2010 Kia Soul Problems
Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2010 Kia Soul.
Worst 2010 Kia Soul Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
Electrical Faults
Airbags
Steering Defects
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All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2010 Kia Soul.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical Faults | 24 | — | 8 | 59,905 mi | |
| Airbags | 16 | 12 | 2 | 77,926 mi | |
| Steering Defects | 12 | 2 | — | 40,320 mi | |
| Structural Problems | 12 | 1 | 1 | 3,950 mi | |
| Brakes | 11 | 2 | 2 | 83,599 mi | |
| Engine Problems | 9 | — | 2 | 72,100 mi | |
| Unintended Acceleration | 9 | 1 | — | 53,701 mi | |
| Visibility | 9 | — | — | 4,079 mi | |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 8 | 1 | — | 71,714 mi | |
| Body Structure | 7 | — | 1 | 17,654 mi | |
| Engine & Cooling | 5 | 1 | 1 | 62,671 mi | |
| Wheel Issues | 5 | 1 | 1 | 50,833 mi | |
| Interior Lighting | 4 | — | 3 | — | |
| Suspension Failures | 4 | 1 | — | — | |
| Tire Defects | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Wipers & Visibility | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 3 | 2 | — | — | |
| Electronic Stability Control | 3 | 1 | 1 | — | |
| Headlight/Taillight Failures | 3 | — | — | — | |
| Seat Belt Issues | 3 | 1 | — | — | |
| Gasoline Fuel System | 2 | 1 | — | — | |
| Fuel System | 2 | — | 1 | — | |
| Latches / Locks | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Automatic Transmission | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Hydraulic Brakes | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Traction Control System | 2 | 2 | — | — | |
| Air Bags:Side/Window | 1 | 1 | — | — | |
| Electrical System:Wiring | 1 | — | 1 | — | |
| Other Equipment | 1 | — | — | — |
Search Owner Complaints
Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2010 Kia Soul. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.
Recalls for 2010 Kia Soul
3 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~1,110,876 vehicles.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 Kia Soul vehicles manufactured January 8, 2009, to October 2, 2013, equipped with a sun roof. A headliner plate may detach during deployment of the curtain air bag.
Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Rondo, model year 2007-2011 Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, model year 2010-2011 Soul, model year 2008-2011 Optima, model year 2010 Forte, model year 2007-2009 Amanti, and model year 2009 Borrego vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Kia recalled 623,658 model year 2007-2010 Rondo and Sportage, model year 2007-2011 Sorento, model year 2007 Sedona, model year 2010-2011 Soul, and model year 2011 Optima vehicles. In September 2013, Kia informed the agency that it was adding an additional 356,719 vehicles to this campaign. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 980,377. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake-transmission shift interlock feature preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.
KIA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 SOUL AND MODEL YEAR 2011 SORENTO VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 7, 2009 THROUGH JULY 30, 2010. A LIMITED NUMBER OF WIRING HARNESSES SUPPLIED BY JCI AND USED FOR THE LIGHTING IN THE KIA SOUL VEHICLE'S ADVANCED LIGHTING SPEAKERS, LOCATED IN THE FRONT DOOR TRIM PANELS, AND THE KIA SORENTO VEHICLE'S INTERIOR ACCENT ILLUMINATION, LOCATED IN THE FRONT AND REAR DOOR TRIM PANELS, MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY SOLDERED.
Other Kia Soul Years
2010 Kia Soul — FAQ
Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.
Is the 2010 Kia Soul reliable?
What are common problems with the 2010 Kia Soul?
At what mileage do problems start on the 2010 Kia Soul?
How safe is the 2010 Kia Soul?
Does the 2010 Kia Soul have any recalls?
Should I buy a 2010 Kia Soul?
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) complaint and recall databases, aggregated by VinItel.
Wider context: See the full Kia Soul reliability report with year-by-year comparison and generation analysis.
Check Your Specific 2010 Kia Soul
Real owner complaints tell you about the model. The VIN tells you about your specific car — accidents, title issues, odometer fraud.
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