2011 Kia Soul problems and complaints
Owners have filed 194 complaints with NHTSA about the 2011 Kia Soul. The most-reported areas: Service Brakes (45), Hydraulic (32), Electrical System (30).
Key takeaways
- 194 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 27 involve a crash, 5 a fire, 29 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes | 45 | 23% |
| Hydraulic | 32 | 16% |
| Electrical System | 30 | 15% |
| Air Bags | 26 | 13% |
| Engine | 24 | 12% |
| Unknown Or Other | 21 | 11% |
| Exterior Lighting | 13 | 7% |
| Power Train | 13 | 7% |
| Structure | 12 | 6% |
| Visibility | 11 | 6% |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 10 | 5% |
| Suspension | 9 | 5% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 Kia Soul SUV FWD | 4/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Air Bags - filed 2026-08-27
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the airbag warning light was illuminated, indicating that the airbag system was inoperative. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the clock spring needed replacement. The vehicle was repaired. A certified letter was sent to the ma...
Service Brakes, Hydraulic,electrical System - filed 2026-03-05
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while her husband was at a stop sign, the vehicle suddenly shut off. The vehicle was successfully jump-started; however, after driving approximately one mile, the vehicle began jerking and lost power again and was pushed to a residence. The contact referenced NH...
Air Bags - filed 2025-06-30
This vehicle had just passed a inspection for me to get it licensed and Kentucky. There was no light showing that the airbags would not work. Unfortunately, this vehicle is not available.I had reached out to kia multiple times. My fears I have another Kia the same year.
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More for the 2011 Kia Soul
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.