2016 Kia Soul Air bags Problems
- Complaints
- 17about this part
- Share
- 2%of 818 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 32,000miles
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 17 complaints about the air bags of the 2016 Kia Soul, 2% of the 818 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 32,000 miles. 13 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“I was rear ended on the 91freeway in california.I was almost at a complete stop due to traffic.I was hit so hard from the back that I was thrown into vehicle in front of me.my daughter and I were in the car.my car is a total loss.not one single air bag deployed.but by the grace of god we escaped with minor injuries.by that I mean were alive.”
NHTSA complaint #11344214, filed 2020-08, 112,000 miles“On october 28, 2020 I had a box truck slam the brakes in front of me causing me to rear end them going approximately 25/30 MPH. The front of my Kia was smashed into the engine and airbags did not deploy. I have sustained major long term injuries due to the airbag not deploying.”
NHTSA complaint #11376080, filed 2020-11, 120,000 miles“The crash at about 2:30am early tuesday morning on nov. 24, 2020, on her way home from her nearby 2nd shift job, my wife's 2016 Kia sol was hit hard on the driver's side by a car being pursued by police. Luckily, and possibly because my wife is short and sits high, she appears uninjured although visibly shaken and very nervous about night driving. My wife had pulled her car over to the right side of the 4+ lane road when she heard sirens. …”
NHTSA complaint #11383822, filed 2020-12, 35,911 miles“On 2/18/17 my daughter was involved in a front end collision in our 2016 Kia SOUL. She struck a stopped toyota carolla at over 45mph on southbound I-5 in seattle wa. This was a direct front end collision and the airbags in the Kia SOUL did not deploy even though the metal bumper bar was completely bent in a v shape back beyond the radiator. Kia USA first claimed that this was due to under riding. …”
NHTSA complaint #10957400, filed 2017-02, 2,200 miles“I was in a car accident a few months ago that involved me leaving the road and that I was completely airborne landing on the other side of the embankment my air bags did not deploy under the force of my car going airborne and landing so hard that my underside of my car was torn up needing almost 6,000 dollars in repairs. Including breaking my oil filter off of the car. I was told that my airbags should have completely deployed. But they did not. I really am scared that if I was in another accident they will not deploy when needed to save my or my families life.”
NHTSA complaint #11165917, filed 2019-01, 30,000 milesAir bags: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | 8% |
| 2023 | 5 | 9% |
| 2022 | 3 | 3% |
| 2021 | 4 | 2% |
| 2020 | 3 | 1% |
| 2019 | 15 | 11% |
| 2018 | 11 | 5% |
| 2017 | 16 | 6% |
| 2016 | 17 | 2% |
| 2015 | 20 | 2% |
| 2014 | 26 | 3% |
| 2013 | 18 | 3% |
| 2012 | 17 | 3% |
| 2011 | 26 | 13% |
| 2010 | 21 | 16% |
Other parts of the 2016 Kia Soul
563 complaintsOther or unknown
127 complaintsEngine cooling
106 complaintsFuel system
84 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
62 complaintsElectrical system
56 complaintsVehicle speed control
33 complaintsSteering
30 complaintsBrakes
20 complaintsExterior lighting
18 complaintsBody and structure
18 complaintsSuspension
8 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2016 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