RoadVitals

2011 Kia Soul Driver assistance Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Driver assistance reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
17
Latest Oct 7, 2024
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
9%
of 193 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2011 Kia Soul submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 17 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming driver-assistance

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Driver assistanceFuel system
Filed Oct 7, 2024

While driving my car just started accelerating in traffic and I couldn’t get it to stop even while hitting brakes trying not to hit another vehicle. Fortunately found a way to pull to side of road and throw in park and it was still revving up and didn’t stop til I turned off car completely. So terrifying. Now I’m [XXX] trying figure out how I’m going to get back home in this dangerous vehicle. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID
11618421
Incident
Oct 7, 2024
AirbagsDriver assistance
Filed Jun 8, 2022

The contact owns a 2011 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. Additionally, the cruise control was inoperable. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the driver's side air bag needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 139,000.

NHTSA ID
11468146
Incident
Jun 8, 2022
Mileage
139,000 mi
BrakesDriver assistance
Filed Mar 29, 2021

TL* THE CONTACT'S MOTHER OWNS A 2011 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY USING THE BRAKE PEDAL AND PARKING BRAKE SIMULTANEOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO UNPLUGGED THE CRUISE CONTROL UNIT. THE CONTACT WAS UNAWARE OF THE FAILURE DIAGNOSIS OR WHAT NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED BERT OGDEN HARLINGEN KIA (8321 W EXPY 83, HARLINGEN, TX 78552) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH THE VIN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 163,000.

NHTSA ID
11405345
Incident
Nov 1, 2019
Mileage
163,000 mi
Driver assistanceExterior lighting
Filed Nov 2, 2020

1. THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL WARNING LIGHT COMES ON AND GOES OFF INTERMITTENTLY AND UNPREDICTABLY. 2. I REPLACED THE MAP LIGHT. IT JUST STOPPED WORKING AND I REPLACED IT WITH A NEW ONE I ORDERED MYSELF. A LOCAL GARAGE DID THE WORK, NOT A DEALER.

NHTSA ID
11372791
Incident
Oct 15, 2020
Mileage
130,000 mi
BrakesDriver assistanceElectrical
Filed Aug 28, 2020

BRAKE LIGHT WILL NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN DEPRESSED. BREAK LIGHT SWITCH NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. ESC/STABILITY CONTROL LIGHT STAYS ON CONTINUOUS WHILE CAR IS IN MOTION OR STOPPED. TAIL LIGHTS BURN OUT EVERY 6-12 MONTH, AS WELL AS HEAD LAMPS BURNING OUT OFTEN.

NHTSA ID
11351882
Incident
Aug 20, 2020
Mileage
118,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Jun 20, 2019

GAS PEDAL STICKS. WHEN I GO TO ACCELERATE IT DOESN'T GO I HAVE TO PRESS DOWN HARDER ON THE PEDAL BUT PULLS OFF FASTER THEN IT'S SUPPOSE TO .

NHTSA ID
11221491
Incident
Jun 11, 2019
Mileage
202,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Sep 7, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SOUL. WHILE DRIVING 3 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL FRACTURED. THE POLICE WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS POTENTIALLY INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V123000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). A DEALER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED THE CONTACT WITH CASE NUMBER: 12862172. THE CONTACT WAS REFERRED TO THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 55,000.

NHTSA ID
11128146
Incident
Sep 7, 2018
Mileage
55,000 mi
Driver assistanceElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Feb 8, 2017

BRAKE LIGHTS QUITS WORKING , CRUSE DOESN'T WORK , RADIO IS AFFECTED

NHTSA ID
10950241
Incident
Dec 2, 2016
Mileage
94,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Mar 13, 2016

FILE A VEHUILCE SAFETY COMPLAINT 07/09/2014; CONFIRMATION #: 10609442 AND HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY FEEDBACK, RESPONSE OR STATUS TO MY ISSUE, WHICH I FOUND OUT MANY KIA SOUL DRIVERS ARE HAVING, BUT NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED TO RESOLVE TEH PROBLEM. THE ECS ON VARIOUS OCCASION COMES ON WHILE DRIVING OR WHEN AT A STOP LIGHT. PUSHING THE ECS ON/OFF SWITCH DOES NOTHING, LIGHT STAYS ON. TURHN ENGINE OFF THEN ON, LIGHT STILL STAYS ON. CONTACTED DEALER THEY SAID BEING IT IT WHEN IT HAPPENS, TO BE CHECKED OUT, BUT THE LIGHT DOES NOT COOPERATE. THE ECS LIGHT PROBLEM STARTED WHEN A RECALL FOR THE BRAKE SWITCH WAS REPLACED. THE PROBLEM STARTED IN 2014 AND OCCURS A FEW TIMES EACH YEAR TO THE CURRENT DATE OF FEB 18 2016.

NHTSA ID
10846334
Incident
Jul 1, 2014
Mileage
26,565 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Jun 11, 2015

ESC HAS ENGAGED AT 50 MPH ON DRY ROADS RAPIDLY SLOW THE CAR DOWN TO 15 MPH. THIS IS THE THIRD OCCURRENCE IN A MONTH.

NHTSA ID
10724707
Incident
Jun 10, 2015
Mileage
55,234 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Feb 2, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE AND SHIFTING INTO REVERSE, THE ENGINE RPM'S INCREASED TO 6000 AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED IN REVERSE. AFTER SHIFTING TO NEUTRAL, THE ENGINE RPM'S CONTINUED TO INCREASE BEFORE SUDDENLY DECREASING TO NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,000.

NHTSA ID
10680447
Incident
Jan 1, 2015
Mileage
79,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Jul 9, 2014

THE ESC ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS CAME ON WHILE DRIVING ON DRY ROAD BETWEEN 30 AND 55 MPH. TRIED TURNING PUSHING THE ON/OFF ECS SWITCH, BUT LIGHT WOULD NOT GO OFF. WITH VEHICLE STOPPED, SHIFTING TRANSMISSION WHILE PUSHING ON BRAKE PEDAL, ESC LIGHT WOULD NOT GO OFF. TURNED OFF ENGINE, WAITED A FEW MINUTES THEN RESTARTED, LIGHT CAME BACK ON. LIGHT WENT OFF AFTER DRIVING A FEW FEET AND STOPPING AT TRAFFIC LIGHT. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT DAMAGE OR PROBLEMS THIS MAY CAUSE TO THE OPERATIONAL CAPABILITIES OF THE VEHICLE. IF IT HAPPENS ONE MORE TIME, AS I SUSPECT IT WILL, I WILL CONTACT THE DEALER. *TR

NHTSA ID
10609442
Incident
Jul 1, 2014
Mileage
26,565 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Feb 20, 2014

WITHOUT WARNING AND WHILE DRIVING ON DRY PAVEMENT EVEN AT STEADY SPEED ESC WARNING LIGHT FLASHES AND VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOOSES POWER DRASTICALLY (BARELY RUNS) .ESC ACTING LIKE CAR IS ON ICE WHEN IT IS NOT . DROVE 1 MILE ON DRY PAVEMENT WITH CAR BARELY RUNNING. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND HAS OCCURRED ON 3 OCCASIONS WITHIN 300 MILES OF DRIVING. HAD CAR TO DEALER FOR ESC MALFUNCTION ON 3-4 OCCASIONS FOR THIS PROBLEM AND PROBLEM STILL OCCURRING. DEALER ACKNOWLEDGED PROBLEM ON VISITS 1-2. BRAKE SWITCH & ABS MODULE REPLACED BUT DID NOT SOLVE PROBLEM . LAST VISIT AFTER ANOTHER ESC BREAKDOWN THEY SAID THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG , EVEN THOUGH IT MALFUNCTIONED ONLY 2 DAYS BEFORE CAR BROUGHT IN. DEALER HAS HAD CAR IN SHOP FOR OVER 1 MONTH TOTAL TIME. THEY APPARENTLY ARE UNABLE TO FIX IT. I AM DRIVING AN UNSAFE CAR WITH ONLY A LITTLE OVER 9000 MILES ON IT THAT IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. YET THEY HAVE OFFERED NO RESOLUTION. I DON'T NEED MY CAR TO GO INTO "LIMP MODE" WHILE PASSING A CAR ON A 2 LANE ROAD!. CAR RUNS NORMAL HOWEVER IF ESC SWITCH IS TURNED OFF. *TR

NHTSA ID
10565147
Incident
Jan 15, 2014
Mileage
8,500 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Apr 1, 2013

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL COMES ON WHEN TRAVELING ON DRY ROADS GOING IN STRAIGHT LINE AND STAYS ON FOR INDETERMINATE PERIODS (SOMETIMES DAYS AT A TIME) UNRELATED TO DRIVING CONDITIONS. WILL NOT TURN OFF EVEN WHEN VEHICLE IS STOPPED AND KEY IS TAKEN OUT OF IGNITION - WHEN YOU PUT THE KEY BACK INTO IGNITION AND TURN THE TRACTION CONTROL IS STILL ENGAGED. WHEN THE TRACTION CONTROL IS ENGAGED THE GAS MILEAGE IS NEGATIVELY IMPACTED. DEALER HAS NO FIX FOR PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID
10505279
Incident
Oct 3, 2011
Mileage
3,000 mi
BrakesDriver assistanceSteering
Filed Jun 5, 2012

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED & NEED TO SUDDENLY STOP, THE VEHICLE BRAKES LOCK UP & DO NOT STOP THE VEHICLE IN TIME. BASICALLY, THE TIRES LOCK UP & THE CAR CONTINUES TO SKID & SCREECH. THIS IS ESPECIALLY AGGRAVATED WHEN THE VEHICLE DRIVES OVER A POTHOLE OR OTHER DEFECT IN THE ROADWAY WHILE BRAKING OR IN CONSTANT STOP-&-GO TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE HAS NARROWLY MISSED CRASHING INTO OTHER VEHICLES OR STRUCTURES NUMEROUS TIMES. I NOTICED THE PROBLEMS WITHIN A COUPLE OF WEEKS OF PURCHASING THE NEW 2011 CAR. IT FEELS VERY DANGEROUS & SCARY & I'M VERY UNEASY ABOUT DRIVING IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE IF THE CAR WILL RESPOND PROPERLY IN AN EMERGENCY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10460669
Incident
Jun 15, 2011
Mileage
300 mi
Driver assistance
Filed May 16, 2012

SPEED CONTROL - THE SPEED CONTROL DID NOT DISENGAGE ON NUMEROUS OCCAISIONS, WHEN THE BRAKE WAS GENTLY APPLIED OR TAPPED, SPEED CONTROL DID NOT DISENGAGE AND THE SPEED ACTUALLY INCREASED. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY WITH THE DEALER. WE WERE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE REPLICATE THE PROBLEM WITH THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN DRIVING THE VEHICLE. HORN - DOES NOT ACTIVATE SEEMS TO OCCUR WHEN VEHICLE WARMED UP. WAS ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE TO DEALER STABILITY CONTROL LIGHT ACTIVATES AND DOES NOT TURN OFF INTERMITTENTLY

NHTSA ID
10458656
Incident
May 2, 2012
Mileage
10,100 mi
Driver assistance
Filed May 24, 2011

DRIVING THE VEHICLE DOWN THE ROAD IN GOOD WEATHER CONDITIONS WHEN THE BRAKES INITIATED FOR NO REASON AND NO GAS SEEMED TO BE GOING TO THE THROTTLE. THE ESC LIGHT CAME ON. I ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT OFF BUT THERE WAS STILL NO CHANGE. THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN TO ABOUT 5 MILES AN HOUR AND STALLED OUT A COUPLE OF TIMES BECAUSE LACK OF GAS GOING TO THE VEHICLE. FORTUNATELY I WAS IN A CONGESTED AREA AND WAS ONLY TRAVELING ABOUT 20 MPH WHEN THIS HAPPENED. COULD HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS HAD I BEEN ON A HIGHWAY. *TR

NHTSA ID
10402498
Incident
May 20, 2011
Mileage
15,000 mi

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

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Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .