2nd generation (PS) · PS · 4,422 complaints, 2,381 with mileage
Owners filed 4,422 complaints with NHTSA about the 2014–2019 Kia Soul, and 2,381 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 52,000 and 110,000 miles. The median is 80,078 miles.
The most-reported areas are the engine (48.2% of complaints, typically around 93,000 miles), problems owners could not categorise (8.7% of complaints, typically around 70,000 miles), the electrical system (6.4% of complaints, typically around 64,500 miles).
6 recall campaigns cover this generation.
| System | Complaints | Share | Typical mileage | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 2,132 | 48.2% | 93,000 | 71,400–116,000 |
| Unknown Or Other | 384 | 8.7% | 70,000 | 22,500–90,280 |
| Electrical System | 282 | 6.4% | 64,500 | 34,000–100,000 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 248 | 5.6% | 70,234 | 41,050–97,000 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 248 | 5.6% | 103,629 | 88,520–125,000 |
| Power Train | 232 | 5.2% | 77,395 | 45,000–98,000 |
| Exterior Lighting | 195 | 4.4% | 67,322 | 48,750–80,000 |
| Steering | 149 | 3.4% | 38,000 | 12,000–70,000 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 110 | 2.5% | 70,161 | 10,000–111,723 |
| Air Bags | 103 | 2.3% | 36,000 | 12,000–80,000 |
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 1,221 | 836 |
| 2015 | 1,222 | 705 |
| 2016 | 1,138 | 520 |
| 2017 | 355 | 155 |
| 2018 | 290 | 104 |
| 2019 | 196 | 61 |
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 80,078 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The engine accounts for 48.2% of complaints (2,132 reports, 1,097 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 93,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 71,400 and 116,000 miles.
A single system taking 48.2% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.
Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 8.7% of complaints (384 reports, 133 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 70,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 22,500 and 90,280 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 6.4% of complaints (282 reports, 158 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 64,500 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 34,000 and 100,000 miles.
The fuel and propulsion system accounts for 5.6% of complaints (248 reports, 93 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 70,234 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 41,050 and 97,000 miles.
The engine and its cooling system accounts for 5.6% of complaints (248 reports, 221 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 103,629 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 88,520 and 125,000 miles.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 5.2% of complaints (232 reports, 120 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 77,395 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 45,000 and 98,000 miles.
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2015 model year drew the most — 1,222 complaints — while 2019 drew the fewest at 196. The median year sits at 746.
The first year of the generation, 2014, sits above the median. That is a common pattern — early production of a redesigned vehicle tends to surface problems that later years do not repeat — and it is worth weighing when choosing between years.
NHTSA records 6 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around the airbag system (2), the engine (2), the steering (1). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Of the 4,422 complaints filed against this generation, 205 reported a crash; 333 reported a fire; 195 reported an injury; 6 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 4.6% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 52,000 and 110,000 miles, with a median of 80,078. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the engine and problems owners could not categorise are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. Problems owners could not categorise in particular shows a median failure mileage of 70,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Same catalytic converter overheating and consequent piston/connecting rod failure as the previous generation, on the carryover 1.6L Gamma GDI. Recall 19V-120 covers MY2014-2016 cars alongside the MY2012-2013 AM cars.
Steering gear assembly fault allowing the steering wheel to separate from the column; subject to recall.
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 22V096000 | 2022-04-04 | Air Bags: Air Bag/Restraint Control Module:Software |
| 22V031000 | 2022-03-21 | Air Bags |
| 20V750000 | 2021-01-25 | Engine |
| 19V120000 | 2019-04-17 | Engine |
| 17V608000 | 2017-11-16 | Steering |
| 15V123000 | 2015-03-24 | Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator Pedal |