Kia Soul EV Recalls

NHTSA has issued 5 safety recalls for the Kia Soul EV, covering model years 2014 through 2019. Electrical system faults account for 2 of them, more than any other part of the vehicle. The 2016 model year has the most, with 4 separate campaigns against it. The largest single recall covered 410,619 vehicles. The most recent was reported to NHTSA on October 26, 2023.

Total recalls: 5
Model years affected: 6
Most recalled part: Electrical system
Latest recall: 2023

Kia Soul EV recalls by model year

How many campaigns were issued against each model year. One recall often covers several years at once, so these add up to more than the 5 total.

20193 recalls20183 recalls20173 recalls20164 recalls20154 recalls20141 recall

All Kia Soul EV recalls

Each entry is an official NHTSA campaign, shown with the defect, consequence, and remedy exactly as the manufacturer reported them, newest first.

23V724000Power trainReported October 26, 2023

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)

Model years affected: 2015–2019

The problem

Kia America, Inc. (KIA) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Soul EV vehicles. The parking mechanism may be damaged, which can result in unintended vehicle movement when the gear shift lever is in the Park 'P' position and the parking brake is not applied while the vehicle is powered on.

What can happen

Unintended vehicle movement can increase the risk of a crash.

The fix

Dealers will update the electronic control unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 21, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC287. This recall expands and replaces recall number 20V-389. Vehicles previously repaired under 20V-389 will need to have the new remedy completed.

Vehicles affected: 6,262
Maker's recall no.: SC287
Owners notified: December 21, 2023

Read campaign 23V724000 on NHTSA.gov ↗

23V218000Electrical systemReported March 29, 2023

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY

Model years affected: 2015–2019

The problem

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Soul EV vehicles equipped with an E400 battery. The high-voltage battery pack may experience an electrical short-circuit while driving.

What can happen

A battery electrical short-circuit increases the risk of a fire.

The fix

Dealers will update and/or replace the battery management system and software, as necessary, free of charge. The new software will illuminate the EV warning light, limit charging capacity, and reduce vehicle power if abnormal voltage is detected. If this occurs, the battery will be replaced, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 18, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC267.

Vehicles affected: 2,689
Maker's recall no.: SC267
Owners notified: August 18, 2023

Read campaign 23V218000 on NHTSA.gov ↗

22V031000AirbagReported January 25, 2022

AIR BAGS

Model years affected: 2017–2019

The problem

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Sedona, Soul, Soul EV, 2017-2018 Forte, and 2017 Forte Koup vehicles. The Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) cover may contact a memory chip on the printed circuit board and damage the electrical circuit. Circuit damage may result in deactivated air bags that will not deploy in a crash.

What can happen

Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.

The fix

Dealers will inspect the ACU, and either update the software or replace the unit, as necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 21, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC226.

Vehicles affected: 410,619
Maker's recall no.: SC226
Owners notified: March 21, 2022

Read campaign 22V031000 on NHTSA.gov ↗

20V389000Electrical systemReported July 2, 2020

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE

Model years affected: 2015–2016

The problem

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Kia Soul Electric Vehicle (EV) vehicles. The parking mechanism may become damaged if the driver moves the gear shift lever into Park 'P' before the vehicle comes to a complete stop. If the parking mechanism is damaged, unintended vehicle movement may occur when the gear shift lever is in the Park 'P' position and the parking brake is not applied.

What can happen

Unintended vehicle movement can increase the risk of a crash.

The fix

Kia will notify owners, and dealers will update the electronic control unit software, free of charge. The recall began August 7, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC191.

Vehicles affected: 3,714
Maker's recall no.: SC191
Owners notified: August 7, 2020

Read campaign 20V389000 on NHTSA.gov ↗

17V608000SteeringReported September 29, 2017

STEERING

Model years affected: 2014–2016

The problem

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.

What can happen

If the pinion gear separates, steering will be lost, increasing the risk of a crash.

The fix

Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and secure the pinion plug or replace the steering gear assembly, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 16, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC155. Note: This recall supersedes campaigns 14V-332 and 15V-736. Vehicles previously remedied under those numbers are being recalled again under this campaign.

Vehicles affected: 342,381
Maker's recall no.: SC155
Owners notified: November 16, 2017

Read campaign 17V608000 on NHTSA.gov ↗

What to do if your Kia Soul EV is on this list

A recall listed here applies to a range of vehicles, not to every car of that model year. Manufacturers narrow it down by build date and VIN, so the only way to know whether yours is included is to check the VIN. You can do that free on NHTSA's recall lookup, or by calling any franchised dealer for that brand with your VIN in hand.

Recall repairs are free. Under federal law the manufacturer has to fix a safety defect at no charge, and there is no mileage limit and no expiry on that obligation for vehicles under 15 years old. A dealer cannot charge you for the parts, the labour, or the diagnosis on a recall repair, and you do not need to have bought the car there. If a dealer asks you to pay, that is worth escalating to the manufacturer's customer line, which is listed in the remedy text of each recall above.

Recalls do not block a title transfer or registration in any state. You can legally buy, sell, or register a car with an open recall, and sellers are generally not required to fix one first. That said, an open recall is worth raising before money changes hands, especially one with a do-not-drive advisory. If you are buying, run the VIN before you hand over the payment; if you are selling, telling the buyer about an open recall costs you nothing and avoids a dispute later.

Kia Soul EV recall questions

How many recalls does the Kia Soul EV have?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the Kia Soul EV across model years 2014 to 2019. That count covers recalls filed from 2010 onward. Not every campaign applies to every car of that model year, because manufacturers limit recalls by build date and VIN.

Which Kia Soul EV model year has the most recalls?

The 2016 Kia Soul EV carries the most, with 4 recall campaigns. A high count does not automatically mean a worse car: a single supplier fault can trigger a recall across an entire production run, and manufacturers that report problems quickly tend to show more campaigns.

Are Kia Soul EV recall repairs free?

Yes. Federal law requires the manufacturer to repair a safety recall at no cost, including parts and labour, on vehicles under 15 years old. There is no mileage limit, and you do not have to be the original owner or have bought the car from that dealer.

Can I sell or register a Kia Soul EV with an open recall?

Yes. An open recall does not stop a title transfer or registration in any state, and private sellers are generally not required to repair one first. Dealers face stricter rules on some safety recalls. If you are buying, check the VIN before you pay; the repair is free, but you want to know what you are taking on.

Other Kia recalls

Kia Sorento recalls38 Kia Sportage recalls23 Kia Telluride recalls19 Kia Forte recalls18 Kia Optima recalls18 Kia Soul recalls15

Where this data comes from

Every recall on this page is published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the federal agency that oversees vehicle safety recalls in the United States. We pull the full recall file from NHTSA and reproduce the campaign number, defect description, consequence, and remedy exactly as the manufacturer reported them. NHTSA data is in the public domain.

Source:: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
NHTSA data as of:: July 18, 2026
Coverage:: Recalls from 2010 onward

Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov ↗

Buying or selling this car?

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Last reviewed: 2026-07-18 · Reviewed by the Car Paperwork editorial team · Independent resource · Not legal advice

⚠ Independent resource — check your VIN before actingCar Paperwork is not affiliated with NHTSA, any manufacturer, or any dealer. This page lists recalls issued for a model, which is not the same as a recall on your car: only a VIN check confirms that. Recall records are also updated by NHTSA continuously, so treat this as a starting point and confirm anything urgent with NHTSA or a franchised dealer. Nothing here is legal or repair advice.