Owners have filed 23 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the electrical, transmission, and exterior lights. The 7 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.
2024Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.
0/7 checked
2024 Kia Soul: inspection sheet
Before you go, or before you touch the car0/1
Engine off, key in hand0/3
Ask the seller not to warm the car up first0/2
At least 20 minutes, with some highway0/1
These checks are specific to this model year. For tires, body panels, fluids, and the other basics every used car needs, use the general inspection guide.
These years share the 2024's design and most of its parts, so their problems are the ones to look for on this car too.
Worth adding to your 2024 checks
Worth adding to your 2024 checks
Worth adding to your 2024 checks
EPA figures for each version of the 2024 Kia Soul. Use them to confirm you are looking at the version that was advertised, and as a yardstick on the test drive.
| Version | Drive | EPA rating |
|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl | FWD | 31 mpg |
NHTSA complaints for the 2024 Kia Soul, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.
The instrument cluster goes completely dark, leaving no speedometer, fuel gauge, odometer, or safety alerts. One report pairs the blackout with a constant "wrong driving direction detected" message. It shows up early, in one case at 1400 miles, and some owners drive for days without gauges before a dealer visit. Fixes range from a reset and software update to a months-long wait for a replacement part. A second pattern is a dead horn, sometimes along with a missing lock confirmation from the key fob. One complaint says a diagnosis visit was required before parts could be ordered.
A fire starts in the engine compartment and destroys the car. One complaint in this group involves fire, at about 2691 miles, and the driver had to kick the doors open to get out. A second report describes a cascade of electrical faults. The gauges freeze, the fuel gauge stops moving after a fill-up, warning lights come on, the trunk won't open, and the dash stays lit after the key is removed. Only two complaints are on file here, but one carries a serious risk of injury.
Low-beam headlights look dim and yellow, and owners say they don't light the road well where there are no streetlights. Switching between automatic and manual headlight control makes no difference. High beams are less affected. One owner says a dealer told them there is no fix. These complaints describe weak lighting by design rather than a part that fails. Visibility at night on dark roads is the safety concern.
No warning sounds when an object is behind the car while reversing. The backup camera works, but owners expected an audible alert and didn't get one. In one case a dealer explained that the vehicle was not equipped with sensors for this. These complaints describe missing equipment rather than a broken part, so drivers have to rely on the camera alone and watch the screen closely when backing up.
Sudden stalls are the core problem. The car shuts off while idling at a light, or loses power while moving and refuses to go faster than 20 mph. Restarting can take several tries, and the stall can come back right away. A check engine light appeared in one case. In another, the car stalled in traffic while dealer staff were driving it. One owner put the failure at about 7,000 miles. Losing power in traffic raises the risk of a crash.
Excerpts from complaints Soul owners filed with NHTSA, as written. Listen for the same symptoms on your test drive.
Went out to my car one morning and my entire instrument cluster was black. I could not see my speedometer, gas gauge, mileage, nothing. Had to drive it for 2 days while using waze to keep track of my speed until I could get my car into the dealership. I have been waiting for 3 months now for the part
Filed with NHTSA, November 2024
The entire instrument cluster above the steering wheel is blacked out, and the car is constantly saying “wrong driving direction detected.” I cannot see my speed, fuel gauge, odometer or whether there are safety alerts.
Filed with NHTSA, July 2024
purchased 6-22-24 fire happened 8-14-24 at approximately 11pm, with approximately 2691 miles, fire started in engine compartment, car burned to ground, nothing left, approximately 2691 miles on vehicle. i was lucky to get out alive, i had to kick the doors open.
Filed with NHTSA, April 2025
Headlights are not bright enough. In areas with no street lights it’s like driving with candles. The light is yellow and dim. This is a new car
Filed with NHTSA, December 2024
The vehicle was looked at and was told it didn’t have sensors for the problem, I can’t believe the vehicle didn’t have sensors for that problem when the rest of the vehicle has sensors for everything else. The vehicle should be recalled to have the sensors put on for safety concerns. I have a camera but no warning sound when object is detected.
Filed with NHTSA, April 2025
Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.
The 2024 ranks seventh for owner complaints among 8 Soul years, well under the average of the others. Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so compare like with like.
Redesigns and mid-cycle updates change what can go wrong.
The 2024 is the fifth model year of the Soul's third generation (2020 on).
It includes the 2023 update.
What changed for 2023
Cars shoppers compare with the Kia Soul, with their own 2024 checklists.
2024 owner complaints, side by side
