2021 Kia Seltos: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 346 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 2 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
346
Complaints
2
Recalls
12
Crash reports
5
Fire reports
8
Injuries
41.0
Severity index
Severity index 41.0 - Medium. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 90 2021 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2021 Kia Seltos ranks 61 of 90 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 32% of its model-year peers. See the full 2021 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | 210 | 60.7% |
| POWER TRAIN | 63 | 18.2% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 45 | 13.0% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 44 | 12.7% |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 40 | 11.6% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 22 | 6.4% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 10 | 2.9% |
| AIR BAGS | 6 | 1.7% |
The single most-reported system is ENGINE, cited in 210 of 346 complaints (60.7%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 18 |
| 2021 | 33 |
| 2022 | 39 |
| 2023 | 38 |
| 2024 | 27 |
| 2025 | 120 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 71 |
Complaint volume is rising - the last three years carry 2.1x the filings of the three before them, which usually signals a wear-related defect surfacing with age.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21V259000 | 13/04/2021 | ENGINE | 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. |
| 25V099000 | 17/02/2025 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:HARD PARTS INTERNAL/MECHANICAL | 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. |
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.