2023 KIA SOUL Complaints and Recall Information
The 2023 KIA SOUL has 7 complaints and 13 recalls filed with NHTSA. Owners most frequently report issues involving safety warnings related to the front and rear cameras, intermittent ABS signals, unexpected vehicle shutdowns, and severe engine problems such as piston failure and oil contamination in the coolant. Several complaints describe dashboard warnings that lead the car to enter limp mode, sometimes without resolution from dealers.
Common Issues- Engine failure. A complaint reports pistons shooting out with oil found in the coolant, indicating serious engine damage.
- Safety warning alerts. Multiple owners report recurring safety warnings for the front and back cameras, followed by ABS warning lights and alerts indicating skid control issues.
- Limp mode activation. Dashboard warning lights trigger the vehicle to go into limp mode. Restarting the car temporarily resolves the problem but it recurs.
- Unexpected shutdowns. The vehicle shuts off abruptly without any dashboard warnings while driving, creating dangerous situations in traffic.
- Battery failure. One owner reported an undiagnosed failing battery that caused multiple shutdowns, only identified after extensive dealer visits.
- Radio malfunction. Uvo system stopped working as noted in a complaint and related recall.
There are 13 recalls affecting various systems in the 2023 KIA SOUL, including the engine, air bags, instrument cluster, and transmission components. These recalls address risks such as engine damage, unexpected air bag deployment, blank instrument displays, and electric oil pump overheating, with some requiring owners to take precautionary measures like parking outside.
Recalls- Engine piston rings. Recall 25V099000 affects 137,256 vehicles from the 2021-2023 model years. Improperly manufactured piston oil rings may cause engine damage, stalling, or fire risk. Dealers inspect and replace engines as needed and install updated piston-ring noise sensing software at no cost. Owner notification began April 4, 2025.
- Side curtain air bags. Recall 23V830000 affects 2,967 vehicles. Side curtain air bags may deploy unexpectedly due to a manufacturing error, increasing injury risk. Dealers will inspect and replace defective modules for free. Owner letters were sent starting January 31, 2024.
- Instrument cluster display. Recall 23V298000 covers 108,936 vehicles with digital instrument clusters that may fail to show information on startup. This defect affects critical warnings like tire pressure and safety alerts, raising crash risk. Dealers will update software free of charge. Notifications began May 26, 2023.
- Electric oil pump controller. Recall 23V531000 affects 39,765 vehicles. A damaged electric controller in the Idle Stop & Go oil pump may overheat, increasing fire risk. Owners are advised to park away from structures until repair. Dealers will inspect and replace the controller at no cost. Notification letters were expected by September 28, 2023.
Owners dealing with repeated repairs, unresolved safety warnings, or outstanding recall repairs may have rights under their state’s lemon law and should consider seeking legal guidance for those issues.
2023 KIA SOUL Summary
2023
Model Year
7
Total Complaints
4
Total Recalls
288924
Vehicles Affected
Recalls
2023 KIA SOUL
137256 vehicles affected
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:HARD PARTS INTERNAL/MECHANICAL
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Seltos and Soul vehicles. The piston oil rings may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in engine damage.
Risk: Engine damage can cause a vehicle stall or fire, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
2023 KIA SOUL
108936 vehicles affected
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage Plug-in Hybrid, Niro Hybrid, Niro Plug-in Hybrid, Soul, and Telluride vehicles equipped with a digital instrument cluster containing a 4.2" LCD screen.  The instrument cluster may fail to display any information when the vehicle is started.  As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 101, "Control and Displays," and 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."
Risk: A blank instrument cluster display will not show critical information, such as tire pressure, warning messages, and warning lights, increasing the risk of a crash.
2023 KIA SOUL
2967 vehicles affected
AIR BAGS
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Soul and 2024 Seltos vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the side curtain air bags may deploy unexpectedly.
Risk: An air bag that deploys unexpectedly can increase the risk of injury or crash.
2023 KIA SOUL
39765 vehicles affected
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:FLUID/LUBRICANT:PUMP
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Soul, Sportage, and 2023-2024 Seltos vehicles. The electronic controller for the Idle Stop & Go oil pump assembly may contain damaged electrical components that can cause the pump to overheat.
Risk: An electric oil pump assembly that overheats increases the risk of a vehicle fire.
Complaints
2023 KIA SOUL
ID: 2128402ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I am reporting a recurring safety issue with my Kia vehicle that began around Labor Day 2025. The vehicle has abruptly shut down multiple times while I was driving on public roads in Hillsborough County, Florida. These shutdowns occurred without any dashboard warning lights, including while stopped at red lights and while in motion, creating dangerous traffic situations. Despite having a scheduled service appointment on September 5, 2025, I took the vehicle to the dealership a day earlier—on September 4—due to the increasing frequency and severity of the issue. Upon reviewing my service history (dating back to 2022), I found no documentation that the battery had ever been tested, despite regular multi-point inspections performed at the dealership. A battery test performed during the September 4, 2025, visit revealed that the battery was failing. I was required to replace it at a cost of nearly $400. The service team confirmed that the battery was draining and likely the cause of the vehicle shutting down. This issue could have resulted in a serious accident. I believe the failure to identify the battery problem earlier represents a potential safety oversight.
2023 KIA SOUL
ID: 2117613FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
First I get a safety issue warning with the front camera then I get a safety issue warning with a back camera well those warnings go off and I'm left with an ABS signal on my dashboard orange triangle with a exclamation point in it skid something with the car it shows it's weaving and I'm not sure what the fourth one was. But this has been going on going issue with this dashboard because when it starts flashing everything the car goes into limp mode. Usually if I shut the car off wouldn't turn it back on about 10 minutes later I don't get any flashing lights and the car is no longer limp mode. The problem has ever been found or corrected. the car is not sitting in my driveway waiting for a tow truck to take it to Kia soul over there in perryville Rockford Illinois but they don't provide tow service for the vehicles either. Even when it's a safety issue. I would never buy from this company again it's been one thing after another. This is only a 2 year old car has been driven 2500 miles.
2023 KIA SOUL
ID: 2117612BACK OVER PREVENTION: REARVIEW SYSTEM BRAKING
First I get a safety issue warning with the front camera then I get a safety issue warning with a back camera well those warnings go off and I'm left with an ABS signal on my dashboard orange triangle with a exclamation point in it skid something with the car it shows it's weaving and I'm not sure what the fourth one was. But this has been going on going issue with this dashboard because when it starts flashing everything the car goes into limp mode. Usually if I shut the car off wouldn't turn it back on about 10 minutes later I don't get any flashing lights and the car is no longer limp mode. The problem has ever been found or corrected. the car is not sitting in my driveway waiting for a tow truck to take it to Kia soul over there in perryville Rockford Illinois but they don't provide tow service for the vehicles either. Even when it's a safety issue. I would never buy from this company again it's been one thing after another. This is only a 2 year old car has been driven 2500 miles.
2023 KIA SOUL
ID: 2117611UNKNOWN OR OTHER
First I get a safety issue warning with the front camera then I get a safety issue warning with a back camera well those warnings go off and I'm left with an ABS signal on my dashboard orange triangle with a exclamation point in it skid something with the car it shows it's weaving and I'm not sure what the fourth one was. But this has been going on going issue with this dashboard because when it starts flashing everything the car goes into limp mode. Usually if I shut the car off wouldn't turn it back on about 10 minutes later I don't get any flashing lights and the car is no longer limp mode. The problem has ever been found or corrected. the car is not sitting in my driveway waiting for a tow truck to take it to Kia soul over there in perryville Rockford Illinois but they don't provide tow service for the vehicles either. Even when it's a safety issue. I would never buy from this company again it's been one thing after another. This is only a 2 year old car has been driven 2500 miles.
2023 KIA SOUL
ID: 2106478ENGINE
Was driving and the pistons shot out of the engine. Oil in the coolant as well.
2023 KIA SOUL
ID: 2066536UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Radio recall 2025 Uvo work stop
2023 KIA SOUL
ID: 2053758UNKNOWN OR OTHER
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