2012 Kia Soul problems
NHTSA has received 674 complaints about the 2012 Kia Soul, and 36% of them involve engine. After that come steering (25%) and brakes (7%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 674 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Engine 36% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 41 and 31
- Injuries and deaths
- 40 and 2
- Typical mileage
- 90,000 miles 397 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 60 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 24 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 25 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 63 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 54 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 49 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 40 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 41 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 19 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 11 |
| 200k+ miles | 11 |
What the data shows
Among the 397 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 90,000 miles. For engine specifically, the median reported mileage is about 123,000 miles (161 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 41 complaints mention a crash; 31 complaints mention a fire; 40 injuries reported; 2 deaths reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2012 ranks 9th most-complained-about out of 15 model years of the Kia Soul with enough data (151 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 3 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Tl* the contact owned a 2012 kia soul. While driving at an unknown speed, a vehicle in front depressed the brakes abruptly causing the driver to crash into the rear of the preceding vehicle. As a result, the driver merged onto oncoming traffic and crashed into two other vehicles. The driver was fatally injured. The driver of the first vehicle that was impacted also sustained fatal injuries. The front passenger in the first vehicle sustained shock trauma and the child seated in the rear sustained unknown injuries.
My spouse hit a large male deer head on at appx 55MPH at about 5am this morning. The airbag deployed, but the blast from the airbag burned completely through the sleeves of his jacket, through two layers of shirts, and caused second degree burns of his arms. Had he not been wearing so many layers of clothing, we are confident that the burns would have been full thickness third degree burns. We have pictures of the burns on his arms and the burned garments.
I was on the freeway, and all the lights lining the freeway were out. It was pitch black, and a cow had made its way into the middle of the freeway. It was struck by another vehicle and sent into the air, and flew right into my car. It is my understanding that one of adot's fences were down that was containing cattle. I was in a severe accident because of this, along with multiple other vehicles. I filed a police report and have that case number as well. I have photo and video evidence proof.
The steering wheel makes a clunking noise. I noticed there have been recalls issued for the steering but not yet for the 2012. Don't you think this is also a problem? I am very afraid to drive it like this. The noise happens when the car is parked and on and also when driving, and has a lot of "play" in the wheel when moving! Please help!!
First 2 times car didn't start on initial try, car started, tach dial wasn't functioning and car didn't want to go more than 25 MPH. Car taken to kia where they said car was fine but needed fuel inhectors cleaned and a serpentine belt. 2 weeks later car stalls at stop light, tach dial not functioning and car doesn't want to accelerate past 25 MPH. Called kia they were closing and would call back, never did.