2 NHTSA safety recalls cover the 2021 Kia Soul. Owners have filed 236 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 2021 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 236 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Kia Soul, reporting 12 crashes, 3 fires, 5 injuries. Kia has issued at least 117 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 one investigation. An investigation is not a recall; it is how NHTSA decides whether one is needed.
Owners have filed 236 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Kia Soul. A few in their own words, shortened. Complaints are unverified and are not proof of a defect or of any recall.
“I am filing this complaint to report a serious safety failure involving the service braking system and the failure of Forward Collision‐Avoidance Assist (FCA) and Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) on my 2021 Kia Soul.”
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 11724786
“Description of Incident: On February 13, 2026, at approximately 3:00 PM, I was driving my 2021 Kia Soul (VIN: [XXX] ) on Calvine Road in Elk Grove, CA. A vehicle suddenly merged into my path. I immediately attempted to apply the brakes, but the pedal failed to depress or engage normally.”
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 11718935
“Description of Incident: On February 9, 2026, at approximately 3:00 PM, I was driving my 2021 Kia Soul on Calvine Road and Winterberry in Elk Grove, CA. A vehicle suddenly merged into my path. I immediately attempted to apply the brakes, but the pedal failed to depress or engage normally.”
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 11717950
“Driving, slowing down for a stop light. Put the brakes on, they did not work. Push the all the way to the floor. Hit the vehicle in front of me. Luckily going slow between lights”
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 11663556
“In April 2023 I purchased a 2021 Kia Soul. I had no issues at all with my Used Kia Soul. In Nov 2023 I was in an accident. I hit a deer and that did cause damage. My insurance company fixed it. I got my car back in Dec [XX], 2023 with approximately 96,000 miles on it.”
Complaint filed with NHTSA, not verified by the agency · NHTSA complaint 11570756
Search the official database: NHTSA. Excerpts are quoted from the public record, shortened at a sentence and with personal details removed.
Not every 2021 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.