2015 Kia Soul Problems, Recalls & Reliability
1,222 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2015 Kia Soul, alongside 4 recall campaigns and 3 defect investigations. It scores 100/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Engine leads the reports, typically around 98,000 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 2015 Kia Soul sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 2019, 2022.
Avoid
Where 2015 sits among all Soul years
What owners report
“My vehicle keeps running out of oil and there's a knocking/rattling noise. The noise can be heard while driving. I take it to the car shop and there's no oil in the car.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2015 Soul
“When I signal a lane change, the lights flicker or turn off completely. Happens often.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2015 Soul
“Engine burning oil so much that it destroys the catalytic converter leaving me stranded middle of a highway.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2015 Soul
“Unknown . Engine or fuel mishap Car caught on fire as I was driving down the hwy with my 3 kids”— owner report to NHTSA, 2015 Soul
“Brought car to dealer because of recall SC176 and engine making noise. Which kia refuse to honor.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2015 Soul
“Driving down the highway went to make a turn and the steering wheel came loose. I almost lost control and crashed. There's a loud clicking noise when you turn the steering wheel”— owner report to NHTSA, 2015 Soul
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 685 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 88,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 65,000 and 115,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (4)
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.
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…
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…
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…
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.
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…
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.
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…
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 23V877.
Led to recall campaign 20V088000.
Led to recall campaign 18V907000.
Technical service bulletins
163 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2015 Kia Soul. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2015 Kia Soul reliable?
The 2015 Kia Soul drew 1,222 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 100/100, scored against the model's worst year (2015).
What are the most common 2015 Kia Soul problems?
The top reported problems for the 2015 Kia Soul are engine (687 complaints), electrical (112), and other (109).
At what mileage do 2015 Kia Soul problems show up?
Owners most often report 2015 Kia Soul problems around 88,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 65,000 and 115,000 miles.
Does the 2015 Kia Soul have recalls?
4 recall campaigns apply to the 2015 Kia Soul. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.