NHTSA recalls & complaints · 2021–2026

Kia Seltos recalls, complaints and VIN decoding

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns and 549 owner complaints for the Kia Seltos, covering model years 2021 to 2026. The 2021 model year drew the most complaints (369), and Engine is the component owners name most often.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint flat files, updated September 25, 2026.

Decode your Kia Seltos VIN

See the model year, plant and build details of one vehicle, then the recalls for its exact year.

4 recall campaigns on file
549 owner complaints (unverified reports to NHTSA)
6 model years with data (2021–2026)

most complaints: 2021 (369 for that model year)
top component: Engine (289 complaints)
latest recall 25V099000 (reported Feb 17, 2025)

29 complaints reporting a crash (5.3%)
10 complaints reporting a fire (1.8%)
13 complaints reporting an injury (2.4%)
0 complaints reporting a death (0.0%)

Kia Seltos complaints by model year

6 model years · NHTSA complaints

The 2021 model year has the most complaints: 369 of 549, or 67.2%. Next come 2022 (72) and 2023 (46). The fewest are for 2026, with 4 complaints.

Owner complaints per model yearHighest yearOther years

Kia Seltos complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death

Kia Seltos complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
Model year	Complaints	Reporting a crash	Reporting a fire	Reporting an injury
2021	369	13	6	7
2022	72	6	3	2
2023	46	4	0	1
2024	45	4	1	2
2025	13	1	0	0
2026	4	1	0	1
All model years	549	29	10	13

Crash, fire, injury and death columns count complaints that report at least one of them, not people.

Most-reported Kia Seltos components

top 15 · NHTSA categories

Engine is the component named most often, in 289 complaints (52.6% of all 549), followed by Electrical System (89) and Power Train (88).

Components named most often in Kia Seltos complaints (top 15)

Components named most often in Kia Seltos complaints (top 15)
Component	Complaints	Share of complaints
Engine	289	52.6%
Unknown or Other	92	16.8%
Electrical System	89	16.2%
Power Train	88	16.0%
Engine and Engine Cooling	56	10.2%
Fuel/Propulsion System	31	5.6%
Forward Collision Avoidance	20	3.6%
Vehicle Speed Control	15	2.7%
Air Bags	12	2.2%
Lane Departure	11	2.0%
Service Brakes	11	2.0%
Visibility/Wiper	10	1.8%
Steering	9	1.6%
Structure	9	1.6%
Seat Belts	7	1.3%

One complaint can name several components, so the shares add up to more than 100%. Component names are NHTSA’s top-level categories.

What NHTSA owner complaints mean

These figures count complaints that vehicle owners and other members of the public have submitted to NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. NHTSA uses complaints, together with other data, to spot safety issues that may warrant an investigation and to check whether existing recalls go far enough.

They are reports, not findings. Each complaint is the submitter's own account. Its presence in the database does not mean NHTSA has confirmed a defect.
Counts are not defect rates. The data doesn't say how many vehicles were sold, so a raw count can't tell you what share of vehicles had a problem.
Popular models collect more complaints. A model sold in large numbers will usually gather more complaints than a rare one, simply because more people own it.
One complaint can name several components. Totals by component can therefore add up to more than the number of complaints.
Coverage starts in 1995. NHTSA's complaint file contains complaints received since January 1, 1995.

Use complaint patterns as a prompt for questions: whether a recall covers the issue, whether the vehicle you are considering has had the fix, and what a mechanic finds on inspection. For confirmed safety defects, see the recall list for this model.

Kia Seltos recalls

4 campaigns · newest first

Every vehicle recall campaign NHTSA lists under the model name Seltos, newest first. The 4 campaigns cover model years 2021 to 2024. The 2021, 2023 and 2024 model years appear in the most campaigns (2 each).

4 recall campaigns
1 “Park Outside” advisory

Kia Seltos recall campaigns covering each model year
2021: 2 campaigns	2022: 1 campaign	2023: 2 campaigns	2024: 2 campaigns

Highlighted: the model years with the most campaigns.

NHTSA campaign 25V099000
Reported Feb 17, 2025
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Hard Parts Internal/Mechanical
Model years 2021–2023
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.
Filed by Kia America, Inc.
NHTSA campaign 23V830000
Reported Dec 22, 2023
Air Bags
Model year 2024
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Soul and 2024 Seltos vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the side curtain air bags may deploy unexpectedly.
Consequence:
An air bag that deploys unexpectedly can increase the risk of injury or crash.
Remedy:
Dealers will inspect and replace both side curtain air bag modules as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 31, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC289.
Filed by Kia America, Inc.
NHTSA campaign 23V531000
Reported Jul 31, 2023
Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Fluid/Lubricant › Pump
Model years 2023–2024
NHTSA “Park Outside” advisory: because of the fire risk, park affected vehicles outside and away from buildings until the recall repair is done.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Soul, Sportage, and 2023-2024 Seltos vehicles. The electronic controller for the Idle Stop & Go oil pump assembly may contain damaged electrical components that can cause the pump to overheat.
Consequence:
An electric oil pump assembly that overheats increases the risk of a vehicle fire.
Remedy:
Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will inspect and replace the electric oil pump controller, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 28, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC275.
Filed by Kia America, Inc.
NHTSA campaign 21V259000
Reported Apr 13, 2021
Engine
Model year 2021
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.
Filed by Kia America, Inc.

Recall text is shown as NHTSA publishes it. NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline, 1-888-327-4236, also answers recall questions.

How to read this recall list

This list shows every safety recall campaign NHTSA has on file for this make, model and model year. It is not specific to one vehicle: a recall often covers only vehicles built in a certain date range or with a certain part, and many of the vehicles it covers will already have been repaired.

What each recall field means

What each recall field means
Field	What it tells you
Campaign number	NHTSA's unique ID for the recall, such as 20V771000. Quote it to a dealer or when searching NHTSA's site.
Component	The system or part involved, for example air bags, brakes or electrical software.
Summary	What the defect or non-compliance is and which vehicles are covered.
Consequence	The safety risk if the problem isn't fixed.
Remedy	What the manufacturer will do, such as a repair, replacement or software update, and whether it is free.

Some recalls carry an NHTSA consumer advisory, “Do Not Drive” or “Park Outside”. Follow it until the repair is done.
A single campaign often covers several models or model years, so the same campaign number can appear in more than one list.
Recalls are shown as NHTSA publishes them. Very recent campaigns may take time to appear.

Does your vehicle have an open recall? Only a VIN check can tell you. Enter the VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or on the manufacturer's website. Our VIN recall check guide explains what each option covers.

Kia Seltos questions

5 questions

How many recalls does the Kia Seltos have?

NHTSA lists 4 vehicle recall campaigns for the Kia Seltos, covering model years 2021 to 2026. The most recent, 25V099000, was reported on February 17, 2025 and is filed under “Engine and engine cooling”. The 2021, 2023 and 2024 model years are covered by the most campaigns (2 each).

Which Kia Seltos model year has the most complaints?

The 2021 model year, with 369 of the 549 complaints in NHTSA’s file (67.2%). The next are 2022 (72) and 2023 (46). Complaint counts also reflect how many vehicles of each year were sold and how long they have been on the road, so they are not a reliability ranking.

What is the most common Kia Seltos complaint?

Engine is the component named most often: 289 complaints, or 52.6% of all 549. Electrical System (89) and Power Train (88) follow. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not confirmed defects, and one complaint can name several components.

Does every recall on this page apply to my Kia Seltos?

Not necessarily. Each campaign lists specific model years, and many cover only vehicles built in a certain period or fitted with a certain part; repairs already carried out aren’t shown. To see whether a recall is open on your vehicle, enter its VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or ask a Kia dealer.

How many Kia Seltos complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death?

Of the 549 complaints, 29 report a crash, 10 a fire, 13 at least one injury and 0 at least one death. These figures count complaints, not people, and each complaint is the submitter’s own unverified account.

8 models · most complaints first

The Kia models with the most NHTSA complaints, and the Kia VIN decoder with every Kia model page, WMI code and VIN note.

Kia Sorento 2003–2026 · 40 recalls · 10,159 complaints
Kia Optima 2001–2020 · 22 recalls · 7,499 complaints
Kia Soul 2010–2025 · 15 recalls · 5,532 complaints
Kia Sportage 1995–2026 · 36 recalls · 4,687 complaints
Kia Forte 2009–2024 · 18 recalls · 2,539 complaints
Kia Sedona 2002–2021 · 23 recalls · 2,406 complaints
Kia Telluride 2020–2027 · 19 recalls · 2,009 complaints
Kia Sephia 1995–2003 · 7 recalls · 1,687 complaints

All Kia models and WMI codes Look up recalls by year

Data: NHTSA recalls and complaints flat files, updated September 25, 2026. Recall campaigns are vehicle (V) campaigns listed for this model name; complaints are counted once per NHTSA ODI number and model year.