Kia Seltos Recalls & Complaints by Model Year

NHTSA lists 4 safety recalls and 557 owner complaints across 7 model years of the Kia Seltos (2021–2027). The most-complained-about year is 2021.

Pick your Kia Seltos model year

• 2021
• 2022
• 2023
• 2024
• 2025
• 2026
• 2027

What Kia Seltos owners complain about

Across all model years, owners have filed 557 complaints with NHTSA. The 2021 model year has the most, with 374.

• Engine295
• Unknown or other93
• Power train87
• Electrical system84
• Engine and engine cooling54
• Fuel/propulsion system30
• Vehicle speed control15
• Forward collision avoidance: warnings10

All Kia Seltos recalls (4)

Every NHTSA safety campaign that lists a Kia Seltos, most recent first, with the model years each one covers.

1. Hard parts internal/mechanical (engine and engine cooling)

   NHTSA 25V099000 Reported February 17, 2025 137,256 vehicles potentially affected Kia America, Inc.

   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.

   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,…

   Model years: 2021, 2022, 2023

2. Air bags

   NHTSA 23V830000 Reported December 22, 2023 2,967 vehicles potentially affected Kia America, Inc.

   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.

   Remedy: 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…

   Model years: 2024

3. Pump (power train) Park outside

   NHTSA 23V531000 Reported July 31, 2023 39,765 vehicles potentially affected Kia America, Inc.

   Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Soul, Sportage, and 2023-2024 Seltos vehicles. The electronic controller for the Idle Stop & Go oil pump assembly may contain damaged electrical components that can cause the pump to overheat.

   Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will inspect and replace the electric oil pump controller, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification…

   Model years: 2023, 2024

4. Engine

   NHTSA 21V259000 Reported April 13, 2021 147,249 vehicles potentially affected Kia Motors America

   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.

   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.…

   Model years: 2021

Other Kia models

• Sorento10,183 complaints
• Optima7,512 complaints
• Soul5,553 complaints
• Sportage4,699 complaints
• Forte2,553 complaints
• Sedona2,410 complaints
• Telluride2,026 complaints
• Sephia1,705 complaints

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.