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.
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.
I am reporting a violation of safety recall SC336 for my car (VIN: [XXX]), which is currently at West Hills Kia in [XXX]. My engine will not start because the camshaft and timing parts broke. This happened because the engine ran too low on oil and lost oil pressure, which is exactly what this recall is about. Because the car cannot start or run, the dealership cannot do the standard electronic vibration test. Instead of asking Kia Corporate for manual approval to replace the engine, the dealership is trying to force me to pay $5,000 out of pocket to fix the camshaft first. Forcing a customer to pay thousands of dollars to fix parts that broke because of a recalled factory defect is wrong. I demand that Kia Corporate bypass the running test and approve a free engine replacement immediately INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
No injuries · No fire · No crash
The vehicle experienced a sudden loss of motive power and triggered diagnostic trouble code P1327, which indicates severe internal engine damage and bearing failure monitored by the Piston-ring Noise Sensing System. This vehicle is subject to active Safety Recalls SC209 (NHTSA Campaign 21V259000) and SC336 (NHTSA Campaign 25V099) for manufacturing defects in the 2.0L Nu MPI engine piston oil rings. The vehicle is currently grounded at an authorized dealership, Kia of North Austin. The Service Manager initially provided an out-of-pocket engine replacement quote exceeding $8,000 instead of processing it as a $0 safety recall claim. Furthermore, the dealership is currently attempting a diagnostic bypass maneuver to attribute the P1327 recall engine code to a "faulty knock sensor" in order to issue a paid out-of-pocket bill. The manufacturer and dealership have failed to provide a mandated loaner or alternative transportation, causing a severe and ongoing family transportation hardship while the safety recall verification stalls.
No injuries · No fire · No crash
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Seltos. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Number 21V259000 (Engine) and 25V099000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact requested that the manufacturer and selling dealer buy back the vehicle due to recurring issues. While driving, the check engine warning light illuminated and started flashing. The contact pulled over and took the vehicle to a local dealer, where the engine was replaced. However, the failure reoccurred. While driving to the dealer, the vehicle stalled while entering the dealer. The contact stated that even though the engine had been replaced, the recurring failure raised concerns about the safety and reliability of the vehicle. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
No injuries · No fire · No crash
Turned rear defroster on before getting on the highway as temps were in the upper 30s. About 5 minutes down the highway there was a loud pop sound and the rear windshield began splintering. By the time we got to a safe place to stop the entire shield was shattered and there were several holes. Purchased trash bags and tape to cover the windshield and during the process most of the glass had fallen a part. We had a 3 hour drive home without being able to see out the rear.
No injuries · No fire · No crash
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Seltos. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine, oil pressure, and charging system warning lights were illuminated, and the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that after waiting several minutes, the vehicle returned to normal operation. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed that the exhaust camshaft and alternator needed to be replaced. The contact stated that in July 2025, the vehicle was taken to a dealer and was inspected under NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V099000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the vehicle had passed inspection and was not repaired. The contact believed that the failure was associated with the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure by phone and opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 107,000.
No injuries · No fire · No crash