YearToAvoid

2011 Kia Soul Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

47/100

#9 most-complained of 16 Soul years

The 2011 Kia Soul has a Complaint Index of 47 and ranks 9th out of 16 model years, earning a "Good" verdict relative to other Souls. Brakes (27% of complaints) and Electrical System (22%) are the top problem areas, with 3 recalls on file.

Complaints
194
Recalls
3
Crashes / fires
27 / 5
Injuries / deaths
29 / 1
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
26.5
24.5 city / 30 hwy

Top 2011 Kia Soul problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Brakes53 (27%)
  2. Electrical System42 (22%)
  3. Engine36 (19%)
  4. Airbags26 (13%)
  5. Other22 (11%)
  6. Suspension, Wheels & Tires17 (9%)
  7. Visibility & Wipers17 (9%)
  8. Structure & Body14 (7%)
  9. Transmission & Powertrain13 (7%)
  10. Fuel System9 (5%)

What owners report

  • Owners report brakes failing suddenly, with the pedal going to the floor and little to no stopping power at low speed.
  • Some owners describe electrical wiring problems that led to fires, in one case shortly after a low-speed crash and in another after normal startup.
  • Airbags reportedly failed to deploy in multiple rear-end and side-impact crashes, even in collisions owners describe as forceful enough to warrant deployment.
  • A front passenger tire reportedly blew out during a turn, causing the steering wheel to pull sharply and the vehicle to strike a curb.
  • Owners describe a side-door impact from another vehicle that caved in the exterior and interior door skin without triggering the side airbags.
2011 Kia Soul complaints: complaints filed per quarter212011 Q12012 Q42014 Q32016 Q22018 Q22020 Q12023 Q12025 Q2
261 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2011 Q1 to 2026 Q3; peak 2024 Q2 (21).

2011 Kia Soul recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 23V652000Sep 25, 2023Brakes1,730,192 vehiclesPark Outside

    Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:control unit/module

    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.

    Risk: 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.

  2. NHTSA 14V822000Dec 29, 2014Structure & Body95,314 vehicles

    Structure:body:roof and pillars

    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.

    Risk: 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.

  3. NHTSA 13V114000Apr 1, 2013Electrical System980,377 vehicles

    Exterior lighting:brake lights:switch

    Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Rondo, model year 2007-2011 Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, model year 2010-2011 Soul, model year 2008-2011 Optima, model year 2010 Forte, model year 2007-2009 Amanti, and model year 2009 Borrego vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Kia recalled 623,658 model year 2007-2010 Rondo and Sportage, model year 2007-2011 Sorento, model year 2007 Sedona, model year 2010-2011 Soul, and model year 2011 Optima vehicles. In September 2013, Kia informed the agency that it was adding an additional 356,719 vehicles to this campaign. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 980,377. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake-transmission shift interlock feature preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.

    Risk: Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of PARK without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Kia will send an interim notification to owners in May 2013. When parts are available, owners will receive a second notification and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's recall campaign number is SC098.

2011 Kia Soul fuel economy and fuel cost

City
24.5 MPG
Highway
30 MPG
Combined
26.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,450
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2011 compared with other Soul years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2010Best20126327
2011Good47194326.5
2012Caution73514326.5
2013Avoid80662326.5

All Kia Soul years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2011 Kia Soul reliable?
NHTSA data gives the 2011 Soul a Complaint Index of 47, ranking 9th out of 16 model years, with a "Good" verdict relative to other Souls. Brakes and electrical system issues make up nearly half of its 194 complaints.
What are the most common problems with the 2011 Kia Soul?
Brakes account for 27% of complaints (53 cases, median mileage 82,000), followed by electrical system issues at 22% (42 cases, median mileage 83,000) and engine problems at 19% (36 cases, median mileage 94,000).
Does the 2011 Kia Soul have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2011 Soul, covering brakes, structure/body (headliner plate detachment near the sunroof), and the electrical system.
How does the 2011 Soul compare to other model years?
The 2011 Soul's Complaint Index of 47 is lower than 2012 through 2016, which range from 73 to 100 and carry Caution or Avoid verdicts, making 2011 one of the better years in the lineup.
Were there any fires reported in the 2011 Kia Soul?
NHTSA lists 5 fire-related complaints for the 2011 Soul, including cases tied to the electrical system and engine.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.