2010 Kia Soul Problems

Below Average Complaints

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2010 Kia Soul.

< older2011
Complaints
193
per 10K Sold
28.8
US Sales
67,110
Crashes
31
Fires
24
Injuries
27
Fatalities
Recalls
3

Worst 2010 Kia Soul Problems

Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.

#124 complaints

Electrical Faults

Avg mileage:59,905 mi
Fires:8
#216 complaints

Airbags

Avg mileage:77,926 mi
Crash-related:12
Fires:2
#312 complaints

Steering Defects

Avg mileage:40,320 mi
Crash-related:2
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2010 Kia Soul.

Electrical Faults
24
complaints
Crashes
Fires
8
Avg Miles
59,905
Airbags
16
complaints
Crashes
12
Fires
2
Avg Miles
77,926
Steering Defects
12
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
40,320
Structural Problems
12
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Avg Miles
3,950
Brakes
11
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
2
Avg Miles
83,599
Engine Problems
9
complaints
Crashes
Fires
2
Avg Miles
72,100
Unintended Acceleration
9
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
53,701
Visibility
9
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
4,079
Transmission / Drivetrain
8
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
71,714
Body Structure
7
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
17,654
Engine & Cooling
5
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Avg Miles
62,671
Wheel Issues
5
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Avg Miles
50,833
Interior Lighting
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
3
Avg Miles
Suspension Failures
4
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Tire Defects
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Wipers & Visibility
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Air Bags:Frontal
3
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
Electronic Stability Control
3
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Avg Miles
Headlight/Taillight Failures
3
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Seat Belt Issues
3
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Gasoline Fuel System
2
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Fuel System
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
Latches / Locks
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Automatic Transmission
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Hydraulic Brakes
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Traction Control System
2
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
Air Bags:Side/Window
1
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Electrical System:Wiring
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
Other Equipment
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles

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.

14V822000Structure:body:roof And Pillars
~95,314 affected

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.

13V114000Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch
~980,377 affected

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.

10V388000Electrical System:wiring
~35,185 affected

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?
Verdict: Below Average Complaints. The 2010 Kia Soul has 193 NHTSA complaints, 31 crash-related, and 3 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Electrical Faults with 24 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2010 Kia Soul?
Top reported problems: Electrical Faults (24 complaints, avg 59,905 mi); Airbags (16 complaints, avg 77,926 mi); Steering Defects (12 complaints, avg 40,320 mi). Every complaint is filed by an owner with NHTSA — this is raw reported data, not editorial opinion.
At what mileage do problems start on the 2010 Kia Soul?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 51,725 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 2010 Kia Soul?
NHTSA complaints for the 2010 Kia Soul include 31 crash-related reports, 24 fire reports, 27 injuries, and 0 fatalities. These are owner-reported incidents, not official crash-test ratings — a complaint being filed doesn't confirm a defect, but clusters around specific components are worth investigating.
Does the 2010 Kia Soul have any recalls?
Yes — 3 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 1,110,876 vehicles. Recalls are free to fix at the dealer. Always verify by VIN whether the specific car you're looking at has had its recalls addressed.
Should I buy a 2010 Kia Soul?
Fewer complaints than typical for this model. That's a good sign, but every individual car is different — the VIN still tells you what happened to this specific one.

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

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