2017 KIA Soul EV Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Soul EV years
- Far more complaints than other years 1st of 7 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 18 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 KIA Soul EV. That is the most of any Soul EV model year in the database (7 years). The most reported problem area is electrical system (12 complaints, 67%), typically at around 50,000 miles. Complaints mention 1 fire. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
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- 18owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2017 KIA Soul EV problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 12 | 67% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 3 | 17% | 12 | — | — |
| Engine | 2 | 11% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 2 | 11% | 15,606 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 11% | — | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 6% | 300 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 6% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2017 KIA Soul EV recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Power train:automatic transmission:gear position indication (prndl); electrical system:software
Problem: Kia America, Inc. (KIA) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Soul EV vehicles. The parking mechanism may be damaged, which can result in unintended vehicle movement when the gear shift lever is in the Park 'P' position and the parking brake is not applied while the vehicle is powered on.
Risk: Unintended vehicle movement can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the electronic control unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 21, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC287. This recall expands and replaces recall number 20V-389. Vehicles previously repaired under 20V-389 will need to have the new remedy completed.
Electrical system:propulsion system:traction battery
Problem: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Soul EV vehicles equipped with an E400 battery. The high-voltage battery pack may experience an electrical short-circuit while driving.
Risk: A battery electrical short-circuit increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will update and/or replace the battery management system and software, as necessary, free of charge. The new software will illuminate the EV warning light, limit charging capacity, and reduce vehicle power if abnormal voltage is detected. If this occurs, the battery will be replaced, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 18, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC267.
Air bags
Problem: 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.
Risk: Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the ACU, and either update the software or replace the unit, as necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 21, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC226.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Vehicle Rollaway (RQ23005) — opened Sep 10, 2023, closed Jan 16, 2024, led to recall 23V724.
- Pedestrian alert sounds (DP22005) — opened Jan 27, 2023, closed Aug 7, 2023, led to recall 22V063000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
My car has had intermittent faults of codes P1B25 and P1CF2 and are showing check EV system on the dash. This happens after about 30-45 minutes of driving and then restarting the car. It has been identified that the power relay assembly needs to be replaced on the vehicle, which lives in the high…
When I apply brake the vehicle doesnât stop it jumps out (as if someone has crashed hitting the rear of the vehicle) and the vehicle shuts down. Then I have to park the vehicle in the middle of the road and restart the vehicle. Luckily I avoided many accidents by defensively driving. Talked with…
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Soul EV. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal battery voltage warning displayed. The vehicle went into LIMP Mode. The contact stated that the battery failed to charge. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The…
Driving down open road with no vehicles in front or back when suddenly the rear window made a huge bang. It was raining at the time. Once home I took the attached photo. Don't remember turning the defrost on.
Application of the brakes causes complete vehicle shutdown along with message to check electrical system. Brakes appear to fail for a brief moment, then mechanical brakes kick in. Car has zero power until stopped and restarted. Problem is reproducible a high percentage of the time provided the…
Other KIA Soul EV years
← 2016 Soul EV · 2018 Soul EV →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 Soul EV | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 Soul EV | 3 | 3 |
| 2018 Soul EV | 3 | 3 |
| 2017 | 18 | 3 |
| 2016 Soul EV | 7 | 4 |
| 2015 Soul EV | 6 | 4 |
| 2014 Soul EV | 2 | 1 |
See all KIA Soul EV problems by year, every KIA model, or the KIA VIN decoder.
Similar KIA models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2017 KIA Soul EV?
Owners most often report electrical system, service brakes, engine problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 12 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2017 KIA Soul EV?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2017 KIA Soul EV a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Soul EV model years, the 2017 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.