2010 Kia Soul Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 2010 Kia Soul most often write about airbags that did not deploy in crashes and a persistent airbag warning light, and about door-panel electrical problems such as smoking speakers and door locks. Early-mileage complaints also center on interior trim and glass that owners describe as easy to scratch or chip, while later-mileage reports turn to brake performance, steering binding and radio/electrical failures.

1. 1
   Air bags

   Airbags did not deploy / airbag warning light stays on

   • 20 complaints (15%)
   • median 25,000 mi at 3.0 yrs old (13 state mileage)
   • 15 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2009–2026

   Several complaints describe crashes at moderate speed in which none of the airbags deployed, including frontal and side impacts. Other owners report the airbag warning light staying lit on the driver side, or flickering on the passenger side, and say the dealer quoted a new module at the owner's expense. The circumstances vary from low-speed pulls into traffic to higher-speed collisions, and some vehicles were totaled. In the sample this is reported from under 5,000 miles to past 170,000 miles, with many between roughly 16,000 and 100,000 miles.

   Recall 14V822000

   What to check: Ask whether any airbag warning light has been repaired and request a scan-tool check of the airbag system for stored codes; confirm the sunroof/headliner campaign 14V822000 was completed if the car has a sunroof.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “In the midst of rush hour traffic, I had to suddenly stop. I apparently did not stop quick enough and rear ended the car in front of me. The air bags did not deploy. My left arm took part of the shock. I was traveling about 40 - 45 MPH. The front end of my car collapsed, to a point that the driver side door would not freely open. At least two of the airbag sensors should have been affected. I have pictures.”

   NHTSA complaint #10483259, filed 2012-11, 66,230 miles

   “09/09/2010 I was t-boned in a 2010 Kia SOUL with 1822 miles on the odometer. The car that hit me was a murano going 45 MPH. The impact was on the driver side quarter panel and driver door. I sustained a concussion from hitting the driver side window and some spectacular bruising on my left arm and shoulder. Not one of the six airbags deployed. I purchased this car because of the safety rating and the number of airbags. Today 01/16/2011 the car is still in the shop. Repairs have been a nightmare. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10376831, filed 2011-01, 1,822 miles
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Smoke or fire from door panels and speaker lights

   • 20 complaints (15%)
   • median 21,000 mi at 2.9 yrs old (17 state mileage)
   • 14 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2009–2023

   Complaints describe smoke and melted plastic coming from the front door panel, with the source traced to the speaker lighting or window motor, in some cases while driving. Owners report the dealer replaced the door panel or a component, and one owner says the dealer advised leaving the speaker lights off. Other reports describe the radio and speakers cutting out, popping, or smoke coming from the radio with a wiring-harness short diagnosed. Reported from under 500 miles up to about 140,000 miles, with several at very low mileage in the first months of ownership.

   Recall 10V3880002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check whether campaign 10V388000 for the door-panel speaker wiring was performed, look for discoloration or a burning smell in the front door trim, and test the radio and speakers for cutting out.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was playing the radio, when the sound went out. Now whenever I turn the radio on, I sometimes hear a popping sound as if it is going to turn on but then it goes silent again. This happens while the vehicle is either stationary or in motion.”

   NHTSA complaint #11308045, filed 2020-02, 74,500 miles

   “I purchased a 2010 Kia SOUL, and 8 days later smoke started coming out of the passenger side door panel, door lock, and window. The car was towed to the closest dealership and they told me that it was the window motor. The window motor was unplugged and I was allowed to drive it home. The dealer said the motor would come in the following day but I could drive it until then. I drove approx. 1 mile down the road and smoke starting pouring out of the passenger side door panel again. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10351369, filed 2010-08, 650 miles
3. 3
   Brakes

   Brakes feel weak or slow to stop; stop lamp switch faults

   • 15 complaints (11%)
   • median 9,402 mi at 1.2 yrs old (12 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2010–2022

   Complaints describe the car needing unusually hard pedal pressure to stop in a panic stop, rear brakes that owners were told were not engaging, and a brake noise with longer stopping distance. Others report the brake lights not lighting when braking because of a stop lamp switch, including on cars that had the switch replaced after the earlier campaign. From about 500 miles to roughly 77,000 miles in the sample, with several reports under 5,000 miles.

   Recall 13V1140001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Confirm campaign 13V114000 for the stop lamp switch was completed, have someone watch the brake lights while you press the pedal, and ask for a brake inspection including the rear brakes and fluid condition.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was notified by another driver that none of my brake lights were lighting up when I braked. I immediately took my Kia SOUL to the dealership and they found a faulty brake switch. This was the same faulty brake switch that was subject to a recall in 2013. This means that the replaced new brake switch is also faulty after less than 2 years of driving. It is a worry to me that Kia could be replacing a faulty recalled part with another faulty part, especially one that has major safety implications. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10749690, filed 2015-08, 77,000 miles

   “I exported my Kia SOUL 2010 to germany due to military movement order. As the car is now registered in germany; I did not get any notifications from Kia us about the recall sc098am regarding a problem with the brake light switch, rated as a safety issue. My german car dealer is trying to help me get the brake light switch changed, but is unable to get the necessary information from Kia. Is there a possibility to assist me in getting the necessary work from a safety recall done in germany? Thank you for your help”

   NHTSA complaint #11342468, filed 2020-07, 27,000 miles
4. 4
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Windshield chips and cracks easily

   • 8 complaints (6%)
   • median 3,566 mi at 0.3 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2009–2023

   Owners report windshields chipping from small road debris and cracks spreading from the edge or from under the wiper area where a rock could not reach. Several describe repeated replacements or repairs within a few thousand miles and say the dealer offered no help. A few also mention glass scratching easily, for example from a plastic ice scraper. Almost all in the sample are below about 8,000 miles, often within the first year of ownership.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Inspect the windshield edges and the area under the wipers for existing chips or spreading cracks, and ask whether the glass has been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was returning from a trip when I got a small rock chip. I had it filled and everything seemed fine. This morning, when I drove to work, my windshield was fine, but this afternoon, there was an l shaped crack in the bottom middle of my windshield. I am finding that this windshield cracks and chips with great ease. At this point, that crack cannot be filled, the windshield needs to be replaced.”

   NHTSA complaint #10386126, filed 2011-03, 2,332 miles

   “Factory installed windshield chips and cracks from the edge easily and often. I had the first window replaced at about 5,000 miles and that window was a genuine Kia window installed and now it has two small chips and a crack from the edge of the glass and one big chip at 8,000 miles. I have not changed my driving and have never occurred this many window defects. I believe the window to be not properly annealed or treated in the furnace or it is just too thin.”

   NHTSA complaint #10291310, filed 2009-11, 5,000 miles
5. 5
   Steering

   Steering binds or locks briefly when turning

   • 5 complaints (4%)
   • median 4,000 mi at 1.0 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2010–2021

   Owners report the steering wheel binding or feeling locked for a moment when turning sharply and then straightening, or the wheel fighting back while accelerating through a turn. Some describe the power steering tugging or vibrating at idle, and one report says the wheels would not straighten during a left turn. Dealers in some cases could not reproduce or diagnose the concern. Mostly under about 2,500 miles in the sample, with additional reports at higher mileage.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Test-turn the wheel to full lock at low speed in both directions and feel for binding or a momentary lock, and ask whether the steering column or motor-assist parts have been serviced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I was driving my typical route to work and mid turn, with my car on, on a city road, my steering wheel locked. I had to stop my car in the middle of the road and restart it to get it to unlock. Very scary thing to happen, very worried it will happen again in a more dangerous place, like the freeway.”

   NHTSA complaint #11390546, filed 2021-01, 199,000 miles

   “Kia SOUL steering assembly failure (temporary) when turning the 2010 Kia SOUL sharply (as far as it will go either right or left) and attempting to straighten the wheel quickly after turning results in the entire steering wheel tightening to where you cannot turn it for a couple seconds as though it locks up. Also, when idle, turning the steering wheel results in a tugging sensation from the power steering pump that vibrates through the steering wheel.”

   NHTSA complaint #10382807, filed 2011-02, 11,258 miles

Buying note. Ask for the recall history by VIN, since the stop lamp switch, speaker wiring and sunroof headliner campaigns all apply here, and have an independent shop check the airbag system, brakes and steering before purchase. Interior trim and glass complaints are common and early-mileage, so inspect door panels and the windshield closely.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.