NHTSA vehicle safety data

2019 Kia Soul EV Recalls & Complaints

The 2019 Kia Soul EV has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns and 3 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Kia dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2019 Kia Soul EV. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

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2019 Kia Soul EV owner complaints

Owners have filed 3 complaints with NHTSA about the 2019 Kia Soul EV, describing incidents dated June 23, 2019 to January 7, 2024.

Most-cited components

Power Train 2 complaints
Electrical System 1 complaint
Parking Brake 1 complaint
Service Brakes 1 complaint
Unknown or Other 1 complaint

Of the 3 complaints on file, 2 report a crash; across all 3 complaints, owners report 2 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11564480 · Filed January 9, 2024
The contact owns a 2019 Kia Soul EV. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started shaking abnormally. The contact drove the vehicle out of the street and into a parking space. Additionally, the contact stated that on two occasions the cellphone charger cord…
ODI #11564307 · Filed January 8, 2024
Please note this was in our driveway and we have a video of the incident. Driver parked the car on slight hill and engaged the parking break and exited the vehicle. The car was still "On". Driver opened the door and reached in and pushed the ON button to shut down power. The brake disengaged by…
ODI #11222050 · Filed June 24, 2019
BRAKE FAILURE CAUSING WRECK, COMING ON TO A RED LIGHT, HIT BRAKES AND CAR DID NOT SLOW DOWN. I SWERVED TO MISS HITTING THE CARS IN FRONT OF ME, THINKING HITTING SOMEONE FROM BEHIND WOULD CAUSE A NUMBER OF INJURIES. I MISSED BOTH OF THESE CARS, BUT HAD TO RU N A RED LIGHT. THERE WAS ONE CAR IN LEFT…

Read all 3 complaints

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2019 Kia Soul EV in 2 investigations. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

Recall Query RQ23-005: Vehicle Rollaway
Closed January 16, 2024
- Recall 23V-724
Defect Petition DP22-005: Pedestrian alert sounds
Closed August 7, 2023
- Recall 22V-063

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

Unintended Movement Due to Damaged Park Mechanism

NHTSA #23V724000 · Power Train — Automatic Transmission — Gear Position Indication (PRNDL) · NHTSA notice

Reported October 26, 2023 · Kia America, Inc.

Potentially affected: 6,262 vehicles

Repair completion: 62.68% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Kia campaign SC287 · Owners notified December 21, 2023 · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation

Defect description

Kia America, Inc. (KIA) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Soul EV vehicles. The parking mechanism may be damaged, which can result in unintended vehicle movement when the gear shift lever is in the Park 'P' position and the parking brake is not applied while the vehicle is powered on.

Safety consequence

Unintended vehicle movement can increase the risk of a crash.

Manufacturer remedy

Dealers will update the electronic control unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 21, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC287. This recall expands and replaces recall number 20V-389. Vehicles previously repaired under 20V-389 will need to have the new remedy completed.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

High-Voltage Battery Pack May Short-Circuit

NHTSA #23V218000 · Electrical System — Propulsion System — Traction Battery · NHTSA notice

Reported March 29, 2023 · Kia America, Inc.

Potentially affected: 2,689 vehicles

Repair completion: 79.14% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Kia campaign SC267 · Owners notified August 18, 2023

Defect description

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Soul EV vehicles equipped with an E400 battery. The high-voltage battery pack may experience an electrical short-circuit while driving.

Safety consequence

A battery electrical short-circuit increases the risk of a fire.

Manufacturer remedy

Dealers will update and/or replace the battery management system and software, as necessary, free of charge. The new software will illuminate the EV warning light, limit charging capacity, and reduce vehicle power if abnormal voltage is detected. If this occurs, the battery will be replaced, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 18, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC267.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Air Bags May Not Deploy

NHTSA #22V031000 · Air Bags · NHTSA notice

Reported January 25, 2022 · Kia Motors America

Potentially affected: 410,619 vehicles

Repair completion: 65.98% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Kia campaign SC226 · Owners notified March 21, 2022

Defect description

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Sedona, Soul, Soul EV, 2017-2018 Forte, and 2017 Forte Koup vehicles. The Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) cover may contact a memory chip on the printed circuit board and damage the electrical circuit. Circuit damage may result in deactivated air bags that will not deploy in a crash.

Safety consequence

Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.

Manufacturer remedy

Dealers will inspect the ACU, and either update the software or replace the unit, as necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 21, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC226.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

2019 Kia Soul EV SUV FWD

—

out of 5

Overall Safety Rating

Not Rated

Frontal Crash

Not Rated

Driver: Not Rated, Passenger: Not Rated

Side Crash

Not Rated

Driver: Not Rated, Passenger: Not Rated

Side Pole

Not Rated

Rollover

Not Rated

Safety Technology

Electronic Stability Control

3 investigations

3 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2019 Kia Soul EV.

Power Train; Electrical System

ODI #11564480

Incident: December 23, 2023 · Filed: January 9, 2024

The contact owns a 2019 Kia Soul EV. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started shaking abnormally. The contact drove the vehicle out of the street and into a parking space. Additionally, the contact stated that on two occasions the cellphone charger cord melted in the charger port while the cellphone was charging. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The contact was informed that the transmission failed, and the transmission needed to be replaced; however, a diagnostic test had not been completed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 73,000.

Unknown or Other; Parking Brake; Power Train

ODI #11564307

Crash 1 injury

Incident: January 7, 2024 · Filed: January 8, 2024

Please note this was in our driveway and we have a video of the incident. Driver parked the car on slight hill and engaged the parking break and exited the vehicle. The car was still "On". Driver opened the door and reached in and pushed the ON button to shut down power. The brake disengaged by itself, car rolled, knocked down and almost rolled over driver. Rolled into street in oncoming traffic. Damage to door, slight injury to driver who was nearly run over.

Service Brakes

ODI #11222050

Crash 1 injury

Incident: June 23, 2019 · Filed: June 24, 2019

BRAKE FAILURE CAUSING WRECK, COMING ON TO A RED LIGHT, HIT BRAKES AND CAR DID NOT SLOW DOWN. I SWERVED TO MISS HITTING THE CARS IN FRONT OF ME, THINKING HITTING SOMEONE FROM BEHIND WOULD CAUSE A NUMBER OF INJURIES. I MISSED BOTH OF THESE CARS, BUT HAD TO RU N A RED LIGHT. THERE WAS ONE CAR IN LEFT HAND TURN LANE ON THE RIGHT. I THOUGHT IF I COULD GET THROUGH THE INTERSECTION I MIGHT COULD LET THE CAR SLOW DOWN ON ITS OWN IN A FIELD ACROSS THE STREET. THE CAR IN THE TURN LANE BLOCKED MY VIEW ON ONCOMING TRAFIC. A TRUCK GOING 45 OR 50 MILES PER HOUR HIT ME IN RIGHT FRONT TOTALING MY CAR AND CAUSING ME SOME BACK AND NECK INJURIES. I HAD MY SEAT BELT ON AND MY FOOT WAS STILL ON THE BRAKE. THE AIR BAGS WORKED PERFECTLY, BUT MY CAR WAS DESTROYED. BOTH VEHICLES HAD TO BE TOWED OFF NON DRIVABLE . I WILL GET PHOTOS LATER. I HAD A PROBLEM EARLIER IN THE WEEK, WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL ALMOST GOING TO THE FLOOR BEFORE THE CAR WOULD STOP.

Other Kia Soul EV model years

Check your 2019 Kia Soul EV VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Kia Soul EV at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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