Kia is recalling the Soul EV from the 2015-2019 model years due to a possibility of fire, stemming from a short circuit within the battery pack. The automaker does not yet know precisely what is causing the fault.
In all, 2,689 vehicles are included in the recall class, of which just one percent are expected to actually exhibit the short circuit. Although three related incidents have been reported (two in the U.S. and one in Canada), Kia has confirmed that no injuries were sustained.
The automaker first became aware of the issue in May 2022, when a dealer noted that they saw smoke rising from the battery vents under the passenger during the diagnosis of a 2017 Soul EV. Fortunately, the heat damage was limited to the vehicle’s high voltage battery.
Read: Kia Recalls 147,000 Seltos and Soul Models For Fire Risk, Could Require Engine Swap
The second case took place in Canada in October. In that incident, the owner was behind the wheel when they noticed smoke, and the vehicle slowed to a stop. As with the first incident, the damage was limited to the battery.
Finally, a third case occurred in Hawaii, when a customer complained that they heard a popping noise and smoke rising from the cupholders of their 2018 Soul EV. Kia says that if a vehicle doesn’t charge all the way, has fluctuating or lower-than-normal range, or the EV warning light comes, it may be a sign that this issue is presenting itself.
Kia analyzed all of the vehicles in question, but water damage from fire suppression efforts have made it difficult to get to the bottom of the problem. As it stands, the automaker knows that a short circuit is occurring between the anode and cathode of the battery cells, but is not aware of the reasons why. Its working theory is that abnormal amounts of precipitate in the battery cell are leading to the issue.
In order to protect owners as much as possible, it has developed new software for the battery management system that should be able to detect abnormal battery cell voltages before an electrical short occurs. The problem is limited to Souls equipped with the E400 battery, meaning that models from the 2015-2017 model years are only affected if their battery was replaced under warranty.
Kia will start reaching out to customers on May 26 and ask them to return their vehicle to the dealership, where the new software will be installed. If the problem persists, it will replace the customer’s battery at no cost.
