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NHTSA vehicle safety data

2023 Kia Soul Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

The 2023 Kia Soul has 4 NHTSA recall campaigns and 54 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 2023 Kia Soul, plus NCAP crash-test ratings. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

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2023 Kia Soul owner complaints

Owners have filed 54 complaints with NHTSA about the 2023 Kia Soul, describing incidents dated September 24, 2022 to September 14, 2026.

Most-cited components

  • Engine 15 complaints
  • Electrical System 14 complaints
  • Unknown or Other 13 complaints
  • Service Brakes 8 complaints
  • Steering 8 complaints
  • Lane Departure 7 complaints

Of the 54 complaints on file, 6 report a crash and 1 a fire; across all 54 complaints, owners report 15 injuries and 1 death (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

  • ODI #11770354 · Filed

    While driving the engine started shaking and smoke blew out from the tailpipe and then the vehicle stalled. I brought it in and the same thing happened on the way home from the dealership after it was supposedly fixed.

  • ODI #11768428 · Filed

    My brakes failed to stop my car I was driving down [XXX]. I went to brake because I was going to slow down cause I was just over the speed limit and my brakes went all the way to the floor and I I could not stop the car with the brakes , so I pulled over to the side and slowly came to a halt. I was…

  • ODI #11767790 · Filed

    It appears to get really hot and then it starts to smoke abundantly. And then the car struggles to drive forward. And something about instrument cluster

Read all 54 complaints

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2023 Kia Soul in 1 investigation. Audit Queries and Equipment Queries are administrative investigations: they look at whether companies complied with federal vehicle safety requirements, such as reporting, recall and certification rules, not at a possible vehicle defect. 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.

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

Engine Damage May Cause Stall or Fire

NHTSA #25V099000 · Engine and Engine Cooling — Engine — Hard Parts Internal/Mechanical · NHTSA notice

Reported February 17, 2025 · Kia America, Inc.

Potentially affected: 137,256 vehicles

Repair completion: 66.3% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Kia campaign SC336 · Owners notified April 4, 2025 · Vehicles built July 2, 2020 – April 19, 2022 (per NHTSA) · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation

Defect description

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Seltos and Soul vehicles. The piston oil rings may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in engine damage.

Safety consequence

Engine damage can cause a vehicle stall or fire, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.

Manufacturer remedy

Dealers will inspect and replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Dealers will also install piston-ring noise sensing system (PNSS) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 4, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC336.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or go to nhtsa.gov.

Side Curtain Air Bags May Deploy Unexpectedly

NHTSA #23V830000 · Air Bags · NHTSA notice

Reported December 22, 2023 · Kia America, Inc.

Potentially affected: 2,967 vehicles

Repair completion: 81.26% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Kia campaign SC289 · Owners notified January 31, 2024

Defect description

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Soul and 2024 Seltos vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the side curtain air bags may deploy unexpectedly.

Safety consequence

An air bag that deploys unexpectedly can increase the risk of injury or crash.

Manufacturer remedy

Dealers will inspect and replace both side curtain air bag modules as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 31, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC289.

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.

Electric Oil Pump Assembly May Cause Fire

NHTSA #23V531000 · Power Train — Automatic Transmission — Fluid/Lubricant — Pump · NHTSA notice

Reported July 31, 2023 · Kia America, Inc.

Potentially affected: 39,765 vehicles

Repair completion: 87.23% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Kia campaign SC275 · Owners notified September 28, 2023

Park outside only — fire risk while parked indoors or near structures.

Defect description

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Soul, Sportage, and 2023-2024 Seltos vehicles. The electronic controller for the Idle Stop & Go oil pump assembly may contain damaged electrical components that can cause the pump to overheat.

Safety consequence

An electric oil pump assembly that overheats increases the risk of a vehicle fire.

Manufacturer remedy

Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will inspect and replace the electric oil pump controller, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 28, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC275.

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.

Blank LCD Display/FMVSS 101 & 138

NHTSA #23V298000 · Electrical System — Instrument Cluster/Panel · NHTSA notice

Reported April 26, 2023 · Kia America, Inc.

Potentially affected: 108,936 vehicles

Repair completion: 91.87% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Kia campaign SC270 · Owners notified May 26, 2023

Defect description

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage Plug-in Hybrid, Niro Hybrid, Niro Plug-in Hybrid, Soul, and Telluride vehicles equipped with a digital instrument cluster containing a 4.2" LCD screen.  The instrument cluster may fail to display any information when the vehicle is started.  As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 101, "Control and Displays," and 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."

Safety consequence

A blank instrument cluster display will not show critical information, such as tire pressure, warning messages, and warning lights, increasing the risk of a crash.

Manufacturer remedy

Dealers will update the instrument cluster software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 26, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC270.

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.

Other Kia Soul model years

Check your 2023 Kia Soul VIN

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

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