Car Defect Radar
Built from NHTSA complaints and recalls collected for this model, generated September 22, 2026. Totals reflect what has been collected, not every complaint ever filed.

Recalls

0 total

Safety issues the manufacturer must repair for free. A recall means confirm the fix was done, not walk away.

No recalls on record for this model

No safety recalls were found in this dataset. It is still worth entering the exact VIN on NHTSA before purchase, since recalls can be added at any time.

Owner complaints by system

50 total

Unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA, grouped by the part of the car. Useful for spotting patterns. Open a group to read recent examples.

Engine & powertrain

Worth reading
15

Most reports here involve sudden stalling. Of these, 2 mention a crash, 4 mention an injury.

sudden stalling 7unintended acceleration 3rollaway 2
A recent report: While driving an alarm noise sounds and on the dash a message will appear stating engine off put car in p or n and I cannot accelerate.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11762252 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Electrical & infotainment

Minor
18

Most reports here involve software faults.

software faults 10sudden stalling 2
A recent report: 2023 Kia soul purchased brand new. Vehicle does not display speedometer, blinkers don't work, reverse camera doesn't work, nothing displays on dash, continuous alarm sound while vehicle is on. Having…
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2023 Kia soul purchased brand new. Vehicle does not display speedometer, blinkers don't work, reverse camera doesn't work, nothing displays on dash, continuous alarm sound while vehicle is on. Having no indication of speed traveling or ability to signal turns is a safety concern. failure at approximately 1 year after purchase. Has been in the dealership for repair multiple times without success. Currently been at the dealership for 10 months with no offer of a loaner vehicle and refusal to buy back vehicle or replace vehicle. Dealer is unable to repair and claims it doesn't qualify for lemon law.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11759038 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Brakes

Worth reading
4

Most reports here involve software faults. Of these, 1 mention a crash.

software faults 2loss of braking 1unintended acceleration 1
A recent report: When driving my vehicle under normal conditions, the car will unexpectedly slow down on its own, and the system brake lights and hazard lights will activate as if I am about to be in a collision…
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When driving my vehicle under normal conditions, the car will unexpectedly slow down on its own, and the system brake lights and hazard lights will activate as if I am about to be in a collision, even though no accident is occurring. I have noticed this issue most frequently when I am stopped at a traffic light and begin to accelerate again. Once I turn the car off and restart it, the warning lights go away, but the issue continues to reoccur.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11690015 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Steering, suspension & tires

Worth reading
4

Most reports here involve loss of steering. Of these, 1 mention a crash, 1 mention an injury.

loss of steering 3premature wear 1
A recent report: 205/60R16 Noticed that all 4 of my tires the rubber is peeling went to tire place they said they were chunking and they should not be having 23500 miles on my 2023 Kia soul tires have been rotated…
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205/60R16 Noticed that all 4 of my tires the rubber is peeling went to tire place they said they were chunking and they should not be having 23500 miles on my 2023 Kia soul tires have been rotated every 5000 or so miles

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11736602 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Airbags & seat belts

Minor
2

Most reports here involve airbags deploying unexpectedly.

airbags deploying unexpectedly 1
A recent report: The airbag in this 2023 Kia Soul vehicle had a faulty airbag deployment. The steering wheel airbag exploded upon a minor impact of under 20 mph and no other airbags deployed. The steering wheel…
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The airbag in this 2023 Kia Soul vehicle had a faulty airbag deployment. The steering wheel airbag exploded upon a minor impact of under 20 mph and no other airbags deployed. The steering wheel airbag never fully deployed or made driver contact, it just simply exploded. The dealership was notified, but declined to research the car immediately following the impact and said that was not part of their repairs and to take the vehicle to a body shop. So, no investigation was done by the dealership to identify the airbag's faulty deployment. Then, the manufacturer refused investigation when a case was filed and waited several weeks after pictures and a full report was filed to say they were dropping the case. Insurance did not declare the claim as a total loss and $7000 of work was performed. There was no assurance that the work performed at the body shop was secure as Kia never reviewed the case. Also, there was no safety camera detection or warning of impact. This model had recalls for the side airbags, but Kia neglected to follow up on this particular faulty airbag from the steering wheel.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11718259 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Structure & body

Minor
2

Most reports here involve other issues.

other issues 2
A recent report: The rear windshield spontaneously shattered while parked in the driveway and was not running. I was standing beside it when it happened. There was no glass inside vehicle all the glass was outside…
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The rear windshield spontaneously shattered while parked in the driveway and was not running. I was standing beside it when it happened. There was no glass inside vehicle all the glass was outside vehicle indicating that nothing hit the windshield, and nothing was around vehicle that could have hit the vehicle. The vehicle will be repaired tomorrow by Safelite as it is a commuting vehicle, and I have no other vehicle to drive to and from work. My insurance is not covering the damage as it is less than the deductible to just fix it.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11624595 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Other systems

Read closely
5

Most reports here involve other issues. Of these, 1 mention a crash, 10 mention an injury.

other issues 5
A recent report: See attached document for complaint.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11723841 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

Is 50 complaints a lot? They were filed between 2022 and 2026, roughly 13 a year, which is more than the typical model in this dataset. We do not have sales figures for this model, so treat this as a rough volume, not a rate per car on the road. Popular, high-volume models naturally collect more complaints over time.