2010 Kia Soul Electrical System
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
I WAS PLAYING THE RADIO, WHEN THE SOUND WENT OUT. NOW WHENEVER I TURN THE RADIO ON, I SOMETIMES HEAR A POPPING SOUND AS IF IT IS GOING TO TURN ON BUT THEN IT GOES SILENT AGAIN. THIS HAPPENS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS EITHER STATIONARY OR IN MOTION.
A LOUD POPPING SOUND GOES OFF AND THE RADIO SYSTEM AND SPEAKERS ALL GO OUT WHEN I HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD. IT IS ALSO CAUSING RANDOM LIGHTS TO ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. I HAVE TO TURN OFF THE CAR TO TURN OFF THE PANEL ONES. I CALLED KIA AND THEY SAID THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. HOWEVER, IT WAS NOTED ON CARS.COM THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM. MY FEAR IS THAT A FIRE MAY HAPPEN DUE TO THIS ISSUE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE FROM THE RADIO. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE BILL DODGE KIA DEALER (877-583-6175, LOCATED AT 3 SAUNDERS WAY, WESTBROOK, ME 04092) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS A SHORTAGE IN THE WIRING HARNESS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 140,000.
MY HORN DOES NOT WORK ALL THE TIME. I ALMOST WAS IN A BAD ACCIDENT TRYING TO PREVENT A CAR SIDESWIPING ME TO CROSS LANES - I KEPT TRYING TO HONK THE HORN. IT WOULD NOT WORK SO I HAD TO JAM ON MY BRAKES AND ALMOST GOT REAR ENDED TOO. I WROTE TO KIA AND GOT NO RESPONSE. I WAS DRIVING IN THE MIDDLE LANE - A DRIVER TO THE RIGHT OF ME CUT ME OFF TO GET INTO THE TURN LANE TO THE LEFT OF ME.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT STATED THE HORN FAILED TO FUNCTION, THE KEY WOULD NOT START THE VEHICLE, AND THE HEADLIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY FAILED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL. AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT DIAGNOSED THAT THE BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,000.
DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING CAR ON SIDE STREET WHEN SHE NOTICED SMOKE AND THEN FIRE COMING FROM PASSENGER SIDE SPEAKER/LIGHT AREA. SHE WAS FORTUNATELY NOT HURT AND WAS ASSISTED BY BYSTANDER IN PUTTING OUT FIRE. INSIDE OF DOOR AROUND SPEAKER MELTED. APPEARS TO BE SAME PROBLEM THAT KIA RECALLED 2010 KIA FOR (REF 10V388000 AUG 30 2010). CAR WAS SUPPOSEDLY FIXED UNDER RECALL NO. 10V388000 AT FULLERTON KIA (NO LONGER IN BUSINESS AT THE FULLERTON LOCATION). TO DATE KIA HAS ACCEPTED NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROBLEM. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT CAUSE IS INVESTIGATED BEFORE CAR IS REPAIRED, AND REASON IS DESTROYED AS IT APPEARS RECALL FIX WAS UNSUCCESSFUL AND THERE MAY BE 1000'S OF CARS ON THE ROAD WITH SAME PROBLEM. *TR UPDATED 03/06/12 *BF UPDATED IVOQ 03/13/12 *KB
BACKING OUT OF PARKING SPACE AND DRIVERS SIDE DOOR STARTED TO SMOKE. MAIN SMOKE WAS COMING FROM SPEAKER AREA. WINDOWS WERE DOWN. EXITED CAR IN PARKING LOT AND BY THIS TIME, DOOR STARTED TO MELT. SOON THEREAFTER, DOOR CAUGHT ON FIRE. CAR WAS STILL NEAR OTHER VEHICLES AND PEOPLE IN BUSY PARKING LOT. WAS TOLD BY BYSTANDER'S THAT VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE PUSHED FURTHER AWAY FROM BUSY AREA. ENTERED VEHICLE VIA PASSENGER SIDE DOOR, LEANED ACROSS WITH RIGHT HAND TO PRESS DOWN BRAKE PEDAL AND USED LEFT HAND TO PUT INTO NEUTRAL. RIGHT HAND BURNED DUE TO HEAT FROM DRIVERS SIDE BLAZING FIRE WHILE PRESSING DOWN BRAKE. EXITED VEHICLE AND PUSHED VEHICLE TO FURTHER AREA IN PARKING LOT. FIRE COVERED MELTING PLASTIC FALLING FROM DRIVERS SIDE DOOR AS VEHICLE WAS PUSHED. HAD TO PUSH VEHICLE FURTHER AS FIREY PLASTIC WAS UNDER GAS TANK AREA. ENTIRE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR ENGULFED IN FLAMES. FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND PUT OUT FIRE. DRIVERS SIDE DOOR DEMOLISHED AND SEATS DAMAGED. SMOKE DAMAGE THROUGHOUT VEHICLE. MELTED PLASTIC AND MELTED TIRES CAUSED CONCRETE IN PARKING LOT TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY BURNED/MELTED. BLISTERS TO RIGHT HAND, PHYSICIAN VISIT OCCURRED TO ADDRESS SKIN DISCOLORATION AND ENSURE INFECTION WAS NOT PRESENT. BLISTERED SKIN WAS CUT AWAY. KIA MOTORS STANCE IS TO REPAIR THIS VEHICLE AND PLACE BACK INTO THE MARKET. VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW ON 9-17-10. MANUFACTURER'S REPORT DATE REGARDING THIS RECALL WAS 8-30-11. RECALL DATE WAS 9-13-11. NO NOTIFICATION WAS RECEIVED FROM MANUFACTURER OR DEALER REGARDING THIS FIRE SAFETY RECALL, SC083. *KB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ACCELERATING AT A LOW SPEED OUT OF A PARKING SPACE, THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE DOOR SUDDENLY CAUGHT ON FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, AND THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING A RESPONSE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 20,000.
I PURCHASED A 2010 KIA SOUL, AND 8 DAYS LATER SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT OF THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR PANEL, DOOR LOCK, AND WINDOW. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE CLOSEST DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS THE WINDOW MOTOR. THE WINDOW MOTOR WAS UNPLUGGED AND I WAS ALLOWED TO DRIVE IT HOME. THE DEALER SAID THE MOTOR WOULD COME IN THE FOLLOWING DAY BUT I COULD DRIVE IT UNTIL THEN. I DROVE APPROX. 1 MILE DOWN THE ROAD AND SMOKE STARTING POURING OUT OF THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR PANEL AGAIN. I WAS ABLE TO PULL THE CAR OVER IN A PARKING LOT AND THE SPEAKERS CAUGHT FIRE. THE WHOLE SIDE DOOR PANEL, SPEAKERS, AND CARPET MELTED/FIRE DAMAGE. IT'S BEEN 4 WEEKS AND I AM STILL DRIVING A RENTAL CAR. KIA CORPORATE HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND OFFERED OPTIONS IN REPLACEMENT/COMPENSATION. *TR
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Quick Summary
The 2010 Kia Soul has 9 Electrical System complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.