Kia has announced that it will be recalling 2,689 of its Soul EVs from the 2015-2019 model years due to a potential fire risk stemming from a short circuit within the battery pack. While the automaker has confirmed that three related incidents have been reported, it also states that no injuries have been sustained.
The first incident was reported in May 2022, when a dealer noted smoke rising from the battery vents during the diagnosis of a 2017 Soul EV. While the heat damage was limited to the vehicle’s high voltage battery, the second incident took place in Canada in October, with the owner noticing smoke while driving. The vehicle slowed to a stop, and damage was limited to the battery. The third incident occurred in Hawaii, where a customer heard a popping noise and saw smoke rising from the cupholders of their 2018 Soul EV.
Kia is yet to determine precisely what is causing the issue, although it believes that abnormal amounts of precipitate in the battery cells could be leading to the problem. The automaker has analyzed all of the affected vehicles, but water damage from fire suppression efforts has made it difficult to identify the root cause.
To minimize the risk to owners, Kia has developed new software for the battery management system that can detect abnormal battery cell voltages before an electrical short occurs. The recall is limited to Soul EVs 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 begin contacting affected customers from May 26 and asking them to return their vehicle to the dealership for installation of the new software. If the problem persists, Kia will replace the battery at no cost to the customer. While only one percent of the affected vehicles are expected to exhibit the short circuit, Kia is taking this proactive approach to ensure the safety of its customers.
