Recall 10V388 affects 35,185 2010-2011 Kia Soul and Sorento vehicles for improperly soldered lighting wiring. Repair is free at any franchised Kia dealer.
Kia is recalling 35,185 2010-2011 Soul and Sorento vehicles because wiring harnesses for door-panel lighting were improperly soldered. When the lights are on, the harness can short and result in a fire; the Kia dealer repair will be free once the remedy is available.
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What's wrong?
The affected wiring harness is the small electrical bundle that powers cabin lighting features on 2010-2011 Kia Soul and Sorento vehicles. In the Soul, it feeds the lighting in the Advanced Lighting Speakers in the front door trim panels. In the Sorento, it feeds the interior accent illumination in the front and rear door trim panels.
The problem is an improperly soldered connection inside a limited number of those harnesses supplied for the lighting circuit. Solder is the metal bond that holds an electrical connection together. When that bond is not made correctly, the connection does not have the solid contact the circuit needs to work as designed.
There is no warning sign before failure. An owner should not count on a dashboard message, noise, smell, or visible change in the door trim before the wiring problem shows up.
Who's affected?
Both included models are tied to the same component category: wiring.
| 2010 Kia Soul | wiring |
|---|---|
| 2011 Kia Sorento | wiring |
| Units affected | 35,185 |
A matching year and model does not guarantee inclusion. Check your VIN to confirm whether this recall applies to your specific vehicle.
What's the safety risk?
When the affected interior lights are on under certain conditions, an electrical short can start a fire. Until your VIN is checked and the repair is complete, leave the advanced lighting speakers or interior accent illumination off and schedule service promptly. Repair will be free at any franchised Kia dealer once available.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2010-2011 Kia Soul or Sorento is included in this recall.
- Contact your nearest franchised Kia dealer to ask whether the free lighting-wiring-harness repair is open for your VIN.
- Schedule the wiring-harness replacement that fixes the improperly soldered lighting circuits linked to an electrical short and fire risk.
- Bring the recall notice if Kia mailed one. If not, reference recall number 10V388 when you call.
- Call Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542 with questions about the recall or dealer appointment.
What happens at the repair
At the dealer, a Kia technician replaces the wiring harnesses for the lighting in the Soul advanced lighting speakers and the Sorento interior accent illumination. The work addresses the harnesses described in campaign 10V388. Because the remedy status is not listed here, confirm availability before arranging service. The dealer repair will be free once available for your VIN, with parts and labor covered under the recall.
Timeline
| August 31, 2010 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| September 13, 2010 | Owner notification mailed |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 10V388?
Recall 10V388 covers 35,185 2010 Kia Soul and 2011 Kia Sorento vehicles with improperly soldered lighting wiring harnesses in the door trim panels. When the lights are illuminated under certain conditions, an electrical short can start a fire. Kia dealers replace the affected wiring harnesses for free.
What should I do if my 2010 Kia Soul or 2011 Kia Sorento is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific vehicle is included in recall 10V388. If it is, contact a franchised Kia dealer to schedule the lighting wiring harness replacement. Reference recall number 10V388 when you call. The repair is free.
Is the Kia recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to repair the defect at no cost, and Kia's recall remedy says dealers replace the affected lighting wiring harnesses free of charge. Use a franchised Kia dealer for the recall repair.
What is the safety risk?
The safety risk is fire. The affected wiring harnesses for the Soul advanced lighting speakers and Sorento interior accent illumination were improperly soldered, and an electrical short can occur when the lights are illuminated under certain conditions. The dealer repair replaces those harnesses for free.
What if I bought the Kia Soul or Sorento used?
The free recall repair still applies. Recall coverage follows the vehicle, not the first owner. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific Kia is included, then call a franchised Kia dealer and reference recall number 10V388.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/10V388000 |
|---|---|
| Kia customer service | 1-800-333-4542 |
| NHTSA recall # | 10V388 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 10V388000 |
Source documents
-
Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF) - Download Owner Notification Letter (PDF)
- Download Defect / Noncompliance Notice (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Recall Acknowledgement (PDF)
This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on June 3, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →