KIA Seltos Engine Problems
Owners have filed 297 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the KIA Seltos across 6 model years. The 2021 model year has the most (231). The words owners use most often: “piston oil” (10% of reports).
- 297engine complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 5mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- 41%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Piston oil: mentioned in 30 of 297 complaints (10%)
- Engine damage: mentioned in 17 of 297 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 38 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 297 complaints, 5 mention a crash, 5 a fire, 2 an injury.
KIA Seltos engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Seltos | 1 | 25% | — |
| 2025 Seltos | 1 | 8% | — |
| 2024 Seltos | 8 | 17% | 300 |
| 2023 Seltos | 17 | 37% | 40,150 |
| 2022 Seltos | 39 | 53% | 84,000 |
| 2021 Seltos | 231 | 61% | 42,500 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Engine and engine cooling:engine:hard parts internal/mechanical
Model years: 2021, 2022, 2023
Problem: 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.
Risk: Engine damage can cause a vehicle stall or fire, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix: 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.
Engine
Model years: 2021
Problem: 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.
Risk: 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.
Fix: 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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
As I was driving my 2021 KIA SELTOS LX AWD, at approximately 45 mph, my car had stalled causing an injury to my facial area, specifically my nose.
While I was driving off the freeway, my vehicle suddenly stalled while I was in motion. The vehicle restarted, but shortly afterward it stalled again. Due to the repeated stalling and the safety concern, the vehicle had to be towed to a Kia dealership for inspection. The dealership diagnosed the…
RECALL EVASION & TIMELINE FRAUD REPORT Filing formal complaint against Kia America & Kia of Cerritos (CA) for evasion of mandate under Safety Recall SC336 (NHTSA 25V099). 1. CRITICAL TIMELINE: ⢠[XXX]: Kia Cerritos confirmed NO diagnostic/recall tests were performed. ⢠[XXX]: Dealer documented…
Burns a lot of oil bad piston rings, and cylinders # 25v099000/KIA#SC336 incorrectly manufactured parts
car only has 50,000 miles on it and started using a lot of oil.
Frequently asked questions
Do all KIA Seltoss have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 297 owner complaints about engine for the KIA Seltos. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the KIA Seltos engine?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list engine. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
What do owners say about engine problems on the KIA Seltos?
The most frequent phrase is “piston oil”, in 30 of 297 complaints, followed by “engine damage” (17).
See all KIA Seltos problems.