2011 Kia Soul Problems

Below Average Complaints

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2011 Kia Soul.

20102012
Complaints
270
per 10K Sold
26.4
US Sales
102,267
Crashes
43
Fires
7
Injuries
43
Fatalities
2
Recalls
3

Worst 2011 Kia Soul Problems

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

#132 complaints

Hydraulic Brakes

Avg mileage:78,305 mi
Crash-related:1
#228 complaints

Electrical Faults

Avg mileage:71,956 mi
Crash-related:1
Fires:2
#325 complaints

Airbags

Avg mileage:67,131 mi
Crash-related:22
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2011 Kia Soul.

Hydraulic Brakes
32
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
78,305
Electrical Faults
28
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
2
Avg Miles
71,956
Airbags
25
complaints
Crashes
22
Fires
Avg Miles
67,131
Engine Problems
24
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Avg Miles
90,002
Brakes
13
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Avg Miles
82,033
Transmission / Drivetrain
12
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
54,363
Headlight/Taillight Failures
11
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
104,944
Electronic Stability Control
10
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
39,326
Body Structure
9
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
53,656
Fuel System
8
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
36,948
Suspension Failures
8
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
57,343
Seat Belt Issues
7
complaints
Crashes
4
Fires
Avg Miles
73,857
Unintended Acceleration
7
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
93,850
Tire Defects
6
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
20,640
Wipers & Visibility
6
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
45,729
Wheel Issues
6
complaints
Crashes
3
Fires
Avg Miles
37,740
Visibility
5
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
16,930
Electrical System:Horn
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Engine & Cooling
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
Steering Defects
4
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
Avg Miles
Visibility:Windshield
4
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Seat-Related Issues
2
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Structural Problems
2
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
Avg Miles
Side/Rear Glass
2
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Other Equipment
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Exterior Lighting:Headlights
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles
Firerelated
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
1
Avg Miles
Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control
1
complaints
Crashes
Fires
Avg Miles

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2011 Kia Soul. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2011 Kia Soul

3 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting ~2,805,883 vehicles.

23V652000Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip:control Unit/module
~1,730,192 affected

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.

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.

Other Kia Soul Years

2011 Kia Soul — FAQ

Answers based on real NHTSA complaint and recall data for this specific model year.

Is the 2011 Kia Soul reliable?
Verdict: Below Average Complaints. The 2011 Kia Soul has 270 NHTSA complaints, 43 crash-related, and 3 recall campaigns. The most common issue is Hydraulic Brakes with 32 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2011 Kia Soul?
Top reported problems: Hydraulic Brakes (32 complaints, avg 78,305 mi); Electrical Faults (28 complaints, avg 71,956 mi); Airbags (25 complaints, avg 67,131 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 2011 Kia Soul?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 67,953 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 2011 Kia Soul?
NHTSA complaints for the 2011 Kia Soul include 43 crash-related reports, 7 fire reports, 43 injuries, and 2 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 2011 Kia Soul have any recalls?
Yes — 3 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 2,805,883 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 2011 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.

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