2013 KIA Soul Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Soul years
- Far more complaints than other years 4th of 16 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 4 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 666 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 KIA Soul. That ranks 4th out of 16 Soul model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (285 complaints, 43%), typically at around 117,000 miles. Complaints mention 22 crashes, 46 fires, 25 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 4 defect investigations involving it.
- 666owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 4NHTSA investigations
- 22complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2013 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 | 285 | 43% | 117,000 | “catalytic converter” (18%) | $6,900 |
| Steering problems | 152 | 23% | 70,000 | “steering coupler” (17%) | $870 |
| Electrical System problems | 71 | 11% | 60,750 | “catch fire” (7%) | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 68 | 10% | 149,000 | “hydraulic contacted” (31%) | — |
| Unknown or Other | 61 | 9% | 98,500 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 45 | 7% | 138,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 30 | 5% | 12,800 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 27 | 4% | 93,289 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 18 | 3% | 48,900 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 17 | 3% | 25,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 15 | 2% | 24,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 14 | 2% | 107,900 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 12 | 2% | 5,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 10 | 2% | 80,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 9 | 1% | 43,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 6 | 1% | 34,400 | — | — |
| Wheels | 6 | 1% | 26,616 | — | — |
| Tires | 5 | 1% | 26,616 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 4 | 1% | 95,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 | 0% | 127,500 | — | — |
| Seats | 3 | 0% | 150,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 3 | 0% | 118,598 | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 0% | 60,900 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 2 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 2 | 0% | 160,000 | — | — |
| Child Seat | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 0% | 6,400 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2013 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.
- 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.
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, turned off, and unoccupied, the contact heard a noise outside and discovered that the vehicle had caught on fire near the engine compartment. The contact extinguished the fire using water and salt. The contact…
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving 25 MPH, the check engine and TPMS warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to Auto Zone, where DTC: P0420 was retrieved. The contact was informed that the failure was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V120000…
While driving my 2013 Kia Soul 1.6L GDI on the highway, the vehicle suddenly lost significant engine power and the Check Engine Light began flashing. The sudden loss of power at highway speed created a safety concern because I could no longer maintain normal highway speed with surrounding traffic…
I've had no issues with the vehicle until 2 years ago when the steering column began getting incredibly loose. I can turn the wheel 10 degrees before turning. Now the car can no longer go above 40 MPH because the steering wheel will shake violently and the front end will vibrate and it feels like…
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while making a turn, there was an abnormal popping sound coming from the steering column. The contact stated that while driving, the steering wheel was moving freely. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed, and it was determined…
Other KIA Soul years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Soul | 12 | 0 |
| 2024 Soul | 30 | 0 |
| 2023 Soul | 54 | 4 |
| 2022 Soul | 94 | 1 |
| 2021 Soul | 238 | 2 |
| 2020 Soul | 386 | 1 |
| 2019 Soul | 136 | 1 |
| 2018 Soul | 219 | 1 |
| 2017 Soul | 272 | 1 |
| 2016 Soul | 816 | 2 |
| 2015 Soul | 901 | 4 |
| 2014 Soul | 902 | 5 |
| 2013 | 666 | 3 |
| 2012 Soul | 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.
Similar KIA models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2013 KIA Soul?
Owners most often report engine, steering, electrical system problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 285 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2013 KIA Soul?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2013 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 2013 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.