Reliability

2018 Kia Soul Reliability & Recall Report

Based on 1 NHTSA recall and 205 owner complaints. All data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — free, no signup required.

47/100

Buyer Beware — 2018 Kia Soul

The 2018 Kia Soul shows a notably poor reliability profile for this model year. Consider an alternative year or have a thorough pre-purchase inspection done by an independent mechanic.

NHTSA Recalls

1 recall on record

205

Owner Complaints

Filed with NHTSA

Crashes + Injuries

14 fire reports

Own or buying a 2018 Kia Soul?

Check your specific VIN for open recalls, market value, full specs, and a free AI buyer summary.

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NHTSA Recalls — 2018 Kia Soul (1)

All recalls listed below must be repaired by an authorized Kia dealer at no charge to the owner.

🔧 Unknown Component

NHTSA #22V031000

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Most Common Problems — 2018 Kia Soul

Based on 205 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. Bars show relative complaint frequency.

Engine

Power Train

Unknown Or Other

Electrical System

Air Bags

Engine And Engine Cooling

Vehicle Speed Control

Steering

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Kia Soul — Complaints by Year

Spike in a year = known problem year. The 2018 model year is highlighted.

⚠ Years to avoid: 2012, 2013 — These model years show significantly elevated complaint activity.

✅ Best model years: 2014, 2015, 2016 — Lowest complaint rates for this model.

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Frequently Asked Questions — 2018 Kia Soul

Is the 2018 Kia Soul reliable?

Based on NHTSA data, the 2018 Kia Soul has 1 recall and 205 owner complaints. This model year shows elevated issues — consider alternatives or a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

How many recalls does the 2018 Kia Soul have?

The 2018 Kia Soul has 1 NHTSA recall. Affected systems include: see recall details above. All recalls are repaired free at authorized dealers.

What are the most common problems with the 2018 Kia Soul?

The most commonly reported problems for the 2018 Kia Soul are: Engine, Power Train, Unknown Or Other, Electrical System. See the complaint breakdown above for full details.

Is the 2018 Kia Soul safe to buy?

The 2018 Kia Soul has some safety and reliability items to review before buying. Ensure all 1 recallis completed at a dealer. A pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic is strongly recommended.

What year Kia Soul should I buy?

Based on NHTSA complaint data, the best years for the Kia Soul are: 2014, 2015, 2016. These show the lowest complaint rates. Years to avoid: 2012, 2013.

Data source: All recall and complaint data is sourced directly from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public API. Data is cached and refreshed every 7 days. Recall and complaint counts reflect data available at the time of last cache update. For the most current recall status on a specific vehicle, enter the VIN above or visit NHTSA.gov/recalls.