Is the 2018 Kia Soul a bad year?
215 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine complaints: 141, 1.9× a quiet Soul year.
Consider selling
Half of all engine complaints about the 2018 Kia Soul were filed between 63k and 99k miles. You're at 73,000 miles.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2018 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 73,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| EngineSTANDS OUT | 141 (66%) | 63k–99k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 30 (14%) | 18k–81k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Air bags | 11 (5%) | 18k–52k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Electrical system | 20 (9%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Fuel system | 11 (5%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Speed control | 8 (4%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Brakes | 7 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Body structure | 5 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Steering | 5 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
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 73,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 215 complaints: 15 mention a crash · 14 mention a fire · 11 report an injury · 26 say the car was towed.
31 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
I was driving my Kia 2018 soul to my job going around 55 an hour and I heard a loud clink in the engine, the vehicle just got fixed from hitting a deer and pasted inspection.
While driving the vehicle to work, vehicle came to a complete stop and would not turn on. At first thought it was the battery but the tow truck charged the battery and when started the rods were knocking.
2018 Kia soul #3 piston and connecting rod shattered within 1.5 blocks of initial knocking detection when trying to pull into a parking lot off of the street..
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 73,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2018 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: 56
Repair instructions Kia sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2018 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)
DTC P0011/ P0014/ P0016/ P0017 DUE TO INCORRECT CAMSHAFT RELUCTOR WHEEL CONFIGURATION - This Pitstop provides information on some 2010-2013MY Soul (AM)…
Neighbouring years
2017 Soul: 273 complaints, consider selling · 2019 Soul: 140 complaints, keep it, but watch the engine.
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 2018 Kia Soul a bad year?
215 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine complaints: 141, 1.9× a quiet Soul year. At 73,000 miles the tool says: Consider selling. Half of all engine complaints about the 2018 Kia Soul were filed between 63k and 99k miles. You're at 73,000 miles.
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Kia Soul?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: engine (141), transmission and drivetrain (30), air bags (11), electrical system (20), fuel system (11). Half of the engine complaints were filed between 63k–99k miles.
How many recalls does the 2018 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.