2012 KIA Soul Steering Problems
Owners have filed 166 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the 2012 KIA Soul, 32% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 68,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “steering coupler” (15% of reports).
- 166steering complaints
- 68,500median miles at failure
- 3mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $530typical repair cost reported by owners
- 32%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Steering coupler: mentioned in 25 of 166 complaints (15%)
- Clunking noise: mentioned in 20 of 166 complaints (12%)
- Either direction: mentioned in 11 of 166 complaints (7%)
- Flexible coupling: mentioned in 9 of 166 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical steering repair on the 2012 KIA Soul at $530, and half of them between $320 and $610.
Based on 14 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2018–2026), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do steering problems happen?
Based on 92 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 166 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 1 an injury.
KIA Soul steering complaints by model year
| Model year | Steering complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Soul | 1 | 3% | — |
| 2023 Soul | 8 | 15% | 8,700 |
| 2022 Soul | 2 | 2% | — |
| 2021 Soul | 9 | 4% | 4,815 |
| 2020 Soul | 16 | 4% | 4,000 |
| 2019 Soul | 5 | 4% | 77,500 |
| 2018 Soul | 5 | 2% | 38,000 |
| 2017 Soul | 10 | 4% | 29,262 |
| 2016 Soul | 30 | 4% | 53,500 |
| 2015 Soul | 44 | 5% | 34,750 |
| 2014 Soul | 55 | 6% | 36,000 |
| 2013 Soul | 152 | 23% | 70,000 |
| 2012 Soul | 166 | 32% | 68,500 |
| 2011 Soul | 4 | 2% | 8,200 |
| 2010 Soul | 12 | 9% | 4,050 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists steering for the 2012 KIA Soul. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
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…
I have a used kia soul 2012 which I bought 3 years ago. It's steering column has started making strange clicking noises when I turn the wheel left and right. I went to KIA dealership, they inspected the steering column and said it's gonna cost me $1200. They said it's not covered under "recall"…
I am submitting this complaint regarding a known defect with the steering wheel coupler in my 2012 Kia vehicle. The steering coupler is a component that has been subject to recall concerns due to premature wear. When this part becomes worn, it can result in looseness or failure in the steering…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2012 KIA Souls have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 166 owner complaints about steering for the 2012 KIA Soul (32% of the 514 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2012 KIA Soul steering?
No recall currently lists steering for this vehicle.
At what mileage do steering problems start?
The median reported mileage is 68,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix steering problems on the 2012 KIA Soul?
Owners report a typical cost of $530 (half paid between $320 and $610), from 14 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about steering problems on the 2012 KIA Soul?
The most frequent phrase is “steering coupler”, in 25 of 166 complaints, followed by “clunking noise” (20).
Other 2012 KIA Soul problems
- Engine problems (209)
See all 2012 KIA Soul problems or steering problems across all Soul years.