2021 Kia Soul problems and complaints
Owners have filed 232 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Kia Soul. The most-reported areas: Engine (132), Engine And Engine Cooling (47), Unknown Or Other (26).
Key takeaways
- 232 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 12 involve a crash, 3 a fire, 5 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 132 | 57% |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 47 | 20% |
| Unknown Or Other | 26 | 11% |
| Power Train | 26 | 11% |
| Electrical System | 15 | 6% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 10 | 4% |
| Service Brakes | 10 | 4% |
| Steering | 9 | 4% |
| Exterior Lighting | 6 | 3% |
| Visibility/Wiper | 6 | 3% |
| Suspension | 5 | 2% |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 5 | 2% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 Kia Soul SUV FWD | 4/5 | 4/5 | 5/5 | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Engine - filed 2026-09-09
Recall 25V099/SC336 was not performed on my vehicle when it was in the dealership. My vehicle is now disabled at Capitol Kia San Jose with complete engine failure. They are denying any responsibility and refusing repair coverage. I have written a formal letter to Kia Corporation requesting an immediate review of my veh...
Engine - filed 2026-09-08
The check engine light came on in the car and within a few minutes while looking for a safe place the pull over there was a foul smell coming from the engine, followed by many error lights on the dash and the car losing the ability to accelerate and drive. The car had to be towed to a local repair shop who inspected t...
Engine - filed 2026-09-04
My kia soul has high oil consumption. When informed of the recall for the piston rings, I had First Team Kia look at it. They informed me that they didn't see anything wrong so they cleared the recall. They NEVER performed the oil consumption test. Within 3 weeks, I traveled over 800 miles, round trip, and upon my retu...
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More for the 2021 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.