2012 Kia Soul problems and complaints
Owners have filed 514 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Kia Soul. The most-reported areas: Engine (209), Steering (166), Service Brakes (46).
Key takeaways
- 514 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 25 involve a crash, 23 a fire, 25 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 209 | 41% |
| Steering | 166 | 32% |
| Service Brakes | 46 | 9% |
| Unknown Or Other | 39 | 8% |
| Electrical System | 38 | 7% |
| Hydraulic | 34 | 7% |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 32 | 6% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 21 | 4% |
| Power Train | 21 | 4% |
| Structure | 18 | 4% |
| Air Bags | 17 | 3% |
| Exterior Lighting | 10 | 2% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 Kia Soul SUV FWD | 4/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Service Brakes - filed 2026-07-24
I purchased Dorman part #74015 Brake Pedal Stopper from AutoZone Altamonte after an employee recommended it for my 2012 Kia Soul without checking system compatibility. I installed it that night. On, while driving on a busy road in Orlando, FL, my brake pedal locked completely solid and could not be depressed. I had c...
Engine And Engine Cooling,engine - filed 2026-07-13
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The contact stated that the following day, while attem...
Service Brakes - filed 2026-06-30
The brake lines on my car failed. I had to use the parking brake to get the car to stop. Typically, a brake failure leaves you with partial braking power, however, I had no brakes whatsoever. Upon inspection, it appears that all the brake lines failed in the same area, where the brakes are over the gas tank. For them a...
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More for the 2012 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.