Driving to work on freeway going about 15-20mph when all of a sudden I was blind-sided by a Chevy silverado truck going 50-60mph. The initial impact was my rear passenger side door. Absolutely no airbag went off on that side. The impact knocked me across two lanes of the freeways oncoming traffic where I was hit again on driver's side. The steering wheel bag went off after the 2nd impact. The…
2016 Kia Soul airbags problems
severe 15 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $1,100 · see airbags across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
15
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
12crashes
10injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 15 airbags complaints filed for the 2016 Kia Soul, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 25,000-50,000 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
No new NHTSA airbags complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 6 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: The 2016 Kia Soul has a documented pattern of airbag non-deployment during front-end, rear-end, side, and heavy-impact crashes across a range of speeds—a serious safety issue that can result in severe injuries even when the vehicle is totaled. Kia has not issued recalls or provided corrective action in reported cases.
Multiple 2016 Kia Soul owners report complete or partial airbag failure during serious accidents. In front-end collisions ranging from 30 to 70 mph, steering wheel and front passenger airbags remained stowed despite frame damage severe enough to total the vehicle. One owner hit a stationary car at 45+ mph head-on with the bumper crushed back past the radiator; Kia responded with shifting explanations (underriding, then sensor location) and took no action. Another drove into a concrete barrier at 70 mph; no airbags deployed.
Rear-end incidents show the same pattern. One driver rear-ended a box truck at 25–30 mph with massive frontal damage—no deployment. Another was hit hard from behind on the freeway and knocked into oncoming traffic, where a second strike deployed only the steering wheel bag; the driver-side curtain airbags never went off. A third was rear-ended so violently that the car was totaled; not one airbag deployed.
Side impacts and T-bone collisions also failed. One owner was T-boned with total vehicle loss and zero airbag deployment; the seatbelt caused chest injury. An off-road impact that sent the vehicle airborne and tore up the undercarriage (requiring $6,000 in repairs) also produced no deployment.
One report identified an airbag control module malfunction discovered at a service center inspection; the module required replacement. Injuries across these incidents include concussions, fractures requiring surgery, and long-term orthopedic damage.
Same Kia Soul airbags reports on nearby years: 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2017 · 2018
Failure modes owners describe
Airbag Non-Deployment in Front-End Collisions
Front airbags (driver and/or passenger) failed to deploy during direct front-end impacts at speeds ranging from 30 to 60+ mph, even when the damage was severe enough to total the vehicle. Multiple owners reported that airbag sensors appeared unresponsive to threshold-level impacts.
When: Various incidents: 2/18/17 at 45+ mph, 30 mph skid-and-crash at 60k miles, 35–40 mph frontal impact, 70 mph hydroplane into concrete barrier, 55 mph passenger-side front collision
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel airbag did not deploy during front-end impacts; Driver-side and passenger-side front airbags remained stowed despite severe frontal damage; Airbags failed to deploy even when bumper was crushed back beyond radiator; Steering wheel airbag deployed only on second impact in multi-strike accident
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Kia USA initially claimed underriding as cause in one incident, then changed explanation to 'airbag sensors in connecting pillars would not trigger airbags'; manufacturer took no corrective action in reported cases
Airbag Non-Deployment in Rear and Side Impacts
Airbags failed to deploy during side-impact, rear-end, and T-bone collisions. One report noted side airbags deployed while steering wheel airbag did not during a passenger-side impact; rear-end impacts produced complete airbag silence despite totaling the vehicle.
When: Rear-end collisions at 15–20 mph initial impact followed by second strike at 50+ mph; 91 freeway rear-end at near-complete stop; 25–30 mph rear-end into box truck; 60 mph rear-end into Suburban; T-bone impact with totaled vehicle
Symptoms owners cite: No airbags deployed during rear-end collisions despite vehicle being totaled; Curtain airbags (driver-side) did not deploy during side impact; T-bone impact produced no airbag deployment; seatbelt caused chest injury to occupant; Side airbags deployed selectively while steering wheel airbag remained stowed
Airbag Control Module Malfunction
At least one vehicle was identified as having an airbag control module (ACM) malfunction during a service diagnostic test, with the module requiring replacement due to safety compromise—the airbag system may not deploy in an accident.
When: Discovered during diagnostic inspection at service center (timing not specified in narrative)
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag control module malfunction detected during diagnostic testing; Safety system compromise confirmed at service center
Repairs/costs cited: Airbag Control Module must be replaced
Non-Deployment During Off-Road Impact
Vehicle went airborne and landed hard on an embankment after leaving the road; the impact was severe enough to require $6,000 in undercarriage repairs and broke the oil filter off, yet airbags did not deploy. Owner reported being told airbags should have fully deployed.
When: Unspecified; described as 'a few months ago' relative to complaint date
Symptoms owners cite: Airbags did not deploy when car went airborne and landed on embankment; Severe underside damage incurred despite lack of airbag protection; Owner was told deployment should have occurred
Repairs/costs cited: $6,000 in undercarriage repairs needed; oil filter broken off vehicle
Synthesized from 15 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 2016 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 2016 Kia Soul?
It's a meaningful issue. 15 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 8 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most airbags failures cluster between 30,000 and 112,000 miles, with the median around 32,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 30,000; a quarter make it past 112,000. 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/2016/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.