Is the 2017 Kia Soul a bad year?
273 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine complaints: 198, 2.6× a quiet Soul year.
Consider selling
Half of all engine complaints about the 2017 Kia Soul were filed between 70k and 102k miles. You're at 83,000 miles.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2017 Soul owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 83,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| EngineSTANDS OUT | 198 (73%) | 70k–102k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Fuel system | 19 (7%) | 40k–85k miles · around this mileage | Fuel pump replacement $220–$1,500 · Fuel injector replacement (one injector) $300–$1,200 |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 19 (7%) | 34k–84k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Electrical system | 19 (7%) | 32k–78k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Air bags | 16 (6%) | 22k–46k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Brakes | 14 (5%) | 19k–67k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Steering | 10 (4%) | 15k–82k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Speed control | 8 (3%) | 32k–79k miles · mostly behind | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 83,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 273 complaints: 17 mention a crash · 14 mention a fire · 13 report an injury · 40 say the car was towed.
24 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Nov 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
Oil light came on, checked oil and it was low. Added oil. The next day the car loss complete power and stalled on the side of the road.
I was waiting in the drive-thru of fast food restaurant, when my oil light started to flicker then came on solid.
Something is knocking or ticking in the motor feels like under my feet of drivers floor board. Have kept regular oil changes nd it started off by spitting and sputtering when I would come to a stop to now ticking.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 83,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2017 Kia Soul: 1
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. Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Kia: 64
Repair instructions Kia sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2017 Kia Soul. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Product improvement campaign: subsequent repair
Low oil pressure at idle after gamma 1.6L GDI short block engine replacement
Product improvement campaign: nu 2.0L GDI - knock sensor detection system (Ksds) ECU logic improvement (PI2107)
SC251_stkr: voluntary emissions service campaign completion sticker
Neighbouring years
2016 Soul: 824 complaints, consider selling · 2018 Soul: 215 complaints, consider selling.
Every Kia Soul year
2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · All Soul years side by side
Other Kia models: Kia Amanti · Kia Cadenza · Kia Carnival · Kia EV6 · Kia EV9 · Kia Forte · Kia K5 · Kia Niro · Kia Optima · Kia Optima Hybrid · Kia Rio · Kia Rondo · Kia Sedona · Kia Seltos · Kia Sephia · Kia Sorento · Kia Spectra · Kia Sportage · Kia Stinger · Kia Telluride. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2017 Kia Soul a bad year?
273 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine complaints: 198, 2.6× a quiet Soul year. At 83,000 miles the tool says: Consider selling. Half of all engine complaints about the 2017 Kia Soul were filed between 70k and 102k miles. You're at 83,000 miles.
What are the most common problems with the 2017 Kia Soul?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: engine (198), fuel system (19), transmission and drivetrain (19), electrical system (19), air bags (16). Half of the engine complaints were filed between 70k–102k miles.
How many recalls does the 2017 Kia Soul have?
1 recall campaign list this model year: Air bags (NHTSA 22V-031). A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.