2015 Kia Soul Body & structure Problems

White paint chipping

NHTSA ID

11750114

Incident

May 2, 2025

White paint is peeling off roof and back hatch. Had been washing car at automatic car wash and noticed edges were all chipping. Stopped wash in car as afraid it would get worse. Just hand washed the roof and now the whole roof is peeling chipping. This has been occurring for over a year. When I bought the car there was a spot on the hood without paint. They repaired it. Didn’t realize the whole car would get like that.

NHTSA ID

11728990

Incident

Oct 1, 2024

As I was driving home on the highway, my car began making a noise I never heard before. I looked out of my rear view and began to see smoke coming from my car. As I was trying to get off the highway, my car began to lose control. I couldn’t get completely off the highway so I pulled into a small corner. I realized my hood was on fire when I stopped. I grabbed my purse and keys and ran down the highway as fast as I could. By this time my car was engulfed in flames. A woman saw me in distress and helped me and allowed me to get in her car for safety as she called 911. That’s when the car blew up and we drove off the highway to safety.

NHTSA ID

11702495

Incident

Nov 29, 2025

November 26, 2024 Dear NHTSA, I am writing to report a serious safety concern regarding my 2015 Kia Soul. On [XXX], I was involved in a severe car accident. Despite the significant impact, the airbag system failed to deploy. I have attached photos of the vehicle damage for your reference. This incident is particularly alarming as the vehicle had recently been serviced for recalls at Phil Smith Kia (4250 N Federal Hwy, Lighthouse Point, FL 33064). The failure of the airbag system to deploy raises serious concerns about the safety and quality control of Kia vehicles. I urge the NHTSA to investigate this incident thoroughly and take appropriate action to ensure the safety of all Kia vehicle owners. Thank you for your immediate attention to this matter. Sincerely, INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11627470

Incident

Nov 25, 2024

When driving this Vehicle my daughter was in a single car acciedent. The engine combusted. The piston rod went into engine. When we took it to the auto shop this is what they told us casued the engine to malfunction and my daughter run off the road. She is very luck she has not been hurt more than she has. We have tried to contact KIA. First we called Royal KIa in Tuscon then Jim Clickk Kia in Tucson. They told me it did not matter that the vehicke had a recalll. We would be financially responsable for fixing it. They would not even alow me to bring it in, THey asked us to csll Kia. Kia was no help. They said that if the car was over 150,000 miles they would not fix a recall. My daughter was in an acciedent due to malfuntion! At this point I did reach out to another dealership in Mesa AZ. If they can not help we need to take legal action. The exact same thing that the engine had a recall on is what happemed to our kia, No one will anwser or fix a recall.

NHTSA ID

11501901

Incident

Jul 22, 2020

I WAS DRIVING HOME ON THE HIGHWAY FROM DINNER WITH MY FIANCE AND SON WHO'S 10 YEARS OLD DOING ABOUT 65. THE ENGINE FELT LIKE IT WAS STUTTERING SHAKING AND I LOOKED AT MY DASH BOARD AND ALL MY LIGHTS WERE BLINKING. I PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY AND STARTED TO SMELL SOMETHING BURNING. I GOT OUT AND LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD AND IT WAS ON FIRE. I TOOK OUR SODAS FROM THE CAR FROM THE RESTAURANT TO TRY N PUT IT OUT BUT IT DIDN'T HELP SO I TOLD BOTH MY FIANCE AND SON TO GET OUT OF THE CAR AND WE GOT AWAY FROM IT SO WE DIDN'T GET INJURED AND ALL WE COULD DO IS STAND THERE AND WATCH IT BURN.

NHTSA ID

11374190

Incident

Nov 7, 2020

Mileage

70,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING HOME ON THE HIGHWAY AT FULL SPEED (65 MPH) WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN MY 2015 KIA SOUL + STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STARTED TO FLASH AND THEN SMOKE STARTED POURING OUT.... I LOST ALL POWER BUT MADE IT TO THE BREAK DOWN LANE AND TURNED THE CAR OFF. THE CAR STARTED TO FILL UP WITH SMOKE AND I SAW FLAMES COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD SO I TRIED TO GET AS MUCH STUFF OUT OF MY CAR AS I COULD BEFORE THE FLAMES GOT TOO BIG AND BEFORE I KNEW IT THE WHOLE CAR WAS FULLY ENGULFED BY FIRE. *TR

NHTSA ID

11324801

Incident

May 15, 2020

Mileage

75,000 mi

I'M AWARE OF YOUR INVESTIGATION INTO THE 2015 KIA SOUL. MINE CAUGHT FIRE YESTERDAY MORNING ON I75 IN FL. I WOULD LIKE TO OFFER IT TO YOUR ORGANIZATION FOR INVESTIGATION. IT IS LOCATED: CRICKET'S 13601 US HWY 41 SPRINGHILL FL 34610 THANK-YOU I WILL HELP IN ANYWAY POSSIBLE TO GET THIS PROBLEM SOLVED. CONTACT ME ANYTIME. I WAS DRIVING IN THE MIDDLE LANE WHEN IT HESITATED LIKE IT WASN'T GETTING GOOD GAS FLOW AND WITHIN A MILE IT MADE A HISS AND JUST GOT HEAVY. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC, I GOT SAFELY OF THE ROAD AND WITHIN 10 MIN IT WAS GONE.

NHTSA ID

11290929

Incident

Dec 22, 2019

Mileage

97,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR LATE AT NIGHT HEADING HOME FROM A CONCERT WHEN SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM THE HOOD. I WAS ONLY GOING ABOUT 25MPH AND APPROACHING A STOP SIGN. I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND NO SOONER THAN. I COULD GET MY DOOR OPEN, IT BURST INTO FLAMES. I HAD ONLY BEEN DRIVING THE CAR ABOUT 5 MINUTES WHEN THIS HAPPENED.

NHTSA ID

11288842

Incident

Nov 21, 2019

Mileage

89,000 mi

ON 11/19/18 OUR 2015 KIA SOUL WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY AT APPROX 4:30 PM AFTER ARRIVING HOME FROM WORK, 4 HOURS LATER IN EVENING WHILE WATCHING TV AT APPROX 8:33PM WE HEARD A LOUD POP OUTSIDE, WE BOTH RAN TO FRONT DOOR TO SEE THE KIA SOUL FRONT END INGULFED IN FLAMES RISING SO HIGH HITTING ROOF OF OUR GARAGE. I CALLED 911 WHILE BACKING OUR OTHER CAR OUT OF DRIVEWAY AWAY FROM FLAMES, WHILE MY HUSBAND TRIED TO PUT OUT FIRE WITH EXTINGUSER AND WATER HOSE. THE FIREMEN ARRIVED AND FINISHED PUTTING OUT FIRE BUT KIA SOUL WAS TOTALED. KIA DEALERSHIP IN SARASOTA FL HAS NOT OFFERED ANY HELP OR ANSWERS. WE WENT ONLINE AND SEE WE ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THESE KIAS BURSTING INTO FLAMES...THE MANUFACTURER HAS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY! THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE! DAMAGE TO OUR HOME WAS ALSO DONE MELTING STUCCO, CHARING GARAGE DOOR AND CEMENT DRIVEWAY WHERE CAR BURNED. OUR HOME IS ONLY 1-1/2 YEARS OLD!

NHTSA ID

11153421

Incident

Nov 19, 2018

Mileage

53,500 mi

ATTEMPTING TO PARK: VEHICLE ACCELERATED RAPIDLY, BRAKE FAILED TO STOP OR DO ANYTHING. VEHICLE JUMPED OVER TIRE STOP THEN 8" MALL WALKWAY HITTING BUILDING AND STORE WINDOW.

NHTSA ID

11129450

Incident

Sep 13, 2018

Mileage

21,000 mi

THE REAR OF THE CAR IS ALWAYS FILLING UP WITH WATER WHERE THE SPATE TIRE SITS. THE CAT ISN'T WATER TIGHT. THIS HAS OCCURRED ON MANY OCCASIONS

NHTSA ID

11079644

Incident

Mar 14, 2017

YOU CRANK THE CAR THE DOORS LOCK. YOU LOSE ELECTRIC POWER YOU CAN'T OPEN THE DOORS!! NO WAY TO GET OUT OF CAR!! WAS LUCKY ONE WINDOW WAS DOWN!!ALL DOORS NEED TO BE ABLE TO OPEN WITH OUT POWER< WHAT IF ON FIRE OR IN WATER?? THE CAR WAS SETTING IN PARKING LOT OF WALMART LISTING TO RADIO AND THE BAT RAN DOWN!!

NHTSA ID

10906231

Incident

Aug 27, 2016

Mileage

36,000 mi

I WAS COMING OUT OF A RED LIGHT INTERSECTION AND WHEN I TRIED TURNING TO THE LEFT THE CAR WOULD NOT TURN AND KEPT GOING STRAIGHT. IT TURNED MINIMALLY AND HIT THE CURB SCRATCHING THE 2 PASSENGER SIDE WHEELS (FRONT AND BACK). NO AIRBAGS WERE DEPLOYED AS I WAS ONLY AT MAYBE 20-30MPH. AS THE CAR ALIGNED WITH THE ROAD AGAIN I NOTICE THE STEERING IS 90% IMPAIRED. I STILL MANAGE TO DRIVE HOME AS THERE WERE VERY FEW CARS ON THE ROAD BUT THE CAR WOULD RANDOMLY SOMETIMES, VERY STRONGLY VEER TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT, MAKING IT EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. I REMEMBER THERE WAS A RECALL LETTER I HAD RECEIVED AND WHEN I GOT HOME I CHECKED IT OUT AND IT DESCRIBED EXACTLY WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO ME: "THE PINION PLUG WHICH SECURES THE PINION GEAR TO THE STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY MAY LOOSEN DUE TO THE USE OF ADHESIVE WITH INSUFFICIENT BONDING STRENGTH DURING ASSEMBLY. IF THE PLUG LOOSENS SUFFICIENTLY, THE PINION GEAR MAY SEPARATE FROM THE STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY WHICH COULD CAUSE LOSS OF STEERING AND RESULT IN A CRASH.". I THINK IN MY CASE THIS PINION CAME COMPLETELY LOOSE AND THAT CAUSED THE CRASH. THE CAR WAS JUST TOWED TO A KIA DEALERSHIP BUT NOW THEY WILL INSPECT AND DECIDE IF THAT WAS THE CASE OR NOT. WHAT IF THEY SIMPLY DECIDE THEY WILL SAY THIS WAS CAUSED TO SOMETHING ELSE AND NOT THE RECALL ISSUE?

NHTSA ID

10822052

Incident

Jan 22, 2016

Mileage

7,500 mi

MY SON WAS IN A REAR-END COLLISON IN HIS 2015 KIA SOUL, THAT ALSO PUSHED HIM INTO THE PERSON IN FRONT OF HIM. MY SON WAS AT A STOP AS WELL AS THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HIM, WHEN A MID SIZED SUV DOING APPROXIMATELY 30-40MPH SLAMMED ON HER BRAKES AND REAR ENDED MY SON. THE SOUL'S BUMPER WENT UNDERNEATH THE CHEVY TAHOE IN FRONT OF HIM. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. WHEN POLICE AND EMS SHOWED UP AND ASKED HIM IF HE COULD DRIVE IT OFF THE ROAD, THE VEHICLE STARTED, BUT ACCELERATOR WOULD NOT WORK. THEY PUSHED IT OFF THE ROAD. AFTER TOWING TO THE BODY SHOP, THE OWNER SAID HE DIDN'T KNOW WHY THE AIRBAGS HADN'T DEPLOYED BECAUSE THE ELECTRICAL WIRING HARNESS HAD BEEN SEVERED IN THE CRASH. THE TOWING COMPANY WAS HESITANT TO TOW BECAUSE HE WAS AFRAID IT MAY GO OFF. THE SOUL HAD AN ESTIMATE OF $15,753.75 IN DAMAGE AND THEREFORE TOTALED...BUT HIS AIRBAGS NEVER WENT OFF.

NHTSA ID

10766295

Incident

Sep 4, 2015

Mileage

6,743 mi

WAS DRIVING DOWN AN INTERSTATE ON A JULY AFTERNOON. TEMPERATURE IN THE MID 90'S WITH AC SET ON 72. DRIVING WITH NO CARS AROUND AT 60MPH AND ALL OF A SUDDEN HEAR WHAT SOUNDS LIKE A GUN SHOT. I LOOKED AROUND TO SEE IF I COULD SEE ANYTHING WRONG AND DID NOT SEE ANYTHING UNTIL I LOOKED UP. THE PANORAMIC SUNROOF HAD SHATTERED COMPLETELY. THE ROOF FRAGMENTS I COULD SEE WAS LIFTING OUTWARD. I CALLED MY HAIRCUT APPOINTMENT TO CANCEL AND DROVE STRAIGHT TO THE NEAREST KIA DEALERSHIP. ON THE WAY OVER, THE SMALL GLASS FRAGMENTS BETWEEN THE ACTUAL BROKEN FRAGMENTS STARTED TO FALL SO I CLOSED THE SUNSHADE. ALSO ON THE DRIVE TO THE DEALERSHIP, SOME OF THE BROKEN GLASS FELL OUT ONTO THE ROAD BEHIND ME. ITS BEEN 2 WEEKS AND SO FAR NO NEWS FROM CORPORATE KIA ON REPLACING MY SUNROOF.

NHTSA ID

10747162

Incident

Jul 24, 2015

Mileage

530 mi