2015 Kia Soul · symptom sheet
Brakes grind, pulse or wear early
- 31owner reports
- 40,000median miles
- 9involved a crash
Newest report Feb 12, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
31 of the 897 complaints on this car describe brake wear.
Tick what matches of 31 reports
Brake wear on other Soul years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021.
What this problem usually is
Brake reports cover a wide spread of symptoms. Grinding or squealing is common, and so is a pulsing pedal or a shake through the car when stopping. Others describe pads and rotors worn out long before they expected, a brake warning light, or a pedal that goes soft or sinks toward the floor. The most serious ones say the car didn't stop in time.
What got replaced
Few of these reports name the part that was replaced.
Recalls and investigations
No recall on the brakes covers the 2015 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.
NHTSA investigations into the brakes on the Soul
Hyundai and kia abs module fires. Open.
None of these investigations covers the 2015 model year.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 12,500 and 92,000 miles, from the 14 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 1 service bulletin or notice for the 2015 Kia Soul that deal with this problem. Newest first.
Federal rules make a manufacturer send NHTSA a copy of any notice about a defect that goes to more than one dealer or owner. Most of these are service bulletins, the repair instructions manufacturers send to dealers. NHTSA generally leaves safety recall bulletins out of this file, and recalls are listed separately.
VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: UNDERBODY INSPECTION & ANTI-CORROSION MATERIAL APPLICATION (SC334) This bulletin provides information to apply additional anti-corrosion material to underbody components, including inspection/replacement of the brake line(s), on certain 2014-2019MY Soul (PS) vehicles produced from July 21, 2013 through December 24, 2018, and ...
What owners wrote
“Car just started jerking and turning off while driving showing the engine light and oil light”
Filed Mar 11, 2024
“This is a supplement to the earlier filed report. The brakes on this Kia Soul did not appear to be working, no matter how hard I pressed on it. Further, I flew forward in this accident, causing me to hit my head. It was like the seatbelt was not working at all. I had to be checked for a potential concussion at the local hospital.”
Filed Jul 18, 2023
“Engine light stays on, itâs says on the instrument that I used that itâs the catalyst converter but when you take it to the shop they canât find anything wrong. Also my car shakes when pressing on the brakes.”
Filed Feb 7, 2023
“The brake hosed per the dealer rusted out at the connection to the brakes and leaked all the brake fluid. Clearly in my mind this is a safety hazard as the car could not be safely driven. I am uncertain as to any other details”
Filed Jan 12, 2022
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 9 of 31 reports involved a crash and 6 people were hurt. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Taking it to a shop? How to describe this problem so it gets found
Other problems on this car
- Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing 266 reports
- Check engine light or misfire 213 reports
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 185 reports
- Burns oil or oil level rises 81 reports
- Vehicle fire 74 reports
- Engine rattles or ticks 56 reports
- Engine leaks oil 45 reports
- Loses power when accelerating 39 reports
- Engine overheats or leaks coolant 38 reports
- Headlights too dim or fail 32 reports