2015 KIA Soul Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Soul years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 16 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 5 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 900 complaints with NHTSA about the 2015 KIA Soul. That ranks 2nd out of 16 Soul model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (630 complaints, 70%), typically at around 93,000 miles. Complaints mention 34 crashes, 84 fires, 32 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations involving it.
- 900owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 3NHTSA investigations
- 34complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2015 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 | 630 | 70% | 93,000 | “catalytic converter” (21%) | $3,800 |
| Unknown or Other | 107 | 12% | 72,110 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System problems | 76 | 8% | 65,000 | “catalytic converter” (22%) | — |
| Electrical System problems | 75 | 8% | 65,000 | “catalytic converter” (13%) | — |
| Power Train problems | 61 | 7% | 92,640 | “catalytic converter” (23%) | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 58 | 6% | 112,000 | “catalytic converter” (50%) | — |
| Steering | 44 | 5% | 34,750 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 36 | 4% | 80,750 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 30 | 3% | 92,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 28 | 3% | 17,500 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 20 | 2% | 5,770 | — | — |
| Structure | 16 | 2% | 44,750 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 10 | 1% | 73,328 | — | — |
| Wheels | 6 | 1% | 11,110 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 5 | 1% | 1,865 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 4 | 0% | 105,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 | 0% | 17,800 | — | — |
| Seats | 3 | 0% | 3,900 | — | — |
| Suspension | 3 | 0% | 32,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 2 | 0% | 62,862 | — | — |
| Visibility | 2 | 0% | 3,500 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 1 | 0% | 116,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 0% | 160,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 0% | 22,337 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2015 KIA Soul recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Engine
Problem: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2013 Sorento, 2012-2015 Forte and Forte Koup, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, 2014-2015 Soul, and 2012 Sportage vehicles. An engine compartment fire can occur while driving.
Risk: An engine compartment fire increases the risk of injury.
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine compartment for fuel and/or engine oil leaks, perform an engine test and make any repairs, including engine replacement, as necessary, free of charge. In addition, Kia dealers will update the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) software, free of charge. The recall began January 27, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC200.
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.
Steering
Problem: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Soul and Soul EV vehicles. The pinion plug may allow the pinion gear to separate from the steering gear assembly.
Risk: If the pinion gear separates, steering will be lost, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and secure the pinion plug or replace the steering gear assembly, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 16, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC155. Note: This recall supersedes campaigns 14V-332 and 15V-736. Vehicles previously remedied under those numbers are being recalled again under this campaign.
Vehicle speed control:accelerator pedal
Problem: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Soul and Soul electric vehicles manufactured July 21, 2013, to January 8, 2015. A section of the accelerator pedal may bend and fracture.
Risk: If the vehicle has a bent or broken accelerator pedal, the driver may have difficulty accelerating the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will add a supporting rubber underneath the pedal stopper, free of charge. The recall began on March 24, 2015. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC116.
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
- 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.
My husband purchased our 2015 Kia Soul 1.6L GDI in 04/18. It was recalled under the NHTSA 19V120 & Kia SC176 in 04/19. The recommended fix? Update ECU Logic. Completed: 04/24/19. Check engine light came in 07/19. My appointment in 08/19, at #1 Cochran Kia showed a P0455 large leak code. Per…
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V750000 (Engine). The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the engine was inspected and it was determined that there was no failure with the vehicle. The contact was charged for the diagnostic test…
Seatbelt on front passenger side locked up and continued to tighten until passenger had to release. Then seatbelt never returned to function. It locked up completely.
The contact owned a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, there was smoke coming from the exhaust, with an abnormally loud popping sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road, and the contact exited the vehicle and became…
Dealer refusing to honor open recall remedy for SC200 / NHTSA 20V750000 on 2015 Kia Soul VIN [XXX], approx 100k miles. Recall shows "no unrepaired recall found" on NHTSA VIN lookup, but KSDS update and engine bearing test were never performed. Kia of Cheyenne states: 1) must pay for recall because…
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 | 900 | 4 |
| 2014 Soul | 902 | 5 |
| 2013 Soul | 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.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2015 KIA Soul?
Owners most often report engine, unknown or other, fuel/propulsion system problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 630 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2015 KIA Soul?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2015 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 2015 has far more complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 5 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.