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Exterior lightingPart report

2013 Kia Soul Exterior lighting Problems

Complaints
10about this part
Share
2%of 668 total for the year
Median mileage
80,000miles
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

NHTSA recorded 10 complaints about the exterior lighting of the 2013 Kia Soul, 2% of the 668 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 80,000 miles.

Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“Well the first item is the dealership told me there was a recall on the driver side panel door. The second problem right low beam light has been out now for almost two years I have been everywhere we had switched bulbs we have traced wires everything replace the relay still can I get that to work and sometimes he does lunds highway road you hit bumps all the lights come on in car it is some kind of electrical short in a car somewhere”

NHTSA complaint #11318693, filed 2020-03, 95,000 miles

“The headlight just went out - no warning no flickering nothing. Changed the light blub, changed the whole headlight assembly - still does not work - only happened to one side - fuses, replys, everything else works”

NHTSA complaint #11219553, filed 2019-06, 80,000 miles

“Cruise control has unintended acceleration. Also has random turn offs. Also the way it turns on in cannot slow down during turn on unless you press the slow (set - ) button a second time. Different than american. Dangerous. Sometimes cruise control engages with the resume button, sometimes not. Suspension: during a turn on highway at 45 mi hour car hops over when you hit even a small bump. Makes you feel like you will lose control of the car. Never had a car in 40 years that did this. Lighting: automatic lights turn off, and change position function due to poor design on tip of blinker stick. …”

NHTSA complaint #10895402, filed 2016-08, 125 miles

“The brake lights go out all the time. They work one day and then not the next. This is a known issue with Kia vehicles. Apparently this is a wide spread issue that effects many Kia brand cars not just the Soul model that I drive. I have people stop me saying they did not see my brake lights come on at all when I obviously had to. Why hasn't this been a recall? This is a problem that could end in fatalities.”

NHTSA complaint #11525165, filed 2023-06

“I have been having major battery issues switching out my batteries and them going out fast. Also when I'm driving my car shakes when it goes above 60 miles per hour, also when I change gears I noticed I get a hard thump when I change my gears. The electrical in the car sometimes it goes off and on my radio has completely went out it comes on when it wants. Cruise control when I put it on sometimes just cuts off when I'm driving. Engine runs kind of rough when I first got my car everything was smooth but after 6 years I noticed everything started running the little rough.”

NHTSA complaint #11512559, filed 2023-03

Related service bulletins

Exterior lighting: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
2025433%
202426%
202347%
202163%
202062%
201954%
201842%
201710%
2016182%
2015364%
201413014%
2013102%
2012102%
2011137%
201032%

Other parts of the 2013 Kia Soul

Engine
286 complaints
Steering
154 complaints
Brakes
99 complaints
Electrical system
71 complaints
Other or unknown
63 complaints
Engine cooling
45 complaints
Fuel system
30 complaints
Air bags
18 complaints
Vehicle speed control
17 complaints
Body and structure
15 complaints
Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
15 complaints
Transmission and drivetrain
14 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2013 Kia Soul

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology