Kia›Soul EV›2015›Electric/kia/soul-ev/2015/electric/

2015 Kia Soul EV

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2015 Soul EV.

Body SUVEngine Electric

The 2015 Kia Soul EV is an all-electric SUV built on the Soul platform, marking Kia's first entry into the mass-market electric vehicle segment in the United States; it paired a dedicated electric powertrain with the boxy, high-roofed silhouette that defined the Soul nameplate. However, this inaugural model year carries the highest complaint volume in the Soul EV's production run, with 898 owner complaints filed across the 2015–2019 model span—seven times more than the 2017 model year, which recorded the lowest complaint count at just 17—and the engine category emerged as the primary source of concerns. This pattern positions the 2015 Soul EV as the least reliable iteration in the model's history, a distinction that matters for researchers evaluating long-term ownership outcomes, particularly given that subsequent model years showed marked improvement in owner satisfaction.

Model year202020192018201720162015

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI NS · NS 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 NS · NS CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnLAMPOEM · verified
Tire size205/60R16, 215/55R17, P235/45R18OEM · verified
Wheel / rim6.5, 6.5, 7.5 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
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.

This engine DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission Fluid75W-85 · GL-4
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity1.5
Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine CoolantEthylene Glycol
Power Steering FluidEPS

Chassis torques

Steering Track (Rod End) Bolts17.4-24.6 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub203-217 ft-lbs

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier TorqueFront or rear: 16-23 / 16-23
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueFront: 58-; Rear: 47-; Front: 58-; Rear: 47-
ABS Sensor Torque7 / NS
Minimum Pad Thickness0.079 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
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.

Every 3,750 miTire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
At 7,500 miBrake Pedal Assembly (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Suspension System (torque)
Every 7,500 miAir Conditioning System (inspect) · Battery (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect)
Every 15,000 miBrake Pedal Assembly (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Suspension System (torque)
At 30,000 miBrake Pedal Assembly (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Suspension System (torque)
Every 37,500 miTransmission Assembly (inspect fluid level)

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 2015 Kia Soul EV carries the heaviest federal record in this generation, with 898 complaints, 7 recalls, 5 investigations, and 210 TSBs — all higher than any subsequent year shown. Activity declined to 800 complaints in 2016, fell sharply to 17 complaints in 2017, then rebounded modestly to 213 in 2018 and 136 in 2019, while recalls, investigations, and TSBs trended downward after the first two years. Engine-related categories account for 443 of the 2015 complaints, though the data does not specify a root cause, and the year also records 81 fire complaints and 36 crash complaints. As the earliest and most reported year in this set, the 2015 model represents the highest documented exposure in the range. That concentration of complaints, recalls, and fire reports makes it the least attractive choice among these model years; buyers should consider a later-year example or proceed only with a thorough pre-purchase inspection and repair contingency.

7
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
210
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
5
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
898
Owner complaints
36 involved a crash · 81 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent
’15’16’17’18’19

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 898 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine443
Unknown Or Other52
Engine & Engine Cooling27
Unknown Or Other,Engine26
Engine & Engine Cooling,Engine25
Power Train,Engine25
Electrical System25
Engine,Fuel/Propulsion System24

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 4 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

20V389000Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Gear Position Indication (Prndl)Reported 02/07/2020

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Kia Soul Electric Vehicle (EV) vehicles. The parking mechanism may become damaged if the driver moves the gear shift lever into Park 'P' before the vehicle comes… Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will update the electronic control unit software, free of charge. The recall began August 7, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at…

17V608000SteeringReported 29/09/2017

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Soul and Soul EV vehicles. The pinion plug may allow the pinion gear to separate from the steering gear assembly. Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and secure the pinion plug or replace the steering gear assembly, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 16…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 210 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
CS2311_TSB_R42026-06-08StructureTECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: THEFT DETERRENT IGNITION: CYLINDER…
SC176Y_TSB_R12026-03-24EngineTECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SUBSEQUENT REPAIR ACTION: CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACEMENT AND…
SC310Z_TSB_R12026-03-04Electrical SystemTECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SUBSEQUENT REPAIR ACTION: HIGH-VOLTAGE BPA REPLACEMENT…
SC267Z_TSB_R22026-03-04Electrical SystemTECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SUBSEQUENT REPAIR ACTION: HIGH-VOLTAGE BATTERY PACK ASSEMBLY…
PI2002B_OWNR_7012026-02-24Electrical SystemPRODUCT IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN: OWNER RENOTIFICATION (PI2002B FL701) - This document is the…

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 NS battery

Reference guides

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

Vehicle recalls & TSBsMaintenance schedules

Frequently asked

Does the 2015 Soul EV have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 7 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.