Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2011 Kia Soul
NHTSA data on file today
The 2011 Kia Soul has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns and 194 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
NCAP overall rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars, for the 1 NHTSA-tested trim.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #23V652000 HECU May Cause Engine Compartment Fire NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #14V822000 Headliner Plate Detachment NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #13V114000 Stop Lamp Switch may Function Intermittently NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic 32 complaints
- Electrical System 30 complaints
- Air Bags 26 complaints
- Engine 24 complaints
- Unknown or Other 21 complaints
- Exterior Lighting 13 complaints
Of the 194 complaints on file, 27 report a crash and 5 a fire; across all 194 complaints, owners report 29 injuries and 1 death (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $4,500–$9,500AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2011 Kia Soul has an average reliability rating based on 194 complaints and 3 recalls. Complaints involve service brakes, the electrical system, and airbags, among others. However, the number of complaints and recalls is not excessively high, indicating reasonable reliability. The data on specific failure mileages and repair costs is limited.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 60,000–100,000 miles | $300–$800 | common |
| Electrical system | 50,000–90,000 miles | $200–$700 | common |
| Airbags | 70,000–120,000 miles | $400–$1,500 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil changes every 5,000 miles
- Replace air filter annually
- Brake service every 20,000 miles
- Coolant flush every 50,000 miles
- Spark plug replacement at 100,000 miles
- Tire rotation every 7,500 miles
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Brake squealing or grinding
- Electrical component failure
- Airbag warning light on
- Engine overheating
- Harsh shifting in transmission
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2011 Kia Soul at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.