IllustrationDriving on freeway,two pieces of paint, flaking flew onto my windshield obstructing my view. Pulled over to see what happened and it was paint on my hood was flaking off. The paint was stuck to my windshield. My safety was definitely at risk as paint blocked my view.
2018 Kia Soul
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2018 Kia Soul do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 225.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Soul years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
240–25K
1325–50K
1950–75K
1175–100K
10100–150K
3150K+
80 reports with mileage · 138 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine. Review the 140 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 31 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
14 crash reports14 fire reports10 injury reports
Structure complaints
5 reportsThe clear coat peeled off of the driver and passenger side mirrors in the beginning of 2024. The white paint started chipping off in a one inch straight line where the red roof meets the white side panel on both sides. You can tell it is where a strip of tape was that maybe separated the two paint colors in the process of paint…
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The clear coat peeled off of the driver and passenger side mirrors in the beginning of 2024. The white paint started chipping off in a one inch straight line where the red roof meets the white side panel on both sides. You can tell it is where a strip of tape was that maybe separated the two paint colors in the process of painting. This began at the end of 2024. Then in early 2025, the white paint on the hood started flaking off in random spots all over the hood of the vehicle. The paint is completely gone in those areas and the gray body is now showing through where the white paint used to be.
AT 2AM ON SATURDAY AUGUST 22ND MY HUSBAND'S 2018 KIA SOUL, WHICH WAS STATIONARY IN OUR DRIVEWAY AND NOT IN OPERATION AT THE TIME, WAS SET ABLAZE FOR UNKNOWN REASONS. WE WERE ASLEEP AND WERE WOKEN UP BY THE SOUND OF, WHAT WAS POSSIBLY, THE TIRES EXPLODING, THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY ON FIRE BY THE TIME WE WERE ABLE TO WAKE UP AND EVA…
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AT 2AM ON SATURDAY AUGUST 22ND MY HUSBAND'S 2018 KIA SOUL, WHICH WAS STATIONARY IN OUR DRIVEWAY AND NOT IN OPERATION AT THE TIME, WAS SET ABLAZE FOR UNKNOWN REASONS. WE WERE ASLEEP AND WERE WOKEN UP BY THE SOUND OF, WHAT WAS POSSIBLY, THE TIRES EXPLODING, THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY ON FIRE BY THE TIME WE WERE ABLE TO WAKE UP AND EVACUATE THE PROPERTY. WE HAVE A DOORBELL CAMERA THAT WOULD HAVE PICKED UP A PERSON IN OUR DRIVEWAY SO WE DO NOT BELIEVE THE CAUSE WAS ARSON. ONLINE RESEARCH AFTER THE INCIDENT INDICATES THAT THIS COULD BE RELATED THE THE RECENT RECALLS OF KIAS AND HYUNDAIS, WHICH OUR MODEL WAS NOT INCLUDED AS FAR AS WE KNOW.
I WAS INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT ON JULY 11 2020. THE OTHER DRIVER RAN A RED LIGHT AND I T-BONED HIM. MY CAR SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END AND WAS DEEMED TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. IN THIS ACCIDENT NONE OF MY AIRBAGS DEPLOYED.
DASHBOARD IS BECOMING STICKY AND GLOSSY CAUSING A GLARE ON THE WINDSHIELD
Official recalls
122V031000 · Air Bags
Jan 25, 2022
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. Circuit damage may result in deactivated air bags that will not deploy in a crash.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: 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.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.