3 NHTSA safety recalls cover the 2018 Kia Soul. Owners have filed 221 complaints with NHTSA about this model year. Every recall repair is free at any Kia dealer.
Is yours affected? Recalls cover ranges of VINs, not every 2018 Kia Soul. Check your Soul by VIN and confirm open recalls at NHTSA.gov.
Each campaign as NHTSA published it: what is wrong, what can happen, and the fix. Newest first.
Owners filed 221 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Kia Soul, reporting 15 crashes, 14 fires, 12 injuries, 1 deaths. Kia has issued at least 95 technical service bulletins (repair instructions to dealers) for this model year. Complaints are unverified owner reports; a recall is the manufacturer’s admission of a safety defect.
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation lists this model year in 2 investigations. An investigation is not a recall; it is how NHTSA decides whether one is needed.
Owners have filed 221 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Kia Soul. A few in their own words, shortened. Complaints are unverified and are not proof of a defect or of any recall.
“My KIA Soul 2018 caught on file while driving. The whole engine was in flames. I didn't want to die because my car has a manufacturing issue that KIA was not aware about.”
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 11730985
“This is for 2018 Kia Soul EV. I stopped, placed the car in park and got out. Car then rolled down a hill with no one in the car. Causing an accident.”
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 11537405
“The contact owned a 2018 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, a loud pop and smoke emanated from the engine compartment, prompting her to pull to the shoulder of the roadway. After a visual inspection, the contact observed flame jutting up from the engine.”
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 11653778
“The contact owns a 2018 Kia Soul EV. The contact stated that the electrical system had experienced power fluctuations, which reduced the charging capacity of the battery to only 8 percent. The EV warning light remained illuminated. The cause of the failure was not yet determined.”
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 11554850
“The contact's daughter owned a 2018 Kia Soul. The contact stated while her daughter was driving approximately 65 MPH, another driver honked the horn to inform the driver of an issue with the vehicle. The contact was informed to pull over.”
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 11606145
Search the official database: NHTSA. Excerpts are quoted from the public record, shortened at a sentence and with personal details removed.
Not every 2018 Kia Soul is in every recall. Enter your 17-character VIN to see the recalls on record for your exact vehicle, then confirm which are still open at NHTSA.gov or with any Kia dealer.