Vehicle recall record

2012 KIA Soul

3 recall campaigns · 2014–2023 · 1 with a do-not-park-indoors warning

Campaigns
3
First notice
2014-12-29
Latest notice
2023-09-25
Same-make model-year average
3.9

Risk markers carried in the record

Safety-related source flags
    1 park-outside warning

These labels reflect flags carried in the collected record. Read each official notice for its full scope and current remedy information.

The markers above summarize fields available in this dataset. A missing marker is not a safety finding. Recall status and remedy eligibility can depend on vehicle identification number, equipment, production date, and whether a repair has already been completed.

Recall distribution by component

3 component categories

Counts and shares use the vehicle-level recall records shown below. The horizontal bar is scaled to the largest category on this page.
ComponentCampaignsShareRelative volume
ENGINE133.3%
STRUCTURE133.3%
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC133.3%

Component labels follow the source record's component field. Where the source includes a more detailed subcomponent after a colon, this distribution groups the record under the first component segment. Shares are calculated against 3 campaigns and rounded to one decimal place, so displayed percentages may not sum to exactly 100 percent.

Recall dates by calendar year

3 calendar years

These are recall notice dates, not vehicle model years.
Calendar yearCampaignsRelative volume
20141
20191
20231

The timeline groups campaign records by their reported recall date. This explains why the date range (2014–2023) can begin before or end after model year 2012. The underlying vehicle may be covered by notices issued in several different calendar years.

Recall campaign details

3 vehicle-level records

Campaign summaries, consequences, and remedies are preserved from the collected NHTSA source text.
CampaignDateComponentSummary and source detailsFlags
23V6520002023-09-25SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-201…

Read the complete source text

Summary
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.

Consequence
An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy
Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed November 14, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2024 through June 18, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC284.

Park outside
19V1200002019-02-23ENGINE

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Kia Soul vehicles equipped with 1.6L Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) engines. High exhaust gas temperatures may damage the catalytic converter, possibly…

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Summary
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2012-2016 Kia Soul vehicles equipped with 1.6L Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) engines. High exhaust gas temperatures may damage the catalytic converter, possibly resulting in abnormal engine combustion and damage to one or more of the engine's pistons and possible piston connecting rod failure.

Consequence
Piston damage may result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash. A broken connecting rod may puncture the engine block allowing engine oil to escape. The leaking oil may contact the exhaust, increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will upgrade the Catalytic Overheating Protection Engine Control Unit logic to prevent overheating of the catalytic converter. In addition, the catalytic converter will also be replaced if it has been damaged. Depending on the extent of any damage, the engine may also be replaced, free of charge. The recall began April 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC176.

No listed flag
14V8220002014-12-29STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 Kia Soul vehicles manufactured January 8, 2009, to October 2, 2013, equipped with a sun roof. A headliner plate may detach during deployment o…

Read the complete source text

Summary
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 Kia Soul vehicles manufactured January 8, 2009, to October 2, 2013, equipped with a sun roof. A headliner plate may detach during deployment of the curtain air bag.

Consequence
A detached headliner plate may increase the risk of injury to the occupant during a vehicle crash.

Remedy
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will install industrial adhesive strips to secure the headliner plates, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 2, 2015. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC112.

No listed flag

Each row represents a campaign listed for this make, model, and model year. A campaign can also cover other vehicles. The excerpt above is a direct beginning of the source summary; expand a row to read the complete summary and any consequence or remedy text included in the local record.

How 2012 KIA Soul compares within KIA

9 listed 2012 model-year records

Other collected KIA records for model year 2012.
VehicleCampaignsDate range
KIA Optima52017-03-31–2023-09-25
KIA Sedona52013-11-05–2020-02-21
KIA Sorento52015-10-06–2023-09-25
KIA Sportage52017-03-31–2023-09-25
KIA Forte42017-12-01–2023-09-25
KIA Forte Koup42017-12-01–2023-09-25
KIA Optima Hybrid32018-06-01–2023-09-25
KIA Rio12023-09-25–2023-09-25

This comparison is calculated from vehicle records for the same make and model year in this snapshot. It is a simple arithmetic average, not an industry benchmark. A model may appear under more than one configuration in the source data, and campaign counts do not indicate the probability that a specific vehicle has an unresolved defect.

Data source and interpretation

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, retrieved 2026-11-01. Recall records reflect manufacturer reports submitted to NHTSA. Absence of a recall here does not mean a vehicle is defect-free.

This page reports 3 campaign records, groups them into 3 component categories, and places the notice dates into these calendar years: 2014: 1; 2019: 1; 2023: 1. These are derived views of the supplied records, not additional findings from NHTSA.

The collection includes model-year records with one or more recalls. It is not a complete vehicle history, VIN eligibility result, repair-status check, safety rating, or guarantee that the source has no later updates. Confirm current campaign details and vehicle applicability with official NHTSA information and the manufacturer.