YearToAvoid

2013 Kia Soul Fuel System Problems

NHTSA lists 30 fuel system complaints for the 2013 Kia Soul, 5% of the 662 total complaints that year, with a median failure mileage of 102,000 miles. No recall is tied to this fuel system issue.

Fuel System complaints
30
5% of 662
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
3
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
102,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical fuel system symptoms owners report

  • Owners describe the car acting like it is starved for fuel when slowing to turn, requiring the gas pedal to be pumped to keep it running.
  • Some report the vehicle stalling completely and refusing to move or start again, sometimes in the middle of an intersection or traffic.
  • When restarting after a stall, some owners noticed white smoke and a strong gasoline odor coming from the engine.
  • Separate from stalling, some owners report the engine consuming oil at a fast rate with no leaks found, even after replacing parts like the PCV valve or pistons.

When 2013 Kia Soul fuel system complaints were filed

First complaint May 5, 2016, latest Jun 22, 2026.

2013 Kia Soul fuel system complaints: complaints filed per month2May 2016Nov 2019Oct 2020Jan 2022Jul 2022Jul 2023Nov 2024Jun 2026
30 complaints filed with NHTSA from May 2016 to Jun 2026; peak Aug 2020 (2).

Fuel System recalls for the 2013 Kia Soul

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Fuel System complaints by Soul model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 20105 (4%)
  2. 20119 (5%)
  3. 201223 (4%)
  4. 201330 (5%)
  5. 201457 (6%)
  6. 201578 (9%)
  7. 201683 (10%)
  8. 201719 (7%)
  9. 201811 (5%)
  10. 201915 (11%)
  11. 202016 (4%)
  12. 202111 (5%)
  13. 20227 (8%)
  14. 20232 (4%)
  15. 20240 (0%)
  16. 20250 (0%)

Frequently asked questions

How many fuel system complaints does the 2013 Kia Soul have?
NHTSA lists 30 fuel system complaints for the 2013 Kia Soul, which is 5% of the 662 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2013 Kia Soul fuel system?
No related recalls are listed in NHTSA data for this fuel system complaint category on the 2013 Kia Soul.
At what mileage do fuel system problems typically show up?
The median mileage at failure for fuel system complaints on the 2013 Kia Soul is 102,000 miles.
What do owners say happens with the fuel system?
Owners describe stalling, hesitation when slowing down, and in some cases white smoke or a gasoline smell after the car stalls and is restarted.
Were there any fires linked to these complaints?
NHTSA data shows 3 fire incidents among the 2013 Kia Soul complaints overall, though the sampled fuel system complaints in this dataset describe stalling rather than fire.

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.