2019 Kia Soul Problems, Recalls & Reliability
196 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2019 Kia Soul, alongside 1 recall campaign and 1 defect investigation. It scores 18/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Engine leads the reports, typically around 70,000 miles.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2019 Kia Soul has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 2019 sits among all Soul years
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2019 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving at approximately 30–40 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and the contact was…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2019 Soul
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 58 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 50,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 22,000 and 99,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (1)
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Sedona, Soul, Soul EV, 2017-2018 Forte, and 2017 Forte Koup vehicles. The Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) cover may contact a memory chip on the printed circuit board and damage the electrical circuit.…
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.…
Federal defect investigations
Technical service bulletins
98 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and electrical — are on file for the 2019 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 2019 Kia Soul reliable?
The 2019 Kia Soul drew 196 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 18/100, scored against the model's worst year (2015).
What are the most common 2019 Kia Soul problems?
The top reported problems for the 2019 Kia Soul are engine (92 complaints), other (19), and electrical (18).
At what mileage do 2019 Kia Soul problems show up?
Owners most often report 2019 Kia Soul problems around 50,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 22,000 and 99,000 miles.
Does the 2019 Kia Soul have recalls?
1 recall campaign applies to the 2019 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.