Should I buy a 2019 Kia Soul with documented airbags problems?

Depends on the price and the specific vehicle. Documented airbags issues should be priced into the purchase — if the seller is asking full retail, negotiate down by the expected repair cost. A pre-purchase inspection from an independent shop tells you whether THIS specific vehicle has already shown the symptoms or not.

2019 Kia Soul airbags problems

severe Owners of the 2019 Kia Soul have filed 11 NHTSA complaints about the airbags 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 →

Complaints

Recalls

Avg fix

$1,100

airbags complaints on the Kia Soul, by model year
Model year	airbags complaints
2015 Soul	14
2016 Soul	16
2017 Soul	14
2018 Soul	10
2019 Soul (this page)	11
2020 Soul	3
2021 Soul	4
2023 Soul	4

8crashes

11injuries

When does it fail?

Of the 11 airbags complaints filed for the 2019 Kia Soul, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 100,000-125,000 mi.

0-25k

0 (0%)

25-50k

0 (0%)

50-75k

0 (0%)

75-100k

0 (0%)

100-125k

1 (50%)

125-150k

1 (50%)

150k+

0 (0%)

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 5 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.

Related recalls

severe NHTSA 22V031000 January 25, 2022

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Sedona, Soul, Soul EV, 2017-2018 Forte, and 2017 Forte Koup vehicles

Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.

Fix: Dealers will inspect the ACU, and either update the software or replace the unit, as necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 21, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC226.

The failure pattern owners describe

Eleven complaints describe a serious pattern: airbags failing to deploy during moderate-to-severe crashes. Most common is complete non-deployment of driver-side, passenger-side, and side curtain airbags in frontal and side-impact collisions at highway speeds (55–60+ mph). One owner reported a steering wheel airbag failing in a head-on collision that lifted the vehicle and caused the driver's head to go through the windshield, resulting in permanent injuries.

Crashes occurred between 2021 and 2024. In one incident at 120,000 miles, a driver-side impact produced no airbag deployment, leaving four passengers and the driver with back, neck, leg, and chest injuries requiring hospitalization and ongoing therapy. Another owner reported a totaled vehicle with zero airbag deployment despite multiple hard impacts.

Three owners also mention an intermittent airbag warning light that cycles on and off or stays illuminated with no clear cause. One owner contacted Kia Motors' claims department and received no response. Another noted that recall information was not proactively provided and became inaccessible after the lawsuit deadline passed. Collision centers inspecting crashed vehicles stated they found nothing mechanically wrong, yet airbags did not deploy during the accidents.

Same Kia Soul airbags reports on nearby years: 2016 · 2017 · 2018

Failure modes owners describe

Airbag Non-Deployment in Frontal and Side-Impact Crashes

Multiple owners report complete failure of driver-side, passenger-side, front, and rear side curtain airbags to deploy during moderate-to-severe frontal and side-impact collisions. Crashes involved speeds of 55–60+ mph with direct impacts to the front bumper, driver's side, and passenger side. One owner reported a steering wheel airbag that failed to deploy in a head-on collision at high speed.

When: Crashes reported between 2021 and 2024, with mileages ranging from approximately 120,000 miles downward; one incident reported at December 2021.

Symptoms owners cite: Complete non-deployment of driver-side airbag; Complete non-deployment of passenger-side airbag; Complete non-deployment of front side curtain airbags; Complete non-deployment of rear side curtain airbags; Steering wheel airbag did not deploy in frontal collision; Airbag warning light cycling on and off; Airbag warning light remaining illuminated

Repairs/costs cited: Vehicles were not repaired or were totaled following the incidents; collision centers stated nothing was wrong with vehicles in at least one case.

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: One owner reported contacting Kia Motors via claims department with no response. Recall information not proactively provided to owners in at least two cases; one owner stated they were only notified of a rod-bearing recall after a class-action lawsuit and after recall notification deadline had passed.

Airbag Warning Light Malfunction

At least two owners report airbag warning light exhibiting erratic behavior—cycling on and off, or remaining illuminated—without clear trigger or resolution. This suggests potential sensor or control module failure.

When: Timing not specified in available narratives; one incident following a 2022 collision.

Symptoms owners cite: Airbag warning light illuminates and extinguishes intermittently; Airbag warning light remains on continuously; No correlation with collision or obvious cause

Repairs/costs cited: No repair information provided in narratives.

Synthesized from 11 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.

What owners are reporting 2 most recent

airbags · 130,000 mi · filed 12/08/2020

I was traveling southbound on rte 13 with my 4 children. The speed limit is 55mph and the flow of traffic is between 55-60 MPH...which is the speed I was driving. As im approaching to proceed pass intersection rte 13 & eden allen rd there's a car at the stop sign which is supposed to wait for rte 13 to clear before entering. The driver decided to dash out to go across directly in front of me.…

airbags · 120,000 mi · filed 12/02/2020

Tl* the contact owns a 2019 Kia soul. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH and going through and intersection, another vehicle failed to yield the right-of-way and pulled out into oncoming traffic. The contact depressed the brake pedal however, the vehicle crashed into the driver's side rear of the other vehicle. The contact stated that the driver's side air bags, passenger's side air…

Had airbags trouble with your 2019 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 2019 Kia Soul?

It's a meaningful issue. 11 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?

Based on the 11 complaints filed, airbags issues most often appear around 90,000 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.

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?

Yes — 1 active recall(s) cover airbags issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.

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/2019/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.