Everything NHTSA's vPIC database knows about this exact vehicle:
Decoding from NHTSA…
Vehicle history — accidents, title & owners
The decode above is what this vehicle is. For what it's been through — accidents, title brands, odometer, theft/total-loss and previous owners — pull a full history report.
NHTSA publishes the first 11 characters of the VIN with every complaint — that identifies the plant, model year, body and engine. So these are reports from cars built exactly like this one, not an average across the whole model.
KNDJT2A52C7••••••2012 Kia SOUL
That is about average for the 2012 Kia SOUL — 18 complaints per build across 27 builds.
18on this build
486on the model
27builds in total
2involved a fire
Most reportedEngine 9Steering 5Engine And Engine Cooling 2Latches/locks/linkages 1
What owners of this build wrote
EnginefireMay 2023
I was driving, all of a sudden my car started losing speed so i got onto the shoulder. Then i saw smoke and a fire from under the hood. The door stuck and i hit it with my shoulder to get out. 30 seconds after i got out the engine bay exploded
Service BrakesNov 2023
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet…
SteeringAug 2023
2012 KIA SOUL - Steering Column makes horrible clicking / shaking noise when turning wheel. Car only has 36k miles on it. KIA has identified this repair nationally already and offered to extend warranty to 10 years / unlimited miles due to a failed MOTOR DRIVEN POWER STEERING…
Engine And Engine CoolingJul 2022
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Optima. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal however, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact veered to the side of the road. The vehicle then stalled. The…
Power TrainJan 2019
Engine leaking and cat catalytic converter doesn't seam right
Read all 18 complaints on this exact buildFull text, search by keyword, and the systems that fail most on cars built like yours.Unlock with Pro →
Owner complaints…
Now the whole model — all 27 builds of it, not just this build. Same NHTSA reports, wider net:
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Exact value for this VIN, adjusted for mileage
The original window sticker and factory options
Full research report as a PDF you can hand to a mechanic
Decoded via NHTSA vPIC. Recalls, complaints and safety from NHTSA; MPG from EPA fueleconomy.gov. Full history reports from our partner. VIN KNDJT2A52C7396185 · decoded Oct 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.