Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2015 Kia Soul owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while parked, the entire instrument panel had become inoperable and the vehicle had started to smoke. The origin of the fire was unknown. The check engine and electrical warning light were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to New York Auto. The vehicle had been diagnosed by an independent mechanic. The contact was informed that the failure was due to an electrical issue. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000. The VIN was not available
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at 20 MPH, the brakes became inoperable. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was towed to the local dealer for Service Campaign SC334 - Brake Line Corrosion. The vehicle was repaired after 35 days, but the failure recurred. While driving approximately 40-45 MPH, the brakes became inoperable. The driver began pumping the brake pedal, but the brakes failed to respond. There was an exclamation symbol displayed on the instrument cluster, and the battery light was illuminated. The vehicle was driven through the parking lot. The vehicle was then towed to the residence. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 126,000.
Driving the car up the 101 Cuesta Grade and lost acceleration. The speedometer went to zero and as the car died I pulled to the right side of the freeway / grade. Smoke started to enter my vehicle. A car stopped in front of me and one behind and the people ran from their cars to tell me to get out of my car as my front engine underneath was on fire. I got out of the car and opened the back hatch to remove my belongings as the engine burst into flames. This car has been maintained by KIA and by a personal mechanic and we were up to date on all recalls. We were NOT included in the most recent engine fire recall. The car is completely destroyed.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle began to hesitate. The contact stated that the battery and the oil warning lights were illuminated. The contact was able to park on the side of the road. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed the vehicle to the local dealer and was informed that since she did not have an extended warranty, they would not service NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V750000 (Engine) that was associated with the VIN. The vehicle was diagnosed and repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 104,000.
The engine warning light and catalytic converter malfunction. The car is not currently available for inspection. The car exploded after turning the engine over. The car became disabled on the busy highway while driving at night and the car exploded in flames thereafter. Yes the problem was confirmed by the dealership The vehicle was inspected by insurance representatives, fire dept and police Yes the check engine light appeared several times, was checked and reappeared several times thereafter. I made a purchase of a car 9/15/23, The warning lamp appeared a few days later.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, an abnormal, rattling sound was coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The failure persisted, and the vehicle failed to start after several attempts. The contact called the dealer and was informed that there were no recalls on the vehicle. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 123,000.
Headlights turn off after using the turn signal switch. Started happening once in a while but now it happens not only after using the turn signal switch but the headlights will turn off for a few seconds and then turn back on. Other times they will just flicker for several seconds. This is a SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. The headlights turning off or flashing at night is not a safe way of driving. There are many reported cases of this issue on the Kia Owners Portal so they can't say they didn't hear about it. I would think I could take it into Kia to have them replace the turn signal switch since that is the only thing that makes sense. And I can recreate the issue by wiggling the switch. (This is not related to the light sensor since I do not have automatic headlights.) Why hasn't there been a safety recall issued??? …
On April 11,2024, I attempted to drive my Soul EV out of the parking lot of my place of employment going less than one block only to have the power severely limited (from a speed of 40mph to 15mph on a busy road at rush hour). I was able to safely get myself to a parking lot and placed the car in park. I noticed both the triangle with the exclamation mark and EV in the center plus the turtle lights illuminated on the dashboard. I searched those lights and discovered there was an immediate warning about the EV battery and a failure within the battery plus a problem with the temperature of the battery cooling system. I turned the car off, placed it in park and attempted to drive again within the parking lot only to have the same scenario repeated. I was informed by the Kia Service Center that "Kia engineers are aware of this problem but there's no solutions. …
My 2015 Kia Soul had a recall for the Catalytic Converter, which I was Never informed of. My check engine light came on and I took it to get checked, they told me the trouble, my husband was a mechanic so he checked id there were recalls and to find out there was one on the catalytic converter, I took it to the dealership of March in 2021, they fix the catalytic converter and changed it. Only to find out that my entire engine was ruined because of the damage from the catalytic converter. My car stalled on the freeway going 65 miles an hour with my daughter in the car. We were almost hit by a semi truck, I took it back down to the dealership after the check engine light came on told them it was stalling. They charge me for a fuel sensor and said that was the problem. …
I bought this vehicle new (under 3k miles) from the dealer Kiefer Kia. The very next day I brought the car back as there were obvious problems with it immediately. The car would hesitate, almost as if it were about to die, while driving or even sitting at a light. When I took it in the repair person heard the problem but said "that's normal for a new car". I wanted to reopen the car but they said there were no returns. I came in 2 other times. On the 4th time they finally replaced the computer. It did nothing to fix the problem but from that time I had electrical problems. They denied the electrical problems. 2 more visits they replaced the computer again and some other recall. Both problems continued. I've had to replace the battery more than once a year. …
NHTSA investigations
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…
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.
Electrical complaints in other Soul years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2015 Kia Soul?
NHTSA has 75 complaints about the electrical system of the 2015 Kia Soul, 8% of the model year's 902 complaints. The component named most often is 12v/24v/48v battery (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2015 Kia Soul electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system recall for the 2015 Kia Soul, though it has 4 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2015 Kia Soul electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 65,000 miles, and 17% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 8 fires and 1 injury to electrical system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.