10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
171,097 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2012 Kia Soul brakes problems

brakes problem

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2012 Kia Soul Owner Comments

problem #7

Aug 032020

Soul

  • 112,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I just bought my car in April and with registration papers I received recall papers stating 2 recalls for my vehicle I didn't think it was legal to sell vehicle without having it fixed.?? next I. take my vehicle to Kia dealer on Monday August 3 to fix recalls they.said.no codes show.. I drive home 45 MINIaway. Car dies. Inext morning.it.dies.again wont start.. I looks under the hood and there.is a.wire buring through my fus box which was not there before and now I have no.power to my vehicle and something isn't right I know that wire wasn't there before.

- Hutchinson, KS, USA

problem #6

Dec 012018

Soul

  • 1,000,480 miles
Car was great until it reached the 100000 mile mark. Then it loses all power and dies while going 65 to 70 mph on freeway! it is going to get me killed! when happens, the RPM gauge quickly plummets to zero and remains there at zero after I get it restarted. After it sits for about 15 minutes it starts fine with the RPM gauge giving an actual reading. This is happening about 3 times in a 25 mile span!

- Columbus, OH, USA

problem #5

May 142018

Soul 4-cyl

  • 81,000 miles
Was driving on the express way behind a semi. When the semi got over in the right lane I accelerated and herd a loud bang and dark smoke started coming from my engine. It smelled often and impaired my vision. Several of my causation light illuminated and I was stuck at 60 mph my car would not accelerate and stopped working. I got over in the right lane safely and coasted for about a mile and a half to the nearest exit. Something told me do not put your foot on the brakes or you will be in serious trouble. As I got of the exit I started to brake and my car stopped and died.oil was leaking out and nothing was working. I had to get people to push me off to the side of the road and get a tow to the dealership. They told me I had catastrophic engine failure. So my engine failed me and I could have been killed. I did research and there have been many Kia's with recall and very similar situations as mine but not with my model car. I am sure this is a manufactures error and I pray Kia does a recall to protect people's lives.

- Kenosha, WI, USA

problem #4

Nov 052017

Soul

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Dashboard lights came on and car wouldn't start. Had car towed to Kia of bowie md., who did a diagnostic and replaced electrical panel which cost estimated $200 dollars including diagnostic. Kia of bowie never called and when I finally contacted someone a week later, they stated the steering column was out and would cost approximate $2000 and that's the part. Car has only 70.000 miles.

- Takoma Park, MD, USA

problem #3

Jul 112012

Soul

  • 4,000 miles
This is a recurring issue which Kia can't identify or troubleshoot. It has been in the Kia garage half a dozen times and still hasn't been fixed. The issue happens when the vehicle is initially started. The status lights in the dash all light up and go out one by one when systems are confirmed good, except the electronic assist steering and electronic stability control lights stay lit. The electronic assist power steering does not work as it is impossible to turn the wheel even if the vehicle is put into gear and driven forward or backwards. You have to turn the ignition off and restart the vehicle to reset everything and then it is fine. Kia was called out to a parking lot at one point while the systems failed and they hooked up their diagnostics to the port and were unable to communicate with the vehicles computer system in order to diagnose the problem. I have been told to track this issue and there is nothing that can be done until the system totally fails and refuses to reset. Diagnostics does not pickup the error when it occurs and the vehicles internal computer does not register the failure either.

- Puyallup, WA, USA

problem #2

Feb 282012

Soul 4-cyl

  • miles
Operational warning lights for brakes-stability control-anti-lock brakes. I have returned to dealer 3 times and they were unable to fix. This creates a safety concern.I.e. do these systems function as required when driving conditions present themselves.

- Punta Gorda, FL, USA

problem #1

Mar 062012

Soul 4-cyl

  • 200 miles
I bought a brand new Kia Soul in Nov of 2011. Within 200 miles of ownership, the electronic stability control malfunction and falsely activated. The ESC not only falsely activated but remained activated. The steering wheel was locked up and could only be turned if considerable force was applied to it. I carefully pulled over the to side of the road. I turned off my vehicle then started it back up hoping the ESC would turn off. It did not. I ended up having to get the vehicle towed to my dealer. The Kia dealer service shop ultimately had to replace the entire steering column to "fix" the problem. About two months later I was driving down the interstate and attempted to do a lane change. Again the electronic stability control falsely activated and caused me to collide with the vehicle directly in front of me. When the ESC activated, the steering wheel locked up and caused a sudden loss of control, resulting in the accident. These are just 2 of many incidents I have experienced.

- Cincinnati, OH, USA

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