I was involved in a head on collision with a 2001 Jeep cherokee which turned left in front of me as I traveled in the straight lane. My speed was approximately 40mph. The entire front of my vehicle is caved in, but none of my airbags deployed. Both of the airbags in the other vehicle deployed. *tr
2013 Kia Soul airbags problems
severe Owners of the 2013 Kia Soul have filed 17 NHTSA complaints about the airbags, typically surfacing around 57,800 miles at roughly $1,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See airbags across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
17
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
| Model year | airbags complaints |
|---|---|
| 2010 Soul | 17 |
| 2011 Soul | 23 |
| 2012 Soul | 13 |
| 2013 Soul (this page) | 17 |
| 2014 Soul | 19 |
| 2015 Soul | 14 |
| 2016 Soul | 16 |
| 2017 Soul | 14 |
13crashes
15injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 17 airbags complaints filed for the 2013 Kia Soul, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 75,000-100,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Among the 13 model years of Kia Soul in our records for airbags problems, this one ranks #3 by owner-complaint volume.
No new NHTSA airbags complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 11 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of 2013 Kia Souls report airbag failures across two main problem areas. The dominant complaint involves airbags not deploying during crashes—frontal collisions, rear-end impacts, and rollover situations—despite the impact severity that totaled vehicles. Injuries include head trauma, broken bones, lacerations from going through windshields, and concussions; several owners emphasize that seat belt use alone did not prevent injury. Crashes involved impact speeds ranging from low-speed rear-end hits to 50 mph frontal collisions. One incident involved severe metal fragmentation from a deployed airbag striking the occupant's face and arm. A separate complaint describes an airbag deploying without any collision at 20 mph, inflicting burns and bruises. Another owner reports only partial airbag deployment—some bags working while others failed—during a multi-impact crash. Failures occurred across the mileage spectrum from 21,000 to 60,000 miles. One owner received a recall notice but was unable to reach the manufacturer or dealer for service, citing repeated failed attempts to contact them. No diagnostic codes or repair specifics were provided by owners.
Same Kia Soul airbags reports on nearby years: 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2014 · 2015
Failure modes owners describe
Airbag non-deployment in moderate to high-impact crashes
Airbags failed to deploy during crashes with sufficient impact energy, leaving occupants unprotected and resulting in serious injuries from windshield ejection, steering wheel contact, and rollover trauma.
When: Mileage range 21,000 to 60,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Airbags did not deploy during frontal collisions; Airbags did not deploy during rear-end impacts; Airbags did not deploy during multi-vehicle accidents with vehicle rollover; Occupants went through windshield despite seat belt use; Seat belts also became inoperable after crash in one incident
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicles deemed total losses by insurance; no repair diagnostic information provided by owners
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Case number 12597330 opened for at least one incident; no further assistance provided
Inadvertent airbag deployment
Airbag deployed without collision, causing occupant injury from the deployment force and burning material; vehicle smoking after deployment.
When: During normal driving at 20 mph after proceeding through a green light
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag deployed unexpectedly at low speed; Heavy impact to chest and stomach area; Burns and bruises to arms, chest, clavicle, and stomach; Vehicle smoking after deployment; Driver became disoriented
Repairs/costs cited: Owner characterized as defective airbag but no repair work documented
Partial airbag deployment
Only certain airbags deployed while others failed; metal fragments from deployed airbag struck occupant causing facial and arm lacerations.
When: 40,000 miles; 50 mph frontal collision
Symptoms owners cite: Driver side airbag failed to deploy during rear-end impact and rollover; Steering wheel and front passenger airbag deployed but side curtain and door airbags did not; Metal fragments from deployed airbag struck occupant in face and arm; Some side airbags and pillar airbags did not deploy in multi-impact collision
Repairs/costs cited: No diagnostic or repair work completed; vehicles destroyed
Manufacturer service delays for recall
Owner unable to contact dealer or manufacturer to schedule recall repair for airbag-related safety issue after receiving recall notice.
When: Recall notice received January 29, 2015; follow-up complaint February 22, 2015
Symptoms owners cite: Unable to reach dealer by phone or email despite daily attempts; No response to calls or emails; Owner expressed concern about traveling with unrepaired safety defect
Codes mentioned: 23V652000
Repairs/costs cited: Parts unavailable for brake system recall; timeline exceeded for reasonable repair completion
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall notice issued; parts unavailable; communication not established with owner
Synthesized from 17 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
Had airbags trouble with your 2013 Kia Soul?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the airbags problem on the 2013 Kia Soul?
It's a meaningful issue. 17 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,100.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Across the 10 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most airbags failures cluster between 21,000 and 63,000 miles, with the median around 57,800. A quarter of owners report trouble before 21,000; a quarter make it past 63,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to airbags?
No active recalls currently cover airbags issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2013/Kia/Soul.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.