YearToAvoid

2018 Kia Soul Electrical System Problems

NHTSA lists 22 Electrical System complaints for the 2018 Kia Soul, 10% of its 218 total complaints for the year. Median mileage at failure was 55,000. Three complaints in this data mention fire, though no recall is currently tied to this component.

Electrical System complaints
22
10% of 218
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
3
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
55,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical electrical symptoms owners report

  • Owners report the vehicle failing to start or cranking like a dead battery even after the battery, starter, and alternator test fine.
  • Some drivers describe a burning smell, especially with the A/C on, along with a loss of power while driving on the highway.
  • Several owners report brake lights or headlights and wipers failing intermittently, sometimes tied to wet or rainy conditions.
  • Owners describe the ignition key sticking in the rain, the remote not working, and occasionally smelling gas while driving.
  • A cluster of complaints describes adaptive cruise control and emergency brake warning messages appearing without warning while driving in rain.
  • Some reports describe smoke or fire coming from the engine compartment while driving at highway speed.

When 2018 Kia Soul electrical complaints were filed

First complaint Oct 31, 2018, latest Jul 25, 2026.

2018 Kia Soul electrical system complaints: complaints filed per month1Oct 2018Oct 2019Oct 2020Dec 2023Sep 2024May 2025Feb 2026Jul 2026
22 complaints filed with NHTSA from Oct 2018 to Jul 2026; peak Oct 2018 (1).

Electrical System recalls for the 2018 Kia Soul

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Electrical System complaints by Soul model year

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

  1. 201028 (21%)
  2. 201142 (22%)
  3. 201247 (9%)
  4. 201378 (12%)
  5. 2014187 (21%)
  6. 201599 (11%)
  7. 201669 (8%)
  8. 201719 (7%)
  9. 201822 (10%)
  10. 201917 (13%)
  11. 202033 (9%)
  12. 202118 (8%)
  13. 202210 (11%)
  14. 202316 (31%)
  15. 202411 (38%)
  16. 20254 (33%)

Frequently asked questions

How common are electrical problems in the 2018 Kia Soul?
NHTSA shows 22 Electrical System complaints for the 2018 Kia Soul, making up 10% of the 218 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2018 Kia Soul electrical system?
No related recall is listed in the NHTSA data provided for this component on the 2018 Kia Soul.
At what mileage do electrical problems tend to show up?
The median mileage at failure among reported cases is 55,000 miles.
Have there been fires linked to electrical complaints on the 2018 Soul?
The data lists 3 fire incidents and 1 crash among all complaints for the 2018 Kia Soul, though not every fire report is filed under the Electrical System category.

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.