NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2013 Kia Soul. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
The check engine light has been on about a few weeks. While driving on the highway at approx 65 miles per hour my car started losing power and the temperature gauge indicator went to "H". I pulled off the highway and noticed a burning smell and smoke coming from the hood. I waited about 10 minutes then got back on the road again the temperature gauge began to rise to "H". I pulled off several things before reaching home. The next day the car was towed to Hollywood Kia. My car has been at the shop for 2 weeks. I was giving a repair bill of $1500. I need help please and can't afford to pay for the repairs. Respectfully, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I had and oil change refused because the dip stick showed no oil. I had to add an additional oil of 2.5 quarts to get the oil change done at another service center. there was no visible oil leeks. The 1.6L engine burned thru the oil in 3000 miles. my odometer reads 96361 miles.
The steering on my 2013 Kia soul makes a clunking noise when steering left or right. The steering feels very unstable while driving. If I reach 75 mph the steering gets very noisy and loose. I’m now afraid to drive the vehicle. Upon researching this issue, I found that I am not the only one experiencing this problem. I haven’t taken it to a dealer as of yet. I wanted to see if there was a recall on it. There has been no warning lamps or messages appearing.
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving approximately 40-45 MPH, the vehicle stalled in traffic. While driving the following day, the vehicle stalled again. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine, and Engine Cooling). The failure mileage was approximately 136,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that the defroster and air conditioning failed to turn off. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 72,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was not made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
My 2013 Kia Soul has been recalled for HYDRAULIC ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (HECU) which can RESULT IN AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE WHILE DRIVING OR PARKED since September of 2023. I was advised to park my vehicle away from the house and wait for a solution from Kia. It has been 6 months that I have been unable to drive my vehicle. Kia states that a remedy is *still* unavailable.
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not yet available.
An NHTSA Recall Number SC284AM was issued on September 25, 2023. The Recall states "URGENT: FIRE RISK WHEN PARKED," and advises owners to park out of doors, and away from other vehicles. This is absolute insanity and irresponsibility. I received a letter from KIA in November, 2013 about this Recall (over 5 months ago). As of this date, 4/5/2024, they do still not have the necessary part for the HECU system, which I understand to be a fuse. Considering the extremely HIGH RISK and personal exposure involved in this Recall, I feel the lengthy delay in resolving the problem to be outrageous. Please advise ASAP. Thank you.
NHTSA Recall 23V652000 recalled September 2023. Possible engine fire, Kia request we do not park car near buildings or other cars as fire is possible. It is now May 23, 2024 and no further action by KIa. Issue still unresolved. That is ten months and no solution. Vehicle is a 2023 Kia Soul. Can't even sell the car with such a serious recall! Hoping you can light a fire under Kia so they come up with fix to prevent my car from catching fire. Thanks [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The dealer informed the contact that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
There is an open fire hazard recall on my vehicle, and no solution made available. When I went to the dealer for service, I inquired about this and was told that it will "probably be a while before they get to the older vehicles". Older vehicles have more wear and are likely at greater risk. Surely there is a replacement HECU module available. It has been six months since the recall, and this is a critical fire hazard issue. I want the process to move along so I no longer have to worry about a vehicle fire, especially when it has occupants. I feel like KIA is dragging its feet on older vehicles, hoping they will age out or we will sell them. My vehicle has 34,000 miles, so I will have it for many years, and need this issue resolved in a timely manner.
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the remedy was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Recall is still unresolved?. This is ridiculous, how long should I be inconveniences?.. I read it's a fuse replacement?. Can't they produce a fuse?. Kia shouldn't be allowed to sale any more of their death traps, until they handle these unresolved issues with there existing customers.
Our 2013 Kia Soul accelerated on its own at a Sonic drive-in restaurant. First ran into a brick wall and then when put in reverse, it continued at accelerated speed until it came to a stop. Nobody injured - just the car. Afterward I did some research and found it has been a problem with various makes and models of Kias.
i WAS NOIFIED LAST YEAR SEPTEMBER 2023 OF A DANGEROUS RECALL THAT COULD CATCH THE VEHICLE ON FIRE. NOW. 9 MONTHS LATER KIA HAS NOT PROVIDED ME WITH A REPAIR FOR MY SAFTY.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? MDSP, Steering wheel. The steering wheel makes a loud click/clang sound when turning the wheel right or left. This occurs when car is in parking or moving condition. Yes, it is available upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? My teenage son (high school) and wife are the main drivers and are now very concerned about their safety. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? No not yet. Kia has informed us that the 10 yr extended warranty has expired and they will not be able to cover this issue. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? No not yet. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No.
Excessive oil consumption, burning a quart of oil a week. Mechanic looked my car there aren't any oil leaks, said car is burning oil.
Steering coupler is going out. KIA will not cover repair even though it covers 10 years and unlimited miles.
The dealer originally said it was the steering coupler that was bad and needed replaced for $2000. Then they call back two weeks later to say the steering assist motor was bad and it needs to be replaced for an additional $2400. Still waiting for the parts and repairs. I see many other complaints on the steering, should this be a recall?
My 2013 Kia Soul does not currently have a recall issued for it, but there is a known steering problem that has resulted in 345,000 Kia Souls being recalled. The recall starts with models manufactured in 2013, and yet my model has been excluded. The recall that was issued affects Souls manufactured for the 2014, 2015, and 2016 model years, spanning manufacture dates from July 21, 2013 though September 30, 2015. Warning signs of an impending failure could be a clunking noise from the steering rack when turning. My 2013 Kia Soul has been experiencing this same clunking noise that has been increasing in severity and causing issues with steering. I am extremely concerned about the safety of driving a car with known steering issues. When I contacted my Kia dealer directly about this concern, they said that the recall wasn't issued for my VIN number. The issue appears to be prevalent for Kia Souls dating back further to 2012, as I have researched to see if others have experienced the same or similar issue. I have attached screenshots of other consumers who have experienced this issue and were also not included in the recall years. There were no warning lamps or messages and the issue has gotten progressively worse, and much more severe, over the past few weeks.
Engine rod bearings loose torque and piston break make a hole into block, I fix the engine but my cat converter failed
Car’s check engine and oil light came in and flickered. Went to get an oil change and have them check the car. I turned the car off when I got there. When I went to start the car to wind the windows down, the mechanic saw sparks, I saw smoke coming out of the engine and he yelled for me to stop trying to start it. We opened the hood, tried again and the same thing happened - almost caught on fire. Now, the engine won’t turn over. He said the battery is good. He said the engine is done.
The steering wheel makes a loud clocking sound. It’s sounds like the pinion plug is broken or loose
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH and accelerating to merge into traffic, the check engine warning light and several unknown warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle decelerated. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to the residence. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The local dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 159,198. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Uvo infotainment system speakers not working. Radio works, but the only thing you can hear is the beep of the buttons when you push them on the screen. It keeps resetting itself as well.
My engine light is on. Second, I hear a noise when I turn my steering wheel.
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the sunroof shattered without impact. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 214,000.
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact stated that after arriving to her destination and upon attempting to restart the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start immediately. After starting the vehicle and driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to restart. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who was unable to determine the failure. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, who diagnosed failures with the exhaust system, including the catalytic converter and PCV valve. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling) but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 145,000.
About 3 months ago my steering wheel started rattling and continues to get worse I haven’t had it looked at yet but I think I need to also my dash lights come off and on all the time do you think I have a problem
The Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS) Flexible Coupling part failed. Steering is difficult and causes pull to the left/right. Appears the issue has occurred across various Kia and Hyundai models.
The brake lights go out all the time. They work one day and then not the next. This is a known issue with Kia vehicles. Apparently this is a wide spread issue that effects many Kia brand cars not just the Soul model that I drive. I have people stop me saying they did not see my brake lights come on at all when I obviously had to. Why hasn't this been a recall? This is a problem that could end in fatalities.
P 195 / 65 R 15 There seems to be an issue with the tires (4) staying inflated My safety was put at risk because vehicle wobbles when I get to a certain speed and I have to constantly put air in the tire daily The problem has been reported to carmax in Stockbridge GA The mechanic has inspected the tires I did not get any warnings about the tire pressure until after I put the spare on the vehicle then the low tire pressure sensor came on the date is unknown
Brake light not working. Everything is good to the relay switch in the dash. All turn signal and parking lights work.
My vehicle is involved in the vulnerable Kia's lack of a theft immobilizer. I just contacted Kia service to make an appointment for the software update and was advised that my vehicle is not listed on the recall list though I was eligible for a steering wheel lock. I purchased a steering wheel lock in early 2022 because of the news of the KIA vehicle vulnerability due to the tiktok theft instruction video. How can Kia offer recall/software upgrades and exclude the 2013 Kia Soul+? I really would like an explanation. Thank you.
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 MPH, the vehicle started to lose motive power. The contact stated that she depressed the accelerator pedal and the vehicle continued to lose motive power. The contact stated that the check engine warning was illuminated and flashing. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local independent mechanic where it was diagnosed and determined that the spark plugs and O2 sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred. The contact researched and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling) which was repaired on the vehicle in 2021. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.
The recall #19V120 States that engine damage may occur do to this recall & that in that case KIA would repair the engine at no cost to me. My car has the same engine damage that they refer to & also has recall open. I took to a KIA dealer & they confirmed that the engine has a bad connecting rod but like stated can happen but KIA will not cover it because recall was not performed soon enough. They state in their recall information that this is what can happen & that it is inclusive of the recall but then say they will not cover? I'm confused. Is this acceptable for Recalls. Then they do not understand why people do not want to take their time to take a car back in for a recall because its just a waste of your time & then the dealer wants to upsell you on something they say they saw when perfoming the recall.
Stering wheel makes a load clacking sound also lots of slack in the wheel git alignment twice and still making the sound and drifts to the right and steering wheel shakes when driving and breaking.
I was driving along the street when the engine went dead. I shifted into neutral, cranked the engine and restarted the engine. I almost got hit. This has now happened several times with myself and other drivers.
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for an oil change; however, the contact stated that after the oil change was performed; while driving at an undisclosed speed, he heard an abnormal pop underneath the hood and then the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that he was able to restart the vehicle. The check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic where the contact was informed by the technician of an engine oil leak that was unmentioned at the time of the oil change. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the mileage was over the warranty coverage. The failure mileage was approximately 129,890.
My 2013 Kia Soul has been attempted to be stolen twice. My passenger side window was broken out with the intent to steal my car right from my driveway due to the tick tok challenge that has been going around and a month later the steering column was ripped apart in my drive way with the intent to steal it a 2nd time due to my vehicle not having an immobilizer. My safety as well as the safety of my entire family and that of all of my neighbors was put at risk with both attempts as we caught them in the act the first time… and the 2nd time but we didn’t realize it until later when we discovered the steering column ripped apart. This is my only vehicle, I do not have the means to replace it or to buy another one. Why aren’t these cars being recalled? The public should not be on the hook for replacing windows and steering columns because of a companies short comings. I did not recently buy my car, I’ve had it since 2017 and had I been aware of this issue, i most definitely would have bought a different car!
Steering feels unstable. Knocking noise near steering gear box when turning wheel and steering feels sloppy.
THE 2.0 ENGINE OF THE KIA 2013 SOUL SEEMS TO HAVE TO SAME PROBLEM AS THE KIA 2013 SOUL WITH THE 1.4 ENGINE WHICH WAS RECALL DUE TO THE CRANKSHAFT TEETH GETTING DAMAGED AND ENGINE GET DAMAGED DUE TO THE SAME RECALL OF THE 1.4 ENGINE. 2.0 ENGINE SHOULD ALSO BE ADDED TO THE RECALL. PUTS THE DRIVERS AT RISK OF DEATH AS IT CAN CATCH ON FIRE LIKE THE 1.4 ENGINE. VEHICLE WAS EXPECTED BY A MECHANIC AFTER THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND DESCRIBED THE SAME AS THE 1.4 ENGINE RECALL.
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Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026