Worst 2011 Kia Soul Problems
Top 3 most-reported issues with average mileage at failure.
Hydraulic Brakes
Electrical Faults
Airbags
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All Problems by Category
Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2011 Kia Soul.
| Component | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Avg Mileage | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hydraulic Brakes | 32 | 1 | — | 78,305 mi | |
| Electrical Faults | 28 | 1 | 2 | 71,956 mi | |
| Airbags | 25 | 22 | — | 67,131 mi | |
| Engine Problems | 24 | 1 | 1 | 90,002 mi | |
| Brakes | 13 | 1 | 1 | 82,033 mi | |
| Transmission / Drivetrain | 12 | — | — | 54,363 mi | |
| Headlight/Taillight Failures | 11 | — | — | 104,944 mi | |
| Electronic Stability Control | 10 | — | — | 39,326 mi | |
| Body Structure | 9 | 2 | — | 53,656 mi | |
| Fuel System | 8 | — | 1 | 36,948 mi | |
| Suspension Failures | 8 | 1 | — | 57,343 mi | |
| Seat Belt Issues | 7 | 4 | — | 73,857 mi | |
| Unintended Acceleration | 7 | — | — | 93,850 mi | |
| Tire Defects | 6 | 2 | — | 20,640 mi | |
| Wipers & Visibility | 6 | — | — | 45,729 mi | |
| Wheel Issues | 6 | 3 | — | 37,740 mi | |
| Visibility | 5 | — | — | 16,930 mi | |
| Electrical System:Horn | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Engine & Cooling | 4 | — | 1 | — | |
| Steering Defects | 4 | 2 | — | — | |
| Visibility:Windshield | 4 | — | — | — | |
| Seat-Related Issues | 2 | 1 | — | — | |
| Structural Problems | 2 | 1 | — | — | |
| Side/Rear Glass | 2 | — | — | — | |
| Other Equipment | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Exterior Lighting:Headlights | 1 | — | — | — | |
| Firerelated | 1 | — | 1 | — | |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control | 1 | — | — | — |
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.
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.
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.
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?
What are common problems with the 2011 Kia Soul?
At what mileage do problems start on the 2011 Kia Soul?
How safe is the 2011 Kia Soul?
Does the 2011 Kia Soul have any recalls?
Should I buy a 2011 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 2011 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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