The Recall Desk
SevereNHTSA·23V218000·Announced 2023-03-29

Kia Recalls 2015-2019 Soul EV Vehicles for Battery Fire Risk

Kia is recalling 2015-2019 Soul EV vehicles with E400 batteries because an electrical short-circuit could cause a fire. Owners should contact Kia for a free software update or battery replacement.

What this means for you

Illness, injury, or structural failure has been reported. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a structural vehicle defect (high-voltage battery electrical short-circuit) that explicitly increases the risk of a fire, meeting the criteria for a Severe rating.

Plain-English summary

Kia America, Inc. is recalling certain 2015-2019 Kia Soul EV vehicles equipped with an E400 battery. The recall involves 2,689 vehicles. The high-voltage battery pack may experience an electrical short-circuit while driving, which increases the risk of a fire.

Dealers will update and/or replace the battery management system and software free of charge. The new software is designed to illuminate the EV warning light, limit charging capacity, and reduce vehicle power if abnormal voltage is detected. If these conditions occur, the battery will be replaced free of charge.

Owner notification letters were mailed on August 18, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC267. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153) or visit www.nhtsa.gov.

The recalled product

Product
KIA SOUL EV
Brand
KIA
Manufacturer
Kia America, Inc.
Category
Vehicle — Electric Vehicle Battery
Hazard
Affected units
2,689

Is your product affected?

Check your packaging against the codes below. If any of them match, the product is part of this recall.

Model numbers (1)

  • SOUL EV

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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