Kia Soul problems
134 owner complaints with NHTSA, no active recalls. Here's where owners say it breaks.
Solid reliability overall. Common issues are concentrated in a few systems.
Buyable on the data — keep up the usual maintenance and inspect normally.
- No systemic severe-failure pattern in the complaint record
- Reliability score 7.6/10 — above the segment average
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
Top trouble spots 8 categories with 3+ complaints
What owners are saying recent NHTSA-filed complaints · verbatim
I own a pre-owned 2010 Kia soul! With approximately 47k miles, clear title and no accidents. On sunday 12/29/13 my car experienced sua (sudden unintended acceleration). I was driving approximately 35 MPH, approaching a rotary, when my car suddenly accelerated on its own. The…
Daughter was driving car on side street when she noticed smoke and then fire coming from passenger side speaker/light area. She was fortunately not hurt and was assisted by bystander in putting out fire. Inside of door around speaker melted. Appears to be same problem that…
Tl*the contact owns a 2010 Kia soul. While driving approximately 5 MPH the steering wheel became stuck in the turning position and the vehicle stalled. The contact turned the vehicle back on and was able to drive normally. The failure would continue to occur intermittently. The…
I have had my Kia soul since may 2009. I have experienced chips in the glass and paint as well as scratches to the glass from a plastic ice scraper ai have used on 3 other vehicles without issue. I do not use ice scrapers often here in texas, but this is the first time I have…
Estimate your repair exposure
Drag to your current mileage. Numbers are derived from this vehicle's complaint history.
Common questions
Is the 2010 Kia Soul reliable?
Mostly yes. With a reliability score of 7.6 out of 10 based on 134 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2010 Kia Soul is generally a sound vehicle. The areas to watch are listed in the top problem section above — most are budget items, not deal-breakers.
Should you avoid the 2010 Kia Soul?
On the NHTSA data, the 2010 Kia Soul does not need avoiding. Buyable on the data — keep up the usual maintenance and inspect normally. The record behind that call: No systemic severe-failure pattern in the complaint record; Reliability score 7.6/10 — above the segment average. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
What's the most common problem on the 2010 Kia Soul?
Based on NHTSA records, the most-reported issue is electrical, with 20 complaints filed. Typical failure occurs around 66,714 miles. Average repair cost runs about $850 at an independent shop.
What's the most expensive thing that goes wrong?
The electrical is one of the costlier repair items. Average repair cost runs about $850 at an independent shop. Typical failure occurs around 66,714 miles. Catching early warning signs can sometimes extend life by 20–30,000 miles.
How do I check if my Kia Soul has open recalls?
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Is an extended warranty worth it on a 2010 Kia Soul?
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 134 complaints on file and the costliest repair averaging $850, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.