Kia Soul VIN Check — Free Recall & Complaint Lookup

Quick answer

The most-reported Soul run is KNDJP3A53E7 (2014 builds) with 50 complaints, 4.4× the typical run. Engine problems make up 50% of reports; 2014 is the worst model year at 22.9 complaints per run; NHTSA lists 15 recall campaigns for Soul model years 2010–2023.

Which build runs owners report most

A production run is the first 11 characters of the VIN: plant, model year, body and engine. The Kia Soul has 475 of them on record. The five runs at the top of this table hold 5% of every Soul complaint on file.

FIG.01·Kia Soul — complaints by production run
Production run (VIN 1–11)	Year	Complaints	Involved a crash	Fire
KNDJP3A53E7••••••	2014	50	1	1
KNDJP3A59E7••••••	2014	50	2	8
KNDJN2A22G7••••••	2016	49	2	3
KNDJN2A2XG7••••••	2016	48	—	—
KNDJN2A20E7••••••	2014	47	2	1
KNDJP3A52F7••••••	2015	46	1	2
KNDJN2A21F7••••••	2015	45	1	4
KNDJN2A28G7••••••	2016	43	—	4
KNDJP3A51E7••••••	2014	42	—	4
KNDJ23AU8L7••••••	2020	42	1	3
KNDJP3A54F7••••••	2015	42	—	2
KNDJP3A54E7••••••	2014	41	2	2

ROWS 12·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records, grouped by VIN prefix

Each of the other 463 Soul runs has 41 complaints or fewer. ForCar has checked 218 Soul VINs so far, most often 2020, 2025, 2016 builds; 13 of them belong to one of the 12 runs above.

Which model years to check twice

Complaints per production run, so a year that simply sold more does not top the list. On the Kia Soul the gap between build years is 4.8×: a 2014 car draws 22.9 complaints per run, a 2019 one 4.8.

FIG.02·Kia Soul — complaint rate by model year
Year	Per run	Complaints	Runs	Crashes
2025	1.2	12	10	2
2024	1.8	30	17	—
2023	3	54	18	6
2022	5.6	90	16	4
2021	6.2	231	37	12
2020	7.8	382	49	9
2019	4.8	135	28	11
2018	6.4	211	33	13
2017	8.4	261	31	14
2016	15.1	814	54	29
2015	16.4	885	54	35
2014	22.9	870	38	31
2013	19.8	632	32	20
2012	18	486	27	21
2011	7.2	179	25	21
2010	6	114	19	19

ROWS 16·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records

Heaviest year here is 2014 at 22.9 complaints per run; lightest is 2025 at 1.2. The 2025 line is still collecting reports, so it reads low.

What to inspect on this car

One system accounts for 50% of everything Kia Soul owners report: Engine, 3,092 of 5,386 complaints. Start the pre-purchase inspection there.

FIG.03·Kia Soul — most-reported systems
System	Complaints	Involved a crash	Fire
Engine	3092	27	223
Unknown Or Other	635	20	48
Steering	491	31	1
Electrical System	490	16	53
Power Train	424	8	19
Engine And Engine Cooling	395	3	19
Service Brakes	348	41	22
Fuel/propulsion System	343	7	25

ROWS 8·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records

Recalls to check against your VIN

NHTSA has 15 recall campaigns on the Kia Soul; the 6 below cover build years 2010 to 2023. These are for the model and year; whether one is still open on a given car, only that VIN can tell.

FIG.04·Kia Soul — recall campaigns
Campaign	Component	Model years
19V120000	Engine	2012–2016
14V822000	Structure:body:roof And Pillars	2010–2013
25V099000	Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:hard Parts Internal/mechanical	2021–2023
22V031000	Air Bags	2017–2019
17V608000	Steering	2014–2016
23V652000	Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip:control Unit/module	2011–2013

ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA recall campaigns

19V120000 was opened in 2019 on cars built from 2012: 7 years on the road before the recall.

How serious were they

Of the 5,386 reports on the Kia Soul, 4.6% involved a crash against 5.8% across all vehicles, below the norm.

FIG.06·Kia Soul — complaint severity
Outcome	Kia Soul	All vehicles
Complaints filed	5,386	1,115,966
Involved a crash	247 (4.6%)	64,194 (5.8%)
Involved a fire	312 (5.8%)	26,974 (2.4%)
Injuries reported	242	58,013
Deaths reported	18	2,728

ROWS 5·SOURCE NHTSA complaint records

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How this check works

The file behind this page holds 1,115,966 complaints filed with NHTSA between 1981 and 2026, across 298,921 production runs. The Kia Soul share of that is 5,386 complaints over 475 runs, 0.48% of everything on record.

Everything on the Kia Soul

Recalls39 campaigns Fuel economy114 mpg best Reliability4.5/5 Common problems5,584 complaints DimensionsSize, weight, generations Cargo space24 cu ft Used prices3,769 listings What yours is worthValue by year & mileage Insurance costEstimated per year Window stickerOriginal Monroney label Decode a VINWhat each character means About this car2010–2026

Frequently asked questions

How do I check a Kia Soul VIN for free?

Enter the 17 characters above. ForCar matches the first eleven, the production run, against 5,386 NHTSA complaints from 475 Soul runs and 15 recall campaigns. No account, no card.

Which Soul production run has the most complaints?

KNDJP3A53E7, a 2014 build, with 50 complaints, 1 of them after a crash. The typical Soul run has 11.3.

Which Soul years have the most complaints?

Per production run, 2014 is heaviest at 22.9 complaints per run and 2025 lightest at 1.2.

How many Soul complaints involve a crash?

4.6% of 5,386 reports, against 5.8% across all vehicles; 312 involved a fire.

Complaint and recall records from NHTSA, grouped by VIN production run (characters 1–11). Per-run rates computed by ForCar. Federal data covers safety only — title, odometer and insurance history are not included. Last updated Nov 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.

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