Model year report

2017 Kia Soul: what breaks, and at what mileage

What breaks on the 2017 Kia Soul

On the 2017 Kia Soul, the failure owners report most often is other engine problem, and the reports cluster around 82,500 miles. The earliest to appear is complete engine failure or seizure, reported by a median of 75,000 miles. Overall it scores 74 out of 100, high risk for a 2017.

High risk for a 2017 — 126th riskiest of the 263 2017 vehicles we can rate. 356 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.

The failures owners actually file about

Owners have reported 50 named failure modes on the 2017 Kia Soul, and the three most-reported carry 41% of everything filed.

Other engine problem leads with 106 reports, about 3.1 per 1,000 vehicles and with the middle half of reports between 69k to 107,500 miles.

Excessive oil consumption follows with 21 reports, median 80,000 miles.

Complete engine failure or seizure follows with 20 reports, usually reported between 70k to 95,000 miles.

By system, the reports fall mostly into engine (190), brakes (18) and fuel (17).

At what mileage it happens

153 of the reports on the 2017 Kia Soul came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 73,000 miles.

Cumulatively, 33% by 50,000 miles, 82% by 100,000 miles and 99% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed.

The busiest stretch is between 80,000 and 90,000 miles, which alone holds 16% of the dated reports.

29% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles.

Median

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 50. The full list is in the table below.

How reports accumulate

Share of reports filed by each mileage

half by 73k

Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. 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, 14 mention a crash, 18 a fire and 11 an injury. 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 4.81, 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, excessive oil consumption at $900–$6,500, complete engine failure or seizure at $4,500–$12,000 and misfire or rough idle at $250–$1,600. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.

60% 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, so more than half of what owners complained about here is expensive.

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	106	46	69k	84k	108k	3.1	$300–$4,000	High
Excessive oil consumption	engine	21	7	—	80k	—	0.6	$900–$6,500	High
Complete engine failure or seizure	engine	20	12	70k	75k	96k	0.6	$4,500–$12,000	Critical
Misfire or rough idle	engine	13	4	—	59k	—	0.4	$250–$1,600	Moderate
Other electrical problem	electrical	13	4	—	39k	—	0.4	$250–$2,000	Moderate
Other powertrain problem	transmission	12	7	—	80k	—	0.4	$400–$4,500	High
Other brake problem	brakes	11	5	—	50k	—	0.3	$300–$1,800	High
Engine knock or bearing noise	engine	9	4	—	89k	—	0.3	$2,500–$9,000	High
Other speed control problem	adas	8	2	—	9k	—	0.2	$250–$2,000	Critical
Overheating	cooling	6	1	—	106k	—	0.2	$400–$3,500	High
Fuel pump failure	fuel	6	3	—	72k	—	0.2	$600–$2,600	High
Backup camera failure	infotainment	6	6	—	600	—	0.2	$250–$1,200	Moderate
Other fuel system problem	fuel	6	2	—	44k	—	0.2	$300–$2,200	High
Other wheel or tire problem	wheels	6	3	—	6k	—	0.2	$200–$1,500	High
Oil leak	engine	5	3	—	87k	—	0.1	$250–$2,200	Moderate
Seat belt or retractor failure	airbag	5	4	—	9k	—	0.1	$200–$900	High
Other body or interior problem	body	5	1	—	18k	—	0.1	$200–$2,000	Moderate
Timing chain, belt or tensioner failure	engine	4	1	—	80k	—	0.1	$1,200–$4,500	Critical
Stalling while driving	engine	4	1	—	113k	—	0.1	$300–$2,500	Critical
No-start or intermittent start failure	engine	4	3	—	94k	—	0.1	$200–$1,800	Moderate
Fuel tank, filler or EVAP failure	fuel	4	3	—	23k	—	0.1	$250–$1,800	Moderate
Loss of braking	brakes	4	1	—	61k	—	0.1	$400–$3,000	Critical
Catalytic converter failure	emissions	4	1	—	120k	—	0.1	$900–$3,500	Moderate
Other steering problem	steering	4	2	—	29k	—	0.1	$350–$2,400	High
Engine bay fire	engine	3	1	—	67k	—	0.1	$4,000–$20,000	Critical
Thermostat failure	cooling	3	0	—	—	—	0.1	$250–$900	Moderate
Audio or connectivity failure	infotainment	3	3	—	350	—	0.1	$150–$900	Low
Airbag inflator rupture	airbag	3	3	—	53k	—	0.1	$0–$0	Critical
Steering rack, gear or tie rod failure	steering	3	3	—	121k	—	0.1	$700–$2,600	High
Strut, shock or spring failure	suspension	3	0	—	—	—	0.1	$500–$2,000	Moderate
Radiator or coolant leak	cooling	2	0	—	—	—	0.1	$350–$1,900	High
Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure	electrical	2	0	—	—	—	0.1	$700–$3,000	High
Airbag failed to deploy in a crash	airbag	2	2	—	15k	—	0.1	$1,000–$5,000	Critical
Lane keep or steering assist fault	adas	2	0	—	—	—	0.1	$200–$1,600	High
Other suspension problem	suspension	2	0	—	—	—	0.1	$350–$2,000	Moderate
Head gasket failure	engine	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$1,400–$4,000	Critical
Harsh or jerky shifting	transmission	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$600–$4,000	Moderate
Fuel leak or fuel odor	fuel	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$300–$2,500	Critical
Engine sensor failure	electrical	1	1	—	92k	—	0.0	$180–$900	Moderate
Infotainment screen failure	infotainment	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$400–$2,600	Low
ABS module or sensor failure	brakes	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$500–$2,400	High
Master cylinder or brake booster failure	brakes	1	1	—	9k	—	0.0	$450–$2,200	Critical
Premature brake pad or rotor wear	brakes	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$300–$1,400	Moderate
Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault	airbag	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$300–$1,600	High
Automatic braking for no reason	adas	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$0–$1,500	Critical
Cruise control failure	adas	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$200–$1,400	High
Steering column or shaft failure	steering	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$600–$2,500	Critical
Headlight failure or clouding	lighting	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$150–$1,800	Moderate
Tail light, brake light or signal failure	lighting	1	0	—	—	—	0.0	$100–$900	Moderate
Other lighting problem	lighting	1	1	—	63k	—	0.0	$120–$1,200	Moderate
Unclassified problem	other	27	12	5k	29k	49k	0.8	—	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 2017 Kia Soul draws about 10 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 89th percentile of complaint rates among 2017 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 34,218 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2017 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.

Recalls on the 2017 model year

NHTSA has issued 1 recall campaign covering the 2017 Kia Soul, affecting an estimated 34,218 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 air bags. 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.

One caution about reading these together: a recall usually raises the complaint count for the same part, because owners who read about it go and file. The mileages stay informative; the counts get noisy.

22V031000

AIR BAGS

410,619 vehicles 2022-01-25

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

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 2017 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 2017 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

Better and worse years of the same car

High risk for a 2017 — 126th riskiest of the 263 2017 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 2017 itself at 74.

If the model year is negotiable, 2025, 2024 and 2016 score lower than 2017 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 2017–2019 generation specifically, 2017 is the strongest year at 74 and 2019 the weakest at 75.

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 2017-2019 generation, 2017 Kia Soul scores best at 74 and 2019 Kia Soul worst at 75.

What the numbers say to check

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 engine problem from about 69k and complete engine failure or seizure from about 70k.

On a 2017 Kia Soul with more miles than that on it, the useful question to put to a seller or a mechanic is whether other engine 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.

Treat it as where to point the inspection, not as a prediction. A well-maintained example can sail past every mileage on this page, and a neglected one can fail well before the first of them.

Where these figures stop being useful

356 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 356 reports, 153 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 43% 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".

The failure modes are assigned by software reading the owner's own words, which is accurate in bulk and wrong in individual cases. A mode with a handful of reports may contain a misfiled one.

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 2017 Kia Soul?

The most-reported failures are other engine problem (106 reports, median 82,500 miles), excessive oil consumption (21 reports, median 80,000 miles) and complete engine failure or seizure (20 reports, median 75,000 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 2017 Kia Soul problems start?

Complete engine failure or seizure is the earliest failure mode to show up, with a median reported mileage of 75,000 miles and a quarter of reports before 70,000 miles. Across all failure modes on this year, the median report sits at 73,000 miles.

Is the 2017 Kia Soul reliable?

It scores 74 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 126th riskiest of the 263 2017 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2017 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 2017–2019 generation, 2017 scores best at 74 out of 100 and 2019 worst at 75. 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