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.
Engine & cooling
Kia Seltos Engine problems by year
361 complaints filed with NHTSA about the Kia Seltos's engine & cooling. Stalling, loss of power, oil consumption, overheating, head gaskets, timing chains and engine failure.
Engine complaints by model year
Engine recalls
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.
Latest Seltos engine complaints
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Seltos. The contact stated that while inspecting the engine oil level using the dipstick, the dipstick indicated a complete absence of oil. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing, and the dealer determined that additional testing was required to identify the root cause of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 112,040.
Recall SC209-SC336. Significant blow by, engine tapping. Told by Kia service department that nothing done unless engine failure. So, I'm supposed to wait to experience engine failure while traveling 60+ mph down highway risking possible crash before problem corrected.
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Seltos. The contact stated that while driving, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated and the vehicle shut off unexpectedly. Additionally, while at a stoplight, the vehicle was jerking and vibrating before shutting off. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and continued driving normally; however, the failure recurred. The check engine warning light remained illuminated. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The failure mileage was 166,248.
The contact owns a 2021 KIA Seltos. The contact stated that the vehicle was consuming engine oil and needed to be topped off regularly. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed with oil consumption failure. The technician stated that the engine was consuming one liter of oil every 1,000 miles. The contact stated that there was a persistent abnormal burning oil odor. The contact stated that the engine had seized on several occasions while making abnormal...
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sounds. The contact stated that the oil consumption failure had started since the vehicle was purchased. The contact associated the NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V099000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); with the failure; however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was 110,000.
This complaint concerns the ineffectiveness of the recall remedy for NHTSA campaign SC336 (Kia recall for incorrectly manufactured piston oil rings in 2021-2023 Soul/Seltos vehicles; remedy is dealer inspection, engine replacement if necessary, plus piston-ring noise sensing software). The vehicle was purchased new in [redacted]. On [redacted], the vehicle was brought to the Kia dealer in [[redacted]] for the SC336 recall remedy. The dealer kept the vehicle for 30 days and returned it on [redacted]. After the...
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recall repair, the vehicle exhibited the exact same symptoms as before (excessive oil consumption / engine malfunction) - the recall remedy was ineffective. The engine defect symptoms persisted unchanged. The complainant subsequently surrendered the vehicle and no longer possesses it. No crash, fire, injury, or death resulted from this complaint. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
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...
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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.
I am reporting a violation of safety recall SC336 for my car (VIN: [[redacted]]), which is currently at West Hills Kia in [[redacted]]. 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...
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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)
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...
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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.
My 2024 Kia Seltos, with approximately 50,000 miles, experienced a sudden shutdown while traveling at highway speed, cannot accelerate. The dashboard warning appeared as no key not detected and the brake pedal became extremely hard, making the vehicle difficult to stop. The vehicle subsequently restarted normally. This is a serious safety concern. I am requesting a thorough investigation into the cause of the shutdown, including the main electrical system, power distribution, engine controls, and brake-assist system. Please document this as a highway-speed shutdown with loss of normal braking assistance and provide a written diagnostic report before releasing the vehicle.
The car stalls for no reason at various speeds. So far, the car will restart but I'm obviously concerned about damage to the engine and the safety of passengers when this happens at high speeds. The symptoms appear consistent with the engine recall for faulty piston rings but my vin # is not listed in the recall. I believe the recall should be extended to other vin #'s as others are reporting similar issues and their vin is also not in the recall list. It is available for inspection by Kia.
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...
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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.
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 vehicle as having an engine failure. After researching the issue, I found that my vehicle's make/model and engine are associated with NHTSA Safety Recall Campaign 25V-099 / Kia Recall SC336. The recall describes a...
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potential engine defect that can result in engine damage or seizure and specifically identifies loss of motive power/stalling as a potential consequence. The recall remedy includes engine inspection and, when necessary, engine replacement. (NHTSA) Although this recall is not currently showing as attached to my specific VIN, the symptoms I experienced and the dealership's diagnosis appear consistent with the issue described in the recall. I am requesting that the cause of my engine failure be thoroughly investigated and that Kia consider whether this failure is related to the defect identified in NHTSA Campaign 25V-099 / Kia SC336.
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.
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: • [[redacted]]: Kia Cerritos confirmed NO diagnostic/recall tests were performed. • [[redacted]]: Dealer documented engine is completely SEIZED from the "bottom part" (where recalled piston oil rings reside). • [[redacted]] Kia Corporate denied repair, claiming the vehicle failed/passed an electronic KDS vibration test. 2....
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TECHNICAL IMPOSSIBILITY & FRAUD: It is mechanically impossible to run a noise vibration test on a seized engine that cannot crank or turn over. Either Kia Cerritos falsified records or Corporate is fabricating diagnostic data to evade a mandatory recall. 3. UNLAWFUL WARRANTY CONSTRAINTS: Kia Corporate is trying to route this federal safety recall through standard powertrain warranty rules, denying coverage over a lack of private cash maintenance receipts. Under federal law, safety recalls cannot be conditioned on consumer maintenance history or second-owner limits. 4. VIOLATION OF FACTORY PROTOCOL: Page 2 of Kia's official SC336 TSB explicitly commands that a 'Seized / No Inspection' engine status must bypass the electronic noise vibration test entirely and be fast-tracked to corporate Techline for a full long-block replacement authorization. REQUESTED ACTION: I request the NHTSA Recall Enforcement Division immediately investigate Kia Corporate Case Number [[redacted]] for recall evasion and compel Kia America to authorize a free long-block engine replacement. "Note: This complaint is being managed by the driver's son-in-law and authorized representative [[redacted]] due to a language barrier." INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Burns a lot of oil bad piston rings, and cylinders # 25v099000/KIA#SC336 incorrectly manufactured parts
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked daily. Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data