2015 Kia Soul Exterior Lighting
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
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the high-beam headlights and turn signals were not working as needed. The contact stated that the local dealer was contacted and confirmed that the vehicle was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure with Technical Service Bulletin: ELE093 (Headlamp Bulb Connector Replacement); however, the vehicle was not included. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 59,000.
2015 Kia Soul Intermittent headlight Flashing at random Months ago the KIA dealership could not replicate. Contacted KIA-Customer-Care and they cared less. I have a car I am afraid to drive at night or in heavy rain. Youtube movie of problem at [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated while operating the vehicle, the driver's side headlight became inoperable and while using the turn signal, the driver's side headlight would shut off. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 95,014.
Headlights flicker off and sometimes just for a second, sometimes stay off and will usually come back on if i turn them off and on again. But then it happens again. I took it to my mechanic who could not figure it out. Couldn't afford to do much so i have not been able to drive at night for a year as it's very dangerous. I called Kia and since my car is out of warranty and apparently no sort of recall for this (despite me seeing lots of complaints with the same issue) i can't afford to do anything. I'm beyond upset. I love the car otherwise. Date below is when it started, but it is ANYTIME it's driven.
I would like to report that my 93,632 2015 Kia Soul headlights flicker. The headlights (both) even go out for seconds and then they come back at the same time. It's an electrical issue, not a matter of changing the bulbs. I contacted Kia Motors to report this and check if there are recalls or extended warranty on this issue and they said no. There are plenty of other users on online forums reporting this same issue. Maybe it's time to investigate if this is a defect since from what other users described, is the same situation as with my own car headlights. Sounds very dangerous having a vehicle losing the headlights suddenly on a highway, I spoke with 2 CSR from Kia on 6/7/23 regarding the headlights and none of them were interested in this specific matter.
The contact owns a 2015 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds with the headlights on auto, the headlights would flicker and turn on and off independently. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
WHEN DRIVING WITH THE NEED OF HEADLIGHTS, THEY WILL FLASH/FLICKER OFF AND BACK ON AGAIN WHEN USING MY TURN SIGNAL PRIMARILY. I THOUGHT IT WAS A ONE OFF WHEN IT HAPPENED ONCE, BUT IT HAS NOW HAPPENED MORE THAN ONCE AND I HAVE FOUND OTHERS ONLINE THAT HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THANKFULLY IT HASN'T BEEN ON A BUSY HIGHWAY, BUT IT IS ON BACK ROADS THAT DON'T HAVE MUCH LIGHTING.
4 times within 16 months, my passenger side headlamps low and high beam burned out with a melted headlamp connector plug. My 2015 Kia Soul was purchased in June 2016 and now has less than 38,000 miles. I have seen that there was previously (2016) a safety Recall SC149 Halogen Headlamp Low Beam Connector for 2015 Kia Soul but Danbury Connecticut Kia dealership denies this. I am concerned about a fire as well as cost of repairing this dangerous defect. [XXX]. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
MY HEADLIGHTS HAVE BEGUN TO FLICKER ON AND OFF WHILE I AM DRIVING. SOMETIMES THEY DO NOT TURN ON AT ALL. THIS RESULTS IN ME DRIVING FOR ANYWHERE BETWEEN 1 SECOND AND 15 SECONDS AT NIGHT WITHOUT LIGHTING. THE LIGHTS ARE DISTURBED WHEN I TRY TO USE MY BRIGHTS OR TURN SIGNAL. THE DOCUMENTATION IS TAKEN WHILE PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY BECAUSE I FEEL UNSAFE DRIVING AT NIGHT NOW WITH UNRELIABLE HEADLIGHTS. FROM AN INTERNET SEARCH I CAN SEE THAT MANY OTHER KIA OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE.
PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT WORKS INTERMITTENTLY, IF YOU TWIST WIRES A CERTAIN WAY, THE HEADLIGHT TURNS ON. SUSPECT THE CONNECTOR OVERHEATED AND MELTED PREVENTING IT FROM MAKING A SOLID CONNECTION TO BULB.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD FLICKER ON AND OFF, WHILE DRIVING OR STOPPED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET. THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THERE ARE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,500.
HEADLIGHTS STARTED FLASHING ON AND OFF IN A 3 FLASH AMBER LIGHT SEQUENCE. DASH LIGHTS WERE ON. KEYLESS ENTRY WOULD NOT WORK. MANUAL KEY ENTRY REQUIRED. CAR WOULD NOT START AND LIGHT MALFUNCTION CONTINUED UNTIL ALL SYSTEMS ARE DEAD. PLANNING TO TAKE TO MECHANIC TODAY IF JUMPING BATTERY WILL START CAR. CAR WAS IN MY DRIVEWAY WHEN NEIGHBOR BROUGHT MY ATTENTION TO THE LIGHTS.
THE HEADLIGHTS FLICKER OFF OR TURN OFF WHILE STOPPED OR DRIVING. WIGGLING THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH WILL USUALLY BRING THE LIGHTS BACK ON TEMPORARILY. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE CONTACTS IN THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH. KIA HAS ISSUED A WARRANTY EXTENSION FOR THIS ISSUE FOR MY2014 AND PRIOR, BUT HAS NOT ISSUED A WARRANTY EXTENSION FOR MY2015 EVEN THOUGH THIS IS THE SAME ISSUE.
DRIVING AT NIGHT WHEN SUDDENLY MY KIA SOULS HEADLAMPS IN LOW BEAMS STARTED FLICKERING ON AND OFF IN FRONT OF A POLICE CAR NO LESS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 KIA SOUL. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT WAS NOT ILLUMINATING. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ALL STAR KIA EAST (LOCATED AT 27700 JUBAN RD, BLDG. 2, DENHAM SPRINGS, LA 70726, (225) 490-7679) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HOUSING UNIT OF THE HEADLIGHT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000. *LN CONSUMER STATED THE ATTACHED PICTURE IS THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT HOUSING UNIT. THIS IS A ORIGINAL MANUFACTURER 'S PART. THE PICTURE SHOWS WHERE IT HA MELTED, NEVER HAD ANY PART OF THE HEADLIGHT BEEN CHANGED ALL PARTS ARE ORIGINAL MANUFACTURER PARTS.*JB
MY HEADLIGHTS HAVE STARTING TO FLICKER OFF WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT (ON HIGHWAY, STREET, TURNING, ETC). I AM ABLE TO GET THEM BACK ON BY TURNING THE SWITCH BACK AND FORTH SEVERAL TIMES. THE CAR DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE HEADLIGHT BULBS, BUT PROBLEM STILL REMAINS. THOUGH THERE IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THE KIA SOUL HEADLIGHTS (AND KIA HAS EXTENDED THE WARRANTY TO INCLUDE THE HEADLIGHTS FOR SOME AND HAS A SERVICE BULLETIN OUT FOR IT), KIA REFUSES TO COVER MY PARTICULAR VEHICLE, THOUGH 2015 IS ONE OF THE YEARS COVERED (I CAN ONLY ASSUME THERE IS SOMETHING DIFFERENT).
WHILE DRIVING, HEADLIGHTS WILL INTERMITTENTLY GO OUT.
WHEN DIVING AT NIGHT ON THE STREETS OR ON THE FREEWAY I HAVE EXPERIENCED MY HEADLIGHTS AND INTERIOR LIGHT FLICKERING AND THEN THE TURNING OFF COMPLETELY MOMENTARILY. THIS HAS HAPPENED ON A VERY RURAL WINDING ROAD WHERE I FEARED FOR MY LIFE BECAUSE I COULD SEE NOTHING FOR A FEW SECOND WHEN THE LIGHTS CAME BACK ON. I AM NOW AFRAID TO DRIVE MY CAR AT NIGHT. THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL OF THE TIME BUT IT DID HAPPEN LAST NIGHT WHEN GOING OVER A RAILROAD CROSSING, WHICH IS WHY I DECIDED TO FILE A COMPLAINT.
THE HEADLIGHTS FLICKERED ON AND OFF REPEATEDLY AND THEN REMAINED OFF. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES, INITIALLY WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING AND THEN PARKED. THIS OCCURRED IN AN APARTMENT PARKING LOT.
THE HOUSING UNIT FOR THE LEFT HEADLIGHT MELTED CAUSING THE HEADLIGHT NOT TO FUNCTION. THE LIGHT IS NOT BURNT OUT. THE LIGHT IN THE HOUSING IS THE ORIGINAL FACTORY LIGHT. THE KIA DEALERSHIP WILL NOT RECOGNIZE THIS AS EQUIPMENT MALFUNCTION. TH DEALERSHIP STATED THERE HAS ONLY BEEN A RECALL ON THE SORENTO MODEL FOR THAT PROBLEM.
WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT TIME THE LIGHTS HAVE BEEN SHUTTING OFF FROM 5 ALL THE WAY UP TO 30 SECONDS AND THEN COMING BACK ON. WHILE DRIVING DOWN ANY GIVEN ROAD
HEADLIGHTS MYSTERIOUSLY BEGIN FLICKERING AFTER USING TURN SIGNAL OR FLICKER WITHOUT USING THE TURN SIGNAL. LIGHTS HAVE TURNED COMPLETELY OFF WITHOUT WARNING AT NIGHT CREATING AN EXTREMELY UNSAFE CONDITION.
THE DRIVERS SIDE HEADLIGHT HAS BLOWN 3 BULBS WHEN CHANGING TO LAST BULB IT APPEARS THE CONNECTOR HAS OVER HEATED AND MELTED THERE IS A RECALL ON THE CONNECTOR BUT WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS NOT RECALLED FOR MY VEHICLE PER THE VIN NUMBER
RIGHT SIDE HEAD LIGHT WILL NOT ALWAYS GO ON ( I DO NOT KNOW WHEN IT IS GOING TO WORK) , I HAVE HAD IT CHECKED BY MECHANIC ALSO/ THERE IS NO SPECIFIC TIME OF WHEN MY LIGHT WILL WORK OR NOT . THIS IS NOT NORMAL.
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Quick Summary
The 2015 Kia Soul has 24 Exterior Lighting complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.