There are 17 owner-reported air bags & restraints complaints for the 2012 Kia Soulin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
On July 14, 2022 at approximately 7:41 pm in Jacksonville, FL. The car hydroplaned and flip 3 times which ended up with the vehicle have significant damage to the front end and roof of the car. The driver side airbag did not deploy during this accident. Which makes me real concern, thank goodness my son-in law was able to walk away from the crash. However he is now experiencing problems from the impact and faulty air bags not deploying. I noticed that a recall was for 2014 but did not include the 2012 model. This is something of concern and needs to be investigated. The car has since been donated to DAV, if this information is needed please let me know as well as pictures of the vehicle.
On April 25, 2022 the airbag light illuminated on the 2012 Kia soul. It was taken to the shop a Kia dealer on May 3, 2022. We were told by the mechanic that a contact assembly clock spring malfunctioned and if not repaired would be dangerous to drive the car because the airbag may not deploy. We inquired whether this issue was covered on the Kia airbag recall number SC229. Because this recall only covered Kia souls July 21, 2013-June 20, 2014.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA SOUL. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE HYDROPLANED, DROVE OFF THE ROAD, AND LANDED IN A DITCH. THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT KNOB SEPARATED AND CAUSED THE PASSENGER TO SUSTAIN SCRATCHES TO THE LEFT LEG, ARMS, CHIN, AND CHEST. THE PASSENGER WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RADIATOR AND FRONT BUMPER WERE DAMAGED. POLICE REPORT NUMBER: 9630 WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000.
HELLO.. I AM A LITTLE UPSET. I WAS INVOLVED IN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT AT THE SPEED OF 40MPG. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND THE SEATBELT DID NOT LOCK. I ENDED UP HITTING MY CHIN AND JAW ON THE STEERING WHEEL. THE MAJOR DAMAGE TO MY CAR IS FRONT PASSENGER SIDE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE DRIVER WAS GOING NORTH ON THE OUTSIDE LANE AT AN INTERSECTION WITH THE GREEN TRAFFIC SIGNAL, ANOTHER VEHICLE DRIVING SOUTH MADE A LEFT TURN AND CRASHED INTO THE FRONT OF THE DRIVERS VEHICLE. THE DRIVERS SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITH FORCE AS WELL AS FRAGMENTS AND A CHEMICAL SUBSTANCE THAT DAMAGED THE CONTACTS LEFT HAND. THE DRIVER ALSO SUSTAINED BRUISING AND BURNS TO THE BUST AND CHEST. THE INJURIES SUSTAINED FROM THE IMPACT OF THE AIR BAGS REQUIRED FURTHER MEDICAL TREATMENT. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A IMPOUND LOT AND TO BE INSPECTED AND DIAGNOSED TO DETERMINE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED OVER A POTHOLE, THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE CRASHING INTO THE BARRIER AND ROLLING OVER SEVERAL TIMES. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. NEITHER THE DRIVER NOR THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED ANY INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000. UPDATED 05/25/16*LJ *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA SOUL. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE CONTACT MISCALCULATED A TURN AND CRASHED INTO A POLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000....UPDATED 02/04/16 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. *TR
DRIVING A 2012 KIA SOUL, TRUCK UNEXPECTEDLY STOPPED IN FRONT OF ME, LIGHT WAS GREEN. MANAGED TO STOP AND GOT HIT IN THE REAR BY A JEEP, MY VEHICLE WAS PROPELLED INTO THE PICKUP IN FRONT OF ME. SUFFERED INJURIES TO NECK, SHOULDER, R/ARM R/ELBOW. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. SET RESTRAINTS WE ALL THAT PREVENTED ME FROM HITTING THE STEERING WHEEL AND WINDSHIELD. INJURIES WERE FROM AIRBAG NOT DEPLOYING PROPERLY. NONE DEPLOYED. DAMAGE TO FRONT ANSD REAR OF CAR, MIGHT BE TOTALED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 KIA SOUL. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO HYDROPLANE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND IT ROLLED OVER MULTIPLE TIMES. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MINOR NECK AND BACK INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND DEEMED DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,000.
WE WERE TRAVELING DOWN A RURAL ROAD IN KENTUCKY. A DEER RAN OUT IN FRONT OF US. WE STRUCK THE DEER AT APPROXIMATELY 57 MPH. THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE AND IT WAS NOT DRIVABLE. OUR AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR
MY WIFE WAS IN AN ACCIDENT AND FLIPPED HER KIA SOUL SEVERAL TIMES AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT KIA'S ARE KNOWN FOR THIS PROBLEM. *TR
I WAS SLOWING APPROACHING PARKING SPOT. VEHICLE STARTED SPEEDING RAPIDLY, I COULD NOT STOP VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A BRICK BUILDING. MY SON WAS YELLING TO STOP, I SAID I AM TRYING AND CANNOT. THE AIR BAGS CAME OUT, CAR WAS SMOKING, BADLY DENTED. WINDSHIELD BROKE. WE WERE BRUISED AND SCRATCHED. THERE WAS OVER $9500 WORTH OF DAMAGE. THE VEHICLE MALFUNCTIONED AND SPED OUT OF CONTROL. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED HEAD-ON INTO HER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE POLICE AND AMBULANCE REPORTED TO THE SCENE AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT HAD TO BE REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE AND TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A BROKEN HIP, HAND, FOREARM, ANKLE, LEG, ELBOW AND SEVERAL FRACTURED RIBS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,000.
MY SPOUSE HIT A LARGE MALE DEER HEAD ON AT APPX 55MPH AT ABOUT 5AM THIS MORNING. THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED, BUT THE BLAST FROM THE AIRBAG BURNED COMPLETELY THROUGH THE SLEEVES OF HIS JACKET, THROUGH TWO LAYERS OF SHIRTS, AND CAUSED SECOND DEGREE BURNS OF HIS ARMS. HAD HE NOT BEEN WEARING SO MANY LAYERS OF CLOTHING, WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT THE BURNS WOULD HAVE BEEN FULL THICKNESS THIRD DEGREE BURNS. WE HAVE PICTURES OF THE BURNS ON HIS ARMS AND THE BURNED GARMENTS. WHILE WE ARE PLEASED THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED, THE HEAT GENERATED AND DIRECTED TOWARDS THE DRIVER IS TOO HIGH AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, CAUSING SERIOUS BURNS AND CAUSING CLOTHING TO IGNITE WHICH CAN RESULT IN DEATH. THOUGH HIS CLOTHING WAS BURNED COMPLETELY THROUGH, THE FLAME DID NOT SPREAD IN HIS CASE. HOWEVER, THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT COULD HAVE IGNITED THE DRIVER'S (MY HUSBAND'S) CLOTHING AND UNNECESSARY KILLED HIM AND BURNED HIM TO DEATH. THE BURNS HE SUFFERED ARE NOT MINOR AND WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE WITHOUT THE LAYERS OF CLOTHING THAT HELPED REDUCE THE INTENSITY. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR SUCH A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD IN A FEATURE THAT IS SUPPOSED TO PROTECT PASSENGERS AND DRIVER. CAUSING SERIOUS BURNS, OR WORSE, SETTING DRIVER/PASSENGER ON FIRE, IS HARMFUL AND POTENTIALLY FATAL. *TR
MY SON WAS SITTING IN THE RIGHT REAR SEAT OF A 2012 KIA SOUL WHEN IT WAS REAR ENDED BY A HONDA CRV GOING 35-40 MPH. THE IMPACT PUSHED THE KIA INTO THE SUBARU IN FRONT OF THEM SETTING OFF BOTH AIRBAGS IN THE FRONT. THE SEAT BELT MY SON WAS WEARING DID NOT LOCK OR RETRACT. HE HIT HIS HEAD ON THE BACK HEADREST WENT FORWARD INTO THE HEADREST ON THE FRONT SEAT AND THEN BACK INTO HIS HEADREST. THE SEAT BELT DID NOTHING TO RESTRAIN HIS MOVEMENT DURING THE ACCIDENT. THE KIA WAS TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. *TR
I WAS TAKING MY AUNT TO THE DOCTORS OFFICE, SHE IS OLDER AND FORGOT TO ATTACH HER SEAT BELT. I HAPPENED TO LOOK OVER AND PULLED OVER SO SHE COULD ATTACH HER BELT. HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT OR BUZZER TO INDICATE THAT THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT WAS NOT ATTACHED. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE LOCAL DEALER AND THEY WERE AMAZED THAT THERE WAS NO WARNING. AFTER CHECKING MY CAR AND ANOTHER KIA OF THE SAME YEAR, I WAS ADVISED THAT NONE OF THE KIA SOULS HAVE A WARNING SYSTEM FOR THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. IS THIS A MISTAKE BY KIA OR ARE THEY NOT REQUIRED TO HAVE AN ALARM INDICATING THAT THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT IS NOT ENGAGED? THE DRIVER SEAT WARNING DOES WORK PROPERLY. *TR
TWO OCCUPANTS IN FRONT SEATS OF 2012 KIA SOUL. INVOLVED IN A PASSENGER SIDE COLLISION AT THE FRONT DOOR. OTHER CAR WAS TRAVELING AT THE SPEED OF 40MPH OR GREATER AT THE TIME OF COLLISION. CAUSED MORE THAN $8500 TO THE KIA SOUL. THERE WAS NO AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. *TR
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026