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2010 Kia Soul

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2010 Soul.

Body SUV

The 2010 Kia Soul enters the market as a compact SUV with a 3.5-quart oil capacity specifying 5W-20 or 5W-30 API viscosity, inaugurating a generation that would span 2010 through 2025. This first-year example generated 134 owner complaints—positioning it well below the 2015 high-water mark of 898 grievances though notably above the 2025 low of 11—with air bags surfacing as the dominant concern alongside three separate recalls. Within the model’s longitudinal complaint history, the 2010 edition represents a moderate baseline volume that precedes the line’s most problematic years while establishing early reliability patterns for researchers tracking the nameplate’s evolution.

Model year2025 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2010

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity3.5 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-20 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Lug nut torque65-80 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 · 550 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 · 550 CCAOEM · verified

Tail / brake / turnLAMPOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	161.8 in
Overall width	70.5 in
Overall height	63.4 in
Wheelbase	100.4 in
Curb weight	2623 lb
Track (front / rear)	61.4 / 61.4 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	61/39

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Soul of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

7.9–8.7 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.90 sec — 2010 Sport

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
2010	Sport 2.0L I-4	7.90 sec	16.40 sec	142 hp	FWD
2010	Sport 2.0L I-4	8.30 sec	16.60 sec	142 hp	FWD
2010	Sport 2.0L I-4	8.70 sec	16.70 sec	142 hp	FWD
2010	Sport 2.0L I-4	8.70 sec	16.80 sec	142 hp	FWD
2012	+ 2.0L I-4	7.40 sec	16.00 sec	164 hp	FWD
2012	! 2.0L I-4	8.20 sec	16.40 sec	164 hp	FWD
2012	! 2.0L I-4	8.20 sec	16.50 sec	164 hp	FWD
2012	Eco 1.6 1.6L I-4	8.90 sec	16.90 sec	138 hp	FWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 3.5 qt of 5W-20 / 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 · DOT 4 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 65-80 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3 · DOT 4
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil	5W-20 · 5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	3.5 qt
Engine Oil	5W-20 · 5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4.2 qt
Manual Transmission Fluid	75W-85 · GL-4
Manual Transmission Fluid Capacity	4.2

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts	101-108 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts	116-123 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts	53-56 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts	87-94 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	14-17 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	Nuts: 29-36 ft-lbs, Bolts: 22-25 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	12-17 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	31-40 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts	65-80 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub	177-199 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order	1-3-4-2
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance	0.6-0.8 ohms
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance	.52-.64 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance	7,480-10,120 ohms
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance	.56-.68 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance	5,950-8,050 ohms
Ignition Timing	6, Not adjustable degrees
Ignition Timing Acceptable Variance	10 degrees

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Refrigerant Capacity	1.15-1.27 lbs
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Type	46
Oil Capacity	3.04-3.71 oz
Standard BCI Group Number	121R
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	550 cca
Standard BCI Group Number	121R

Service checks

Pressure Test	14-18 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	14-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	190 °F
Injector Primary Resistance	13.8-15.2 @ 68 degreesF ohms
Injector Primary Resistance	13.8-15.2 @ 68 degreesF ohms
Engine Compression	164-185 PSI. 15 Maximum variation PSI
Engine Compression	156.46
Engine Oil Pressure	14.5 psi

Brakes

Brake Application	WITH REAR DISC / WITH STANDARD
Torque Caliper to Bracket	16-23 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle	47-54 ft-lbs / 58-72 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness	0.079 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness	0.039 in
Brake Application	WITH REAR DISC / WITH STANDARD
Rotor Max Parallel Variation	0.0004 in / 0.0002 in
Rotor Runout Limit	0.002 in / 0.001 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs — tightening sequence 1 stages

Prep M6 bolts: Step 1: 52 inch lbs.

2	104-112 inch lbs.; M8 bolts: Step 1: 7 ft. lbs.	104–112 in
2	14-17

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 2 stages

1	13-16 ft. lbs.	13–16 ft. lbs
2	90

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages

13-16 ft. lbs., Step 2: 90

13–16 ft. lbs

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages

Prep Do not reuse old bolts. Lubricate bolts with clean engine oil · M10 Bolts:

1	17.0-20.0 ft. lbs.	17–20 ft. lbs
2	60 degrees-65 degrees	60 degrees
3	60 degrees-65 degrees; M12 Bolts:	60 degrees
1	20.0-23.0 ft. lbs.	20–23 ft. lbs
2	60 degrees-65 degrees	60 degrees
3	60 degrees-65 degrees	60 degrees

Main Bearings — tightening sequence 2 stages

1	13-16 ft. lbs.	13–16 ft. lbs
2	90

Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages

20-23 ft. lbs., Step 2: 120-125

20–23 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi.

At 7,500 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Air Conditioning System (inspect) · Battery (inspect) · Body Fasteners (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake Drum Assembly (inspect)
Every 7,500 mi	Air Conditioning System (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
At 15,000 mi	Air Conditioning System (inspect)
Every 15,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Battery (inspect) · Body Fasteners (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level)
At 30,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Battery (inspect) · Body Fasteners (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level)
Every 30,000 mi	Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Air Filter Element (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Canister Filter (inspect) · Fuel Filter (inspect) · Transmission Assembly (inspect fluid level)
At 60,000 mi	Timing Belt (inspect)
Every 60,000 mi	Engine Valves (inspect valve lash)
Every 90,000 mi	Timing Belt (replace)

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 2010 Kia Soul launched this generation with 134 federal complaints, 3 recalls, and 3 investigations — figures that place it at the low end of a dramatic upward arc. Complaints climbed steadily from this baseline to a peak of 898 by 2015, while recalls swelled from 3 to as many as 7, indicating that quality and regulatory scrutiny intensified significantly as the generation matured. By comparison, the 2011 model year saw complaints rise to 193, and by 2012 they quadrupled to 513, making the 2010's relatively modest complaint volume stand out favorably against its immediate successors. The 2010's top complaint areas — Air Bags (14), Structure (13), and Electrical System (9) — along with 22 crash complaints and 15 fire complaints, suggest early-production issues that Kia addressed through 74 technical service bulletins, the lowest TSB count in the generation's first half. The data does not specify root causes for these complaints, so no definitive failure mode can be confirmed. **Bottom line: the 2010 Soul represents the best-positioned model year within a generation that trended sharply worse in federal complaints and recalls through mid-cycle, making it a relatively safer used buy than 2012–2016 examples — provided a pre-purchase inspection verifies that the three recalls and applicable TSBs have been properly addressed.**

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

134

Owner complaints

22 involved a crash · 15 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’10’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17 ’18 ’19 ’20 ’21 ’22 ’23 ’24 ’25

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 134 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags14

Structure13

Electrical System9

Unknown Or Other7

Steering7

Power Train6

Visibility6

Vehicle Speed Control5

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

14V822000Structure:Body:Roof And PillarsReported 29/12/2014

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 Kia Soul vehicles manufactured January 8, 2009, to October 2, 2013, equipped with a sun roof. A headliner plate may detach during deployment of the… Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will install industrial adhesive strips to secure the headliner plates, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 2, 2015…

13V114000Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights:SwitchReported 01/04/2013

Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Rondo, model year 2007-2011 Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, model year 2010-2011 Soul, model year 2008-2011 Optima, model year 2010 Forte, model year… Remedy: Kia will send an interim notification to owners in May 2013. When parts are available, owners will receive a second notification and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 74 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
CS2311_TSB_R4	2026-06-08	Structure	TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: THEFT DETERRENT IGNITION: CYLINDER…
CS2311_OWNR_PC201	2025-12-19	Structure	CUSTOMER SATISFACTION CAMPAIGN: POSTCARD OWNER RENOTIFICATION (CS2311) - This document is…
PS797	2025-12-09	Back Over Prevention	PITSTOP: TECHNICAL OPERATIONS: EXTERNAL DAMAGE TO ULTRASONIC SENSOR: This Pitstop…
TSB_TRA046_R5	2025-04-17	Power Train	TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: TRANSMISSION FLUID APPLICATION GUIDE - This bulletin has been…
CS2311_TSB_R3	2024-10-17	Steering	TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: THEFT DETERRENT IGNITION CYLINDER…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

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. 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 Vehicles taking 3.5 qt

Reference guides

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

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Torque specifications Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2010 Soul take?

3.5 qt of 5W-20 OR 5W-30 API SM, per the factory manual.

Does the 2010 Soul have open recalls?

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