Window & Wiper complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1 | 8% | — |
| 2023 | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2021 | 7 | 3% | 1,000 miles |
| 2020 | 3 | 1% | 6,000 miles |
| 2019 | 4 | 3% | 5,000 miles |
| 2018 | 3 | 1% | 6,000 miles |
| 2017 | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2016 | 8 | 1% | 55,000 miles |
| 2015 | 7 | 1% | 3,000 miles |
| 2014 | 7 | 1% | 20,000 miles |
| 2013 | 15 | 2% | 23,000 miles |
| 2012 | 5 | 1% | 57,000 miles |
| 2011 | 17 | 9% | 14,000 miles |
| 2010 | 14 | 10% | 4,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power windows, windshield, wipers, mirrors, sunroof).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Less than 24 hours after being purchased as a Kia factory certified pre-owned vehicle my daughter was driving. While driving headlights, wipers, and dash lights went out including infotainment/CarPlay map display on a rainy day. California requires headlights be on when wipers are used. Occurred while doing approximately 25 mph after going over a speed bump. When stopped and key was turned to ACC, they came back on. Issue did not return when vehicle was started again. Dealer has said they can find not fault. We have located threads for this issue with other Kia models on [redacted] . One common factor is they are key start, not push start models.
Sunroof failure, spontaneously exploded. Fortunately I was not driving the car when it happened or could have caused an accident. Went to my car one morning and the sunroof looked like an earthquake for no reason. No damage, car was parked my driveway and was definitely not vandalism. Dealer said to contact Kia directly and report the incident to them because they would get nowhere with the factory and I should contact them. I also had a left front drivers door glass break that I originally thought was vandalism but nothing penetrated the glass, no rock or anything found and 2-3 video cameras I reviewed many time and not see anyone breaking the window. Makes me think it is the same problem with some kind of defective glass.
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Soul. The contact stated while reversing the vehicle and depressing the brake pedal to stop the vehicle, the brake pedal was rigid and failed to stop the vehicle. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact turned off the vehicle to stop the vehicle. The contact stated that after restarting the vehicle, the brake pedal operated as needed. The contact stated while the vehicle was in park(P), the message to shift to park(P) was displayed. Additionally, the oil pressure and charging warning lights were intermittently illuminated. The contact stated that the front windshield wipers failed to work intermittently. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer; however, the mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. The failure persisted. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
1-13-2020 driving when a little rock made a chip in my windshield and within seconds a crack about 8 inches long appeared and now the crack is a foot long. When we bought the vehicle we were told our warranty would cover everything, but when we took it in they informed us we only got bumper to bumper mechanical. The person we got it from lied to us about what we were getting and we thought we could trust him. We had to reset the radio because sometimes it would work sometimes it wouldn't, then my backup cam wouldn't work if the radio was on the fritz. Starting 1-17-2020 my Kia started surging or chugging like it was going to die on the side of the road. Hopefully this issue has been resolved. This is my first brand new vehicle and I am not happy with the sellers or the vehicle so far. …
Safety at risk:yes Lack of visibility Problem has not been reproduced by dealer. Smells are only warning signs: Smell is like rubber but not very strong. WARNING SIGNS OF the PROBLEM: Turned on heat and EXTREMELY HOT HEAT CAME OUT OF VENTS; turned A/c and EXTREMELY HOT HEAT CAME OUT OF VENTS in both cases turned the vehicle off. After 5 minutes, i started to drive with A/c later there was still HOT heat coming out vent since i had URGENT appointment. After the appointment, over an hour, drove car and A/C worked fine. : April 16th, Turned on defrost for front windows. Instead of defrost, windows fogged up completely and i was unable to see and pulled over to side of road. As i pulled over, BLACK SMOKE CAME OUT OF A/c vents and began to fill up the car with black smoke. There is a smell that happns right before the smoke comes out. April 17 took to Classic Kia. Unable to find the problem. …
Rear Windshield Spontaneously Shattering - 11:10pm EST August 20th. I left my residence and approached my car from behind in the parking lot. It was dark but my rear windshield was definitely in one piece and had not previously had any damage. I opened the driver door. As I sat in the seat, I heard what sounded like pebbles spilling. I looked behind me and noticed that the entire rear windshield had shattered and fallen out. This could have caused great harm and surprise especially while driving on the freeway, or with passengers in the back seat. A police report was collected.
Purchased 2018 KIA Soul from KIA dealer [redacted] in New Hampshire. There was 57,100 miles on the car at time of purchase. The vehicle was manufactured in South Korea in May 1, 2017. There is a potential safety issue concerning the absence of the rear view camera. The U.S. Government provided automobile manufacturer's beginning in 2014 a time limit for the installation of these safety devices to be completed by May 2018. Having owned vehicles with the rear view camera installed the last ten years, I would like the NHTSA to investigate this issue which poses a serious hazard in so far as reverse driving and pedestrians are concerned. I believe that is why the rear view camera was ordered by the U.S. Government in the first place. I would like the camera installed or a refund equal to the cost of the installation, labor and price of the instrument. Thank you.
Usually after a rainy night or when there is dew in the morning, with the vehicle in park and stationary at my home, the head lights will not turn on and the windshield/back glass wipers will not work. After turning the wipers on and off several times they May come on for a moment and then will not operate again. Dealer has been unable to duplicate issue twice so far. Has less than 6000 miles on it. It is now dark when I am leaving for work and this is a huge safety issue since I can not drive it with out head lights. It is also illegal to drive without headlights/wipers in the rain where I live.
Frequently asked questions
Which Kia Soul years have window & wiper problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2011 (17), 2013 (15), 2010 (14), 2016 (8) and 2014 (7) model years. Window & Wiper complaints make up 9% of all complaints for the 2011.
Is there a recall for Kia Soul window & wiper problems?
No. NHTSA lists no windows, wipers & sunroof recall for any Kia Soul model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Kia Soul window & wiper problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 17,000 miles; 84% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the sun/moon roof assembly (7 mentions), followed by the glass, side/rear (6).
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.