Kia Soul Transmission Problems by Year
By CarWhere Research · Updated
Not unusually. 434 of the 5,530 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2010–2025 Kia Soul (7.8%) name the transmission, below the 12.6% median share across the 139 models we track. We have no published sales figures for this model, so there is no per-1,000 rate. The worst years are 2020, 2016 and 2015.
Transmission complaints
434
Filed with NHTSA, 2010–2025 models
Per 1,000 sold
No sales data
Not computed without a published sales figure
Share of all complaints
7.8%
of 5,530 complaints for this model
Transmission recalls
1
NHTSA campaigns, all years
Kia Soul transmission complaints by model year
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA whose component list includes Power Train (transmission, transfer case and driveline). Worst years are highlighted.
| Model year | Transmission complaints | Share of all complaints | Crash / fire / injury | Transmission recalls | Transmission TSBs* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 11 | 8.2% | 1 | — | 7 |
| 2011 | 13 | 6.7% | 1 | — | 6 |
| 2012 | 21 | 4.1% | 4 | — | 13 |
| 2013 | 14 | 2.1% | 2 | — | 0 |
| 2014 | 56 | 6.3% | 5 | — | 0 |
| 2015WORST | 63 | 6.9% | 9 | — | 0 |
| 2016WORST | 65 | 7.8% | 3 | — | 9 |
| 2017 | 20 | 7% | 0 | — | 9 |
| 2018 | 32 | 14.3% | 1 | — | 0 |
| 2019 | 8 | 5.6% | 1 | — | 0 |
| 2020WORST | 87 | 24.3% | 2 | — | 33 |
| 2021 | 26 | 11.8% | 1 | — | 26 |
| 2022 | 12 | 13.8% | 1 | — | 5 |
| 2023 | 4 | 8.3% | 1 | 23V531000 | 5 |
| 2024 | 2 | 7.4% | 1 | — | 4 |
| 2025 | 0 | 0% | 0 | — | 1 |
- Older model years have had more time on the road to collect complaints, so compare neighboring years, not 2010 against 2024.
- Crash / fire / injury = complaints where the owner reported a crash, a fire or an injury.
- *Technical service bulletins in the year's leading TSB categories that name the transmission.
Common Kia Soul transmission problems owners describe
We searched the narratives of all 434 transmission complaints for symptom keywords. One complaint can mention several, so the shares don't add up to 100%.
Kia Soul years to avoid for the transmission
2020 Kia Soul
87 transmission complaints (24.3% of the year's 358). Most often described: transmission repaired or replaced.
2016 Kia Soul
65 transmission complaints (7.8% of the year's 831). Most often described: loss of power or limp mode.
2015 Kia Soul
63 transmission complaints (6.9% of the year's 909). Most often described: loss of power or limp mode.
Worst years are those with at least 10 transmission complaints and at least 1.5 times the model's median year. For every year's overall verdict, including other systems, see the Kia Soul years to avoid.
Kia Soul transmission recalls
NHTSA recall campaigns filed under Power Train for any Kia Soul model year. Recall repairs are free at a dealer. Check a specific car by VIN on NHTSA's site.
- 23V531000 · 2023-07-31 · 2023 models
The electronic controller for the Idle Stop & Go oil pump assembly may contain damaged electrical components that can cause the pump to overheat.
Related research
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2020 Kia Soul have transmission problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 87 transmission complaints with NHTSA for the 2020 Kia Soul, 24.3% of all 358 complaints for that year. The most common description is "transmission repaired or replaced" (30 complaints). 2 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Does the 2016 Kia Soul have transmission problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 65 transmission complaints with NHTSA for the 2016 Kia Soul, 7.8% of all 831 complaints for that year. The most common description is "loss of power or limp mode" (18 complaints). 3 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Does the 2015 Kia Soul have transmission problems?
Yes, it is one of the worst years. Owners filed 63 transmission complaints with NHTSA for the 2015 Kia Soul, 6.9% of all 909 complaints for that year. The most common description is "loss of power or limp mode" (11 complaints). 9 of those complaints report a crash, fire or injury.
Which Kia Soul years have the most transmission complaints?
2020 (87), 2016 (65) and 2015 (63), by owner complaints filed with NHTSA that name the transmission. Raw counts favor older and higher-selling years, so treat them as a signal, not a rate.
What are the most common Kia Soul transmission problems?
In the 434 transmission complaints, owners most often describe loss of power or limp mode (18%), transmission repaired or replaced (10.4%) and jerking, lurching or harsh shifts (6.7%). One complaint can mention several symptoms.
Is this a transmission failure rate?
No. These are complaints owners chose to file with NHTSA. Many failures are never reported, and one complaint is not a confirmed defect. Without sales figures, a high count can simply mean a high-selling model.
How we count
Counts are unique owner complaints (by NHTSA ODI number) filed with NHTSA for each Kia Soul model year, from NHTSA's public complaints data fetched July 2026 to November 2026. A complaint counts as a transmission complaint when NHTSA's component list for it includes Power Train (transmission, transfer case and driveline).
Per 1,000 sold divides complaints by published U.S. calendar-year sales for that year. A year needs at least 5,000 sales to get a rate, and a model needs at least 3 such years for its overall rate. The comparison median covers every model with at least 50 transmission complaints that clears those floors.
These are complaint rates, not failure rates. Owners report some problems more than others, and a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
Sources
- NHTSA complaints by vehicle (owner complaints API) — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Report a vehicle safety problem — National Highway Traffic Safety Administration