Kia Seltos Complaints

532 consumer complaints on file.

#11645497February 28, 2025
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Seltos. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V099000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while accelerating from a stop light, the vehicle suddenly stalled. The contact had to excessively depress the accelerator pedal to continue driving. No warning lights were illuminated. After turning off the vehicle there was an abnormally strong burning oil odor coming from the vehicle. The dealer was contacted. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11645478February 28, 2025
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Seltos. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V099000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that the vehicle had received an oil change in October and the contact was informed that there was an oil leak underneath the vehicle and that the low oil level was a concern. The contact checked the dipstick, and the oil level was low. The vehicle was taken to an Auto Body Shop and an oil change was performed. The vehicle was driven to the dealer who checked for an oil leak, replaced the oil filter, and performed an oil change. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and informed the contact that parts would be available in April. The failure mileage was 35,200. Parts distribution disconnect.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11644811February 25, 2025
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Seltos. The contact stated that while driving at 80 MPH, the vehicle stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was restarted; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine block had failed, and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 66,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11644792February 25, 2025
POWER TRAIN, ENGINE
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Seltos. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shut off while depressing the brake pedal. The contact stated that prior to the failure, the check engine warning light was displayed on the instrument panel; however, the check engine warning light was reset after the initial failure. The vehicle was not repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11644431February 23, 2025
POWER TRAIN
Transmission failed at 37k miles..noticed when the car was sluggish. Open the hood and the coolant reservoir was black. Kia replaced transmission but thinking about trading it in
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11642950February 15, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Car delivered [XXX] since then we have had 3 incidents of the dash control lights going out along with the head lights going dim making it very dangerous to drive in the dark. Car had about 1200 miles on it when it started and it had 1823 miles on it when they had a appointment for me to get the car in. We are going on a 3 week trip south at the end of march and based on my experience with the Saltos, the dash lights go out and the head lights either go out or go very dim. How do I know, I had a 2023 Seltos that had the same problem, answer from Ganley Kia, could not duplicate, another Kia I owned when I lived in Georgia, Dash llights and head lights went out in the mountains in the dark. Dealer replaced this car INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11641744February 10, 2025
ENGINE
My car has an issue holding oil. I have had to put quarts of oil in often and it makes my engine knock. It also makes my car lose power while I am driving. I know this is a common issue with these make and models.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11640700February 4, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Horn stopped working. This puts me and passengers at a safety risk as I am unable to alert other drivers and/or pedestrians to potential dangers that could result in reducing the chance of a crash. I am also unable to use the horn to ensure proper security of my car. As the horn also works for my alarm systems to indicate the vehicles locked status. I also cannot utilize the horn as an emergency warning when the panic button is pressed on a key fob. The problem was inspected and determined at my local shop. There were no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms prior to the failure. The horn stopped working on Jan 29, 2025
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11638644January 26, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
On Wednesday [XXX], at [XXX]. I started to drive to work. I noticed the instrument cluster on my 2024 Kia Seltos SX was completely dark. I couldn't see the speedometer, fuel gauge, engine temperature, or any other function that should show on the instrument cluster. I turned around and returned home. I called the Kia dealer's service department and got an appointment for the car to be checked that afternoon. This service center is about 30 miles from my home. I drove there with a totally black screen for the instrument cluster--not able to see my speed or any other information about the car. I left the car running when I arrived at the service center. The service manager confirmed the issue. I also told her I'd been getting warnings that the key fob batteries were drained. She checked the key fobs and told me the batteries were sending strong signals. She also told me the odometer mileage had been deleted and that it was illegal to drive the car in that condition. She said that the instrument cluster unit had to be replaced but there wasn't a replacement unit anywhere in the U.S. She gave me a loaner vehicle but warned me she had no idea when she could get a new instrument cluster. I notice in online searches that instrument cluster failures for Kias are not unusual. I also notice that some Kia models have been recalled for this reason. Why isn't the Seltos on the list of recalled vehicles? It doesn't appear that Kia knows how to correct the problem. My instrument cluster screen has been repeatedly dimming and brightening for no obvious reason. That problem is longstanding and intermittent. When the car was restarted at the Kia dealership on Wednesday, the screen suddenly came back up with the service manager with me. I am unwilling to drive the car if it is not reliable or safe to drive. It has about 34,000 miles on the odometer and is less than two years old. Is this a design problem or the result of faulty components? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOI
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11637877January 23, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:HORN
The contact owns a 2024 Kia Seltos. The contact stated that the horn failed to produce a sound while being pressed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the horn needed to be replaced. The horn had been replaced. The failure occurred twice; however, the contact stated that the failure only occurred in freezing temperatures. The vehicle had not been taken to the dealer. The vehicle had not been repaired a second time. The manufacturer had not been made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11637423January 21, 2025
ENGINE, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
When the auto engine start/stop button is on and I’m stopped at a light, the infotainment system will constantly restart as will the engine once I let go of the brakes. It usually happens when it is cold outside. This is a safety issue bc a lot of the time I am using the navigation and since the infotainment system just restarted I am waiting for the navigation to reboot and I am now driving without knowing where I am going. It doesn’t seem to happen when I turn off the auto engine start/stop button. Sometimes, I’ll be in an intersection, and the engine will restart bc the infotainment system restarted. Last time I almost got into an accident bc I was trying to accelerate but the car hesitated bc it restarted the engine and radio. There seems like there is a sudden loss of power. The dealer supposedly updated the software for the infotainment system but it did not correct the issue. There is no warning lamps or messages when this occurs
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11637311January 21, 2025
ENGINE
The Seltos started losing power driving on interstate, started smoking and then lost all power and would not start. We had the car towed to Brakes plus where we had an oil change as of recent, they confirmed it was piston ring failure and the engine was done for. The car has just over 28,000 miles on it. Kia dealership and warranty is avoiding to state that it was indeed the piston rings failing. They simply said it needs a new engine and are demanding maintenance records and receipts. My veteran father has performed most of my oil changes, he was a military mechanic and ASE certified mechanic for over 20 years. Since I didn’t personally purchase the oil used, I don’t have the hard copy receipts they are demanding. Kia refuses to acknowledge that the engine failure is that of the same issue with many other 2021 Seltos that had piston ring issues during manufacturing.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11635520January 12, 2025
ENGINE
I bought this car for my daughter during her second year at IU Bloomington, IN. She called in a panic, saying the car hesitated and stopped. She also shared if she turns car off, the car will restart. I advised her to take it to the nearby KIA dealership for inspection. The mechanic, after a test drive, reported no issues and found no error codes using an OBD-II scanner. When my daughter returned home, I took the car for a test drive and noticed a clicking noise. I checked the oil and added three quarts of Valvoline full synthetic oil 0W-20. I'm disappointed with how she was treated at the dealership. I've learned that adding an oil additive every 1,000 miles is recommended for this common problem. Now that the car has 60,000 miles, the cost of oil is significant, and I won't be repurchasing a KIA. I also feel guilty about trading in this car and possibly passing on issues to another owner. I'm reporting this now due to the added costs and worry that others might not share their experiences.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11635335January 10, 2025
ENGINE
Dear, I own a 2024 Kia Seltos and have experienced a recurring issue. While driving, I stopped at a red light, and the vehicle's automatic stop system activated as usual. However, when the light changed and I pressed the accelerator, the vehicle completely shut down. To restart it, I had to turn the key to the "Off" position, shift to "Parking," and then turn it back on. This issue has occurred four times now, and I’m concerned it may compromise driving safety. I would appreciate your guidance in resolving this matter. Looking forward to your response. Best regards, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11635210January 10, 2025
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
While driving at low speeds, the vehicle would stall, no engine lights or warnings would appear on the dashboard. After turning it off and back on, it would run but stall again shortly later. An unfamiliar foul odor appeared from the dipstick as I checked the oil. Car only has 60k miles on it. Engine is throwing codes for cylinder 1, cylinder 2 and crankshaft.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11635043January 9, 2025
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The main instrument cluster will not illuminate on initial start ups. The screen will not illuminate on it's own, a vehicle restart is required after a extended period of driving/engine running. Speedometer, tachometer and fuel gauge are not visible. It is a recurring problem. The vehicle was taken to the dealership and the service department said it is a known problem with the Seltos and other models. They said Kia hasn't identified the problem.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11634720January 7, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
The front brakes prematurely failed at 5,000 miles and this is a brand new vehicle. We had 3 miles or so at purchase (purchase date: August 7, 2024). By January 4, 2025 or so, the front brakes began making grinding noises. We had a licensed, independent shop inspect this and then replace the worn brakes on January 6, 2025. We have driven the vehicle as we have driven other vehicles and we have never seen brand new brakes wear out after 5,000 miles with standard driving. We believe it could be due to the driver assistance technology and would like this to be thoroughly reviewed. Hopefully, Kia can reimburse us with some discount on other routine maintenance as this is a cost we did not expect so soon with a brand new vehicle.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11633293December 31, 2024
ENGINE
My 2021 Kia seltos has a flashing engine light and when put on a code reader it indicates a misfire/ piston. This has been going for two weeks . My engine is a 2.0 and the recall for this vehicle has the same incident as mine. The engine keeps shutting off
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11632535December 26, 2024
POWER TRAIN
Came to a stop at an intersection on a busy highway, went to accelerate and turn left when the transmission locked without warning. Vehicle would not shift into gear.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11632250December 24, 2024
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Vehicles instrument cluster not showing any display. Unable to see speedometer or any indicator lights. Vehicle has not been in for service yet appointment needs to be made. Issue was resolved temporarily by disconnecting battery and reconnecting battery and issue went away. There was no indication that this issue would happen.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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