2021 KIA SELTOS

2 recalls, 515 complaints - 168 TSBs - 4/5 safety rating

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:HARD PARTS INTERNAL/MECHANICAL

Defect Description

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Seltos and Soul vehicles. The piston oil rings may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in engine damage.

Consequence

Engine damage can cause a vehicle stall or fire, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.

Remedy

Dealers will inspect and replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Dealers will also install piston-ring noise sensing system (PNSS) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 4, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 800-333-4542. Kia's number for th... Read more

137,256 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.

ENGINE

Defect Description

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Soul, and 2021 Seltos vehicles equipped with 2.0L Nu MPI engines. The piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which may result in engine damage.

Consequence

A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, oil may leak onto hot exhaust components, increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy

Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the engine, free of charge. In addition, Kia will deploy Piston Ring Noise Sensing System (PNSS) software. The recall began June 11, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this ... Read more

147,249 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: Kia Motors America

Complaint Statistics

515 total complaints 25 crashes 11 fires 17 injuries

Top Reported Components

Component	Complaints
ENGINE	111
POWER TRAIN	61
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	56
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	54
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	23
SERVICE BRAKES	22
STEERING	21
STRUCTURE:BODY	12
VISIBILITY/WIPER	10
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	10

Incident date: Apr 22, 2026

Severe Safety Hazard, Corporate Negligence, and Delayed Repair: * After picking the vehicle up following the secondary service, a heavy, toxic smell of raw gasoline began pouring directly through the cabin’s HVAC vents while driving. * I immediately called the dealership. A representative consulte... Read more

Incident date: Apr 22, 2026

Incident date: Aug 1, 2026

My 2021 Kia Seltos is experiencing engine sputtering/hesitation at approximately 3,000 RPM and the low oil pressure warning light illuminates while the vehicle is stopped or idling. The vehicle has been taken to an authorized Kia dealership for diagnosis. The dealership opened a Kia Techline case an... Read more

Incident date: Aug 1, 2026

Incident date: Jun 13, 2025

Car began throwing a P0304 code in June of 2025. I took it to Brookshire Car Care and they ran a diagnostic, but found nothing to be wrong. In November of 2025, the car began throwing a P0304 code again and this time also had a P0303 code and P0335. The car was taken to Christian Brothers as it was ... Read more

Incident date: Jun 13, 2025

Incident date: Jun 1, 2026

The fuel pump that is located within the fuel tank and under my seat somehow got a crack on a less than 5 year old car. I've had several people and mechanics tell me that that is rare with a car of that age. I am a safe and careful driver and purchased the car used directly from a Kia dealership. I ... Read more

Incident date: Aug 25, 2026

My 2021 Kia Seltos 2.0L is experiencing excessive engine oil consumption between regularly scheduled oil changes. There is no visible external oil leak or oil accumulating underneath the vehicle, but the oil level becomes extremely low before the next scheduled oil change, requiring me to add oil my... Read more

Incident date: Sep 1, 2026

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Seltos. The contact became aware several years ago that the transmission was not shifting properly and the vehicle was shaking abnormally. The vehicle was taken to a dealer; however, the technicians found no failure. The contact stated that on another occasion while in tr... Read more

Incident date: Apr 1, 2026

My 2021 Kia Seltos SX Turbo (1.6L Turbo engine) is experiencing severe, excessive oil consumption, burning (and heavy smoke ) approximately 1 to 2 quarts, (Kia dealer oil change standard amount) of oil every 1,000 miles without any external visual leaks. A formal diagnosis by a certified Kia dealers... Read more

Incident date: Apr 1, 2026

Incident date: Oct 7, 2024

Acceleration is sluggish and vehicle struggles to maintain freeway speeds. Engine stalls (engine turns off, ACC still on) during normal operation. When reducing speed approaching a stop and for making a right angle turn, only the engine shuts off, all accessories (i.e. lights, climate control, radio... Read more

Incident date: Aug 30, 2026

Was driving and power steering became difficult to steer and a red steering wheel icon with a exclamation mark came on in the dashboard.

Incident date: Aug 25, 2026

My 2021 Kia Seltos stalled twice while driving and failed to restart, creating a severe safety hazard. The vehicle was previously inspected twice at a Kia dealer for the Piston Ring Recall (SC209). The dealer diagnosis now shows timing failure codes P0014 and P0017 with misfires. The technician note... Read more

Incident date: Jul 31, 2026

I am requesting a formal review of an engine failure involving my 2021 Kia Seltos LX with the 2.0L engine. At approximately 103,000 miles, the original engine failed after losing nearly all of its oil. There was no obvious external oil leak or oil puddle, suggesting that the engine may have been co... Read more

Incident date: Aug 5, 2026

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Seltos. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and turning into the driveway, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, and there was no oil in the engine, and metal flakes were found i... Read more

Incident date: Jul 2, 2026

Randomly started having engine issues in July 2026. Had an appt with Kia dealership and said my engine needed to be repaired with assumptions on what the problem is. They claimed it had nothing to do with the engine recall on my Kia and that it was my responsibility to pay for the repair. There has ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 4, 2026

Major safety issue will lead to loss power and visual hazard for cars on road. 2018 accord 1.5 has a coolant leak in cylinder 2 and three via scope verified , shop said it needs a headgasket. It had misfire codes on scanner and shakes when start up. This will be potentially big issue if motor blows ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 30, 2026

Currently have a airbag light on my dash that only goes away for a minute when i hit a bump as well as the passenger seat not detecting there is someone there so their airbag light says its off, no one will help when you call suzuki but they want to keep sending things like fuel tank may crack and o... Read more

Incident date: Jul 30, 2026

Incident date: Jul 23, 2026

The vehicle is grounded at the dealership due to NHTSA Campaign 25V794 (Kia Recall SC356). The vehicle's fuel tank has critically expanded and swollen, causing permanent structural and chassis deformation inside the vehicle. The dealership service department has documented this structural damage, co... Read more

Incident date: Jul 5, 2026

The contact owns a 2026 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving and making a right turn, the vehicle hesitated and jerked while depressing the accelerator pedal. Additionally, the contact stated that while attempting to accelerate from a complete stop, the vehicle failed to respond. The... Read more

Incident date: Jun 30, 2026

While driving a rented 2023 Kia EV6 on the freeway, the vehicle lost power and shut down completely, without warning, on multiple separate occasions during a single trip. This occurred at highway speed in live traffic, creating a serious risk to vehicle occupants and surrounding traffic. The vehicle... Read more

Incident date: Jun 30, 2026

Incident date: Aug 29, 2025

I own a 2023 Honda Accord Touring Hybrid. At approximately 42,000 miles, all of the warning lights illuminated while driving. The warnings included Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward Collision Warning, Lane Departure Warning, Blind Spot Warning, Parking Collision Warning, and multiple other system ale... Read more

Incident date: Jul 18, 2026

2021 GLE350 - 4JGFB4KB7MA355768 purchased December 30, 2024 with 35,000. miles. Current milage 61,933. There is a critical electrical/software defect in the MBUX system which has completely blacked out. This VIN# has not been placed on recall but it is suffering the same failure as previous models... Read more

Incident date: Jun 22, 2026

The Battery Energy Control Module (BECM) failed. Before repair, the check-engine light appeared intermittently, the vehicle sometimes had difficulty starting, and the indicated electric range could suddenly drop from about 30 miles to zero despite a charged high-voltage battery. When this occurred, ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 7, 2026

On XXX I was traveling with my [XXX] mother who has 2 plates to her hips from a fx. We had stopped at a rest area. I went to get her out of the front passenger side and the door would not open from outside or inside. The other doors were fine. She is not able to climb over the front console so I cal... Read more

Incident date: May 1, 2024

Head on collision, airbag did not deploy

Crash

Incident date: Jul 6, 2026

Steering Rack and Pinion failure due to corroded electrical connection plug. This occurred in april, 2025, when the van had less than 15,000 miles on it. Took the van to Blue Ridge Chrysler Dodge dealership in Abingdon Va .for Warranty repair. Plug was taken off another vehicle to put on mine aaaa... Read more

Incident date: Jul 6, 2026

While day driving on a clearly marked interstate in slightly hazy weather from fires, the car suddenly, unprompted, steered to the left without any warning or any indicators going off. This caused the car traveling at highway speed to crash into a barrier wall, drive half way up before driver could ... Read more

2 injured

Incident date: Jun 17, 2026

The battery keeps dying even though it's been tested and is good. Lights keep shorting out I've had to replace the brake light and wires twice. The coolant is disappearing causing the vehicle to overheat even after driving ahort diatances but no puddle is left to show a cracked tank or something sim... Read more

Incident date: Jun 27, 2026

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, the driver’s seat belt pretensioner exploded and locked the driver in extremely tightly. The contact was startled and lost control of the vehicle, and the vehicle almost drove into a ditch. The veh... Read more

Incident date: Jul 4, 2026

The contact owns a 2022 Acura MDX. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH, there was an abnormal vibration coming from the front passenger’s side of the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The abnormal vibration persisted, and there was a grinding sound coming from the vehicl... Read more

Incident date: Nov 13, 2025

The contact owns a 2025 Kia Carnival. The contact stated that while parked in a bank drive-thru, the contact's son mentioned that his seat belt was stuck. The contact parked the vehicle in a parking spot and attempted to remove the seat belt; however, the seat belt retracted tightly around his abdom... Read more

1 injured

Incident date: Nov 13, 2025

1 injured

Incident date: Nov 13, 2025

On 7/6/26 the car started to rough idle and engine light was coming on/off/on - so we took into the local shop and check for misfiring - mechanic opened up spark plug and scoped and immediately noticed coolant inside the cylinder #1/4. Proceed to call me and note this particular engine they have see... Read more

Incident date: Oct 5, 2024

The day before that all these issues started popping up my battery was completely dead, and I had to jumpstart the 12 V battery the next day while I was driving down the highway I started getting all these error messages and also the video from the Ford camera started glitching with my navigation.

Incident date: Mar 31, 2026

The 9 speed automatic transmission suffered a catastrophic internal failure (codes PO893 and PO876), forcing the vehicle into limp mode. The vehicle loses propulsion unexpectedly in traffic, and the transmission risk complete mechanical lockup while driving. The vehicle is unsafe to operate on pub... Read more

Incident date: Jun 24, 2026

Keyless system warning continuously goes off. Lane assist continually is unavailable Start stop system continually unavailable Dealership has serviced the vehicle and warning indicators continue to go off.

Incident date: Mar 31, 2026

The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the automatic emergency braking system engaged while there were no objects or vehicles near the vehicle. Additionally, the contact stated that the pre-collision message was displayed while the vehicle ... Read more

Incident date: May 29, 2026

Started vehicle this morning 6-25-26 and noticed the power steering light flashing. Shut off truck and started again but light still flashing. This is the first time this has happened as I have driven the truck everyday without any issues before.

Incident date: Jun 4, 2026

Seat warmer started to catch on fire

Incident date: Jun 4, 2026

Seat warmer started to catch on fire

Incident date: May 11, 2026

On February 25, 2026 the car was brought to the service department where it was determined that a front tire had a separated belt which caused vibrations and failure to accelerate . On June 16, 2026 the car was brought to the service department for the same thing. Again a tire had a separated belt ... Read more

Incident date: Jun 11, 2026

The car has had I repaired recalls since I purchased it from the dealership last year. None of the dealerships want to provide alternate transportation or even take me home with my kids but want me to leave the car for several days and figure it out. There hasn’t been an incident yet but the recal... Read more

Showing 50 of 515 complaints.

NHTSA Safety Ratings, 2021 KIA SELTOS

2021 Kia SELTOS SUV FWD

Category	Rating
Overall Rating	4 / 5 ★★★★☆
Frontal Crash	4 / 5 ★★★★☆
Frontal Crash, Driver	5 / 5 ★★★★★
Frontal Crash, Passenger	4 / 5 ★★★★☆
Side Crash	5 / 5 ★★★★★
Side Crash, Driver	5 / 5 ★★★★★
Side Crash, Passenger	5 / 5 ★★★★★
Rollover	4 / 5 ★★★★☆
Rollover Risk	16.9%

Safety Technology

Feature	Status
Electronic Stability Control	Standard
Forward Collision Warning	Optional
Lane Departure Warning	Optional

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings Program. Ratings are based on crash tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Technical Service Bulletins, 2021 KIA SELTOS

168 manufacturer communications from 100 unique bulletins. TSBs describe known problems and recommended fixes from the manufacturer.

Most Affected Components

Component	Bulletins
110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	58
100000 POWER TRAIN	31
060000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	14
350000 EQUIPMENT	13
118000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE	5
010000 STEERING	3
353400 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.	3
220000 SEATS	3

100000 POWER TRAIN

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: 4WD ECU INSPECTION/REPLACEMENT (SC297) - This bulletin provides information to inspect and, if necessary, replace/repair the 4WD Electronic Control Unit (ECU) and wire harness and also

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

100000 POWER TRAIN

VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: OWNER NOTIFICATION (SC297) - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia is conducting a Voluntary Service Campaign to inspect and, if necessary, replace the AWD Control Unit in certain 2021-2023 MY

100000 POWER TRAIN

VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: DEALER PRINCIPAL MEMO (SC297) - This document is the announcement to the dealer principals that Kia is conducting a Voluntary Service Campaign to inspect and, if necessary, replace the AWD Control Unit in certain

100000 POWER TRAIN

VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: DEALER PARTS & SERVICE MANAGER MEMO (SC297) - This document is the announcement to the dealer Parts and Service Managers that Kia is conducting a Voluntary Service Campaign to inspect and, if necessary, replace t

100000 POWER TRAIN

VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: QUESTION AND ANSWER (SC297) - This document is the Question and Answer Guide containing the most frequently asked questions regarding the Voluntary Service Campaign SC297.

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: QUESTION AND ANSWER (SC297) - This document is the Question and Answer Guide containing the most frequently asked questions regarding the Voluntary Service Campaign SC297.

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: AVN 5.0 WIDE NON-RESPONSIVE RADIO ICON (AM, FM, SXM) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. Th

020000 SUSPENSION

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: FRONT STRUT BEARING & SPRING PAD REPLACEMENT - This bulletin provides information to replace the front strut bearing and upper spring pad on both front (LH and RH) strut assemblies on certain 2019-2024MY Forte (B

160000 STRUCTURE

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CLUSTER UPGRADE FOR INTERMITTENT DISPLAY RESTARTING - This bulletin provides information to upgrade the Cluster (CLU) software logic on certain 2021-2023MY Seltos (SP2) vehicles equipped with a 7 in. TFT display

117000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL

118000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: AVN 5.0 WIDE SCREEN FREEZING OR MAP DELAY WITH WIRED APPLE CARPLAY - This bulletin provides information to update the software on 5th Generation AVN wide on certain 2020-2023MY Kia vehicles to remedy an inaccurat

353600 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:INFOTAINMENT

353610 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:INFOTAINMENT:SOFTWARE

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: UNEVEN/SLIPPERY ROAD WARNING DISPLAYED ON INSTRUMENT CLUSTER - This bulletin provides information to update the software on 5th Generation AVN wide on certain 2020-2023MY Kia vehicles (refer to model list on page

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

This bulletin provides information to update the software on 5th Generation AVN wide on certain 2020-2024MY Kia vehicles (refer to model list on page 3) to remedy a 'non-responsive' or 'inoperative' radio (FM, AM, SXM, etc. ) concern. The a

350000 EQUIPMENT

353400 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.

010000 STEERING

PITSTOP: AWD SYSTEM CONCERN DUE TO TIRE CIRCUMFERENCE - This Pitstop provides information regarding potential concerns with the All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) system due to tire sizes of differing circumference. Some customers may complain of a chat

020000 SUSPENSION

100000 POWER TRAIN

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: AVN 5.0 WIDE NON-RESPONSIVE RADIO ICON (AM, FM, SXM) - This bulletin provides information to update the software on 5th Generation AVN wide on certain 2020-2023MY Kia vehicles to remedy a 'non-responsive'

350000 EQUIPMENT

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION CAMPAIGN: OWNER RE-NOTIFICATION - This document is the owner re-notification advising that Kia has developed a software upgrade that can be installed on the vehicle to restrict the operation of the vehicle's ignition s

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: KIA GENUINE REMOTE START CONTROL MODULE UPGRADE FOR ANTI-THEFT LOGIC COMPATIBILITY (CS2310) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this

116300 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL MODULE

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: ANTI-THEFT S/W LOGIC UPGRADE & DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2309) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: KIA GENUINE REMOTE START CONTROL MODULE UPGRADE FOR ANTI-THEFT LOGIC COMPATIBILITY (CS2310) - This bulletin provides information to update the software logic in the Kia Genuine Remote Start

100000 POWER TRAIN

VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: IVT SOFTWARE LOGIC IMPROVEMENT AND/OR IVT REPLACEMENT (SC199) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in th

103100 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

100000 POWER TRAIN

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: IVT SOFTWARE LOGIC IMPROVEMENT AND/OR IVT REPLACEMENT - This bulletin provides the procedure to update the Transmission Control Module (TCM) software logic and, if necessary, replace the Intelligent Variable Tran

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION CAMPAIGN: OWNER NOTIFICATION - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia has developed a software upgrade that can be installed on the vehicle to restrict the operation of the vehicle's ignition system

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

PIT STOP: LOG FILE COLLECTION FOR AVN 5.0/W AND DISPLAY AUDIO 2.0 - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This Pitstop contai

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: ANTI-THEFT S/W LOGIC UPGRADE & DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2309) - This bulletin provides the procedure to upgrade the software logic of the Integrated Body Control Unit (IBU) or Body Control Mod

251000 ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL:AUTOMATIC (ASC)

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: ABS/ESC LOGIC IMPROVEMENT FOR DTC C1626 - This bulletin provides the procedure to update the software logic of the Anti-Lock Brakes/Electronic Stability Control (ABS/ESC) systems on some 2021-2023MY Seltos vehicl

030000 SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

100000 POWER TRAIN

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: TRANSMISSION FLUID APPLICATION GUIDE - This bulletin provides information relating to the correct transmission fluid type and fill quantity requirement for each Kia model. A flush is required ONLY when a transmis

060000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: MAINTENANCE REMINDER FEATURE - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area.This bulletin provides inform

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

100000 POWER TRAIN

VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: OWNER NOTIFICATION - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia is conducting a Voluntary Service Campaign to inspect and, if necessary, repair the transfer case oil seal and to perform the All-Whe

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

100000 POWER TRAIN

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

100000 POWER TRAIN

VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: DEALER PRINCIPAL MEMO - This document is the announcement to the dealer principals that Kia is conducting a Voluntary Service Campaign on certain All-Wheel Drive 2021-2023 MY Seltos vehicles equipped with 2.0L en

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

100000 POWER TRAIN

VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: DEALER PARTS AND SERVICE MANAGER MEMO - This document is the announcement to the dealer Parts and Service Managers that Kia is conducting a Voluntary Service Campaign on certain All-Wheel Drive 2021-2023 MY Selto

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

100000 POWER TRAIN

VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: QUESTION AND ANSWER - This document is the Question and Answer Guide containing the most frequently asked questions regarding the Voluntary Service Campaign (SC242).

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: QUESTION AND ANSWER - This document is the Question and Answer Guide containing the most frequently asked questions regarding the Voluntary Service Campaign (SC242).

100000 POWER TRAIN

VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: TRANSFER CASE LEAKAGE/OVERHEATING WHEN USING SPARE TIRE (SC242) - This bulletin provides the procedure to inspect the front wheel transfer assembly for oil leakage and update the 4-Wheel Drive (4WD) (also referre

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE REMINDER SETTING RESET PROCEDURE - This bulletin provides the procedure to turn OFF the service reminder lamp, at the first service interval reminder alert that will display on the instrument cluster. The

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

PITSTOP: REAR OCCUPANT ALERT (ROA) W/REAR DOOR LOGIC - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This Pitstop provides informatio

220000 SEATS

100000 POWER TRAIN

060000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE ACTION: MIL ON DTC P0605 AND/OR P2181 ECM LOGIC IMPROVEMENT (SA463) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar i

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

060000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

SUBSEQUENT REPAIR ACTION: ENGINE REPLACEMENT INSTRUCTIONS FOR PISTON RING NOISE DTC P1327 (SC209Y) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in th

100000 POWER TRAIN

060000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

SUBSEQUENT REPAIR ACTION: ENGINE REPLACEMENT INSTRUCTIONS FOR PISTON RING NOISE DTC P1327(SC209Y) - This bulletin provides information related to the Technical Service Bulletin previously published in (SC209A) titled "ECM Logic Improvement

350000 EQUIPMENT

060000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: EXCESSIVE OIL CONSUMPTION NU/GAMMA/THETA/KAPPA ENGINES - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. Th

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

PITSTOP: BATTERY DEALER (SHIPPING)/CUSTOMER MODE SWITCH - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This Pitstop provides informa

350000 EQUIPMENT

061600 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECU/ECM)

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN - SERVICE ACTION: MIL ON DTC P0605 AND/OR P2181 ECM LOGIC IMPROVEMENT (SA463) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar

119127 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:TRACTION BATTERY:THERMAL MANAGEMENT:FLUID/COOLANT

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE ACTION: DA 2.0V SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR WIRELESS CARPLAY FUNCTION (SA492) - This bulletin provides information to update the Display Audio 2.0V software for the wireless CarPlay function on the models listed

353610 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:INFOTAINMENT:SOFTWARE

060000 ENGINE (PWS)

061500 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:OIL/LUBRICATION

060000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

350000 EQUIPMENT

356000 EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY

103100 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)

355200 EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL

103110 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE:SOFTWARE

120000 EXTERIOR LIGHTING

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: INFORMATION FOR HEADLAMP CONDENSATION AND MOISTURE - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This b

160000 STRUCTURE

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: FRONT VIEW CAMERA REPLACEMENT AND SOFTWARE UPGRADE INSTALLATION - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin

350000 EQUIPMENT

260000 FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

270000 LANE DEPARTURE

060000 ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: FRONT VIEW CAMERA REPLACEMENT AND SOFTWARE UPGRADE INSTALLATION - This bulletin provides the procedure to update the software logic of the Front Camera (FR_CMR) system on the vehicles listed below, which have had

260000 FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

270000 LANE DEPARTURE

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

PITSTOP: FRONT RADAR SENSOR MOUNTING INSPECTION (PS704) - This pitstop provides information regarding front radar sensor alignment on 2014MY and later vehicles that may exhibit a warning light ON related to radar sensor alignment errors in

260000 FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

PITSTOP: BLUETOOTH MEMORY AND VOICE RECOGNITION CONCERN WITH AVN 5.0/W - This Pitstop provides information for resolving a memory concern with the AVN 5.0 Wide head unit while downloading the contact list from a paired phone. The concern al

100000 POWER TRAIN

SC199 - Owner Letter - Seltos: Second notification to Seltos vehicle owners advising them of a Voluntary Emissions Service Campaign to improve the Transmission Control Module (TCM) logic and, if necessary, replace the Intelligent Variable T

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

010000 STEERING

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN:SERVICE ACTION: EPS LOGIC IMPROVEMENT FOR DTC C160404 (SA466) - This bulletin provides the procedure to improve the software logic of the Electronic Power Steering (EPS) system on some 2021MY Seltos (SP2) and Soul

220000 SEATS

PITSTOP: RATTLE/CLUNK NOISE FROM REAR SEAT - This Pitstop provides information regarding a rattle or clunk noise from the rear seat area on some 2021MY Seltos (SP2) vehicles when driving over bumps or uneven road surfaces.

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE REMINDER SETTING RESET PROCEDURE - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin pr

Showing 100 of 168 bulletins.

NHTSA Safety Investigations, KIA SELTOS

Investigations opened by NHTSA into potential safety defects. These are separate from recalls and may or may not result in a recall.

AQ, Closed , Model Year: 2021

Kia 25V099 Piston Oil Ring Recall Effectiveness

On August 6, 2025, the Office of Defect Investigation (ODI) opened Audit Query (AQ) 25001 to assess the implementation of Kia America, Inc.’s (Kia) remedy program for Safety Recall 25V099, involving incorrectly manufactured piston oil rings which may damage the engine causing a loss of motive powe... r or fire. This AQ was opened in response to consumer complaints alleging of an ineffective remedy, inconsistent inspection results to determine whether an engine replacement was needed, and the unavailability of recall remedies. On August 11, 2025, an Information Request (IR) was issued to Kia requesting: 1) why the inspection test was revised from requiring a ‘cold’ engine to a ‘warm’ engine; 2) why the recall remedy was suspended from April 30, 2025 to May 7, 2025; 3) how Kia notified customers of the recall remedy suspension and the need to re-test engines that failed the ‘cold’ engine test; 4) the number of post-recall remedy complaints alleging engine or other engine related failures; and 5) the warranty coverage Kia is offering to vehicles that passed either inspection tests. On September 10, 2025, Kia responded to NHTSA’s IR: Kia reported the change in temperature from ‘cold’ to ‘warm’ engine testing was done to increase accuracy. The inspection test uses diagnostic tools that detects abnormal engine vibrations to identify damaged engines. From the initial launch of the Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) on April 4, 2025 through April 28, 2025, ‘cold’ engine testing resulted in a higher-than-expected failure rate when compared to the pre-recall warranty claim rate. This discrepancy led Kia to re-evaluate its inspection test and found that performing the inspection on a ‘cold’ engine can result in imprecise test results due to normal cold-start vibrations. Kia revised the inspection to ‘warm’ engine testing to minimize vibration interference. Kia sampled the field and performed a comparative analysis between ‘cold’ and ‘warm’ engine testing, and validated that ‘warm’ engine testing was more accurate in identifying damaged engines. Kia also reported the suspension of the recall remedy was due to a software error in the diagnostic tool, which was introduced in concert with the April 29, 2025 launch of the TSB that revised the inspection from ‘cold’ to ‘warm’ engine testing. The software error resulted in all inspection tests reporting false positives for a damaged engine. On April 30, 2025, Kia suspended the remedy until May 7, 2025, which was when the software error was corrected with the release of the latest TSB and software update. The recall remedy remains available to eligible customers. Kia reported owners were not mailed letters concerning the suspension to the recall remedy. Kia reasoned since it resolved the issue faster than it would have taken to draft and mail letters, Kia did not want to create unnecessary customer confusion involving an issue that would have already been addressed upon receipt of a letter. Kia also determined that mailing letters about re-testing engines was unnecessary since those vehicles were already at the dealer awaiting engine replacement. In most instances, Kia Customer Care agents would respond to customer inquiries related to the recall, including remedy availability, dealer issues, and questions about differing test results. Kia provided ODI a review of engine related consumer complaints received on post recall-remedied vehicles. Kia did not find any common patterns or trends related to those complaints following completion of the recall, as the complaints included issues that were unrelated to the subject defect. To aid in the diagnosis of whether a complaint is related to the recall, the remedy includes the installation of a software program, the Piston-ring Noise Sensing System (PNSS), that monitors the engine for unusual noise patterns (an indicator of potential damage to the piston oil rings), and alerts the customer by flashing the check engine light and setting Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) P1327. Kia confirmed that it is not offering any specific warranty coverage for this recall. Instead, Kia has instructed dealers to replace the engine, at no cost to the customer, with no time or mileage limitation, following the installation of the PNSS software and the presence of DTC P1327. On September 4, 2025, Kia issued Subsequent Repair Action (SRA) # SC336YZ, which provided engine diagnosis and replacement instructions for vehicles with a potentially related complaint following completion of the recall. Under this SRA, customers whose vehicles set DTC P1327 will have their engine replaced. If DTC P1327 is not set and it is unclear whether the issue is related to the recall, dealers are instructed to contact Kia's Technical Assistance Center to ensure the issue is appropriately handled. Kia notes that any issues determined to be unrelated to the recall are subject to the 10-year / 100,000-mile Powertrain warranty for original purchasers and a 5-year / 60,000-mile Limited Basic Warranty for subsequent purchasers. In summary, Kia identified the insufficiencies of its initial inspection test that led to a pause to its recall campaign, explained why it did not mail letters to affected customers about the paused campaign or revised inspection test, reviewed existing consumer complaints that did not identify any potential trends related to the recall, and identified its warranty coverage for any vehicles exhibiting qualifying engine symptoms. After review of Kia’s response to the IR, ODI has determined that no further action from Kia is necessary at this time, and ODI will close this AQ investigation accordingly. The Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.Read more

KIA SELTOS - All Years Overview

Complete safety history for the KIA SELTOS across all model years (2021, 2024).

7 Total Recalls

794 Total Complaints

1 Investigations

38 Reported Crashes

14 Reported Fires

0 Reported Deaths

KIA SELTOS - Year by Year

Compare recalls and complaints across model years. Click any year to see full details.

Year	Recalls	Complaints
2026	0	7	View
2025	0	20	View
2024	2	72	View
2023	2	80	View
2022	1	100	View
2021 (current)	2	515

Other KIA Models

Model	Recalls	Complaints
SORENTO	188	13,593	View
SPORTAGE	165	6,601	View
SEDONA	118	3,350	View
OPTIMA	100	10,128	View
TELLURIDE	70	2,186	View
SOUL	66	7,233	View
SORENTO HYBRID	62	159	View
SOUL EV	62	50	View

Vehicle Safety

Consumer Safety

Infrastructure

Public Health

2021 KIA SELTOS

Complaint Statistics

Top Reported Components

NHTSA Safety Ratings, 2021 KIA SELTOS

Safety Technology

Technical Service Bulletins, 2021 KIA SELTOS

Most Affected Components

NHTSA Safety Investigations, KIA SELTOS

KIA SELTOS - All Years Overview

KIA SELTOS - Year by Year

Other KIA Models