2022 Kia Soul Problems, Recalls & Reliability

133 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2022 Kia Soul, alongside 1 recall campaign and 1 defect investigation. It scores 9/100 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 2022 Kia Soul has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.

133Complaints
9/100Trouble index
1Recalls

Better year

Where 2022 sits among all Soul years

Darker = quieter yearsBrighter amber = more trouble

What owners report

Engine 70 complaints (53%) · typically ~70,000 miles
“Car is burning oil and check engine light came on. It shakes and stalls when coming to a stop.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2022 Soul
Other 12 complaints (9%)
Transmission & drivetrain 12 complaints (9%)
Electrical 10 complaints (8%)
Fuel system 7 complaints (5%)
Speed control 6 complaints (5%)

Recalls (1)

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING 25V099000 2025

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Seltos and Soul vehicles. The piston oil rings may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in engine damage.

Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Dealers will also install piston-ring noise sensing system (PNSS) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were…

Federal defect investigations

Kia 25V099 Piston Oil Ring Recall Effectiveness AQ25001 opened 2025, closed 2025

Technical service bulletins

76 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and body & structure — are on file for the 2022 Kia Soul. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.

See the 2022 Soul TSB list →

Complaint history for this model year

When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.

2021peak 76 in 20252026

Questions buyers ask

Is the 2022 Kia Soul reliable?

The 2022 Kia Soul drew 133 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 9/100, scored against the model's worst year (2015).

What are the most common 2022 Kia Soul problems?

The top reported problems for the 2022 Kia Soul are engine (70 complaints), other (12), and transmission & drivetrain (12).

Does the 2022 Kia Soul have recalls?

1 recall campaign applies to the 2022 Kia Soul. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.

← 2021 Soul All Soul years 2023 Soul →
Data updated 2026-08-20 from NHTSA's public records

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.