Check a VIN

2021 Kia Seltos engine complaints

Page 10 of 10: complaints 251 to 280 of 280, newest first, as owners wrote them.

See the summary of 2021 Kia Seltos engine problems: which part fails, at what mileage and related recalls.

Filed Jul 30, 2022 · Engine, Fuel system · IL

As I pulled into a busy road my car did not accelerate to speed. It got to approximately 20 mph and would not go any faster. The traffic I was pulling into was traveling at high rates of speed. There is a recall on this vehicle stating the same problem. I am being told my engine type is not listed. They are blaming lack of oil changes and low oil. There were no warning lights stating low oil. The car is equipped with such warnings.

Filed May 19, 2022 · Engine · MD

Engine Failure - Oil consumption - Piston issues - Scorched Engine At 24K miles noticed knocking from engine - called dealership took it in. Died in the parking lot of dealership. - Service tech said engine was super low on oil - but I was 500 miles away from oil change. Dealer started a consumption required by KIA - Had to drive vehicle in 1000 mile increments and bring it back each time. (Risking it dying on the road each time and risking my safety) 1st trip back oil 1 quart low - refilled and started 2nd round 2nd trip back oil 1 1/2 quarts low - kept car - cleaned pistons 3rd trip - almost did not make it back at 800 miles started acting up but dealer had no loaner cars and KIA said I would have to rent one and they may reimburse me. Get car into dealership - low again and this time they took the next step and engine was scorched. No warning lights ever went off the car just started making loud knocking noises and performance decreased. Now awaiting a new engine. Not only does a safety recall need to be issued for all KIA's (as this is evidently a known problem if you research) KIA needs to be required to re-evaluate their process of confirming the issue - 3 times they put my life at risk of the car stopping while driving. Unfortunately all of the paperwork from the dealer is the car which is in the shop awaiting the new engine on back order. Jones KIA - BelAir Maryland will have all service records.

Filed May 9, 2022 · Electrical, Engine · OH

Let's start off with the minor stuff 1st my passenger seatbelt does not work secondly my hands free my hands free connection on my radio disconnect automatically on its own and won't let me reconnect it I bought a connected about a new phone thinking that was a problem it's not it's the car lastly lastly I Was driven down the road lost all power to my car it was all the oil in it I refilled the oil while stopping her again this time with no brakes could have caused a serious accident I took it to Kia for repairs the engine has failed

Filed May 6, 2022 · Brakes, Driver assistance · NJ

2021 KIA SELTOS S - ISSUES 1. The engine was stalled in the road without notice. When I started the engine again, it is vibrating and shaking (05-04-2022) 2. Engine has strange knocking sounds. Car has struggle to move when pressing the pedal accelerator (05-05-2022). 3. Loss power on engine, brake was not working. Car run very slow 4. Engine light is blinking while driving from work to home. When I arrived home, car is not started (Laguardia Airport New York to Home in Hazlet NJ - 53miles) - (05-05-2022) 5. Car has only 19000miles. 6. Please note, the car has a recall on the piston ring that is not done. Vehicle Owner / Driver: [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

Filed Apr 27, 2022 · Engine · 21,000 miles · PA · fire

The contact leased a 2021 Kia Seltos. The contact stated that while his son was driving in traffic, he heard an abnormal banging noise and noticed smoke emerging from the engine compartment. The driver was able to pull off the road and exit the vehicle. The vehicle spontaneously caught fire and was engulfed in flames. The fire department was on the scene to extinguish the fire. The driver did not sustain any injuries. There were no police reports filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent lot. The contact called the local dealer but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified but no additional assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 21,000. VIN was not available. The contact stated the failure was related to the federal safety agency Campaign Number 21V259000 (Engine).

Filed Mar 29, 2022 · Engine · NY

My 2021 Kia Seltos lost pick up pulling out of parking lot at work. Limped it to a parking lot and had it towed to Kia. Spoke to service guy at Kia dealership today. He claims that my oil was low and dirty and needs to be changed every 4000 miles (manual says 7500). I told him this and he said thats only if I use full synthetic...says it on the sticker in window and receipt. Full synthetic was used. They will change the oil but they feel its an engine issue and since the shop that did my oil change did something wrong (according to them), it wont be covered by warranty. This is a 2021 with about 11000 miles. Oil change was done about 4500 miles ago. He claims that my warranty would not cover this due to low oil. Oh and not one warning light came on. NO OIL LIGHT, NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. I was reading about a recall that I never got a recall letter on because according to VIN # my car isn't included regarding improperly heat treated piston oil rings that causes engine damage and excessive oil consumption. Sounds like exactly what is going on with my car. I certainly cant afford a new engine out of pocket and don't believe I did anything that my warranty should be voided over. I need help!

Filed Mar 10, 2022 · Engine · IL

This car was recalled for issues with oil piston rings receiving incorrect "coating" when made. Our car passed inspection to verify the recall issue didn't exist however the car was two quarts of oil LOW. After going through Kia's required oil consumption testing (no oil on ground by the way), we await Kia's decision on a full engine replacement on our 2021 car. Before bringing the car in it stalled unexpectedly in various scenarios, on freeway, going up hills, parking, and coming to a stop. Also the engine was making major noises, clicking, sounds like a diesel, and screeching noises when stopping. The safety issue of stopping was explained by service manager as due to lack of oil.

Filed Mar 6, 2022 · Electrical, Engine · MD

I was coming to a stop sign and I started hearing a knocking sound. My car flashed the check engine sign and then shut off with the battery and engine oil light flashing. It smelled like something was burning. I started drifting back so I had to pull the parking brake, put on my hazards and turn off my car. I tried to start it 2x without it turning over. On the third try, the car started and the lights on the dash resolved except the engine malfunction. I was unable to accelerate above 45 MPH on a busy highway and it eventually stalled out again for a second time in the middle of a highway. I was almost rear-ended twice. Same lights came on- engine oil, battery and check engine light. I turned it off and turned it back on- it reluctantly started and was shuttering the whole time. I was able to get it into a parking lot before calling KIA road side assistance. I had it towed to the nearest dealership who was supposed to look at it the next day, Di d not hear anything back until the 3rd day when I called. I was informed that they would not be able to look at it until the following week. I was able to get it towed to the dealership closest to home, where I purchased the vehicle. They looked at it and informed my that there was no oil in the engine and the the engine would need to be repaired. I never had an oil light come on until the vehicle stalled out. They are saying that because there was no oil in it, I was not keeping up with the maintenance and that it voids the warranty. So now I have to come up with $10,200 to replace the engine block. My car only had 25,516 miles on it and had 3 oil changes prior to it shutting down. The last oil change, I was informed that my car was using more oil than it should but that this was not cause for concern. I am beyond frustrated. I have been a loyal kia customer for years and am disheartened for being accused of not caring for my vehicle, despite having provided receipts from oil changes and no am without a car.

Filed Mar 6, 2022 · Engine · PA

Car was put into park and the car kept moving,turned car off to stop This has happened 2 times.

Filed Feb 22, 2022 · Engine · 6,000 miles · IL

The contact leased a 2021 Kia Seltos. The contact stated that on three separate occasions, the vehicle stalled with the engine oil warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact stated that with each failure, the oil level was low before the next scheduled oil changed. When the first failure occurred, the contact had taken the vehicle to the dealer and oil was added. After the second failure, the dealer informed that contact that oil was discovered on the spark plugs and that the engine needed to be replaced. The engine was replaced however, the failure occurred for a third time. After the third failure the contact took the vehicle to Gary Lang Kia (1121 State Route 31, Building 3, McHenry, IL 60050) and he was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact made multiple attempts to reach the manufacturer but had yet to be receive a response. The vehicle had yet to be repaired and remained in the possession of the last dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 6,000. The VIN was not available.

Filed Feb 3, 2022 · Electrical, Engine · NY

My 2021 Kia Seltos shut off while I was driving it. This happened once in July 2021, I was at a stop sign and I attributed it to not driving it in a while and the extreme summer heat. But on January 31st, I had turned my car on, I let it “warm up” and then I started to drive. To my surprise, as I was driving my car shut off. It first felt like the gas pedal was hardly working then the car began to slow down and I had no control over the acceleration or breaks. Then, the check engine light, battery light, and oil light all appeared on my dashboard and the car came to a complete stop. And all functions on the car were not functioning. Fortunately, no other cars were around and I wasn’t injured. I was able to restart my car and drive back to a driveway with the engine sounding louder than normal and the only the check engine light on. From there, Kia towed my car to the dealership, ran a diagnostic check on the engine, checked the sparks plugs, drove it 25 miles. Since the problem didn’t occur while they had it, I have been informed “nothing is wrong with my car”. I called Kia customer service and was informed that despite the similar claims on this website, no recall or issue had been formally filed for kia to take care of. I questioned what the next steps would be and as of now I am left to continue to drive a car that shut off on me.

Filed Jan 21, 2022 · Electrical, Engine · NY

I pulled up to a busy intersection which had a stoplight that had just turned red. As I was waiting there, all of a sudden my car just died. The engine stopped and no electrical was working either. There were no warning lights or messages at all. I tried to start it, but to no avail. The cars shifter was also locked in the drive position. I turned the hazard lights on as I was trying to figure out what was going on. My safety and the safety of my children, who were in the car at the time, was put at risk as drivers behind me were growing impatient as light turned green and I couldn’t move.There were no warning lights that went on prior to the car failing, or after i got the car started again. On about my fifth try of trying to start it, the car slowly started up again and I was able to pull into a nearby parking lot.

Filed Jan 6, 2022 · Engine · 45,000 miles · VT

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Altos. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle to an independent mechanic several times, he was informed that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The contact also stated that the vehicle was making abnormal rattling sounds while driving. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact received a recall notification for the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 21V259000 (Engine). The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the contact was informed that the piston-ring noise sensing software would be installed. The contact declined the installation of the software and advised the dealer that the piston rings or the engine should be replaced instead. The recall repair was not completed. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but did not provide any assistance and referred the contact to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

Filed Dec 30, 2021 · Engine · IL

Im on my 2nd kia and im so over it. I have a 2021 kia seltos and i took it in for the recall and my scheduled maintenance for july 9th 2021, I scheduled my app a week out and i had been noticing my engine running strange off and on for awhile but its a new car so i thought i was being paranoid until i saw the recall. Then the day before my appointment the check engine light comes on. I checked the oil and it didnt even register on the stick, had my dad also check it to confirm! He added 2 quarts to it just to get me to the next day. Take it in and tell them my light has come on now and that its been running rough. When they call they say nothing, pick up my car they tell me nothing! The notes say the piston oil ring was performed? What was performed? It passed the recall test? What are they looking for? Why was my check engine light on?! And then i read in the notes that the oil was dirty and 3/4 of a quart below fill mark. It also says .i have a maintenance package on a new car..i take it in when im supposed to and only to kia. It also said cel is not on at this time and ran fault code "p0011- intake timing over advanced" stored as history and that they cleared dtc reset adaptive values and further diag will bbe required if dtc returns..no one seems concerened why i have a code stored in history or why the light was on one day and off another. It still sounds terrible most of the time and the oil level is magically decreasing and no signs of a leak took it in 10/6/21 and they say they check it out and that nothing is wrong and send me on my way. 12/6/21 go in for oil change multi point inspectionand winterization and they tell me they also need to check a recall...all good again. 12/30/21 driving my car and my check engine light starts flashing while im driving about 55. Its at the shop now! Im beyond stressed and heated over this. I have 2 toddlers i drive around in this car. I need it to be SAFE and RELIABLE! Im paying way to much for this car to be dealing with

Filed Dec 27, 2021 · Engine · IL

The car shut off completely while driving without warning. The car was restarted and the check engine light turned on.

Filed Dec 21, 2021 · Brakes, Engine · NY

July 2021, While my son and daughter were driving the car engine shut off, the brakes, the gas pedal and steering wheel locked. The vehicle was on a slight incline and rolled backwards. My son quickly pulled the emergency brake in order to stop the vehicle from going into the vehicle behind him. The vehicle was restarted and all the problems were gone. We brought the vehicle to the dealer. They checked and found nothing wrong and could not recreate the problem. At the same time the dealer performed the recall 21V259 (letter dated 6/11/2021) which was rectified by performing an engine vibration inspection which passed. At that time we also reported a ticking sound coming from the engine which the dealer stated is a normal noise from the injectors. A NY state inspection was also performed and passed.

Filed Nov 5, 2021 · Engine · CT

The engine shut off while driving.

Filed Sep 28, 2021 · Engine · WI

My locked Kia Seltos was stolen from my driveway while I was home. No alarm went off despite a broken window. This is a major problem with Kia/hyundai vehicles in Milwaukee where thieves are plugging in USB devices that start the car. Kia knows about the issue (look up news reports in Milwaukee) but is doing nothing to solve it. No recall! Now I have no car and Kia won’t compensate me at all.

Filed Aug 6, 2021 · Engine · CA

on June 21st I took my car to be inspected for a recall on the engine. I was told it would take 1-2 hours, it took a total of 6. When I picked up the car not one person explained to me what was done, if my car passed the inspection or if work was done. On July 11th my car stalled on a main street with my child in the car. The oil light, check-engine light and battery light all turned on. On July 13th I took my car back to Kia where they had it for 5 hours. They told me the car had zero oil in it and accused me of not getting frequent routine oil changes, although I have taken my vehicle for every single one, except for the one needed in about 700 miles. Instead of performing the oil change, they topped off the oil and stated I needed to drive it for another 1000 miles so they can examine it again and do that a total of 3 times. They admitted what my car is experiencing is signs of the recall, but they can not just request that I receive an engine replacement. When I mentioned the risk of the car catching on fire and my concerns, the service associate replied, "That is not likely to happen", as if that is supposed to make me feel better. My vehicle does not drive well and honestly, it is terrifying to drive, but it is my only car. Since leaving the dealer on the 13th, my car has a hard time making it to 40 MPH and the RPM sometimes goes to 6 while slowly trying to get to 40 MPH. It has stalled again and sounds very loud while running. My gas also gets used extremely fast, a tank used to last me about 2 weeks and now sometimes it barely lasts a week. I have reached out to Kia customer service multiple times, but I do not get a response.

Filed Jul 1, 2021 · Engine · 24,000 miles · SC

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Seltos. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was driving very rough and stalled. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that there was no oil was present in the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The engine was replaced, and the failure was remedied. The contact later received a recall notification for the failure that had occurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 24,000.

Filed Jun 23, 2021 · Engine · IN

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Seltos. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency campaign number: 21V259000 (engine) however when attempting to schedule the recall repair appointment with the local dealer they were not attempting to schedule the repair appointment in a timely manner. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The local dealer and the manufacturer were made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

Filed Jun 4, 2021 · Acceleration, Brakes · CA

While driving on the local street prior to entering the freeway, the vehicle completely stalled without any notice. Attempted to step on the brake pedal, however, there was no response. Had to use the emergency brake to stop to a safe spot. Had I been driving on the freeway, the end result would have resulted in possibly a fatal crash. While the vehicle stalled, I noticed 3 light indicators were lit: Charging System Warning Light, Engine Oil Pressure Warning Light, Malfunction (Engine Malfunction) Indicator Lamp. Keep in mind, all maintenance and services were up to date including oil change, which had been performed at KIA dealership service. The gears were then changed from "drive" to "park" and attempted to restart the engine. Engine turned back on without any light indicators on the dashboard and assumed that it might have been a minor electrical issue. Attempted to drive back onto the road and then the engine completely stalled again, however, this time the brake pedals responded. Not to mention, there were consistent rumbling sounds coming from the engine after the initial engine stall. Called KIA's roadside services for tow services and after 6 hours, the car was towed to a local KIA dealership to Valley-Hi KIA located in Victorville, CA. Received a call today from the dealership (June 4th, 2021) this morning and was informed that there was no oil in the vehicle and was charged $44.99 for the oil fill. Was told that there was no evidence of oil leakage and was advised to drive the vehicle 75 miles back home to take to a local KIA dealership to run an "Oil Consumption Test." Texted "Stacey Keen" at the dealership the article regarding this recall for 2021 KIA Seltos for a defect in the Piston Oil Ring and asked to speak to the service manager. Current status: Did not receive any text or call back from the dealership and was told that I will receive another update this upcoming Monday to see if the vehicle will have oil left in the vehicle.

Filed May 18, 2021 · Engine · 10,122 miles · OH

The contact owns a 2021 kia seltos. The contact stated that when she took her vehicle in for an oil change, she was informed that there was no oil in the engine. The contact stated that the vehicle was leaking oil and there was a loud knocking sound coming from the engine. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that nothing needing to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was relating the issue to the federal safety agency campaign number: 21v259000 (engine) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 10,122.

Filed Nov 30, 2020 · Engine · 3,600 miles · WA

Going on a slight incline my engine felt like it was surging slightly and after 5 min the engine was really surging and the no matter how hard you pressed on the accelerator the speedometer would max out at 65. And then after 10 min no matter how much you pressed on the accelerator there would be about a 5 second delay in the rpms. Which would go from 1 to 8 max. And it finally died on the freeway. When I finally got it to the dealership they said the transmission blew on it and to get a new one they would have to order it from korea. I will be without a car for almost 2 full months.

Filed Nov 23, 2020 · Acceleration, Engine · 3,400 miles · MO

Car has 3000 miles,car had been surging when accelerating, it revved up when in drive, wouldn't go as I was exiting off of interstate. Was towed to dealer, they couldn't find anything wrong, sent me home. I made it 47 miles when it stopped accelerating and stopped going. Was towed back to dealer, where it has been for over 2 weeks. They are putting in a new transmission.

Filed Nov 16, 2020 · Engine, Transmission · 2,000 miles · MA

Vehicle was having difficulty shifting between gears, until one time it did not switch from automatic off at stoplight back into gear. Had to turn car off/on to get it into gear. Later on the highway at ~60mph, as it was trying to downshift to go up a hill, it failed to engage a gear. Engine light came on and had to coast into shoulder to await it being towed. Dealership said it needs a new transmission, was bad from factory - car has ~2k miles on it. Technician said it's not the first he's seen like this.

Filed Nov 15, 2020 · Electrical, Engine · 9,500 miles · NV

Hvac blower would not blow. Dealer found melted relays. One week after replacing the entire engine wiring harness I started to get a burnt electrical smell through the vents. I looked in the engine fuse box and there were melted relays again.

Filed Oct 11, 2020 · Engine · 8,360 miles · NV

Car was parked with auto off feature disabled. Vehicle stalled 2-3 times while parked.

Filed Sep 29, 2020 · Driver assistance, Electrical · 900 miles · CA

My kia seltos with only 900 miles has done the following twice: when at a stop and I step on the gas the car turns off. The first time it happened I was at a stop light and when I stepped on the gas the car turned off and took a couple of minutes before I was able to turn the car back on. The second time it happened I put the car in reverse and stepped on the gas and it turned off. I was told by the dealer that it appears to be a problem with the engine control unit. Now my car has been in the shop for 15 days so far with no knowledge of when the car will be returned because the part is on "back order". I'd like to add that while at the car rental place I met another person with the same car and exact same issues.

Filed Sep 14, 2020 · Engine, Fuel system · 9,000 miles · FL

Transmission defect , transmission over heats in stop and go traffic , also causes skipping of the gears. Kia know this is a problem and indicated that car will shut down on its own because of this.

VIN decoder

See the problems and recalls for an exact car

Buying a used 2021 Kia Seltos?

Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.

Check its history