237 of 485 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system
49% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2012 Kia Soul are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.
Worse than 62% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 29 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 46%).
The percentage is each model year's drivetrain complaint share. No elevated signal describes the model year, not any one car; a well-kept example of a flagged model can still be the right buy, and any of these still needs an inspection.
What owners reported
STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE11/07/2019CRASH4 INJURED
I WAS ON THE FREEWAY, AND ALL THE LIGHTS LINING THE FREEWAY WERE OUT. IT WAS PITCH BLACK, AND A COW HAD MADE ITS WAY INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY. IT WAS STRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE AND SENT INTO THE AIR, AND FLEW RIGHT INTO MY CAR. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT ONE OF ADOT'S FENCES WERE DOWN THAT WAS CONTAINING CATTLE. …
POWER TRAIN,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,AIR BAGS11/29/2023CRASH2 INJURED
The contact owned a 2012 Kia Soul. The contact stated while stopped at an intersection, the vehicle independently accelerated while depressing the brake pedal. The contact steered the vehicle to the left in an attempt to stop the acceleration and repeatedly depressed the brake pedal. Due to the failure, the contact hit…
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,AIR BAGS05/02/2023CRASH1 INJURED
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while making a left turn a second vehicle crashed into the passenger side of the vehicle. During the crash no air bags deployed. The driver sustained a minor neck injury which did not require medical treatment. A police report was taken at the scene and the vehi…
Three of 237 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
Recall campaigns on this model year (3)
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 d…
STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 Kia Soul vehicles manufactured January 8, 2009, to October 2, 2013, equipped with a sun roof. A headli…
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Opti…
This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.
Before you buy a 2012 Kia Soul
Ask the seller whether the engine has ever been repaired or replaced, and whether the car has shown stalling, loss of power, rough idle, oil consumption or a check-engine light.
Drive it from a cold start and long enough to warm up. Many engine faults hide once the car is warm.
Get an independent pre-purchase inspection from a mechanic you choose, and tell them to focus on the engine.
3 recall campaigns on this model year. Whether a specific car still has one open depends on the VIN; the report checks that.
Ask for service records. A engine already replaced under warranty is a different car from one that was not.
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history
report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition
of any individual vehicle.
