There are 19 owner-reported air bags & restraints complaints for the 2016 Kia Soulin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY
4 29 23 at 101091 miles the catalytic converter was replaced. The car sucks up oil before even the 3000 .mark..kia performed. Then on7/8/25 wg baker replaced catalytic converter again. Also coding of abs brakes now and why would catalytic converter need replacing? Because car is eating off oil. Yes my car stopped on the interstate and I had to pull over. I've already done two tune ups.
STEERING WHEEL AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY DURING AN ACCIDENT. THE SIDE AIBAGS DID DEPLOYED. CAR WAS GOING 55MPH AND COLIDED INTO ANOTHER CAR WITH FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TOOK MAJORITY OF THE FORCE.
On Saturday morning may 4th, I found the driver side window smashed in and lots of broken glass on street and in my car. I wasn't driving .. it was parked on atreet
My friend and I picked up a kayak that I bought and we had to put it in the car. When she was in the car I had to fasten the seat belt for her. We got it home and removed it from the vehicle, I had to unfastened the seat belt. When I took her home, the seat belt would not pull out. I still cannot pull out the seat belt. I contacted the dealership and they told me that it would have to be replaced at a cost of $700, which includes the labor. They said that it wasn't under the warranty to replace it. My understanding is that you would have to replace the seatbelt if you had been in an accident, which I have not. I am taking it in tomorrow in hopes that they can fix it and not have to replace it. Anyway, I hope no one else is having this problem.
Airbag Control Model malfunction discovered during diagnostic test at inspection and confirmed at service center. Must be replaced. Safety compromised as airbag may not deploy in an accident.
ON OCTOBER 28, 2020 I HAD A BOX TRUCK SLAM THE BRAKES IN FRONT OF ME CAUSING ME TO REAR END THEM GOING APPROXIMATELY 25/30 MPH. THE FRONT OF MY KIA WAS SMASHED INTO THE ENGINE AND AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I HAVE SUSTAINED MAJOR LONG TERM INJURIES DUE TO THE AIRBAG NOT DEPLOYING.
I WAS REAR ENDED ON THE 91FREEWAY IN CALIFORNIA.I WAS ALMOST AT A COMPLETE STOP DUE TO TRAFFIC.I WAS HIT SO HARD FROM THE BACK THAT I WAS THROWN INTO VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME.MY DAUGHTER AND I WERE IN THE CAR.MY CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS.NOT ONE SINGLE AIR BAG DEPLOYED.BUT BY THE GRACE OF GOD WE ESCAPED WITH MINOR INJURIES.BY THAT I MEAN WERE ALIVE.
FRONT IMPACTED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 35-40 MPH AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THIS HAPPENED 3/7/2020 AT 3:45 IN PORT CHAROLETTE FL. THIS OCCURRED ON ROUTE 776 AND TOLEDO BLADE
DRIVING TO WORK ON FREEWAY GOING ABOUT 15-20MPH WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I WAS BLIND-SIDED BY A CHEVY SILVERADO TRUCK GOING 50-60MPH. THE INITIAL IMPACT WAS MY REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. ABSOLUTELY NO AIRBAG WENT OFF ON THAT SIDE. THE IMPACT KNOCKED ME ACROSS TWO LANES OF THE FREEWAYS ONCOMING TRAFFIC WHERE I WAS HIT AGAIN ON DRIVER'S SIDE. THE STEERING WHEEL BAG WENT OFF AFTER THE 2ND IMPACT. THE DRIVER'S SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS DID NOT GO OFF. IS THIS THE CAR YOU HAVE A 5-STAR CRASH RATINGS? MY CAR WAS TOTALED. I INCURRED A SEVERE CONCUSSION AND MULTIPLE FRACTURES THAT REQUIRES SURGERY.
MY WIFE HIT A CAR (T BONED) THE FRONT OF THE CAR WAS TOTALED. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DIPLOID. SHE WENT IN THE HOSPITAL. THE S BELT WENT IN HER CHEST AND SHE HAS NECK AND BACK PAIN. I REPORTED IT TO THE KIA DEALER AND NEVER GOT AN ANSWER.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2016 KIA SOUL. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE SKID AND CRASHED. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED NECK AND BACK INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW LOT AND DEEMED DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.
ON HIGHWAY IN RAINY CONDITIONS HYDROPLANED IN TO CONCRETE BARRIER WALL AT ABOUT 70 MPH FIRST IMPACT ON DRIVERS FRONT CORNER NEAR HEADLIGHT. AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED.
DAUGHTER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT ON A HIGHWAY DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH IN HER 2016 KIA SOUL WHEN SHE REAR ENDED A SUBURBAN AFTER IT WAS CUT OFF BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE FRONT END DAMAGE WAS EXTENSIVE AND HER CAR WAS TOTALED AND SHOCKINGLY, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.
THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT DOES NOT ENGAGE EASILY. THEY THINK THEY ARE BUCKELED UP UNTIL I POINT AT THE INDICATOR LIGHT, OR THEY BUCKLE UP AND IT JUST DOESN'T CLICK LIKE IT'S SUPPOSED TO AND THEY WILL PULL IT OUT AND TRY MULTIPLE TIMES UNTIL IT ENGAGES.. THIS IS ALL WHILE THE VEHICLE IS STATIONARY.. I JUST DON'T WANT ANY SURPRISES IN CASE OF AN ACCIDENT, I NEED MY PASSENGERS SECURED...
THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT BELTS DO RETRACT AFTER THE ARE USED. THE PULL OUT BUT THEY WILL NOT RETRACT BACK IN THE SEAT BELT AREA
I WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT A FEW MONTHS AGO THAT INVOLVED ME LEAVING THE ROAD AND THAT I WAS COMPLETELY AIRBORNE LANDING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE EMBANKMENT MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY UNDER THE FORCE OF MY CAR GOING AIRBORNE AND LANDING SO HARD THAT MY UNDERSIDE OF MY CAR WAS TORN UP NEEDING ALMOST 6,000 DOLLARS IN REPAIRS. INCLUDING BREAKING MY OIL FILTER OFF OF THE CAR. I WAS TOLD THAT MY AIRBAGS SHOULD HAVE COMPLETELY DEPLOYED. BUT THEY DID NOT. I REALLY AM SCARED THAT IF I WAS IN ANOTHER ACCIDENT THEY WILL NOT DEPLOY WHEN NEEDED TO SAVE MY OR MY FAMILIES LIFE.
I HAVE HAD SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE I HAVE HAD THE SEAT BELT FASTEN LIGHT COME ON WHEN TRAVELING DOWN THE ROAD. INITIALLY I TRIED PARKING THE CAR, TURNING OFF THE IGNITION FOR 30-60 SECONDS, TURNING THE CAR BACK ON, AND ONCE I START MOVING AGAIN THE INDICATOR WOULD COME BACK ON. WHAT I FINALLY REALIZED, AFTER DOING SOME TESTING, IS THAT IF I PLACE MY CELL PHONE ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT TOWARDS THE CENTER OF THE CAR (PLACING IT ABOUT 1/2 WAY FROM THE FROM THE FRONT TO THE BACK OF THE SEAT), IT WILL TRIP THE SYSTEM AND CAUSE THE SEAT BELT WARNING INDICATOR TO COME ON. AFTER DOING SOME TRIALS, I HAVE FOUND, REMOVING THE CELL PHONE FROM THE SEAT AND PLACING IT EITHER IN THE CUP HOLDERS OR THE CENTER CONSOLE WILL ACTUALLY SHUT OFF THE INDICATOR. IN CLOSING, I WAS UTILIZING THE BLUETOOTH FOR BOTH HANDS FREE AND NAVIGATION WHEN THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED, I ALSO HAD THE PHONE PLUGGED INTO A CIGARETTE LIGHTER ADAPTER (NOT THE ONE FOR IPOD). THE CAR WAS MOVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH (THE DEFAULT SPEED FOR THE INDICATOR TO COME ON WITH THE SEAT BELT WARNING TO COME ON). THE CHIME DOES NOT TURN ON AT ALL, BUT THE SEAT BELT INDICATOR LIGHT WILL FLASH.
ON 2/18/17 MY DAUGHTER WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT END COLLISION IN OUR 2016 KIA SOUL. SHE STRUCK A STOPPED TOYOTA CAROLLA AT OVER 45MPH ON SOUTHBOUND I-5 IN SEATTLE WA. THIS WAS A DIRECT FRONT END COLLISION AND THE AIRBAGS IN THE KIA SOUL DID NOT DEPLOY EVEN THOUGH THE METAL BUMPER BAR WAS COMPLETELY BENT IN A "V" SHAPE BACK BEYOND THE RADIATOR. KIA USA FIRST CLAIMED THAT THIS WAS DUE TO UNDER RIDING. SENT THEM DAYTIME PHOTOS FROM THE NEXT DAY WHEN WE VISITED THE CAR TO REMOVE PERSONAL ITEMS AND THEY CHANGED THE STORY TO "THE AIR BAG SENSORS ARE IN THE CONNECTING PILLARS SO THIS STILL WOULD NOT HAVE TRIGGERED THE AIR BAGS. KIA USA IS ACCEPTING NO FAULT AND IT TAKING NO ACTION. BASED ON MY RESEARCH, THIS COLLISION SHOULD HAVE TRIGGERED BOTH FRONT AIRBAGS AS BOTH FRONT SEATS WERE OCCUPIED BY ADULTS AT THE TIME OF THE COLLISION. MY HOPE IS YOU CAN USE THIS INFORMATION AND MY PHOTOS TO INVESTIGATE THIS SITUATION AND RESOLVE IT WITH KIA. FROM MY POINT OF VIEW WE EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE FAILURE OF ONE OF THE CARS MAIN SAFETY FEATURES, FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIRBAGS. I HAVE ADDITIONAL PHOTOS AND A VIDEO THAT I AM WILLING TO SHARE IF YOU WOULD LIKE THEM. [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] *DL INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).*JB
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