2012 KIA Soul Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Soul years
- Far more complaints than other years 5th of 16 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 4 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 514 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 KIA Soul. That ranks 5th out of 16 Soul model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (209 complaints, 41%), typically at around 119,150 miles. Complaints mention 25 crashes, 23 fires, 25 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 5 defect investigations involving it.
- 514owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 5NHTSA investigations
- 25complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2012 KIA Soul 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine problems | 209 | 41% | 119,150 | “engine cooling” (21%) | $5,400 |
| Steering problems | 166 | 32% | 68,500 | “steering coupler” (15%) | $530 |
| Unknown or Other | 39 | 8% | 92,680 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 38 | 7% | 68,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 34 | 7% | 122,746 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 32 | 6% | 137,500 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 21 | 4% | 113,500 | — | — |
| Power Train | 21 | 4% | 63,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 18 | 4% | 67,848 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 17 | 3% | 49,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 12 | 2% | 74,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 10 | 2% | 17,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 10 | 2% | 112,650 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 7 | 1% | 42,500 | — | — |
| Suspension | 7 | 1% | 17,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 6 | 1% | 27,250 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 5 | 1% | 88,472 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 4 | 1% | 50,400 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 4 | 1% | 57,108 | — | — |
| Tires | 3 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 2 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 0% | 50,350 | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 0% | 1,505 | — | — |
| Equipment Adaptive/mobility | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 0% | 189,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2012 KIA Soul recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:control unit/modulePark outside
Problem: 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.
Risk: An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed November 14, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2024 through June 18, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC284.
Engine; engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:emission control:catalytic convertor
Problem: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Kia Soul vehicles equipped with 1.6L Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) engines. High exhaust gas temperatures may damage the catalytic converter, possibly resulting in abnormal engine combustion and damage to one or more of the engine's pistons and possible piston connecting rod failure.
Risk: Piston damage may result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash. A broken connecting rod may puncture the engine block allowing engine oil to escape. The leaking oil may contact the exhaust, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will upgrade the Catalytic Overheating Protection Engine Control Unit logic to prevent overheating of the catalytic converter. In addition, the catalytic converter will also be replaced if it has been damaged. Depending on the extent of any damage, the engine may also be replaced, free of charge. The recall began April 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC176.
Structure:body:roof and pillars
Problem: 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.
Risk: A detached headliner plate may increase the risk of injury to the occupant during a vehicle crash.
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will install industrial adhesive strips to secure the headliner plates, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 2, 2015. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC112.
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
- Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires (AQ23002) — opened Nov 17, 2023, still open.
- Loss of Motive Power (DP22003) — opened Sep 12, 2022, closed Dec 12, 2023.
- Engine Fires (EA21003) — opened Dec 22, 2021, closed Feb 5, 2024, led to recall 23V877.
- Non-crash Vehicle Fires (PE19004) — opened Mar 29, 2019, closed Dec 22, 2021, led to recall 20V088000.
- Non-crash Vehicle Fires (DP18003) — opened Aug 21, 2018, closed May 10, 2019, led to recall 18V907000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
I purchased Dorman part #74015 Brake Pedal Stopper from AutoZone Altamonte after an employee recommended it for my 2012 Kia Soul without checking system compatibility. I installed it that night. On, while driving on a busy road in Orlando, FL, my brake pedal locked completely solid and could not be…
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The contact stated that the…
The brake lines on my car failed. I had to use the parking brake to get the car to stop. Typically, a brake failure leaves you with partial braking power, however, I had no brakes whatsoever. Upon inspection, it appears that all the brake lines failed in the same area, where the brakes are over the…
When I turn my steering wheel left or right there is a very large margin before the tires turn it rattles back and forth back and forth as I'm driving down the street no control for at least three degrees and either direction, also my front of the vehicle turn signals pop out and fall out to the…
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, the vehicle unexpectedly stalled and failed to accelerate with the low oil warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure occurred after the contactâs spouse had added oil to the vehicle. The…
Other KIA Soul years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Soul | 12 | 0 |
| 2024 Soul | 30 | 0 |
| 2023 Soul | 54 | 4 |
| 2022 Soul | 93 | 1 |
| 2021 Soul | 237 | 2 |
| 2020 Soul | 384 | 1 |
| 2019 Soul | 136 | 1 |
| 2018 Soul | 218 | 1 |
| 2017 Soul | 272 | 1 |
| 2016 Soul | 816 | 2 |
| 2015 Soul | 900 | 4 |
| 2014 Soul | 902 | 5 |
| 2013 Soul | 666 | 3 |
| 2012 | 514 | 3 |
| 2011 Soul | 194 | 3 |
| 2010 Soul | 135 | 3 |
See all KIA Soul problems by year, every KIA model, or the KIA VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2012 KIA Soul?
Owners most often report engine, steering, unknown or other problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 209 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2012 KIA Soul?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2012 KIA Soul a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Soul model years, the 2012 has far more complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 4 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.