NHTSA recalls, safety ratings, and consumer complaints for the 2021 Kia Seltos.
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| Frontal Crash | |
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| Frontal Crash |
Component: ENGINE
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 recall is SC209.
Component: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:HARD PARTS INTERNAL/MECHANICAL
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 this recall is SC336.
My 2021 Kia Seltos S 2.0 Nu MPI suffered engine failure at highway speed •The car was found 3 quarts low on oil and Smith KIA Bellingham, WA performed maintenance previously. •Smith KIA dealer indicated the failure is likely tied to the known piston-ring defect. •The VIN lookup does not show the recall, but the defect exists in my vehicle and creates a safety risk. •VIN [XXX] •2021 KIA Seltos S 2.0 Nu MPI engine •70,500 (EST) •Date of failure [XXX] •Engine light illuminated, loss of power •Smith KIA service advisor informed me the car was 3 quarts low oil. 4/03/2026 •The dealer’s diagnosis that the engine oil rings failed April 3, 2026. •Smith KIA Bellingham, Washington 98229 INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I have a Kia Seltos 2021 AWD EX 24,700 mi. that was recalled and new engine put in on April 12th 2025 to fix grinding noise that occurred 4 times the end of March starting on the 17th 2025. On Dec. 12th 2025 Grinding noise started again. Couldn't find anything wrong and told them to try harder. Said needed software update back to what it was before engine put in. My problem: I don't have the 5 year extended warranty that I thought I had. Never got papers about warranty of new engine which I don't think it is. No papers saying if they ever checked to see if parts affected by grinding had shown wear. Neither dealer where it was serviced had done this to my knowledge and won't give written proof. I never had a copy of any of the paper work I signed in front of me the 3 ½ hours in office. He would go over and tell me to initial or sign. Then didn't want to give me a paper copy but put on zip drive. I insisted on paper and about a ½ hour late he came with 28 pages of mostly size 6 font. I just wanted out. They have known this car has had issues since the day I bought it. I have called customer service dealer and corporate. According to paperwork Im not allowed to ask for a jury trial, go to arbitration or join a class action suit nor get reimbursed for repairs caused by defects. I went to Sr. vs. Crime and they tried to call to get paperwork and they didn't return calls. What options do I have left as the ods of needing repairs seem obvious. My car is worth nothing - bad reputation, and I don't feel safe driving it.
The 2021 Kia Seltos has 2 NHTSA recalls and 311 consumer complaints on file. It received an overall safety rating of 4 out of 5 stars in NHTSA crash testing. The high number of complaints suggests potential reliability concerns — review the complaint details above before purchasing. For the most detailed information about a specific vehicle, decode its VIN using our free decoder above.
Enter a specific VIN to get the full report — specs, recalls, safety ratings, complaints, investigations, and technical service bulletins.
| Side Crash |
| Rollover |
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Seltos. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost automotive power with the check engine and traction control warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was able to restart; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was initially taken to an independent mechanic and then towed to the dealer. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and retrieved DTC: B001400 and P00A0. The contact was informed that the piston flap and cylinder #1 had failed, and that the engine needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 46,803.
On April 4th 2025 I received a letter concerning NHTSA Recall 25V099 and was asked to have dealership run diagnostics. On April 30th dealership says "YES" engine needs to be replaced. Two days later dealership calls me and says new software has arrived and they need to run diagnostics for recall again, this time on May 16th 2025 car passes. NOW, almost one year later and after warranty has expired, the car has a DTC P1327 which is noted in the recall letter and the car will NOT start. Had it towed to nearest dealer and they say since the original dealer "Passed" the recall, I have to pay to get car looked at again. It is obvious to me their original diagnosis missed something and now I just want my vehicle back, but it won't run because of the P1327 DTC and of course the dealership where car is now says since I did not buy it there, nothing they can do? KIA service is TERRIBLE.
Excessive oil consumption Engine damage or failure Ticking noise from the engine Loss of power when driving Rough idle, shaking the car is not able to be used, for safe.
While driving engine shut off and car will not start. Garage states engine is seized up. It is same engine that Kia recalled
The engine seems to be failing/affected. The vehicle is currently available for inspection at Huffines Kia in [XXX] where it has been since Saturday, March 14, 2026 and they have yet to perform the SC336 Safety Recall while trying to charge a diagnostic fee for a multipoint inspection that I did not ask for. The vehicle would not start which now I know is due to total oil consumption, which appears to be a precursor to the recall. Having a vehicle that can catastrophically fail or stall without warning due to defective piston rings creates extreme risk of a crash or fire while my family is inside. The service department at Huffines Kia Mckinney confirmed to Kia Corporate on Wednesday, March 18, 2026 that the vehicle was completely depleted of oil. However, they have not officially confirmed the recall failure because they have not done the recall test. They told corporate that they haven't done the recall because I did not have oil in my car. They have had my car since Saturday, but have not topped it off with oil since it has been there for several business days. I have also opened a formal case with Kia Corporate (Case #XXX) due to the dealer not providing the free safety remedy required by law. There was no oil pressure warning light prior to the failure, however, when trying to start my car and it wouldn't start, the oil and engine light came on. A tow truck came to tow to the dealer. The tow driver was able to start my car using a jumper box. The dealership says my car ran fine and no oil or engine light was on. However, if they ran my car knowing it was depleted of oil, they have potentially further damaged my engine. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Seltos. The contact stated that while driving at 50 MPH, there was white smoke coming from the engine, before the engine caught on fire. After the failure, several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to pull over safely. The fire was extinguished independently. There were no reported injuries. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V099000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine was scorched and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
I made a turn onto a highway. I got up to 45 mph after my turn and my car stalled. It felt like a was reared ended, my car came to just about a complete stop. It then began to shake and would not accelerate past 5mph to get me over to the side of the road. The check engine light came on. On 2/28/2026 my engine came on, I took it to Kia and they replaced my spark plugs, I got my vehicle back on 3/10/2026. At the beginning on 2026, Kia had my car for over a month for the same engine issues but said nothing is wrong with the vehicle. Back in December 2024 I had this exact issue of the car jolting and stalling. Kia said it was the transmission. I paid to have that replaced but it seems the vehicle is still having all of the same issues. My life was put at risk driving this 2021 Kia Seltos. I am very lucky that the cars around me were paying attention and did not crash into my car that came to a complete stop with vehicles going 65 around me. Others lives could have been at risk had they crashed into my car. My car is once again back at Kia, with the engine light on again.
Engine stalled at stoplight. Was able to restart and pulled into closest parking lot where it began idling hard. Check Engine light turned on. Checked oil and it was bone dry (no signs of oil leak/burning beforehand). After adding about a quart of oil, while in park I revved the engine slowly, but it would stall out if it went over 3000 rpms and idle even harder. My basic code reader popped for P0014 and P0017 (crankshaft/camshaft position). Had to have it towed to the local dealer for safety. 75,400 miles on it and my VIN has not been part of recalls. Requesting an investigation to include more VINs as these issues point to a prior recall resulting in engine replacement.
I am filing a complaint regarding my 2021 Kia Seltos 2.0L. While driving, the engine made a continuous rattling noise, and the check engine light illuminated with code P0017 (Camshaft/Crankshaft Correlation). Upon inspection, I discovered the engine oil level was extremely low. After adding oil, the rattling stopped, but the P0017 code remains. I contacted my dealership, which refused to perform any recall or warranty inspection. I also contacted Kia Consumer Affairs, and my goodwill claim was closed with no follow-up. I am concerned this issue is related to a known engine defect affecting 2021 Seltos 2.0L engines, specifically problems with piston rings and excessive oil consumption, which can lead to engine damage, stalling, or timing errors. I request that NHTSA record this complaint, investigate whether my vehicle is affected by a defect, and ensure Kia provides proper inspection and repair coverage. This is a potential safety and engine reliability concern.
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Seltos. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle started to lose motive power. The contact stated that the brake pedal was depressed to stop the vehicle, and the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, and the contact was informed that there was an open recall for the engine and to take the vehicle to a dealer. The contact was informed of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V099000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle was towed to a local dealer, and the contact was informed that the engine had seized, and it was unknown if the recall was related to the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and advised the contact that the engine would not be replaced. The failure mileage was approximately 148,000.
My 2021 Kia Seltos (manufactured April 2020, ~94,000 miles) has the 2.0L Nu MPI engine affected by a known piston oil ring defect. Symptoms include piston noise, excessive oil consumption, rough idle, reduced power, and codes: P1327 (PNSS-detected knock), P0304 (cyl 4 misfire), P0017 (crank/cam correlation error). These indicate progressive cylinder wall scoring from improperly heat-treated rings, risking seizure or fire. Service history shows: • SC209 (Safety Recall 21V-259) inspection in Jul 2021. • SC209A (PNSS software update) in Feb 2022—explains why P1327 now triggers. • Other campaigns: anti-theft (CS2309/CS2312), AWD ECU (SC242/SC297), ECM logic (SA463). The defect progressed despite early recall work; dealers deny full engine replacement, citing prior completion or shifting coverage. SC209 has no mileage limit—progressive damage qualifies for re-inspection (vibration test, bore scope, compression) and free long block replacement if confirmed. You’ve faced loaner return demands before 2-week period, goodwill denials, and inconsistent coverage. The issue aligns with NHTSA concerns (e.g., AQ25001 on similar recall effectiveness).
On [XXX], check engine light came on with P1327 (PNSS piston noise detection). History includes SC209 recall in 2021 (inspection passed, PNSS software added Feb 2022). Now at 94,000 miles with misfire P0304 on cyl 4 and timing correlation P0017—dealer refuses full engine replacement under recall. Service dealer insisted it would be safe to drive 300 miles to Billings, MT from my home base location. Got 5 miles down the road to be left stranded to walk back with no service on a 13 degree day. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
[XXX] Kia Seltos engine stalled and then stopped running. Driver attempted to turn engine over with no success. [XXX] The 2021 Seltos was towed to Kia in Jacksonville Nc. Kia Jacksonville stated engine seized, performed a compression test of cylinders with failure. cylinder 1 had a 135 psi, cylinder 3 had a 105 psi. It was stated that cylinder 1 and 3 had excessive scoring on the walls. Prior recall fixes included SC209 on Jul 19, 2021 with a dealer code of NC072. Recall SC209A was issued on 4/13/2021 per a car fax report. Recall for Sc209A was issued before the Sc209 recall fix. SC209A was not fixed on Jul19,2021. In February 2026 SC209A was updated after the engine stalled, had cylinder scoring and inadequate compression in cylinders. Owner of the 2021 Kia Seltos paid $1304,91 after a goodwill assist was authorized by the General or Regional Manager of Kia Jacksonville NC. Service Manager stated that Engine does not qualify for a replacement under the recall for not meeting the workflow criteria issued by Kia. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
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