Home · 2011 Kia Soul · Complaints

What 193 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Kia Soul

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (193)Crash / fire / injury (33)Brakes (45)Electrical system (30)Airbags (25)Engine (24)Visibility & wipers (17)Lights (13)Transmission & drivetrain (13)Body & structure (12)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (10)Fuel system (9)

13 of 193 complaints match · Lights · clear filters

Jun 14, 2021Lights

The contact owns a 2011 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving 65 mph, the cruise control failed to operate as designed. The contact stated that the ESC warning light was illuminated. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 13V114000 (Exterior Lighting) however, the Vin was not included. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and confirmed that the Vin was not under recall. The failure mileage was approximately 270,000.

NHTSA ODI 11420911

Nov 27, 2020Lights

IN THE 9 YEARS SINCE PURCHASE I'VE REPLACED MY HEADLIGHTS 13 TIMES. THEY GENERALLY BURN OUT WITHIN A MONTH OF EACH OTHER SO NOW I JUST REPLACE BOTH WHEN ONE GOES OUT. I HAVE TO KEEP SPARES IN THE GLOVE BOX BECAUSE ON ONE OCCASION THEY BOTH WENT OUT ON THE SAME DAY.

NHTSA ODI 11376647

Nov 2, 2020LightsElectronic Stability Control (esc)

1. THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL WARNING LIGHT COMES ON AND GOES OFF INTERMITTENTLY AND UNPREDICTABLY. 2. I REPLACED THE MAP LIGHT. IT JUST STOPPED WORKING AND I REPLACED IT WITH A NEW ONE I ORDERED MYSELF. A LOCAL GARAGE DID THE WORK, NOT A DEALER.

NHTSA ODI 11372791

Oct 28, 2020LightsEngine

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH AT NIGHT TIME, HER NEIGHBOR INFORMED HER THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE NOT ILLUMINATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO VAN GRIFFITH KIA (4301 E US HWY 377, GRANBURY, TX 76049; (817) 573-0400) AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V114000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE STOP LIGHT SWITCH WAS REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ON 9/16/2020 WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AND INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 190,000. *LN*JB

NHTSA ODI 11366851

Aug 31, 2020Lights

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE GETTING AN OIL CHANGE, SHE WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS WERE INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN OFFICIALLY DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR A SIMILAR FAILURE HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

NHTSA ODI 11352274

Jul 17, 2019Lights

MY PROBLEM IS THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT GO OUT WHEN THE CAR IS OFF, AND THEY ARE CONSTANTLY ON WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA ODI 11232831

May 9, 2017Lights

FOG LIGHTS QUIT WORKING JUST AFTER THE WARRANTY RAN OUT. THE PROBLEM IS IN THE LIGHT, TURN SIGNAL KNOB. THEY WILL COME ON AND OFF AT TIMES WHEN TURNING THE TURN SIGNAL ON TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN. I HAVE COME TO THE POINT THAT I HAVE JUST TURNED THE FOG LIGHTS OFF.

NHTSA ODI 10984434

Apr 19, 2017LightsAirbagsBrakes

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. IN ADDITION, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE ECM WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE HEAD LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED FOR A STOP LAMP SWITCH AND THE UNDER BODY CORROSION RECALL. THE FAILURES WERE NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.

NHTSA ODI 10979372

Feb 8, 2017Electrical systemLightsSpeed control

BRAKE LIGHTS QUITS WORKING , CRUSE DOESN'T WORK , RADIO IS AFFECTED

NHTSA ODI 10950241

Oct 18, 2016Lights

THE DIM HEADLIGHTS ON MY KIA SOUL WERE BLOWING EVERY 3 MONTHS. I BOUGHT BULBS FROM THE AUTO PARTS STORE FROM THE CHEAP TO SUPER EXPENSIVE BULBS. NOTHING HELPED. I CALLED KIA AND THEY TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED THERE BULBS. SO, I BOUGHT THOSE BULBS TOO. MY HEADLIGHTS WERE STILL BLOWING. I CHECKED THE SOCKET AND IT WAS BROWN LIKE IT HAD BEEN OVERHEATED. I REPLACED THOSE SOCKETS AND PUT ANOTHER SET OF KIA BULBS IN THE CAR. THAT FIXED THE PROBLEM FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS AND THEY ARE BACK TO GOING OUT ON ME. THEY BOTH WENT OUT AT THE SAME TIME WHICH IS VERY VERY DANGEROUS!!!!

NHTSA ODI 10916710

Sep 24, 2015LightsBrakes

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SOUL. WHILE DRIVING 72 MPH, THE BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE, THE BRAKES SEIZED, THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER WHEELS SMOKED, THE BRAKE SHIFTER INTERLOCK FEATURE WOULD NOT TAKE VEHICLE OUT OF PARK, AND THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT DEACTIVATE EVEN WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REMEDIED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V114000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC); HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 55,000.

NHTSA ODI 10775907

Sep 3, 2015Lights

2011 KIA SOUL BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN ENGAGED BY PEDAL. TESTING LIGHTS SHOWS THAT ALL OTHER LIGHTS ARE IN WORKING ORDER. VEHICLE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE STOP LAMP SWITCH RECALL ISSUED BY KIA IN 2013; HOWEVER, THIS APPEARS TO BE THE SAME PROBLEM AND IN NEED OF THE STOP LAMP SWITCH REPLACEMENT.

NHTSA ODI 10761178

Apr 16, 2014Lights

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR LIGHTS WERE NOT BRIGHT ENOUGH WHICH PREVENTED HER FROM SEEING WHEN REVERSING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN EXPLAINED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS WORKING UP TO STANDARDS AND WAS UNABLE TO ALTER THE DESIGN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 32,500.

NHTSA ODI 10583106

Working with the data? Download all 193 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 10, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2011 Kia Soul verdict →