2013 Kia Soul Steering Problems

NHTSA component category: STEERING · data through 07/14/2026

148Steering complaints

22.5%Of all 657 complaints

#2Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How steering ranks on this vehicle

ENGINE281 · 42.8%

STEERING148 · 22.5%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM68 · 10.4%

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC67 · 10.2%

Unspecified / other60 · 9.1%

Share of the 657 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2013 Kia Soul overview page.

What owners report

“A FLEXIBLE COUPLING IN THE STEERING SYSTEM WAS BROKEN AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. I WAS TOLD THAT THE KIA OPTIMAS WERE HAVING THE SAME…”NHTSA complaint 11176634 — filed 02/12/2019

“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD FOUR FRONT END ALIGNMENTS SINCE PURCHASING THE VEHICLE AND THE STEERING…”NHTSA complaint 11176497 — filed 02/12/2019

“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA SOUL. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40-45 MPH, THERE WAS A CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS…”NHTSA complaint 11176164 — filed 02/11/2019

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Steering complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2013 Kia Soul have steering problems?

Steering is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 2013 Kia Soul: 148 of 657 complaints on file (22.5%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2013 Kia Soul have in total?

657 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 22 involved a crash, 44 involved a fire, 25 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's steering category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the STEERING category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.