a 2013 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 informed the contact that scheduling for the recall repair would start in October 2024. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Other or unspecified, Jun 20, 2024
I was sent to this form by live chat to report that a recall for my car has not been remedied in a timely manner. I received notification in November of 2023 that it was advised to not use my car and to park away from buildings. It has been 7 months and it still shows as not updated on this website and the official Kia one.
Steering, Jun 19, 2024
Steering wheel shakes violently when going over 75MPH and is extremely shaky on side streets as well. The steering wheel feels like it’s going to fall off! Got it checked out by Kia and they said the Flexible steering coupling needs repairing and it would be over $900 to do so for a part that costs less than $10! I have an extended warranty and I was told the warranty doesn’t cover this issue, but at the bare minimum it seems like it should as it feels dangerous at times to drive the car. Also, this issue should be a recall for Kia as I have seen a ton of other people with this issue! It’s a defect in the car and should be a free recall to be fixed .
Engine, Jun 18, 2024
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while the vehicle was serviced for routine maintenance, the independent mechanic became aware of excessive oil consumption. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was not diagnosed since the contact refused to pay for the diagnostic test. The contact was informed that the vehicle was out of warranty and was not under a recall for the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Jun 17, 2024
The contact owns a 2013 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 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.
Engine, Jun 11, 2024
There is a history of engine failure. The check engine light does not remain on for a diagnostic to be completed. This has been going on for about a year. One day it would run then the next day the engine would fail. It is happening more frequently such as after filling up with gas, waiting at stop lights, reversing, and DURING driving. The vehicle now will not restart when the engine fails. After investigating the failure, I related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling). Kia's number for this recall is SC176. The manufacturer was notified of the failure due to the local dealership not replacing the catalytic converter due to being “out of warranty”. A case was opened and I am awaiting a response from a caseworker. I have a code in the History: P0172 code, which stands for "Fuel System Too Rich (Bank 1)". What this means in plain language is that there's too much fuel being delivered to combustion chambers on bank 1, or not enough air. Manufacturers are required to fix the problem by repairing it, replacing it, offering a refund, or in rare cases repurchasing the vehicle. However, that is not what I’m experiencing rather I am being dismissed and neglected even after the engine failed on the highway going 70mph with a semi-truck behind me nearly running over me. I then had to be towed to the dealership, which was expensive. I have spent thousands of dollars in attempts to repair/remedy this problem to only recently find out that there is a related recall. Kia's number for this recall is SC176. I refuse to drive this car as it is unreliable and unsafe. Also, the recall below has still not been repaired since the Notice was received in 2023. Manufacturer Recall Number: SC284AM NHTSA Recall Number: 23V652 Recall Status:”Recall Incomplete, remedy not yet available”
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Jun 5, 2024
The contact owns a 2013 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, Engine, Jun 5, 2024
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that on another occasion, the vehicle started shuddering and jerking and almost stalled. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed a misfire and a failure in cylinder #4. The vehicle was not repaired. 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 manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 142,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Electrical system, Engine, Jun 3, 2024, fire
The engine caught on fire. The car cut off while I was driving. It began to smoke and then I saw the flames. My safety was put at risk because I was driving the car. The car is burned from the front bumper to the backseat. The car has not been inspected because of how bad it is burned. There were not any warnings of the failure before it happened.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, May 30, 2024
The contact owns a 2013 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 29, 2024
The contact owns a 2013 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, Engine, May 29, 2024
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the dealer had previously performed an unknown recall repair on the vehicle. The contact stated that after the repair, the vehicle stalled while driving on several occasions. The vehicle was able to restart but failed to exceed 25 MPH while driving. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to another dealer, Tameron Kia Westbank (1884 Westbank Expy, Harvey, LA 70058), where it was diagnosed that the engine was blown. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact became aware that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic), which she related to the failure; 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 notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 149,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, May 29, 2024
The contact owns a 2013 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 manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Engine and engine cooling, Engine, May 28, 2024
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact stated that vehicle would hesitate upon depression of brake pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer but no cause for the failure was found. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the steering wheel seized. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic; however, the vehicle returned to normal operation while in the possession of the independent mechanic and was returned to the contact. Upon return of the vehicle, the contact noticed that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic where a diagnostic was performed, and the diagnostic test showed a misfire in cylinder #4. The mechanic linked the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling). The local dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.
Engine, May 23, 2024
NHTSA Recall 23V652000 recalled September 2023. Possible engine fire, Kia request we do not park car near buildings or other cars as fire is possible. It is now May 23, 2024 and no further action by KIa. Issue still unresolved. That is ten months and no solution. Vehicle is a 2023 Kia Soul. Can't even sell the car with such a serious recall! Hoping you can light a fire under Kia so they come up with fix to prevent my car from catching fire. Thanks [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, May 23, 2024, fire
The car stared to lose all power and sputtering. Then the check engine light started coming on then it would go off. This has been going on for about 4 months. One day it would run on then next day not good at all. I changed the plugs and coils and it ran a lil better for about 2 days. Not every time I put it in reverse I started cutting out and now I don't the it can idle at all. It's a 4 cylinder feeling like a beefed up v8 trying to ideal. I looked at my coils and it looked like it had been on fire I have put every bit of money I could to try to fix it. I just had tires put on too. I pay for full coverage and a car payment. I pay aot for this car every month yet I can't drive it. I take care of my father that is terminal and on hospice, plus I'm disabled myself on a fixed income. This car is all I have and it my only car for my father as well. Help pleas
Steering, May 22, 2024
The Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS) Flexible Coupling part failed. Steering is difficult and causes pull to the left/right. Appears the issue has occurred across various Kia and Hyundai models.
Service brakes, Hydraulic, May 21, 2024
The contact owns a 2013 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 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.