2021 KIA SELTOS Complaints

Multiple times the car has shut off while driving. It did receive the PNSS sensor thing from the dealership 2 years ago. It has done this while my wife and kids were in the car in a busy roundabout. There are known engine issues with this model. Kia dealership is dragging their feet and “can’t recreate the issue.” (because it happens randomly) They ran “tests” and they all came back with “no issues.” Dealer states that they are waiting to hear back from the tech line at Kia. Service advisor said to me that they may just give me the car back because they can’t find anything wrong. And the “we would essentially have to wait for a complete component failure.” It is available to be inspected. There were no warnings at all and it has done it at random times in seemingly normal conditions. It receives routine maintenance and after my last oil change my mechanic (not from Kia) said that they found metal shavings in the oil and that there was only 1 qt of oil. And recommended that I talk to the dealer about engine replacement. The last time it shut off was June 4 and and it has been at the dealership since June 15th.

The vehicle started loosing engine power. The vehicle stalled while driving 5-6 times, this posed a danger to driver, passengers, and others. A car accident can easily happen when the engines dies. Power to all systems was lost, including steering and brakes. No warning lights or check engine lights appeared at anytime, symptoms started a week before. Vehicle was approx 3 quarts of oil low. It was about 2 months from previous oil change. Other 2021 Kia Seltos have an open recall for defective piston rings (SC209 or SC336.) The vehicle was taken to the nearest Kia dealership. They stated this VIN did not fall under the recall and there was nothing they would do. Kia was called directly and also stated no assistance would be offered. No inspection or diagnosis has been made as neither the dealership nor the manufacturer is willing to assist. This vehicle should fall under the recall.

Driving my car on Interstate highway going approximately 65 miles an hour, and the engine just stopped. It started chugging.. I then check the engine oil stick, there was very little Oil, and it was very dark and thick. Got the car home and it’s been sitting ever since. I’m going to have to take it to Kia to have it checked. I spoke with corporate they said that if the recall repaired was completed, because there is still engine trouble and that I should be it taken to the closest dealership. I haven’t checked ones before at Kia near me and they told me I just needed to change the more often. My son has changed the oil twice since then, and the problem has gotten worse instead of better.. So let’s see what the next dealership says about the situation. I’ll keep you updated.

Engine problems. Car stop running and I had it towed to a local KIA dealer in Medford, Oregon. They said the engine didn't have any oil even though it wasn't time for my next oil change per the mileage sticker. They said the engine has to be replaced. I'm waiting on KIA's approval since it is still under warranty. They have had the car for a week. It's a 2021 KIA Seltos and I'm assuming other people are having the same issue.

To Whom It May Concern, I am filing a formal safety complaint regarding my 2021 Kia Seltos (VIN: [XXX]). My vehicle was previously serviced by Kia in connection with a recall in 2021. Despite the recall-related repair being completed, the issue has not been resolved. My check engine light continues to illuminate, and my vehicle has repeatedly stalled and completely shut off while stopped at red lights and intersections. This creates a serious safety hazard. When a vehicle unexpectedly loses power in traffic, it places the driver, passengers, and surrounding motorists at risk of an accident, injury, or worse. I understand that there have been reports, recalls, investigations, and consumer complaints involving certain Kia vehicles with engine-related issues, including concerns regarding piston oil rings, excessive oil consumption, engine damage, and engine failure. While I am not a mechanic and cannot state with certainty that this is the cause of my vehicle’s problems, I believe my vehicle may be experiencing a similar issue based on the symptoms it is displaying. My concern is that the ongoing engine warning light and repeated stalling events may be related to an underlying engine defect that was either not corrected by the previous recall repair or has developed despite that repair. Given the known concerns surrounding certain Kia engines and piston oil ring-related issues, I believe my vehicle should be thoroughly reviewed to determine whether it qualifies for coverage under any applicable recalls, warranty extensions, service campaigns, or defect-related repair programs. I have been informed that my vehicle is not covered; however, I respectfully request that Kia reevaluate my VIN and investigate whether the stalling condition is connected to any known engine-related defects or recall conditions. I am requesting that: • Kia provide towing assistance if the vehicle is unsafe to operate. • Kia perform a complete diagnostic inspection at no cost. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Seltos. The contact stated that the vehicle was intermittently overheating and losing motive power while driving. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to accelerate properly. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the spark plugs and ignition coil packs were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The contact returned the vehicle to an independent mechanic and was informed that the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 106,000.

Usually the car would be taken to a shop for an oil change and I did it myself last time and realized the oil was pretty low. I checked over the weekend and noticed the dip stick marked the oil as 2/3 full after waiting 10 minutes for it to cool down a bit. This is alarming because when I filled the oil it was close to the max level.

The infotainment head unit display system suffers from persistent firmware connectivity defects that cause severe system lag, complete screen freezing, and constant Bluetooth/phone disconnections. This directly compromises vehicle safety by rendering mandatory hands-free voice operations completely inoperable while driving, creating an intense electronic driver distraction. Furthermore, the system instability occasionally causes the central display screen to lag or fail to transition, impacting the reliability of the backup camera display. The manufacturer (Kia America) does not provide a functional consumer download path to patch the firmware build, and the local franchised dealer (Arapahoe Kia) explicitly refuses to service or update the component, leaving the vehicle with an ongoing electronic defect.

The car is available for inspection upon request. Safety was put at risk due to the cars potential to break down, or catch fire, due to high volumes of oil consumption and leakage from the piston rings. This was part of a recall campaign (#SC336 PISTON OIL RING), where we had two authorized Kia dealers inspect and claim the car "passed" their test. Recently, we had a catastrophic engine failure due to the piston rings, where we feel the fix was insufficient given the failure point (piston rings). There were no warnings or symptoms prior to failure, when driving at a low speed the car stalled and the oil pressure warning light came on briefly. After that, we parked the car immediately and had it towed for inspection. Our concern is the fix was allegedly implemented in July 2025, but there is no note in our maintenance record that the fix was even implemented.

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Seltos. The contact stated that days after the engine oil was changed the check engine warning light had remained illuminated. The vehicle as taken to the local auto service center who replaced the replaced the crank shaft sensor and camshaft sensor but the failure continued to occur. The cause of the failure was not determine. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V259000(ENGINE). The contact indicated that the vehicle had experienced that same failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 120,000.