Model year report

2012 Kia Soul: what breaks, and at what mileage

What breaks on the 2012 Kia Soul

On the 2012 Kia Soul, the failure owners report most often is other engine problem, and the reports cluster around 120,000 miles. The earliest to appear is other powertrain problem, reported by a median of 45,000 miles. Overall it scores 72 out of 100, high risk for a 2012.

High risk for a 2012 — 129th riskiest of the 271 2012 vehicles we can rate. 673 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.

The failures owners actually file about

Owners have reported 60 named failure modes on the 2012 Kia Soul, and the three most-reported carry 41% of everything filed.

Other engine problem leads with 130 reports, about 1.7 per 1,000 vehicles and with the middle half of reports between 92k to 145,000 miles.

Other steering problem follows with 101 reports, usually reported between 37k to 80,000 miles.

Steering column or shaft failure follows with 44 reports, usually reported between 64k to 105,000 miles.

By system, the reports fall mostly into engine (217), steering (152) and brakes (42).

The mileage the reports cluster at

392 of the reports on the 2012 Kia Soul came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 90,000 miles.

Cumulatively, 23% by 50,000 miles, 57% by 100,000 miles and 85% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed, with 10 filed above the top of the chart.

The busiest stretch is between 70,000 and 80,000 miles, which alone holds 8% of the dated reports.

19% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles.

In the order they tend to show up: other powertrain problem around 46k, other steering problem around 61k, other body or interior problem around 66k and steering column or shaft failure around 77k.

Median

Other engine problem

120k
Other steering problem

61k
Steering column or shaft failure

77k
Other brake problem

99k
Catalytic converter failure

112k
Other body or interior problem

66k
No-start or intermittent start failure

117k
Other electrical problem

62k
Misfire or rough idle

146k
Other powertrain problem

46k
Other fuel system problem

104k
Complete engine failure or seizure

100k

Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens

Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 60. The full list is in the table below.

How reports accumulate

Share of reports filed by each mileage

half by 90k

Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A further 10 reports came in above that, which is why the line stops short of the top. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.

Line share of reports filed by that mileage
Dashed the median reported mileage

What happens when these parts fail

Across the named modes, 29 mention a crash, 28 a fire, 14 an injury and 1 a fatality. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.

The average severity weight across every report on this year is 4.70, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.

What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: other engine problem at $300–$4,000, other steering problem at $350–$2,400, steering column or shaft failure at $600–$2,500 and other brake problem at $300–$1,800. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.

37% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.

Every reported failure mode

Mileage figures are percentiles of owner-reported readings. Click a column to sort.
Failure mode	System	Reports	With reading	25th	Median	75th	Per 1,000	Typical repair	Severity
Other engine problem	engine	130	86	92k	120k	146k	1.7	$300–$4,000	High
Other steering problem	steering	101	51	37k	61k	80k	1.3	$350–$2,400	High
Steering column or shaft failure	steering	44	26	64k	77k	106k	0.6	$600–$2,500	Critical
Other brake problem	brakes	36	14	77k	99k	145k	0.5	$300–$1,800	High
Catalytic converter failure	emissions	33	21	74k	112k	155k	0.4	$900–$3,500	Moderate
Other body or interior problem	body	20	14	32k	66k	89k	0.3	$200–$2,000	Moderate
No-start or intermittent start failure	engine	17	9	68k	117k	140k	0.2	$200–$1,800	Moderate
Other electrical problem	electrical	15	6	—	62k	—	0.2	$250–$2,000	Moderate
Misfire or rough idle	engine	14	12	141k	146k	172k	0.2	$250–$1,600	Moderate
Other powertrain problem	transmission	14	12	9k	46k	81k	0.2	$400–$4,500	High
Other fuel system problem	fuel	13	8	70k	104k	124k	0.2	$300–$2,200	High
Complete engine failure or seizure	engine	12	10	82k	100k	120k	0.2	$4,500–$12,000	Critical
Excessive oil consumption	engine	12	7	—	90k	—	0.2	$900–$6,500	High
Overheating	cooling	11	8	85k	117k	134k	0.1	$400–$3,500	High
Oil leak	engine	10	3	—	160k	—	0.1	$250–$2,200	Moderate
Other wheel or tire problem	wheels	8	3	—	27k	—	0.1	$200–$1,500	High
Engine bay fire	engine	7	1	—	84k	—	0.1	$4,000–$20,000	Critical
Stalling while driving	engine	7	4	—	150k	—	0.1	$300–$2,500	Critical
Airbag failed to deploy in a crash	airbag	7	6	—	100k	—	0.1	$1,000–$5,000	Critical
Backup camera failure	infotainment	6	5	—	15k	—	0.1	$250–$1,200	Moderate
Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault	airbag	6	2	—	68k	—	0.1	$300–$1,600	High
Steering rack, gear or tie rod failure	steering	6	5	—	58k	—	0.1	$700–$2,600	High
Other suspension problem	suspension	6	4	—	17k	—	0.1	$350–$2,000	Moderate
Other visibility problem	glass	6	5	—	23k	—	0.1	$150–$1,400	Moderate
Engine knock or bearing noise	engine	5	4	—	133k	—	0.1	$2,500–$9,000	High
Fuel leak or fuel odor	fuel	5	5	—	144k	—	0.1	$300–$2,500	Critical
Wiring harness or short circuit	electrical	5	3	—	68k	—	0.1	$400–$3,500	High
Engine sensor failure	electrical	5	0	—	—	—	0.1	$180–$900	Moderate
Cruise control failure	adas	5	2	—	172k	—	0.1	$200–$1,400	High
Tail light, brake light or signal failure	lighting	5	2	—	77k	—	0.1	$100–$900	Moderate
Instrument cluster or gauge failure	infotainment	4	2	—	27k	—	0.1	$350–$1,400	Moderate
Parking brake failure	brakes	4	3	—	123k	—	0.1	$250–$1,300	Moderate
Lane keep or steering assist fault	adas	4	0	—	—	—	0.1	$200–$1,600	High
Other driver assistance problem	adas	4	2	—	58k	—	0.1	$250–$1,800	High
Other speed control problem	adas	4	2	—	113k	—	0.1	$250–$2,000	Critical
Wheel bearing or hub failure	drivetrain	3	3	—	66k	—	0.0	$350–$1,200	Moderate
Seat belt or retractor failure	airbag	3	3	—	13k	—	0.0	$200–$900	High
Exhaust leak or fumes in the cabin	emissions	3	0	—	—	—	0.0	$250–$2,000	High
Headlight failure or clouding	lighting	3	2	—	13k	—	0.0	$150–$1,800	Moderate
Lifter, cam or cylinder-deactivation failure	engine	2	1	—	90k	—	0.0	$1,800–$7,000	High
Shifter, linkage or stuck-in-park failure	transmission	2	2	—	98k	—	0.0	$250–$1,400	High
Fuel pump failure	fuel	2	1	—	189k	—	0.0	$600–$2,600	High
Ignition switch, key fob or immobilizer failure	electrical	2	1	—	103k	—	0.0	$250–$1,500	High
ABS module or sensor failure	brakes	2	0	—	—	—	0.0	$500–$2,400	High
Airbag inflator rupture	airbag	2	2	—	57k	—	0.0	$0–$0	Critical
Tire blowout or tread separation	wheels	2	2	—	121k	—	0.0	$200–$1,500	Critical
Other lighting problem	lighting	2	0	—	—	—	0.0	$120–$1,200	Moderate
Timing chain, belt or tensioner failure	engine	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$1,200–$4,500	Critical
Water pump failure	cooling	1	1	—	55k	—	0.0	$500–$2,200	High
Radiator or coolant leak	cooling	1	1	—	88k	—	0.0	$350–$1,900	High
Complete transmission failure	transmission	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$2,800–$8,000	Critical
CV axle or driveshaft failure	drivetrain	1	1	—	71k	—	0.0	$450–$2,200	High
Fuel gauge or level sensor failure	fuel	1	1	—	7k	—	0.0	$300–$1,200	Moderate
Fuel tank, filler or EVAP failure	fuel	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$250–$1,800	Moderate
Alternator or charging system failure	electrical	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$450–$1,600	High
Loss of power steering	steering	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$600–$2,800	Critical
Control arm, ball joint or bushing failure	suspension	1	1	—	129k	—	0.0	$400–$2,200	High
Wheel, stud or lug nut failure	wheels	1	1	—	28k	—	0.0	$150–$1,500	Critical
Air conditioning failure	hvac	1	1	—	89k	—	0.0	$400–$2,800	Moderate
Software fault or failed update	software	1	1	—	600	—	0.0	$0–$600	Moderate
Unclassified problem	other	41	20	30k	74k	103k	0.5	—	Moderate

Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.

How often, against how many were built

Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2012 Kia Soul draws about 8.9 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 90th percentile of complaint rates among 2012 vehicles we can rate.

That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.

The working figure is 75,793 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2012 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.

What owners wrote

Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.

Steering column or shaft failure

I bought a brand new kia soul in nov of 2011. Within 200 miles of ownership, the electronic stability control malfunction and falsely activated. The esc not only falsely activated but remained activated. The steering wheel was locked up and could only be turned if considerable force was applied to it. I carefully pulled over the to side of the road. I turned off my vehicle then started it back up hoping the esc would turn off. It did not. I ended up having to get the vehicle towed to my dealer. The kia dealer service shop ultimately had to replace the entire steering column to "fix" the problem. About two months later I was driving down the interstate and attempted to do a lane change. Again the electronic stability control falsely activated and caused me to collide with the vehicle directly in front of me. When the esc activated, the steering wheel locked up and caused a sudden loss of control, resulting in the accident. These are just 2 of many incidents I have experienced. *tr

200 miles NHTSA complaint 908441 filed 2012-03-06

I bought a brand new kia soul in nov of 2011. Within 200 miles of ownership, the electronic stability control malfunction and falsely activated. The esc not only falsely activated but remained activated. The steering wheel was locked up and could only be turned if considerable force was applied to it. I carefully pulled over the to side of the road. I turned off my vehicle then started it back up hoping the esc would turn off. It did not. I ended up having to get the vehicle towed to my dealer. The kia dealer service shop ultimately had to replace the entire steering column to "fix" the problem. About two months later I was driving down the interstate and attempted to do a lane change. Again the electronic stability control falsely activated and caused me to collide with the vehicle directly in front of me. When the esc activated, the steering wheel locked up and caused a sudden loss of control, resulting in the accident. These are just 2 of many incidents I have experienced. *tr

200 miles NHTSA complaint 908442 filed 2012-03-06

Recalls on the 2012 model year

NHTSA has issued 3 recall campaigns covering the 2012 Kia Soul, affecting an estimated 132,893 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.

The campaigns cover service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electron, engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:emission control:ca and structure:body:roof and pillars. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.

Recalls also distort complaint counts. Publicity about a campaign reminds owners that complaining is possible, so reports for a recalled component often spike after the recall rather than before it.

23V652000

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE

1,730,192 vehicles 2023-09-25

Defect: 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 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
Consequence: An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed November 14, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2024 through June 18, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC284.

19V120000

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR

378,967 vehicles 2019-02-22

Defect: 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 damage the catalytic converter, possibly resulting in abnormal engine combustion and damage to one or more of the engine's pistons and possible piston connecting rod failure.
Consequence: Piston damage may result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash. A broken connecting rod may puncture the engine block allowing engine oil to escape. The leaking oil may contact the exhaust, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will upgrade the Catalytic Overheating Protection Engine Control Unit logic to prevent overheating of the catalytic converter. In addition, the catalytic converter will also be replaced if it has been damaged. Depending on the extent of any damage, the engine may also be replaced, free of charge. The recall began April 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC176.

14V822000

STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS

95,314 vehicles 2014-12-29

Defect: 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 headliner plate may detach during deployment of the curtain air bag.
Consequence: A detached headliner plate may increase the risk of injury to the occupant during a vehicle crash.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will install industrial adhesive strips to secure the headliner plates, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 2, 2015. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC112.

Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.

How it ranks in the 2012 field

The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.

Risk score against the rest of the 2012 field

Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.

Left fewer and less serious reports
Right more, or worse
Marker this vehicle

How 2012 compares with the other years

High risk for a 2012 — 129th riskiest of the 271 2012 vehicles we can rate. Because the ranking is against the same model year only, age cancels out of it.

Across the 16 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 2025 comes out best at 59 and 2020 worst at 82, with 2012 itself at 72.

If the model year is negotiable, 2025 and 2024 score lower than 2012 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.

Within the 2010–2016 generation specifically, 2016 is the strongest year at 71 and 2010 the weakest at 76.

Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.

Risk score by model year, out of 100

Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.

Within the 2010-2016 generation, 2016 Kia Soul scores best at 71 and 2010 Kia Soul worst at 76.

What to look at before buying one

The mileages below are where the first quarter of reports for each mode had already been filed, which makes them the point at which a fault is worth looking for rather than the point at which it happens: other powertrain problem from about 9k, other body or interior problem from about 32k, other steering problem from about 37k and steering column or shaft failure from about 64k.

On a 2012 Kia Soul with more miles than that on it, the useful question to put to a seller or a mechanic is whether other powertrain problem has been dealt with, and if so with what parts and at whose expense. A car that has already had the repair is in a different position from one that has not.

None of this is a diagnosis. It is a list of what other owners of the same model year reported, ordered by when they reported it, which is a good place to point an inspection and a poor place to stop.

What this page cannot tell you

673 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.

Of those 673 reports, 392 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 58% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".

Named failure modes come from matching phrases in the complaint text, so a badly worded complaint can land in the wrong bucket. The effect washes out across hundreds of reports and does not wash out across five.

And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.

Questions this page answers

What are the most common problems with the 2012 Kia Soul?

The most-reported failures are other engine problem (130 reports, median 120,000 miles), other steering problem (101 reports, median 60,000 miles) and steering column or shaft failure (44 reports, median 77,500 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.

At what mileage do 2012 Kia Soul problems start?

Other powertrain problem is the earliest failure mode to show up, with a median reported mileage of 45,000 miles and a quarter of reports before 10,000 miles. Across all failure modes on this year, the median report sits at 90,000 miles.

Is the 2012 Kia Soul reliable?

It scores 72 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 129th riskiest of the 271 2012 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2012 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.

Which year of the Kia Soul is best?

Within the 2010–2016 generation, 2016 scores best at 71 out of 100 and 2010 worst at 76. Same body, same engines, different luck.

Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.

What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car

Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt 30 August 2026 Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed