2011 Kia Soul Air Bags Problems

NHTSA component category: AIR BAGS · data through 07/12/2026

25Air Bags complaints

13%Of all 193 complaints

#3Most-reported category

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

How air bags ranks on this vehicle

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC32 · 16.6%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM28 · 14.5%

AIR BAGS25 · 13%

ENGINE24 · 12.4%

Unspecified / other21 · 10.9%

Share of the 193 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2011 Kia Soul overview page.

What owners report

“I WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT END COLLISION AT ABOUT 40 MPH AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A CAR FAILED TO YIELD CAME ACROSS…”NHTSA complaint 11203152 — filed 04/23/2019

“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 KIA SOUL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. IN ADDITION, THE…”NHTSA complaint 10979372 — filed 04/19/2017

“ON THE ABOVE DATE THE REFERENCED KIA SOUL WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN WHEN A FORD 350 PICK UP TRUCK RAN INTO THE DRIVER SIDE…”NHTSA complaint 10439443 — filed 12/12/2011

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

Air Bags complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2011 Kia Soul have air bags problems?

Air Bags is the #3 most-reported problem area on the 2011 Kia Soul: 25 of 193 complaints on file (13%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2011 Kia Soul have in total?

193 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 27 involved a crash, 5 involved a fire, 29 reported injuries, and 1 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's air bags category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the AIR BAGS 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 07/12/2026.