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#BS-2014-KIASOU-7C4D

2014 Kia SoulProblems, Recalls & Reliability

Based on reports from 1,238 owners and 5 recalls for this exact model.

Data updated ·NHTSA complaints through October 28, 2026

Complaints
1,238
Crashes
52
Fires
110
Recalls
5
TSBs
175
🛑

Preliminary Verdict

Red Flag

Based on 1,238 complaints, 52 crashes, 110 fires, and 5 recalls. Complaint rate is 9.7x the class average.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

knocking

10 complaints • Severity 9.2/10

$X,XXX
2

lost power while driving

9 complaints • Severity 8.9/10

$X,XXX
3

blown engine

6 complaints • Severity 8.7/10

$X,XXX
4

headlights do not work properly

6 complaints • Severity 8.3/10

$X,XXX
5

check engine light on

5 complaints • Severity 8.4/10

$X,XXX

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the EngineHIGH

595 owners reported engine issues — failures commonly reported around 85K miles.

!Inspect the LightsMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

117
0–30K
113
30–60K
216
60–90K
229
90–120K
120
120–150K
46
150K+

Peak failure range: 90–120K miles (229 reports) • Median: 85K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Engine (595 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Engine595 (48%)
Lights124 (10%)
Electrical94 (8%)
Other86 (7%)
Drivetrain58 (5%)
Fuel System57 (5%)
Steering55 (4%)
Brakes34 (3%)

2014 Kia Soul: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Engine Issues

Engine complaints account for 48% of all reports filed for the 2014 Kia Soul, with 595 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 85,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 85K-mile mark.

Lights Issues

Lights complaints account for 10% of all reports filed for the 2014 Kia Soul, with 124 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to lights-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Electrical Issues

Electrical complaints account for 8% of all reports filed for the 2014 Kia Soul, with 94 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Drivetrain Issues

Drivetrain complaints account for 5% of all reports filed for the 2014 Kia Soul, with 58 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to drivetrain-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

2
13
41
14
29
15
30
16
49
17
97
18
241
19
213
20
145
21
106
22
117
23
57
24
61
25
50
26

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2014 Kia Soul. Recent trend: stable.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (5 recalls)

15V123000Mar 2015

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.

17V608000Nov 2017

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.

19V120000Apr 2019

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 rod failure.

20V750000Jan 2021

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.

22V096000Apr 2022

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.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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2014 Kia Soul NHTSA Safety Ratings

Overall

★★★★★

5 of 5 stars

Frontal crash

★★★★★

5 of 5 stars

Side crash

★★★★★

5 of 5 stars

Rollover

★★★★★

4 of 5 stars

From NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings). Where NHTSA tested more than one version of this vehicle, the lowest rating is shown.

NHTSA Defect Investigations (3)

All closed. Investigations are how NHTSA decides whether a defect needs a recall.

DP18003ClosedOpened Aug 2018 · closed May 2019

Non-crash Vehicle Fires

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES

EA21003ClosedOpened Dec 2021 · closed Feb 2024

Engine Fires

ENGINE

PE19004ClosedOpened Mar 2019 · closed Dec 2021

Non-crash Vehicle Fires

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES

The worst model year for the Kia Soul is the 2016 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.

2014 Kia Soul vs. Class Average (Small Station Wagons)

This vehicle

1,238

Class avg

128

9.7x the class average — significantly more complaints than typical small station wagons vehicles.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 1,238 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 5 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Last updated . NHTSA complaints received through October 28, 2026; safety ratings from NHTSA's 5-Star program.

Other Kia Soul Model Years

2025202420232022202120202019201820172016201520142013201220112010
View all Kia Soul years →

2014 Kia Soul: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2014 Kia Soul?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2014 Kia Soul is related to the engine, with 595 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2014 Kia Soul reliable?
The 2014 Kia Soul has 1,238 complaints, 52 crash reports, and 110 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is 9.7x the class average — higher than typical for its segment.
How safe is the 2014 Kia Soul?
NHTSA rates the 2014 Kia Soul 5 out of 5 stars overall, with 5 stars in frontal crash tests, 5 stars in side crash tests, 4 stars for rollover resistance. Where NHTSA tested more than one version, the lowest rating is shown.
How much does it cost to fix 2014 Kia Soul problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 2014 Kia Soul have any recalls?
Yes, the 2014 Kia Soul has 5 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Kia Soul problems start?
Based on 841 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 85,000 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 90–120K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
When was the 2014 Kia Soul data last updated?
BumperScan last checked this vehicle against NHTSA on October 30, 2026, covering owner complaints received through October 28, 2026 plus the latest recalls, investigations and technical service bulletins.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 1,238 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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