Most common 2014 Kia Soul problems
Share of the 902 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Kia Soul complaints by model year
Best Soul years: 2010, 2011, 2025. Years to avoid: 2015, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2021. Compare all years →
2014 Kia Soul recalls (5)
Air bags › Air bag/restraint control module › Software
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2014 Soul vehicles. The front air bags may not deploy during a crash if the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) loses communication with the front impact sensors.
Remedy: Dealers will update the ACU software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 4, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC229.
Engine
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2013 Sorento, 2012-2015 Forte and Forte Koup, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, 2014-2015 Soul, and 2012 Sportage vehicles. An engine compartment fire can occur while driving.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine compartment for fuel and/or engine oil leaks, perform an engine test and make any repairs, including engine replacement, as necessary, free of charge.
Engine
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Kia Soul vehicles equipped with 1.6L Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) engines. High exhaust gas temperatures may damage the catalytic converter, possibly resulting in abnormal engine combustion and damage to one or more of the engine's pistons and possible piston connecting…
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will upgrade the Catalytic Overheating Protection Engine Control Unit logic to prevent overheating of the catalytic converter.
Steering
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Soul and Soul EV vehicles. The pinion plug may allow the pinion gear to separate from the steering gear assembly.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and secure the pinion plug or replace the steering gear assembly, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 16, 2017.
Vehicle speed control › Accelerator pedal
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Soul and Soul electric vehicles manufactured July 21, 2013, to January 8, 2015. A section of the accelerator pedal may bend and fracture.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will add a supporting rubber underneath the pedal stopper, free of charge. The recall began on March 24, 2015. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2014 Kia Soul:
Non-crash Vehicle Fires
During this Preliminary Evaluation (PE), the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) assessed the scope, frequency and potential safety-related consequences of non-crash vehicle fires caused by both engine failures and failures of other vehicle systems/components in model year (MY) 2011-2014 Kia Optima, MY 2011-2014 Kia Sorento and MY 2010-2015 Kia Soul vehicles equipped with Theta II, Gamma, Nu and Lambda II engines…
Engine Fires
On March 29, 2019, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened two Preliminary Evaluations (PE19-003 on Hyundai and PE19-004 on Kia) to broadly investigate incidents of non-crash fires (regardless of origin or operational status of the vehicle) on various model year Hyundai and Kia vehicles.
Non-crash Vehicle Fires
In a letter dated June 11, 2018, the Center for Auto Safety (CAS) petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to initiate a safety defect investigation into non-collision related fires on model year (MY) 2011-2014 Kia Optima and Sorento, and Hyundai Sonata and Santa Fe vehicles. In a letter dated July 24, 2018, CAS requested that MY 2010-2015 Kia Soul vehicles be added to the petition.
What 2014 Kia Soul owners say
Engine & cooling all 590 →
The contact owns 2014 Kia Soul. The contact stated her daughter's boyfriend was driving approximately 70 MPH with her daughter in the passenger's seat, when they noticed smoke in the rearview mirror. The driver checked around to see if the smoke was coming from another vehicle and determined that the smoke was coming the vehicle he was driving. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the driver pulled over to the side of the road and exited the vehicle and noticed fire coming from under the hood of the vehicle. The contact stated that the fire was extinguished with the assistance of the Fire Department. The contact stated that prior to the failure, the vehicle had been taken to the local dealer and repaired under an unknown recall. After retrieving the vehicle, the contact stated occasionally the low oil level warning light would illuminate. …
The contact's neighbor owned a 2014 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked in his neighbor's garage, another neighbor noticed smoke coming from the walls of the garage. The contact then stated that his neighbors were awakened by another neighbor alerting them of the fire. The contact's neighbor was able to exit the home and notified the fire department that extinguished the fire. No injuries were sustained. No medical attention was required. A police and fire report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot and deemed a total loss by the insurance company. The vehicle was inspected by an investigator who determined that the fire was started in the engine compartment. Additionally, the contact stated that prior to the failure, on three separate occasions, while his neighbors were driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle stalled without warning. …
Lights all 130 →
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at night, the front passenger's side low-beam headlight failed to illuminate as needed. The contact stated that while activating the high-beam headlights, the driver's side high-beam headlight failed to illuminate as needed. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who determined that the driver's and passenger's side headlight assemblies had overheated and melted. The headlight assemblies and light bulbs were replaced but the failure eventually reoccurred. The contact stated that the light bulbs and headlight assemblies were replaced on several occasions. The local dealer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 100,000.
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Soul. The contact stated she noticed that the driver's side brake light bulb was inoperable. The bulb was replaced; however, the failure recurred several times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed; however, no failure was found. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.
Electrical system all 98 →
The contact owned a 2014 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while stopped at a traffic light, the contact became aware of a burning rubber odor and observed grey and brown smoke coming from underneath the front end of the vehicle. The contact stated that a fire had started underneath the front of the vehicle. The local Fire Department arrived on scene and extinguished the fire. A fire report was not filed. A Police report was filed. The vehicle was deemed a total loss. While exiting the vehicle, the vehicle continued rolling and the rear driver's side tire ran over both feet. The contact had two severely bruised feet; however, medical assistance was not sought. The vehicle was not towed or taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic to be inspected. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 107,000.
A loud bang was heard while driving approx. 35 MPH on a clear day. The vehicle lost all power, smoke started coming from the hood area and the cabin began to fill with smoke. Driver pulled over, opened the hood and discovered the entire engine compartment in was engulfed in flames. Passersby tried to extinguish the flame with fire extinguishers, but it kept reigniting. The fire department arrived and put out the flames. This could have been life threatening if the driver did not get out of the vehicle. Amica Insurance's claims processors and an independent forensic investigator engaged by Amica Insurance have concluded the engine fire was the result of catastrophic engine failure. The forensic investigator noticed an outward bump in the oil pan and indicated this was likely the result of a separation of crankshaft and or piston rod elements. …
2014 Kia Soul engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6L 4-cyl | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 24 / 30 / 26 |
| 1.6L 4-cyl | 6-speed manual | FWD | 24 / 30 / 26 |
| 2.0L 4-cyl | 6-speed automatic | FWD | 24 / 30 / 26 |
EPA ratings. Class: Wagon.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2014 Kia Soul a good car?
Based on 902 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2014 Soul rates avoid: 2.5× as many complaints as a typical year of the Soul at the same age. It is one of the Soul years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2014 Kia Soul?
The engine & cooling — 590 complaints, 65% of all complaints for this model year, most often about exhaust system › emission control › catalytic convertor. Next are the lights (130) and electrical system (98).
How many recalls does the 2014 Kia Soul have?
There are 5 recalls for the 2014 Kia Soul, the most recent from February 18, 2022 (software). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Kia Soul?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2010, 2011 and 2025. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2015, 2014, 2016, 2020 and 2021. See the full Kia Soul years comparison.
At what mileage do 2014 Kia Soul problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 88,000 miles; 20% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.