2013 Kia Soul Brake Problems

Which parts fail

• Antilock › ABS warning light
  1
• Antilock › Control unit/module
  1

Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).

Mileage when the problem started

• Under 25k
  1032%
• 25k–50k
  00%
• 50k–75k
  723%
• 75k–100k
  00%
• 100k–150k
  619%
• 150k+
  826%

Owner reports

Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2013 Kia Soul owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the ABS, and traction control warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a faulty wire and was replaced. However, the warning lights illuminated again later on and the vehicle was taken to a different independent mechanic where the failure was not determined or repaired. The warning lights remained illuminated for approximately 5 months. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 45 MPH, the contact depressed the brake pedal and honked the horn, however, the brakes failed to engage. As a result, the contact crashed into a deer on the front passenger's side bumper. A police report was not filed. No injuries were reported. …

The contact owned a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked at night, the neighbor knocked on the door approximately 4:00 AM in the morning to alert the contact that the vehicle was on fire in the driveway. The contact went outside and saw that the front of the vehicle was on fire. The contact believed that the fire had started in the engine compartment. The contact stated that the neighbor was already attempting to put out the fire with a gardening hose. The contact and the neighbor attempted to extinguish the fire; however, the flames spread throughout the vehicle and destroyed the vehicle. The Fire Department was called and was able to extinguish the fire. The contact stated that the vehicle was considered totaled due to the extensive damages on the outside and inside the vehicle. …

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked and unoccupied in a carport when it suddenly caught fire near the engine compartment. The fire had expanded and caused damage to the entire garage near the carport and 2 other vehicles and a motorcycle inside the garage. The fire department arrived and extinguished the fire. A fire report was filed and the origin was an electrical issue. The vehicle was towed and identified as totaled. There were no injuries sustained. A dealer was not contacted. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulics), after the vehicle fire. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 110,000.

The contact owned a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked in the garage, it caught on fire in the front area, near the engine. The vehicle was unoccupied during the fire. The fire and police department weren't notified of the failure and the vehicle was destroyed. A police report was not filed. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 174,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, turned off, and unoccupied, the contact heard a noise outside and discovered that the vehicle had caught on fire near the engine compartment. The contact extinguished the fire using water and salt. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the HECU fuse had failed and that the burning was coming from the ABS module. The contact was not informed of the necessary repairs or replacements. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was opened. The approximate failure mileage was 222,892.

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact stated that after driving the vehicle, thirty minutes later, the vehicle was parked in the driveway unattended and caught fire. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was burned from the engine to the door panel. There were no reported injuries, air bag deployment, or police report. The fire department extinguished the fire. The contact stated that the failure was due to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic,). The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 150,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the vehicle spontaneously caught fire while parked unattended at 3 am. All the warning lights were illuminated prior to the failure, and the vehicle was undrivable. The contact had received the recall notification letter for NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). There were no reported injuries, police report, or crash. The fire department was called and extinguished the fire. The vehicle was towed to the scrap yard. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 265,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had experienced a failure. The contact had noticed that the check engine light was illuminated while driving at approximately 60 MPH. The contact stated as he was waiting to enter his place of employment through a security gate to his parking lot, the contact stated he smelled a burning odor and then noticed that smoke was being emitted from under the hood. The contact entered the parking lot, drove the vehicle to a maintenance shed inside the parking lot, and opened the hood he observed that flames had engulfed the engine compartment. …

The contact owned a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 19V120000 (Engine, Engine and Engine Cooling) and NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). The contact stated that while her son was driving at 60 MPH, an abnormal sound was heard coming from underneath the vehicle. The contact's son was able to pull over to the side of the road. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated her son exited the vehicle and noticed flames were emitting from underneath the vehicle. A passerby pulled over and helped the contact's son move the vehicle. The vehicle extinguished itself. No injuries were reported. The air bags did not deploy. The contact stated that her son called her, and she and the contact's brother went to the site of the accident. …

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the dealer had previously performed an unknown recall repair on the vehicle. The contact stated that after the repair, the vehicle stalled while driving on several occasions. The vehicle was able to restart but failed to exceed 25 MPH while driving. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to another dealer, Tameron Kia Westbank (1884 Westbank Expy, Harvey, LA 70058), where it was diagnosed that the engine was blown. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The contact became aware that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic), which she related to the failure; however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. …

Related recalls

NHTSA investigations

Brake complaints in other Soul years