2018 Kia Soul Problems

Below Average Complaints

Real NHTSA owner complaints for the 2018 Kia Soul.

20172019
Complaints
272
per 10K Sold
26.0
US Sales
104,709
Crashes
19
Fires
20
Injuries
15
Fatalities
1
Recalls
1

Worst 2018 Kia Soul Problems

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

#1126 complaints

Engine Problems

Avg mileage:114,383 mi
Crash-related:1
Fires:10
#229 complaints

Transmission / Drivetrain

Avg mileage:140,570 mi
#315 complaints

Electrical Faults

Avg mileage:64,087 mi
Crash-related:1
Fires:2
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All Problems by Category

Every NHTSA complaint category for the 2018 Kia Soul.

Engine Problems
126
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
10
Avg Miles
114,383
Transmission / Drivetrain
29
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
140,570
Electrical Faults
15
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
2
Avg Miles
64,087
Airbags
11
complaints
Crashes
8
Fires
—
Avg Miles
27,029
Fuel System
9
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
—
Avg Miles
65,113
Engine & Cooling
7
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
107,900
Unintended Acceleration
7
complaints
Crashes
2
Fires
—
Avg Miles
22,750
Brakes
5
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
—
Avg Miles
6,100
Steering Defects
5
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
60,657
Body Structure
5
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
1
Avg Miles
37,000
Headlight/Taillight Failures
4
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
1
Avg Miles
—
Wipers & Visibility
3
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Wheel Issues
3
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Electrical System:12v/24v/48v Battery
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Electrical System:Ignition:Coil
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Electrical System:Starter Assembly
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Electronic Stability Control
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
1
Avg Miles
—
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Engine Control Module (Ecu/Ecm)
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control:Catalytic Convertor
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Lane Departure: Warning
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Seat Belt Issues
1
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Seat-Related Issues
1
complaints
Crashes
1
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Hydraulic Brakes
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Suspension Failures
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
1
Avg Miles
—
Vehicle Speed Control:Accelerator Pedal
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—
Visibility:Defroster/Defogger/Hvac System
1
complaints
Crashes
—
Fires
—
Avg Miles
—

Search Owner Complaints

Read what owners actually reported to NHTSA for the 2018 Kia Soul. Type a keyword (e.g. “transmission”, “stalling”, “brakes”) to filter.

Recalls for 2018 Kia Soul

1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting ~410,619 vehicles.

22V031000Airbags
~410,619 affected

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Sedona, Soul, Soul EV, 2017-2018 Forte, and 2017 Forte Koup vehicles. The Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) cover may contact a memory chip on the printed circuit board and damage the electrical circuit. Circuit damage may result in deactivated air bags that will not deploy in a crash.

Other Kia Soul Years

2010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025

2018 Kia Soul — FAQ

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

Is the 2018 Kia Soul reliable?
Verdict: Below Average Complaints. The 2018 Kia Soul has 272 NHTSA complaints, 19 crash-related, and 1 recall campaign. The most common issue is Engine Problems with 126 complaints. Source: NHTSA via VinItel.
What are common problems with the 2018 Kia Soul?
Top reported problems: Engine Problems (126 complaints, avg 114,383 mi); Transmission / Drivetrain (29 complaints, avg 140,570 mi); Electrical Faults (15 complaints, avg 64,087 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 2018 Kia Soul?
The weighted average mileage at time of complaint is about 99,392 miles. Some components fail earlier, some later — check the "All Problems by Category" table above for per-issue averages.
How safe is the 2018 Kia Soul?
NHTSA complaints for the 2018 Kia Soul include 19 crash-related reports, 20 fire reports, 15 injuries, and 1 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 2018 Kia Soul have any recalls?
Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign affecting an estimated 410,619 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 2018 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 2018 Kia Soul

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