2013 Kia Soul problems and complaints
Owners have filed 669 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Kia Soul. The most-reported areas: Engine (286), Steering (154), Service Brakes (101).
Key takeaways
- 669 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 23 involve a crash, 46 a fire, 25 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 286 | 43% |
| Steering | 154 | 23% |
| Service Brakes | 101 | 15% |
| Electrical System | 72 | 11% |
| Hydraulic | 68 | 10% |
| Unknown Or Other | 62 | 9% |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 45 | 7% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 27 | 4% |
| Air Bags | 18 | 3% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 17 | 3% |
| Structure | 15 | 2% |
| Power Train | 14 | 2% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
Parts for the 2013 Kia Soul
GarageDex's verified specs for this car. Each Buy button searches Amazon for that exact part.
- Battery
- Engine oil
- Oil filter
- Engine air filter
- Cabin air filter
- Wiper blades
- Headlight bulb
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| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 Kia Soul SUV FWD | 4/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Electrical System,service Brakes - filed 2026-11-03
While parked at the top of our driveway on a portion that is only a mild slope and in first gear (a manual transmission) with the parking brake fully engaged, the car rolled backwards down the steep driveway and into a tree. The car had been parked with the key out of the ignition for 5-10 minutes. There were some leav...
Steering - filed 2026-10-28
There is play in the steering wheel. Mechanic advised me a small plastic o ring holds steering wheel steady but I can’t just replace the o ring. Said I have to replace a lower a arm to get the o ring. He thinks it is a design flaw. It had no been fixed. I drive with the wiggle.
Steering,unknown Or Other,engine - filed 2026-10-19
There are multiple recalls, including total engine failure recall, Kia is refusing to have it towed or reimburse for tow to dealership to fix recalls. I’ve attempted through local dealership and through Kia care corporate. There have been at least 6+ recalls, 3 of which are “urgent”, Kia has failed to repair ANY of the...
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More for the 2013 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.