Car · Kia problems

2021 Kia Soul problems

239 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2021 Kia Soul. The most reported area is engine and engine cooling (77% of them). NHTSA also lists 53 service bulletins and 2 recall campaigns.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 5. Deaths: 0.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 239 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Engine and engine cooling185 · 77%
• Other or unknown27 · 11%
• Power train (transmission and drive)26 · 11%
• Electrical system15 · 6%
• Fuel system11 · 5%
• Service brakes10 · 4%
• Steering9 · 4%
• Visibility and wipers7 · 3%

7 smaller areas not shown (26 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 53 repair bulletins from Kia for the 2021 Kia Soul. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. TSB_ENG263Received August 28, 2026

   Engine and engine cooling

   Misfire concern due to overrunning alternator decoupler - This bulletin provides information to address unresolved misfire events on some 2020 - 2024MY Forte (BDm) produced from January 1, 2019...

2. TSB_BOD336Received June 17, 2026

   Body and structure

   Key and cylinder set replacement - This bulletin provides information to replace the driver's door lock and trunk lid key cylinders on some 2019-2024MY Kia vehicles listed below.

3. TSB_ELE422Received June 3, 2026

   Electrical system

   Infotainment system software update using UPDATE.KIA.COM - This bulletin provides information and service procedures for updating the infotainment systems on applicable Kia vehicles using the Kia...

4. WTY041_TSB_R1Received September 12, 2025

   Electrical system

   New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area.

5. SC336YZReceived September 5, 2025

   Information related to the Technical Service Bulletin previously published under SC336 titled "Engine Inspection/Replacement and ECM Logic Improvement".

6. SST082_R1Received September 5, 2025

   Engine and engine cooling

   Instructions to perform an engine vibration inspection using the Kia Diagnostic System (KDS) tablet on certain Kia engine/model vehicles.

7. TSB_SST082Received April 23, 2025

   Electrical system

   Piston noise sensing system (PNSS) INSPECTION - This bulletin provides instructions to perform an engine vibration inspection using the Kia Diagnostic System (KDS) tablet on certain 2020 - 2023 MY...

8. TSB_ELE378Received March 26, 2025

   Electrical system

   Service action: kia connect modem reset (SA611) - This bulletin outlines the procedure for resetting the modem in certain 2016-2025MY Kia vehicles listed on page 3 that are equipped with Kia...

Recalls

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2021 Kia Soul. Recall repairs are free at a Kia dealer.

1. 25V099000February 18, 2025

   Engine and engine cooling

   The piston oil rings may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in engine damage.

2. 21V259000April 13, 2021

   Engine

   The piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which may result in engine damage.

See all 2 recalls for the 2021 Kia Soul, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your Soul will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

This model year has an engine recall in NHTSA's data. Before you pay for an engine repair, check the recalls and ask the dealer about warranty extensions for your VIN. Those repairs can be free.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Engine and engine cooling 185 complaints · 77%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Power train (transmission and drive) 26 complaints · 11%

• Transmission fluid service$140 to $480
• Transmission solenoid replacement$290 to $1,200
• Torque converter replacement$880 to $2,475
• Clutch replacement (manual transmission)$1,000 to $2,050

Electrical system 15 complaints · 6%

• Battery replacement$150 to $470
• Alternator replacement$360 to $930
• Starter replacement$280 to $740
• Battery cable replacement$100 to $340

Fuel system 11 complaints · 5%

• Fuel pump replacement$370 to $1,075
• Fuel injector replacement (one injector)$170 to $820
• EVAP purge valve replacement$80 to $240
• Gas cap replacement$5 to $95

Check a quote you got

Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

VIN (17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield or the driver door jamb)

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Look up this VIN

Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

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2021 Kia Soul: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2021 Kia Soul?

Of the 239 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2021 Kia Soul, 185 (77%) name engine and engine cooling, and 26 (11%) name power train (transmission and drive). A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2021 Kia Soul reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 12 of the 239 complaints as involving a crash and 3 as involving a fire. They also reported 5 injuries and 0 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2021 Kia Soul have?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2021 Kia Soul. Recall repairs are free at a Kia dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 53 repair bulletins for the 2021 Kia Soul.

More

• 2020 Soul problems
• 2018 Soul problems
• 2017 Soul problems
• 2016 Soul problems
• 2015 Soul problems
• 2014 Soul problems
• 2013 Soul problems
• 2012 Soul problems
• 2021 recalls
• All Kia recalls
• Kia problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.