Kia Seltos Complaints (2021)

380 consumer complaints on file.

#11761151August 31, 2026
POWER TRAIN, ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
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 dealership confirms that heavy carbon buildup has accumulated around the piston rings, causing severe ring distortion. Because the oil rings are stuck and distorted, the engine is bypassing oil directly into the combustion chamber and burning it. This exact physical failure mode—carbon buildup causing piston oil ring failure—is identical to the defect described in NHTSA Recall 25V099 (Kia Campaign SC336) for the 2.0L Seltos models. However, my vehicle is currently excluded from safety remedies due to its 1.6L Turbo engine variant. This vehicle presents a severe safety hazard, including sudden engine knocking, very heavy smoke from the exhaust, power loss, stalling at highway speeds, or potential engine fire due to running dry on oil. Regulators must expand the scope of the piston ring investigation to include the 1.6L Turbo engine footprint. There were no engine lights, oil lights, or any warning codes. I was told by Kia repair service department that although the car was smoking heavy and smelled like it was burning that I should continue to drive it and then I wasn’t in danger. Please help
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11760704August 30, 2026
STEERING
Was driving and power steering became difficult to steer and a red steering wheel icon with a exclamation mark came on in the dashboard.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11760666August 29, 2026
ENGINE
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 notes that the engine oil is entirely 'metalized' and the oil control valves are contaminated with metal debris. Kia is attempting to charge me $7,182 to fix a failure caused by the exact oil starvation symptoms of their active federal safety defect.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11758393August 20, 2026
ENGINE
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 consuming oil internally. Earlier in my ownership, the vehicle also unexpectedly shut off while operating. I paid out of pocket for a replacement engine and installation. Within approximately one to two hours of receiving the vehicle back, the check-engine light began flashing. The diagnostic information reportedly indicated piston noise, even though the replacement engine appeared to run smoothly. These circumstances appear similar to the piston-ring condition described in safety recall SC336/NHTSA 25V-099, including excessive oil consumption, cylinder damage, abnormal piston noise, engine failure, and possible loss of power. However, Kia’s online system currently shows that SC336 is not open for my VIN, and the dealer found no record that the recall had previously been completed. I understand that my VIN may not currently be included, but I am asking Kia to investigate whether my original engine experienced the same defect, confirm in writing why my VIN was excluded, and review my case for reimbursement or goodwill assistance. The failure occurred only about 3,000 miles beyond the 100,000-mile powertrain warranty, and I have already incurred substantial engine and labor expenses. Please open a formal case, review my vehicle’s production and engine records, and provide a written determination. I can supply the VIN, repair invoices, proof of payment, mileage records, maintenance documentation, diagnostic codes, towing records, and replacement-engine information.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11758348August 20, 2026
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
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 in the camshaft. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V099000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the VIN was not included. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle with camshaft failure, timing failure and recommended that the engine be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 71,707.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11756900August 14, 2026
ENGINE
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 been 2 separate recalls on this car for engine issues which Kia is refusing to deal with or take care of. My car has been serviced by Kia dealership since I bought it in 2020, I also noticed in all my service receipts/reports that they were putting the wrong oil in my car and who knows if that is what caused my engine to start having issues. Car is unsafe to drive.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11755100August 5, 2026
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Seltos. The contact stated that while driving at 45 mph the engine experienced a complete loss of automotive power, and no warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer where it was diagnosed and the contact was advised that the engine was faulty and needed to be replaced. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number : 25V099000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 120,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11754636August 4, 2026
SUSPENSION, POWER TRAIN, WHEELS
While driving normally at approximately 55 mph on the highway, the vehicle suffered a sudden, catastrophic, and spontaneous structural failure of the rear driver-side suspension and drivetrain. Without striking any road debris, potholes, or other vehicles, the entire driver-side rear wheel, wheel assembly, and structural axle components completely fractured and ejected from the moving vehicle. An eyewitness at the scene explicitly confirmed the nature of the failure, stating on video that they observed the 'entire rear axle just come right out' while the vehicle was in motion. The vehicle sustained extreme structural damage, completely disabling it on a high-speed highway and creating an immediate, life-threatening situation. The vehicle is a low-mileage Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) unit with under 24,000 total miles on the odometer, indicating a severe manufacturing, material, or component fatigue defect rather than wear-and-tear. There were no warning lights or symptoms prior to the failure. The vehicle is currently being held at a recovery yard and is fully available for inspection upon request. A formal defect investigation has been initiated with the manufacturer, and the insurance provider is inspecting the sheared axle and metal components for structural forensic analysis
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11753845July 30, 2026
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Seltos. The contact stated that on March 13, 2026, the vehicle was serviced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V259000 (Engine); however; the spark plugs were not replaced when the vehicle was repaired. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a misfire in the engine associated with the spark plug. The dealer stated that the failure was not associated with the recall. The contact stated that the failure was caused by the dealer not installing new spark plugs during the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the recall repair was performed and was out of warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 92,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11753695July 30, 2026
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Seltos. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V099000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that while the technician was attempting to start the vehicle, the engine seized, and the contact was informed that the failure was not associated with the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The vehicle was scheduled for a diagnostic test at the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 77,500.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11753530July 29, 2026
ENGINE
Purchased new, Feb, 2020. Received piston ring defect recall notice (SC209). Serviced by dealer July, 2021. In 2025, noticed engine knocking noise. Car stalling out. No warning lights. Car 3 quarts low on oil. Consumption tests proved excessive oil used. Piston ring soak (Kia's "solution") did nothing to reduce oil use. After ring soak, oil still low at 1000 mile test. I stressed my belief the engine needs replacement and a ring soak is a band aid, NOT a permanent fix. Was asked to drive 3000 miles, check the oil, and top off if necessary. The engine was noisy during this test. At the 3000 mile mark, I pulled the dipstick. Bone dry. Drove to the dealer and told them it was very low. They sent me to the lounge and said they would pull the car in and come get me. When they didn't come, I went to check, to find a service rep putting oil in my car out in the parking lot. He claimed it was only about one quart low. Then, another consumption test at 1000 miles. Low again. They wanted to do another 1000 mile check after this. They changed the oil and told me to come back at 1000 miles. When I came back, I asked to be present to witness the oil level. They took me to the lounge, said they were pulling the car into the shop, and would come get me. Again, they pulled the stick without my presence, and told me it was full. Now, they want me to do another 4000 mile test. I took the vehicle to two independent mechanics. Their borescope inspection proved engine damage. I have filed a complaint with Kia Corporate and it seems to be falling on deaf ears. I demand a full refund at this point! Kia has lost my trust, both in quality and customer service. I have all the maintenance records and a written statement regarding engine damage, along with photos from the borescope.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11753443July 29, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
Car cutoff. Started back up to get off interstate. Saw smoke under hood and got it. Within 5 min sparks under the frame and then 10-15 min later flames
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11753056July 27, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
After getting recall work done last year regarding SC336 my sensor went off and now my car needs a new engine due to defective heat-treated Piston oil rings causing Catastrophic failure. Kia is declining responsibly because of lack of enough oil changes. They have not proved this failure was from neglect.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11752762July 25, 2026
ENGINE
Just purchased a used 2021 KIA seltos with about 45k miles. I did my research and checked prior if there were any major issues. Since it showed zero recalls and received relatively good reviews I thought it would be a safe and reliable vehicle. I was wrong.I had the vehicle for only about three months when I noticed the check engine light come on while driving on the freeway. It was solid, however, I thought it was better to be safe than sorry and started to look for an exit. While driving up a freeway interchange the car suddenly started to lose speed. I pressed the accelerator but couldn’t get any power to the engine. As the car started to slow rapidly I pulled over to a narrow strip of the road. This was a dangerous stretch of the freeway because there was virtually no shoulder and cars were accelerating to merge up the rising ramp on the stack. After I came to a stop I put the car in park and turn it off. I then tried to restart the engine but had no luck. The engine would crank but would not start. I was now stuck and getting anxious as traffic began to steadily increase. Cars were flying by at high speeds less than a foot away. I had no choice but to call for a tow truck and patiently wait. I sat there praying that nobody would hit my car. I was fortunate to be safely towed to a service center.The technician performed a borescope and found severe scoring on the cylinder walls directly relating to defective piston rings. The improperly heat-treated piston rings chipped and literally carved deep grooves into the block dropping the compression causing the car to sputter and die.The engine has internal damage and will not start. Needs a new long block (Engine replacement). There is a recall on these piston rings.The dealership sent in their inspection including compression test and borescope images showing the groves and scoring on the cylinder walls. KIA is refusing to cover cost because the car is out of warranty. Safety recalls never expire with warranty!!!!!!
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11752002July 22, 2026
ENGINE
Car was driving absolutely fine, no dash lights no signs of distress for 1.5 years then suddenly out of the blue it made a "weird noise" -no lights on dash board, and it went away. Two days later my daughter was sitting in a fast-food line and the car just died. They had to push her out of the line. She turned the car off and when she turned it back on it started up and she drove home. We made an appointment to have it looked at but with in two days before getting to the appointment it happened again, same thing different place so she drove it home. it was looked at by Pep-Boys they told us it needs a new engine. Referred us to the recall of the Seltos 2021. We then towed it to Kia Dealership and they have confirmed it is the engine and that it needs to be replaced. The car is doing exactly what the recall was specified for and they are asking us to pay because the vin number of my daughter's car is not included in the batch of vin numbers recalled. My daughter's safety was compromised by the faulty manufacturing, the car has less than 60 thousand miles on it. We are the second owner, bought at Carvana and was certified by Carvana. I wanted to file this report to ensure all options have been explored for KIA to be held accountable for the repairs. Luckily my daughter was not hurt or endanger, but it could have easily been another story.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11751473July 20, 2026
ENGINE
The contact's daughter owns a 2021 Kia Seltos. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. No warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that one quart of engine oil or more needed to be added after an oil change had been performed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V259000 (Engine); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 25,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11751424July 19, 2026
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
My 2021 Kia Seltos 1.6L Turbo GDI is experiencing a severe safety hazard involving catastrophic internal engine failure. The vehicle aggressively consumes its oil supply, running critically low within 1 to 2 weeks. On July 6, 2026, a certified Kia dealership pressure-tested the engine and formally documented "NO EXTERNAL LEAKS," while confirming the spark plugs are entirely "OIL COATED" due to severe internal burning. The dealership noted on the invoice that the vehicle was "9,000 miles due" for service. I must explicitly clarify that this mileage gap occurred because the engine burns through its oil so rapidly that standard interval changes became meaningless; I was forced to continuously top off the engine manually out-of-pocket with store-bought oil just to keep it from running dry and seizing while driving. Otherwise, all other oil changes were consistently done at Kia dealerships, and this excellent service history was even explicitly acknowledged and noted by a Kia Consumer Care representative on a recorded line. Furthermore, the engine builds extreme crankcase blow-by pressure that actively forces oil vapor out of the oil filler cap. This defect creates an immediate risk of sudden engine seizure, highway stalling, or an engine bay fire. Kia Corporate Consumer Affairs has refused to authorize safety repairs or diagnostic testing under TSB ENG222, issuing a blanket denial while ignoring an imminent safety failure diagnosed by their own technician.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11751005July 17, 2026
ENGINE
My engine is damaged and needs replacement. My car starting stalling, when I put the car in reverse the car would stop working, the car starting vibrating and my check engine light came on. When I took it to Southwest Kia dealership, they pulled the recall and stated that the symptoms I was experiencing were what was described in the recall. However, the warranty has refused to repair the recall. I have been without a car for almost 6 weeks. The warranty keeps saying my VIN is not associated with the recall.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11750929July 16, 2026
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Seltos. The contact stated that while driving uphill at 45 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact attempted to pull over, and the vehicle experienced engine failure. An independent mechanic or dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or dealer to be diagnosed. The contact checked the oil, and there was no oil on the dipstick even though the vehicle had received an oil change two months earlier. The contact called a friend to top off the engine oil. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The contact was informed that the vehicle had been repaired in 2021 before owning the vehicle. The approximate failure mileage was 96,070.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11750394July 14, 2026
ENGINE
The car has less than 50,000 miles on it and the transmission is malfunctioning. Something about the dual clutch system losing protection. It has lost more than 70%. I knew there was a problem when the car reported transmission temp hot.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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