2015 Kia Soul · symptom sheet
Headlights too dim or fail
- 32owner reports
- 83,000median miles
- 0involved a crash
Newest report Oct 13, 2025 · checked Oct 2, 2026
36 of the 897 complaints on this car are about the exterior lighting. 32 of those describe headlights.
Tick what matches of 32 reports
Headlights 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
Headlight complaints fall into two camps. In one, a headlight goes out, often more than once, or fills with moisture behind the lens. In the other, the lights work exactly as built and the owner still can't see the road at night because the beam is too dim or too short. Owners in that second camp often report a dealer telling them it's normal.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the headlight assembly (29 reports) and the bulb (8 reports).
Recalls and investigations
No recall on the exterior lighting covers the 2015 model year as of Oct 2, 2026.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 66,000 and 95,014 miles, from the 22 reports that gave a mileage.
Is this a known problem?
The manufacturer has sent NHTSA 4 service bulletins or notices 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.
INFORMATION FOR HEADLAMP CONDENSATION AND MOISTURE This bulletin provides information relating to some Kia models that may exhibit fogging, condensation, and/or moisture inside a headlamp assembly.
HALOGEN HEAD LAMP LOW BEAM BULB CONNECTOR REPLACEMENT This bulletin provides information regarding the procedure to repair the bulb connector on some 2010MY~ vehicles listed on the table below, which may exhibit a bulb connector concern. To correct this concern, replace the connector with a new and improved part.
PITSTOP: HEADLIGHTS FLICKER/INTERMITTENTLY OPERATE OR REMAIN ON INDEFINITELY If a customer has a concern regarding intermittent flickering, inoperative headlights, or that the headlights stay on indefinitely after the vehicle is turned off, confirm the following actions in this publication have been performed, when applicable.
HEADLAMP BULB CONNECTOR REPLACEMENT THIS BULLETIN PROVIDES INFORMATION ABOUT REPLACING THE BULB CONNECTOR IN THE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY ON SOME SOUL (PS) VEHICLES, EQUIPPED WITH NON-PROJECTOR STYLE HEADLAMPS AND PRODUCED FROM AUGUST 26, 2013 THROUGH APRIL 20, 2015, WHICH MAY EXHIBIT A HEAT-DEFORMED ...
What owners wrote
“When using the blinker, the headlights turn off completely or temporarily. Iâve seen this as a normal thing on Reddit and other sites”
Filed Aug 6, 2025
“2015 Kia Soul Intermittent headlight Flashing at random Months ago the KIA dealership could not replicate. Contacted KIA-Customer-Care and they cared less. I have a car I am afraid to drive at night or in heavy rain. Youtube movie of problem at [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)”
Filed Jun 7, 2024
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 0 of 32 reports involved a crash. 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
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 31 reports