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2023 Kia Seltos

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2023 Kia Seltos do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 45.5.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 4 of 46 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Forward Collision Avoidance. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

4 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports

Engine complaints

17 reports
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Mileage unknown · Sep 4, 2026
Engine

Car was taken In for service and tech noted was low on oil and looked as if was burning oil and advised of a recall. My VIN for my 2023 didn’t come back as effected but clearly is having same issue as the recall on the others with same year and make.

NHTSA ODI #11762198

Mileage unknown · Aug 23, 2026
EngineCrash

I had two incidents with the Kia listed above involving the feature where the engine stops when at a light, and then turns back on when foot is removed from brake. The first instance happened in a parking lot while I was maneuvering into a spot. The accelerator sensor sent my car forward at a high rate of speed, and I missed a…

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I had two incidents with the Kia listed above involving the feature where the engine stops when at a light, and then turns back on when foot is removed from brake. The first instance happened in a parking lot while I was maneuvering into a spot. The accelerator sensor sent my car forward at a high rate of speed, and I missed a brick wall by inches. The second incident was much the same, maneuvering into a parking spot in my apartment building. Spaces are very tight and there is a lot of stopping, reversing, going forward. Again, I took my foot off the brake and the accelerator sensor sent my car speeding into the car parked in front of me. I did serious damage to my neighbor's car and go mine. I can turn off this feature, which I now do.

NHTSA ODI #11758909

Mileage unknown · Mar 28, 2026
Electrical SystemEngineUnknown Or Other

The gages fall all the way down, I’m not able to accelerate, engine light, traction light, tire pressure light, crash detection light, and other lights come on and prevents me from being able to drive. This happened on the interstate and almost caused an accident.

NHTSA ODI #11727703

Mileage unknown · Mar 14, 2026
Engine

Car burns/ consumes oil constantly having to top off 2-3 quarts every 1,000 miles maybe even less I do my oil change every 3,000 miles Kia auto contract state I need to do oil change every 5,000

NHTSA ODI #11724333

Mileage unknown · Feb 23, 2026
EnginePower TrainUnknown Or Other

In April 2025 my vehicle had a recall (1: SC336 or 25V099), I brought it into a Kia dealership, they said it failed the test, and needed a new engine (i was without a vehicle for weeks, dealership said they did not have any loaners until after 14 days). They then call back weeks later saying the test was faulty, and i could have…

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In April 2025 my vehicle had a recall (1: SC336 or 25V099), I brought it into a Kia dealership, they said it failed the test, and needed a new engine (i was without a vehicle for weeks, dealership said they did not have any loaners until after 14 days). They then call back weeks later saying the test was faulty, and i could have my car back. They said to keep an eye on it if there are any issues regarding the recall to come back. One morning i started my car, and was driving luckily in a 30mph, my car started to shake, would not speed up/move much, the check engine light came on, almost coming to a complete stop in the middle of a busy road. I was able to move it to the side, turn it off for a bit, once turned back on it was fine. My father who has a background in automotive mechanics checked the oil and noticed there was barely in it- (although just having it been changed) which looks like the oil consumption is fast and going somewhere. I immediately took it to a Kia dealership and they said I would have to go through a whole oil consumption test but it would not be a guarantee fix for engine replacement due to me not going to a dealership, or oil change business. Although my father who changes it, has all the receipts of oil purchase and capability of changing it himself. My oil is changed always in the proper timeline/miles. Which i have a alert on my car to notify me of this. I have noticed the kia does not give an alert when there is "low" oil. I have to drive around with extra oil, and check it almost daily just incase. I am worried that it will stop again but on a busy highway and result in a accident. I am concerned that the recall test was faulty and is resulting in major car issues, for something that is not even that old. As of yesterday i turned my car on and it was shaking and the engine light came on. I have not turned it on since, i will be returning to the dealership today.

NHTSA ODI #11719832

Mileage unknown · Nov 2, 2025
Electrical SystemEnginePower Train

Vehicle acts like it’s going to die. No maintenance lights well maintained. Rattle noise and acts like it’s misfiring. Went to turn at traffic light and almost got into a wreck due to no horse power. This has been happening since less than 40,000 miles but car dealership keeps saying “nothing is wrong” because there isn’t a warn…

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Vehicle acts like it’s going to die. No maintenance lights well maintained. Rattle noise and acts like it’s misfiring. Went to turn at traffic light and almost got into a wreck due to no horse power. This has been happening since less than 40,000 miles but car dealership keeps saying “nothing is wrong” because there isn’t a warning light on! It’s getting worse!

NHTSA ODI #11697067

Mileage unknown · Sep 25, 2025
Engine

We first noticed that the car was sputtering and jerking when accelerating at highway speeds. It wasn't consistent at first but continued to get worse over time and at more regular occurrences. White/grey smoke was spotted from the tailpipe whenever the vehicle was accelerating, either from a stop or when "resuming" on the cru…

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We first noticed that the car was sputtering and jerking when accelerating at highway speeds. It wasn't consistent at first but continued to get worse over time and at more regular occurrences. White/grey smoke was spotted from the tailpipe whenever the vehicle was accelerating, either from a stop or when "resuming" on the cruise control. We brought the vehicle in to the dealership as the "service engine" light came on and explained what was happening with the car. They told us that there was an "intake valve" that was plugged and need to be replaced and that the on-board computer needed to be updated. We also had some routine maintenance done as well and they sent us on our way. Quickly after getting the car home we noticed that the original problem persisted and actually got worse. We checked the recalls on our car and noticed that there are other recalls on other VINs for the same Make, Model, Year and engine type as our car and the symptoms of those recalls were exactly the same as our symptoms in our car. We returned the vehicle to the dealership and again the "service engine" light had come on. This time they got the code that says something to the effect of "cylinder scoring" and that we needed to have the engine replaced. The recall for the 2.0L Nu engine for 2023 Kia Seltos' that doesn't currently include the VIN for our vehicle is SC336. We had to replace the engine out of our own pocket and would like to see this VIN included in the recall that affects other vehicles of this similar Make, Model, year and engine type.

NHTSA ODI #11689656

80,000 miles · Aug 25, 2025
Engine

The contact owns a 2023 Kia Seltos. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was while smoke coming from the exhaust, after which the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to be restarted. The check engine …

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The contact owns a 2023 Kia Seltos. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was while smoke coming from the exhaust, after which the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to be restarted. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the engine due to possible poor maintenance, which the contact disputed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 80,000.

NHTSA ODI #11682858

Mileage unknown · Aug 19, 2025
EngineUnknown Or Other

3 times in the last 24 hours my vehicle has completely stopped while in motion. Once on the highway and twice in residential areas. There was no precursor problem to let me know this would happen, no strange noises and no check engine light. It just fails and the engine stops while I’m driving. It’s extremely dangerous and quite…

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3 times in the last 24 hours my vehicle has completely stopped while in motion. Once on the highway and twice in residential areas. There was no precursor problem to let me know this would happen, no strange noises and no check engine light. It just fails and the engine stops while I’m driving. It’s extremely dangerous and quite frankly very scary. When I called kia today to tell them what happened all they said to me was that since the check engine light wasn’t on, that it was safe to drive and they couldn’t get my car in for several weeks. Then the other kia dealership in the area said they would get me in next week but again that my car was safe to drive. It is most certainly NOT safe to drive!! This is happening while I’m driving and in motion. Twice at about 10 mph and once going 60 (thank god nobody was behind me)

NHTSA ODI #11681485

Mileage unknown · Aug 9, 2025
Electrical SystemEngineUnknown Or Other

Car has stalled 3 times after driving short or long distances in hot weather (near Great Lakes, not even southern heat). Twice in 2024 and once in 2025. It is 2023 Kia Seltos with only 10,000 miles. Dealer inspected it 2024 (possibly not knowing of other recalls) and said nothing wrong. It’s the turbo engine, while I see the reg…

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Car has stalled 3 times after driving short or long distances in hot weather (near Great Lakes, not even southern heat). Twice in 2024 and once in 2025. It is 2023 Kia Seltos with only 10,000 miles. Dealer inspected it 2024 (possibly not knowing of other recalls) and said nothing wrong. It’s the turbo engine, while I see the regular engine versions have a recall. Could be the rings, crankshaft sensor, ISG, electric oil pump controller, etc. It stalls while at a red light or stop, and is dangerous if on a hill as it does not accelerate and starts to roll backwards when take foot off brake and step onto gas pedal. It has also stalled in traffic on a bridge and then needed to be restarted.

NHTSA ODI #11679495

Official recalls

2

25V099000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:hard Parts Internal/mechanical

Feb 17, 2025

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 & remedy

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.

23V531000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:fluid/lubricant:pump

Jul 31, 2023

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 & remedy

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.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

AQ25001 · Kia 25V099 Piston Oil Ring Recall Effectiveness

Opened Aug 6, 2025 · Closed Dec 18, 2025

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:hard Parts Internal/mechanical

On August 6, 2025, the Office of Defect Investigation (ODI) opened Audit Query (AQ) 25001 to assess the implementation of Kia America, Inc.’s (Kia) remedy program for Safety Recall 25V099, involving incorrectly manufactured piston oil rings which may damage the engine causing a loss of motive power or fire. This AQ was opened in response to consumer complaints alleging of an ineffective remedy, inconsistent inspection results to determine whether an engine replacement was needed, and the unavailability of recall remedies. On August 11, 2025, an Information Request (IR) was issued to Kia requesting: 1) why the inspection test was revised from requiring a ‘cold’ engine to a ‘warm’ engine; 2) why the recall remedy was suspended from April 30, 2025 to May 7, 2025; 3) how Kia notified customers of the recall remedy suspension and the need to re-test engines that failed the ‘cold’ engine test; 4) the number of post-recall remedy complaints alleging engine or other engine related failures; and 5) the warranty coverage Kia is offering to vehicles that passed either inspection tests. On September 10, 2025, Kia responded to NHTSA’s IR: Kia reported the change in temperature from ‘cold’ to ‘warm’ engine testing was done to increase accuracy. The inspection test uses diagnostic tools that detects abnormal engine vibrations to identify damaged engines. From the initial launch of the Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) on April 4, 2025 through April 28, 2025, ‘cold’ engine testing resulted in a higher-than-expected failure rate when compared to the pre-recall warranty claim rate. This discrepancy led Kia to re-evaluate its inspection test and found that performing the inspection on a ‘cold’ engine can result in imprecise test results due to normal cold-start vibrations. Kia revised the inspection to ‘warm’ engine testing to minimize vibration interference. Kia sampled the field and performed a comparative analysis between ‘cold’ and ‘warm’ engine testing, and validated that ‘warm’ engine testing was more accurate in identifying damaged engines. Kia also reported the suspension of the recall remedy was due to a software error in the diagnostic tool, which was introduced in concert with the April 29, 2025 launch of the TSB that revised the inspection from ‘cold’ to ‘warm’ engine testing. The software error resulted in all inspection tests reporting false positives for a damaged engine. On April 30, 2025, Kia suspended the remedy until May 7, 2025, which was when the software error was corrected with the release of the latest TSB and software update. The recall remedy remains available to eligible customers. Kia reported owners were not mailed letters concerning the suspension to the recall remedy. Kia reasoned since it resolved the issue faster than it would have taken to draft and mail letters, Kia did not want to create unnecessary customer confusion involving an issue that would have already been addressed upon receipt of a letter. Kia also determined that mailing letters about re-testing engines was unnecessary since those vehicles were already at the dealer awaiting engine replacement. In most instances, Kia Customer Care agents would respond to customer inquiries related to the recall, including remedy availability, dealer issues, and questions about differing test results. Kia provided ODI a review of engine related consumer complaints received on post recall-remedied vehicles. Kia did not find any common patterns or trends related to those complaints following completion of the recall, as the complaints included issues that were unrelated to the subject defect. To aid in the diagnosis of whether a complaint is related to the recall, the remedy includes the installation of a software program, the Piston-ring Noise Sensing System (PNSS), that monitors the engine for unusual noise patterns (an indicator of potential damage to the piston oil rings), and alerts the customer by flashing the check engine light and setting Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) P1327. Kia confirmed that it is not offering any specific warranty coverage for this recall. Instead, Kia has instructed dealers to replace the engine, at no cost to the customer, with no time or mileage limitation, following the installation of the PNSS software and the presence of DTC P1327. On September 4, 2025, Kia issued Subsequent Repair Action (SRA) # SC336YZ, which provided engine diagnosis and replacement instructions for vehicles with a potentially related complaint following completion of the recall. Under this SRA, customers whose vehicles set DTC P1327 will have their engine replaced. If DTC P1327 is not set and it is unclear whether the issue is related to the recall, dealers are instructed to contact Kia's Technical Assistance Center to ensure the issue is appropriately handled. Kia notes that any issues determined to be unrelated to the recall are subject to the 10-year / 100,000-mile Powertrain warranty for original purchasers and a 5-year / 60,000-mile Limited Basic Warranty for subsequent purchasers. In summary, Kia identified the insufficiencies of its initial inspection test that led to a pause to its recall campaign, explained why it did not mail letters to affected customers about the paused campaign or revised inspection test, reviewed existing consumer complaints that did not identify any potential trends related to the recall, and identified its warranty coverage for any vehicles exhibiting qualifying engine symptoms. After review of Kia’s response to the IR, ODI has determined that no further action from Kia is necessary at this time, and ODI will close this AQ investigation accordingly. The Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.