2023 Kia Soul Air Bag Recall (23V830)
Kia America, Inc. · 2,967 vehicles · Reported December 22, 2023
Kia America, Inc. is recalling 2,967 2024 Kia Seltos; 2023 Kia Soul vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the side curtain air bags may deploy unexpectedly. An air bag that deploys unexpectedly can increase the risk of injury or crash. Dealers will make the repair free of charge.
Recall 23V830 at a glance
| NHTSA campaign number | 23V830000 |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer recall number | SC289 |
| Date reported to NHTSA | December 22, 2023 |
| Manufacturer | Kia America, Inc. |
| Vehicles | 2024 Kia Seltos; 2023 Kia Soul |
| Units affected | 2,967 |
| Component | Air Bags |
| Safety risk | An air bag that deploys unexpectedly can increase the risk of injury or crash. |
| Fix | Available at dealers |
What is wrong with the 2023 Kia Soul in recall 23V830?
Due to a manufacturing error, the side curtain air bags may deploy unexpectedly.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Soul and 2024 Seltos vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the side curtain air bags may deploy unexpectedly.
Is it safe to drive a 2023 Soul with recall 23V830?
NHTSA has not told owners to stop driving, but the risk is real: An air bag that deploys unexpectedly can increase the risk of injury or crash.
NHTSA describes the risk this way: An air bag that deploys unexpectedly can increase the risk of injury or crash.
NHTSA has not issued a do-not-drive or park-outside warning for this recall. Still, get the repair done as soon as it is available, and stop driving if you notice symptoms related to the air bags.
Which vehicles are included in recall 23V830?
Recall 23V830 covers 2,967 vehicles: 2024 Kia Seltos; 2023 Kia Soul.
NHTSA lists 2,967 vehicles in this campaign. Not every vehicle of these models and years is included, so check your VIN.
| Model years | Make | Model |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Kia | Seltos |
| 2023 | Kia | Soul |
What is the fix for the Soul air bag recall?
Yes. Dealers will inspect and replace both side curtain air bag modules as necessary, free of charge.
Dealers will inspect and replace both side curtain air bag modules as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 31, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC289.
When was recall 23V830 announced?
Kia America, Inc. reported recall 23V830 to NHTSA on December 22, 2023. NHTSA lists the owner letter date as January 31, 2024.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| December 22, 2023 | Kia America, Inc. filed the defect report with NHTSA; NHTSA assigned campaign 23V830000. |
| January 31, 2024 | Owner notification letters mailed (per NHTSA). |
This recall was filed 33 months ago. If your Soul was built in that window, the VIN check below is the way to confirm it is included.
How do I check if my Soul is part of recall 23V830?
Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If recall 23V830 is open on your Soul, it will be listed there.
Enter your 17-character VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup. It shows any open safety recall on your vehicle, including 23V830000. Your VIN is on the registration card, the insurance card, and the driver side of the dashboard where it meets the windshield. Recent recalls can take a few days to appear in the lookup.
What should Soul owners do about recall 23V830?
Check your VIN, schedule the free recall repair, and keep a repair order for every dealer visit.
- Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm recall 23V830000 applies to your Soul.
- Book the recall appointment with any authorized Kia dealer. Ask up front whether parts are available and how long the vehicle will be there.
- Keep a copy of every repair order. Check that each one lists your complaint, the mileage, and the dates in and out.
- Write down when symptoms involving the air bags happen: date, mileage, speed, weather and what you felt or heard. Photos and short videos help.
- Count the days the vehicle is at the dealer. Days out of service add up toward California's 30-day presumption.
- If the recall repair does not fix it, or the vehicle keeps going back for the same issue, talk to a lemon law attorney.
What are Soul owners reporting to NHTSA?
Owners have filed 97 complaints with NHTSA about these vehicles since 2020, 6 of them about the air bags.
Too few NHTSA complaints about the air bags have been filed since recall 23V830 was reported (4) to say whether the fix is holding.
NHTSA’s public complaint database lists 97 owner complaints filed since 2020 for the vehicles in this recall, and 6 of them involve the air bags. Complaints are reports from owners and have not been verified by NHTSA, but a high count for the same component is a sign the problem is widespread.
- 2023 Kia Soul: 52 complaints in total, 5 about the air bags
- 2024 Kia Seltos: 45 complaints in total, 1 about the air bags
A few excerpts from owner complaints filed with NHTSA (unverified, lightly trimmed):
The airbag in this 2023 Kia Soul vehicle had a faulty airbag deployment. The steering wheel airbag exploded upon a minor impact of under 20 mph and no other airbags deployed. The steering wheel airbag never fully deployed or made driver contact, it just simply exploded.
2023 Kia Soul owner, TX, NHTSA complaint 11718259, filed February 16, 2026
I have had my car to the dealership 3 times and scheduled for a4th time for this same issue. It is intermittent which I realize makes it hard to diagnose however the dealership kept it overnight in 2nd visit to try to reproduce it and they did.
2023 Kia Soul owner, CT, NHTSA complaint 11547162, filed September 28, 2023
Our vehicle was in an accident with extensive damage to the entire front end. The accident warning senors did not go off and the air bags did not deploy. The insurance adjuster said the entire engine was pushed back towards the driver area so it's surprising the air bags did not deploy.
2024 Kia Seltos owner, GA, NHTSA complaint 11670573, filed July 1, 2025
Can recall 23V830 make my Soul a lemon in California?
Not by itself. A recall repair that fails, or repeat dealer visits for the same defect, can support a California lemon law claim.
A recall by itself does not make a car a lemon. Under California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, what matters is whether a defect covered by the warranty substantially impairs the vehicle's use, value or safety, and whether the manufacturer or its dealers fixed it within a reasonable number of attempts (Civ. Code 1793.2(d)).
An air bag warning light that keeps coming back after a recall repair is worth documenting. Air bag defects are safety defects, and California law can require fewer repair attempts for them.
The recall repair is available at dealers. If it works, great. If the same symptom comes back, the recall visit is one repair attempt and the next visit is another.
Civil Code 1793.22(b) sets out a presumption that applies in the first 18 months or 18,000 miles: two or more repair attempts for a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury, four or more attempts for the same defect, or more than 30 total days out of service for repairs. Written notice to the manufacturer is required in some cases. Owners outside that window can still have a claim.
An owner who prevails in a lemon law case can recover reasonable attorney fees and costs from the manufacturer (Civ. Code 1794(d)). You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.
In our cases, a recall repair visit counts as a repair attempt, and it's strongest when the owner complained about the problem before the recall came out. A recall shows the defect is real and that enough owners reported it for the manufacturer to issue a fix.
The biggest mistake I see is waiting too long. The mileage offset starts at your first repair visit for the problem, so the sooner you take it in, the better. If the problem comes and goes, take it in when it happens. You can't go back to that date later.
If you get a recall notice, call a lemon law attorney right away. You may have taken the car in for the same problem before and forgotten, or there may be other recalls related to it.
Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320), Founder and Managing Attorney. Quotes lightly edited for clarity. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Has your Soul been back to the dealer for this problem?
Call 877-536-6620Other Kia Soul recalls
Frequently asked questions about recall 23V830
Is the 23V830000 recall repair free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are done free of charge at authorized dealers.
When will owners be notified?
According to NHTSA, owner notification letters were or are scheduled to be mailed January 31, 2024.
How do I know if my Soul is part of recall 23V830000?
Enter your 17-character VIN in NHTSA's recall lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or call a dealer. The VIN is on your registration, insurance card and the lower corner of the windshield.
What if my air bag light stays on after the recall repair?
Go back to the dealer. A warning light that returns means the system may not deploy correctly, and the visit is another repair attempt for a safety defect.
Does a recall mean my car is a lemon?
Not on its own. A lemon law claim depends on whether a covered defect keeps coming back or keeps the vehicle out of service. A recall repair that fails, or repeat visits for the same problem, can support a claim.
Does the recall fixing my car mean I have no case?
Not necessarily. Even if the recall repair fixed it, you may still have a case, and a car that's a year or more old can still qualify.
Do used cars qualify for California lemon law?
We take certified pre-owned, demo and dealer vehicles. Since the California Supreme Court's Rodriguez decision in 2024, ordinary used cars generally do not qualify.
How long does a recall lemon law case take?
Recall-related cases typically resolve in one to three months from your first call. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
What does a lemon law attorney cost?
You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.
Sources
- NHTSA recall record 23V830000 (recall report and owner letters are posted there)
- NHTSA complaints and recalls data, accessed October 1, 2026
- California Civil Code 1793.2 and 1793.22
Attorney advertising. America’s Lemon Lawyer is a trade name of Wynn Law Group, APC. Responsible attorney: Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320). This page is general information, not legal advice. America’s Lemon Lawyer is not affiliated with NHTSA or Kia. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.