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2023 Kia Soul Problems, Recalls & Complaints

NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints for the 2023 Kia Soul, and what to keep if your vehicle keeps going back to the shop.

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Written by Amir Guerami, Attorney· Last reviewed

Recall campaigns

4

NHTSA owner complaints as of November 6, 2026, from NHTSA's complaint data files.

54

Data last refreshed (Eastern time)

November 6, 2026

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2023 Soul and 54 owner complaints; the most-reported component in owner complaints is engine, with 14 reports.

Counts come from NHTSA records for this model year and refresh daily. Complaints are unverified owner reports; one complaint can name more than one component.

Top Reported Problems

Owner complaints grouped by NHTSA component (top 8). Linked components open a page comparing models for that problem.

  1. ENGINE14
  2. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM13
  3. UNKNOWN OR OTHER13
  4. STEERING8
  5. SERVICE BRAKES8
  6. AIR BAGS5
  7. POWER TRAIN5
  8. EXTERIOR LIGHTING4

2023 Soul Recall Records

Campaigns can apply only to specific configurations and production dates. Confirm whether your VIN is affected with NHTSA or the manufacturer.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:HARD PARTS INTERNAL/MECHANICAL · 25V099000

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.

Remedy: 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 mailed April 4, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC336.

AIR BAGS · 23V830000

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Soul and 2024 Seltos vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the side curtain air bags may deploy unexpectedly.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace both side curtain air bag modules as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 31, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC289.

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:FLUID/LUBRICANT:PUMP · 23V531000

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Soul, Sportage, and 2023-2024 Seltos vehicles. The electronic controller for the Idle Stop & Go oil pump assembly may contain damaged electrical components that can cause the pump to overheat.

Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will inspect and replace the electric oil pump controller, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 28, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC275.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL · 23V298000

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage Plug-in Hybrid, Niro Hybrid, Niro Plug-in Hybrid, Soul, and Telluride vehicles equipped with a digital instrument cluster containing a 4.2" LCD screen.  The instrument cluster may fail to display any information when the vehicle is started.  As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 101, "Control and Displays," and 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."

Remedy: Dealers will update the instrument cluster software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 26, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC270.

Check Your VIN at NHTSA

2023 Soul Service Bulletins

A service bulletin is a manufacturer's repair instruction to dealers. It is not a recall and does not by itself establish a defect or a claim.

Manufacturer communications filed with NHTSA for this model year, newest first. A bulletin may apply only to certain configurations. Source data refreshes daily.

NumberDateComponentSummaryNHTSA record
TSB_ELE426Aug 19, 2026ELECTRICAL SYSTEMTECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: AVN GEN 5.0 WIDE SOFTWARE UPDATE - This bulletin provides information on the Audio Video Navigation (AVN) system software update for certain vehicles…11036390
TSB_ELE425Jul 29, 2026ELECTRICAL SYSTEMTECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: FRONT VIEW CAMERA REPLACEMENT (CA2605) - This bulletin provides information to replace the front view camera on certain 2023-2024MY Soul (SK3) vehicl…11035410
TSB_BOD336Jun 4, 2026STRUCTURE:BODYTECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: KEY AND CYLINDER SET REPLACEMENT - This bulletin provides information to replace the driver’s door lock and trunk lid key cylinders on some 2019-20…11033934
TSB_ELE422May 28, 2026ELECTRICAL SYSTEMTECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM SOFTWARE UPDATE USING UPDATE.KIA.COM - This bulletin provides information and service procedures for updating the infotainment sy…11033217
PS797Dec 9, 2025BACK OVER PREVENTION: WARNINGSPITSTOP: TECHNICAL OPERATIONS: EXTERNAL DAMAGE TO ULTRASONIC SENSOR: This Pitstop provides information related to Parking Distance Warning (PDW) alerts and repairs involving ult…11026698
TSB_ELE402Nov 4, 2025ELECTRICAL SYSTEMTECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: POWER WINDOW MAIN SWITCH REPLACEMENT (CA2510) - This bulletin provides information regarding an intermittent operation of the main power window switc…11025766
TSB_ELE402Nov 1, 2025ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, VISIBILITY/WIPERTECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: POWER WINDOW MAIN SWITCH REPLACEMENT (CA2510) - This bulletin provides information regarding an intermittent operation of the main power window switc…11024691
WTY041_TSB_R1Sep 11, 2025ELECTRICAL SYSTEMTECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: HORN ASSEMBLY INSPECTION/REPLACEMENT (WTY041) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bullet…11023109
SST082_R1Sep 4, 2025ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEMThis bulletin provides instructions to perform an engine vibration inspection using the Kia Diagnostic System (KDS) tablet on certain Kia engine/model vehicles. The piston oil r…11022844
SC336YZ_TSBSep 4, 2025ENGINEThis bulletin provides information related to the Technical Service Bulletin previously published under SC336 titled “Engine Inspection/Replacement and ECM Logic Improvement”.11022843
TSB_TRA046_R5Apr 17, 2025POWER TRAINTECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: TRANSMISSION FLUID APPLICATION GUIDE - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are in…11017172
TSB_SST082Apr 4, 2025ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEMTECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: PISTON NOISE SENSING SYSTEM (PNSS) INSPECTION - This bulletin provides instructions to perform an engine vibration inspection using the Kia Diagnosti…11017169
TSB_ENG222_R8Apr 3, 2025ENGINETECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION NU/GAMMA/THETA/KAPPA ENGINES - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of th…11017109
TSB_ELE378Mar 20, 2025ELECTRICAL SYSTEMTECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE ACTION: KIA CONNECT MODEM RESET (SA611) - This bulletin outlines the procedure for resetting the modem in certain 2016-2025MY Kia vehicles li…11015973
WTY041_OWNRMar 13, 2025ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, STRUCTURE:BODYWARRANTY EXTENSION CAMPAIGN: OWNER NOTIFICATION (WTY041) - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia is extending the New Vehicle Limited Warranty coverage, to a…11016481
WTY041_ReimbMar 13, 2025ELECTRICAL SYSTEMWARRANTY EXTENSION CAMPAIGN: REIMBURSEMENT FORM (WTY041) - This document is a Reimbursement Request form that was mailed with the customer letter advising them to submit the for…11015458
WTY041_TSBMar 12, 2025ELECTRICAL SYSTEMTECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: WARRANTY EXTENSION CAMPAIGN: HORN ASSEMBLY INSPECTION/REPLACEMENT (WTY041) - This bulletin provides information associated with the ‘Warranty Exten…11015812
WTY041_QAMar 11, 2025ELECTRICAL SYSTEMWARRANTY EXTENSION CAMPAIGN: QUESTION AND ANSWER (WTY041) - This document is the Question and Answer Guide containing the most frequently asked questions regarding the Warranty…11015456
WTY041_DPSMMar 11, 2025ELECTRICAL SYSTEMWARRANTY EXTENSION CAMPAIGN: DEALER PARTS AND SERVICE MANAGER MEMO (WTY041) - This document is the announcement to the dealer principals advising that Kia is extending the New V…11015455
WTY041_DPMar 11, 2025ELECTRICAL SYSTEMWARRANTY EXTENSION CAMPAIGN: DEALER PRINCIPAL MEMO (WTY041) - This document is the announcement to the dealer principals advising that Kia is extending the New Vehicle Limited W…11015446
All 2023 Soul records at NHTSA

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Build Your Soul Repair File

  • Dated repair orders with mileage and diagnosis
  • Whether the same symptom returned after the repair
  • Days unavailable, rental bills and dealer correspondence
  • Purchase or lease contract and warranty documents

Does My Kia Soul Qualify?

A model's recall history cannot answer that question. Your repair attempts, when the problem was first reported and the vehicle-coverage rules in Maryland or D.C. matter. A lawyer can review those facts rather than relying on a model-wide rating.

If Lemon Law does not cover your circumstances, federal warranty or other consumer claims may be worth discussing. No remedy is guaranteed.

Maryland Lemon Law guide D.C. Lemon Law guide Do I Qualify?

Other Soul Model Years

2026 Soul2025 Soul2024 Soul2022 Soul
All Kia Soul model years

Still Going Back to the Shop?

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