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2018 Kia Soul EV

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2018 Soul EV.

Body SUVEngine Electric

The 2018 Kia Soul EV is an all-electric SUV built on the brand's dedicated electric vehicle platform, featuring a lithium-ion polymer battery pack that powers a single electric motor driving the front wheels — a configuration that positions it among the early mass-market fully electric crossovers when it arrived for its second model year. While specific performance figures were not disclosed, the Soul EV offered an EPA-estimated driving range that placed it competitively within the affordable EV segment during this period. In terms of reliability, the 2018 model recorded 213 total owner complaints with three separate recalls issued, representing a notable increase from the model's lowest complaint year of 2017 (17 complaints) but a substantial improvement from its highest complaint year of 2015 (898 complaints), suggesting that while the Soul EV's reliability trajectory had generally stabilized by 2018, some persistent issues remained evident enough to generate meaningful owner feedback.

Model year202020192018201720162015

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Lug nut torque79-97 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 121R · 600 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 121R · 600 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnLAMPOEM · verified
Tire sizeP205/60R16OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6.5 inOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length163 in
Overall width70.9 in
Overall height63 in
Wheelbase101.2 in
Curb weight3289 lb
Track (front / rear)61.8 / 62.6 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)61/39

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

Torque lug nuts to 79-97 ft-lbs.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidGL-4
Clutch FluidDOT 3
Engine CoolantEthylene Glycol
Manual Transmission FluidGL-4
Power Steering FluidEPS

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts79-97 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Standard BCI Group Number121R
Standard BCI Cranking Performance600 cca

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier Torque16-23
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueFront: 58-; Rear: 47-
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for ReplacementFront: 1.040; Rear: .331
Variation from Parallelism Thickness Variation.0002
Maximum Rotor RunoutFront: .0016; Rear: .002

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 3,750 miTire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
At 7,500 miAir Conditioning System (inspect) · Battery (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Pedal Assembly (inspect)
Every 15,000 miAir Conditioning System (inspect) · Battery (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Pedal Assembly (inspect)
At 30,000 miAir Conditioning System (inspect) · Battery (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Pedal Assembly (inspect)
Every 30,000 miHybrid Inverter (drain, flush & refill coolant)
Every 37,500 miTransmission Assembly (inspect fluid level)
At 120,000 miHybrid Inverter (drain, flush & refill coolant)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2018 Kia Soul EV sits in a volatile spot within this generation's federal record. After complaints collapsed from 898 in 2015 and 802 in 2016 to just 17 in 2017, they rebounded sharply to 213 in 2018 before easing to 136 in 2019. Recalls trended downward across the period, from 7 in 2015 to 3 in each of 2017 through 2019, and 2018 matches 2017 with 2 investigations and 3 recalls. Engine-related complaints dominate the 2018 file at 94 entries, while the data also records 15 crash and 14 fire complaints; the federal data does not specify root causes for these. TSBs followed the same arc, falling to 57 in 2017 then rising to 113 in 2018 and 116 in 2019. Because 2018 is a clear complaint spike year with elevated engine, crash, and fire reports, it is a riskier used-EV bet than the quieter 2017 or 2019 model years.

3
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
113
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
2
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
213
Owner complaints
15 involved a crash · 14 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent
’15’16’17’18’19

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 213 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine94
Unknown Or Other13
Power Train13
Power Train,Engine12
Electrical System6
Air Bags6
Engine & Engine Cooling5
Engine,Fuel/Propulsion System4

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

22V031000Air BagsReported 25/01/2022

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Sedona, Soul, Soul EV, 2017-2018 Forte, and 2017 Forte Koup vehicles. The Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) cover may contact a memory chip on the printed circuit board… Remedy: Dealers will inspect the ACU, and either update the software or replace the unit, as necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed…

23V218000Electrical System:Propulsion System:Traction BatteryReported 29/03/2023

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Soul EV vehicles equipped with an E400 battery. The high-voltage battery pack may experience an electrical short-circuit while driving. Remedy: Dealers will update and/or replace the battery management system and software, as necessary, free of charge. The new software will illuminate the EV warning light, limit charging…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 113 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
CS2311_TSB_R42026-06-08StructureTECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: THEFT DETERRENT IGNITION: CYLINDER…
PI2107_OWNR_5012026-04-07Electrical SystemPRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN: OWNER RENOTIFICATION (PI2107 Flight 501) - This document is…
SC267Z_TSB_R22026-03-04Electrical SystemTECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SUBSEQUENT REPAIR ACTION: HIGH-VOLTAGE BATTERY PACK ASSEMBLY…
CS2311_OWNR_PC2012025-12-19StructureCUSTOMER SATISFACTION CAMPAIGN: POSTCARD OWNER RENOTIFICATION (CS2311) - This document is…
PS7972025-12-09Back Over PreventionPITSTOP: TECHNICAL OPERATIONS: EXTERNAL DAMAGE TO ULTRASONIC SENSOR: This Pitstop…

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Soul EV. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Group 121R battery

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBsMaintenance schedulesFluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

Does the 2018 Soul EV have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.