2011 Kia Soul reliability record
NHTSA consumer complaints and recall campaigns for the 2011 Kia Soul from the dataset labeled 2026. The source file does not provide an exact snapshot date. Use the reported issues to guide further checks; these counts do not establish failure rates or repair costs.
- NHTSA complaints
- 270
- Dataset year: 2026; snapshot day not provided
- Top problem area
- SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
- 32 complaints
- Recalls on record
- 3
- see below
- Reported harm
- 43 reported crashes · 43 injuries · 2 deaths · 7 fires
How this record compares
raw NHTSA counts, not defect ratesCounts are not adjusted for vehicles sold, time in service or reporting frequency. A larger count does not establish a higher chance of failure, and these comparisons do not set the maintenance budget in our calculator.
Complaint rank
#1,983
of 4,194 vehicle records
Vs Kia median
+5
median 265 across 138 Kia records
Vs 2009-2013
-3
median 274 complaints in 614 records
Top component share
12%
Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 32 complaints
What owners report fails — 2011 Kia Soul
- SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 32
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 28
- AIR BAGS 25
- ENGINE 24
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER 21
3 recalls on record for the 2011 Kia Soul
- NHTSA 23V652000 · 2024 · SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACT An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
- NHTSA 14V822000 · 2015 · STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS A detached headliner plate may increase the risk of injury to the occupant during a vehicle crash.
- NHTSA 13V114000 · 2013 · EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk
Estimate the 5-year cost to own a 2011 Kia Soul
Build a separate budget with your purchase price, insurance quote, mileage and maintenance estimate. Complaint counts do not enter that calculation. Unknown local taxes and fees stay listed as costs to confirm.
Open TCO calculatorThese are unverified consumer reports and manufacturer recalls filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — not validated defect rates, and not adjusted for how many 2011 Kia Soul units were produced or sold. High-volume and older vehicles naturally accumulate more complaints. Use this as one research signal, not a verdict on any individual vehicle. Dataset year: 2026; exact snapshot day not supplied. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain).
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2011 Kia Soul reliable?
NHTSA has 270 consumer complaints on record for the 2011 Kia Soul and 3 recalls. The most-reported problem area is service brakes, hydraulic (32 reports). These are unverified consumer reports filed with the government, not validated failure rates, and are not adjusted for how many 2011 Kia Soul units were produced — popular vehicles naturally accumulate more reports.
What are the most common problems with the 2011 Kia Soul?
Owners most often report problems with: service brakes, hydraulic (32), electrical system (28), air bags (25), engine (24). Each figure is the number of complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
How much does it cost to own a 2011 Kia Soul?
This complaint dataset does not measure repair prices or predict a maintenance budget for the 2011 Kia Soul. Use your purchase price, insurance quotes, fuel use and a maintenance estimate in the separate five-year cost calculator. It does not convert complaint counts into repair costs, and any unknown taxes remain excluded and clearly listed.