2021 Kia Seltos: won't start

Filed Oct 29, 2026 · Engine · WA

I am reporting a violation of safety recall SC336 for my car (VIN: [XXX]), which is currently at West Hills Kia in [XXX]. 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 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)

Filed Jul 25, 2026 · Engine · AZ

Just purchased a used 2021 KIA seltos with about 45k miles. I did my research and checked prior if there were any major issues. Since it showed zero recalls and received relatively good reviews I thought it would be a safe and reliable vehicle. I was wrong.I had the vehicle for only about three months when I noticed the check engine light come on while driving on the freeway. It was solid, however, I thought it was better to be safe than sorry and started to look for an exit. While driving up a freeway interchange the car suddenly started to lose speed. I pressed the accelerator but couldn’t get any power to the engine. As the car started to slow rapidly I pulled over to a narrow strip of the road. This was a dangerous stretch of the freeway because there was virtually no shoulder and cars were accelerating to merge up the rising ramp on the stack. After I came to a stop I put the car in park and turn it off. I then tried to restart the engine but had no luck. The engine would crank but would not start. I was now stuck and getting anxious as traffic began to steadily increase. Cars were flying by at high speeds less than a foot away. I had no choice but to call for a tow truck and patiently wait. I sat there praying that nobody would hit my car. I was fortunate to be safely towed to a service center.The technician performed a borescope and found severe scoring on the cylinder walls directly relating to defective piston rings. The improperly heat-treated piston rings chipped and literally carved deep grooves into the block dropping the compression causing the car to sputter and die.The engine has internal damage and will not start. Needs a new long block (Engine replacement). There is a recall on these piston rings.The dealership sent in their inspection including compression test and borescope images showing the groves and scoring on the cylinder walls. KIA is refusing to cover cost because the car is out of warranty. Safety recalls never expire with warranty!!!!!!

Filed Mar 31, 2026 · Engine · SC

On April 4th 2025 I received a letter concerning the federal safety agency Recall 25V099 and was asked to have dealership run diagnostics. On April 30th dealership says "YES" engine needs to be replaced. Two days later dealership calls me and says new software has arrived and they need to run diagnostics for recall again, this time on May 16th 2025 car passes. NOW, almost one year later and after warranty has expired, the car has a DTC P1327 which is noted in the recall letter and the car will NOT start. Had it towed to nearest dealer and they say since the original dealer "Passed" the recall, I have to pay to get car looked at again. It is obvious to me their original diagnosis missed something and now I just want my vehicle back, but it won't run because of the P1327 DTC and of course the dealership where car is now says since I did not buy it there, nothing they can do? KIA service is TERRIBLE.

Filed Mar 25, 2026 · Engine · SC

While driving engine shut off and car will not start. Garage states engine is seized up. It is same engine that Kia recalled

Filed Mar 18, 2026 · Engine, Fuel system · TX

The engine seems to be failing/affected. The vehicle is currently available for inspection at Huffines Kia in [XXX] where it has been since Saturday, March 14, 2026 and they have yet to perform the SC336 Safety Recall while trying to charge a diagnostic fee for a multipoint inspection that I did not ask for. The vehicle would not start which now I know is due to total oil consumption, which appears to be a precursor to the recall. Having a vehicle that can catastrophically fail or stall without warning due to defective piston rings creates extreme risk of a crash or fire while my family is inside. The service department at Huffines Kia Mckinney confirmed to Kia Corporate on Wednesday, March 18, 2026 that the vehicle was completely depleted of oil. However, they have not officially confirmed the recall failure because they have not done the recall test. They told corporate that they haven't done the recall because I did not have oil in my car. They have had my car since Saturday, but have not topped it off with oil since it has been there for several business days. I have also opened a formal case with Kia Corporate (Case #XXX) due to the dealer not providing the free safety remedy required by law. There was no oil pressure warning light prior to the failure, however, when trying to start my car and it wouldn't start, the oil and engine light came on. A tow truck came to tow to the dealer. The tow driver was able to start my car using a jumper box. The dealership says my car ran fine and no oil or engine light was on. However, if they ran my car knowing it was depleted of oil, they have potentially further damaged my engine. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Feb 12, 2026 · Engine · OK

Dealer has denied to look into recall claiming that it is part of a warranty extension when it is a safety recall due to the issues I am experiencing. The car began to stall not even a year into me owning the vehicle. I had barely had the car for 4 months, not even enough time for my first oil change and my car stalled on me in a parking lot as I was driving. It shut off. It has done this multiple tomes randomly since. Then one day after work my car wouldnt start at all and when we eventually got it started, it would then stall every 15 feet that id be able to drive it. The entire car just shuts off every time. All of my lights were still working, but the engine itself would shut off.

Filed Jan 8, 2026 · Electrical, Fuel system · TX

my sensor does not work and does not detect the gas in tank car wont start or turn on

Filed Sep 28, 2025 · Engine · KY

The auto stop start function of this car is very unsafe. It sometimes does not start back immediately and rolls back. It’s just very unsafe.

Filed Jun 22, 2025 · Engine · FL

The car prior to the locked engine it ran well without any problems. While driving the car all of a sudden it began to stall. The car began to make a really loud clanking noise before the engine locked up. Due to the circumstances a mobile mechanic was called out to the location to assess the situation. The mobile mechanic completed the diagnostic with a car reader to which it displayed code P0011 code. To ensure it wasn't the car's battery the battery was replaced with a new one thinking that would remedy the situation of the car not starting. However, once this was completed the car wouldn't start again. Per the mobile mechanic conclusion, he stated that the engine was locked up. The car was towed to KIA Sunrise - Sunrise, FL on February 15, 2025. I inform them of the problem that the engine was locked. They stated that they would perform a diagnostic for an authorization fee of $250.00 to which I agreed for KIA Sunrise to do the diagnostic on the car. Based on their conclusion they attested that the engine was locked up as I had informed them. I mentioned that there was a recall on the engine of KIA Soltos 2021 due to engine failure at that point they stated that KIA Corp office had yet to send them notification of the recall relating to the engine failure. They stated for me to wait till April 2025 when the recall for the engine failure would have been received by them from Corp to which I did however, by then I was informed that they now wanted an additional $500 for a diagnostic. KIA Sunrise, stated that due to the engine being locked up they wouldn't look into it until $500.00 was paid however, they refused to take into consideration the $250.00 that was already not long ago, which based on the communication that was had they stated that was the authorization amount for them to do a full diagnostic knowing that the engine was locked up. However, at a later time they wanted more money to do a diagnostic on an engine that was still locked up.

Filed Jan 21, 2025 · Engine · NE

The Seltos started losing power driving on interstate, started smoking and then lost all power and would not start. We had the car towed to Brakes plus where we had an oil change as of recent, they confirmed it was piston ring failure and the engine was done for. The car has just over 28,000 miles on it. Kia dealership and warranty is avoiding to state that it was indeed the piston rings failing. They simply said it needs a new engine and are demanding maintenance records and receipts. My veteran father has performed most of my oil changes, he was a military mechanic and ASE certified mechanic for over 20 years. Since I didn’t personally purchase the oil used, I don’t have the hard copy receipts they are demanding. Kia refuses to acknowledge that the engine failure is that of the same issue with many other 2021 Seltos that had piston ring issues during manufacturing.

Filed Jan 11, 2024 · Fuel system · PA

The vehicle was sputtering and then shut off and would not start. I called KIA and had it towed to Dealership. They called several days later stating there was nothing wrong with the vehicle. Then several weeks later getting on the turnpike it sputter and shut off. I was able to get it started again and repeated the same sputter and shutting off an additonal 2 times on the turnpike. I was able to get the vehicle home to my drive way. The tow truck came and could not get it to start. He towed it back to the dealership. This time they replaced the fuel injector. The mechanic advised KIA that this issued caused scoring on the cylinders. KIA authorized replacing the fuel injector. KIA claimed scoring on the cylinders is normal. You don't have to be a mechanic to know this is. not normal and over time will lead to engine failure. KIA will not replace the engine. My case # is 15929784

Filed Mar 15, 2023 · Engine · MI

RECALL INFO: 21V‑259 recall for inconsistent heat treating process for piston oil rings. The dates for use of the recalled piston rings Nov 20,1019 -Oct 15, 2020. My Seltos was in production at the time the damaged oil rings were used. I took my Seltos in for the repair, MY VEHICLE WAS NOT repaired. A vibration test was done and a program update was installed to detect vibration. The vehicle still has the recalled damaged oil rings. Received a recall notice for Piston Oil Ring in summer of 2021. I took the car on July 20, 2021 for recall (21V‑259). Kia's number for this recall is SC209. Piston Ring Inspection performed; Vibration scan completed. No parts replaced. During one of my oil changes in October 12, 2022, oil change shop had noticed sludge build up and recommend that I receive their engine cleaning service, so I did and thought it was strange as the mileage was at 41,250 and my last oil change on 6/20/2022 the mileage was at 37,723. In November of 2022, the vehicle began stalling at stop lights - no service lights present before or after the car stalled. I called the dealership immediately, they could not look at it until November 2, 2022. Report came back as unable to verify customer concern. BUT the paperwork shows another update regarding the oil piston ring. On January 30, 2023, the car stalled again 3 times on my way to work and then stalled for a final time and would not start. None of the Kia dealerships that I have contacted (including where I purchased the car from) are willing to do anything about this. The car is not drivable and I'm still making payments on a car I can't use. Kia REFUSES to provide me with the tech-line paperwork that determined that my car was not covered under warranty. I've been advised to hire an attorney.