YearToAvoid

2019 Kia Soul Airbags Problems

NHTSA lists 15 airbag complaints for the 2019 Kia Soul, 11% of its 136 total complaints that year. Nine of these involved crashes, one a fire, and 12 injuries were reported. A related recall (22V031000) covers a possible Air Bag Control Unit defect.

Airbags complaints
15
11% of 136
Crashes reported
9
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
12
Median mileage
100,000 mi
Related recalls
1

Typical airbag symptoms owners report

  • Owners report airbags failing to deploy during moderate-to-severe front, side, or rear-impact collisions.
  • Some drivers describe airbag warning lights turning on and off inconsistently before a crash occurred.
  • One owner reported a diagnosed internal fault in the Airbag Control Module (DTC B162000) requiring replacement of the SRSCM, tied to recall 22V031000.
  • Several complaints describe vehicles being totaled in crashes where no airbags deployed despite significant frontal or side impact.
  • One owner reported injuries including head, neck, and back injuries after airbags failed to deploy in a side-impact collision.

When 2019 Kia Soul airbag complaints were filed

First complaint Jun 28, 2019, latest Aug 24, 2026.

2019 Kia Soul airbags complaints: complaints filed per month2Jun 2019Jan 2022Aug 2023Feb 2024Feb 2025Nov 2025Aug 2026
15 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jun 2019 to Aug 2026; peak Dec 2020 (2).

Airbags recalls for the 2019 Kia Soul

  1. NHTSA 22V031000Jan 25, 2022Airbags410,619 vehicles

    Air bags

    Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Sedona, Soul, Soul EV, 2017-2018 Forte, and 2017 Forte Koup vehicles. The Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) cover may contact a memory chip on the printed circuit board and damage the electrical circuit. Circuit damage may result in deactivated air bags that will not deploy in a crash.

    Risk: Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect the ACU, and either update the software or replace the unit, as necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 21, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC226.

Airbags complaints by Soul model year

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

  1. 201020 (16%)
  2. 201126 (13%)
  3. 201217 (3%)
  4. 201318 (3%)
  5. 201426 (3%)
  6. 201520 (2%)
  7. 201617 (2%)
  8. 201716 (6%)
  9. 201811 (5%)
  10. 201915 (11%)
  11. 20203 (1%)
  12. 20214 (2%)
  13. 20223 (3%)
  14. 20235 (10%)
  15. 20240 (0%)
  16. 20251 (8%)

Frequently asked questions

How many airbag complaints does NHTSA have for the 2019 Kia Soul?
NHTSA lists 15 airbag complaints for the 2019 Kia Soul, which is 11% of the 136 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for airbag issues on the 2019 Kia Soul?
Yes. Recall 22V031000, reported January 25, 2022, covers certain 2017-2019 Kia Soul, Soul EV, Sedona, and Forte vehicles where the Air Bag Control Unit cover may contact a memory chip on the circuit board. Dealers inspect the ACU and update software or replace the unit as needed.
Did the airbag problems on the 2019 Kia Soul cause crashes or injuries?
Of the 15 airbag complaints, 9 involved crashes, 1 involved a fire, and owners reported 12 injuries total.
At what mileage do airbag problems typically appear on the 2019 Kia Soul?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for airbag complaints on the 2019 Kia Soul is 100,000 miles.
How does the 2019 Kia Soul's airbag complaint rate compare to other years?
The 2019 model year's 11% share of complaints tied to airbags is higher than most other Soul model years, though 2010 (16%) and 2011 (13%) were higher in raw share.

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.