Recall campaigns by affected system, 2016–2024.
25V099000NHTSA report received February 2025Model years: 2021–2023
NHTSA campaign 25V099000: Kia Seltos engine and engine cooling recall
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: Engine damage can cause a vehicle stall or fire, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy per NHTSA (as of 2026-08-27): Dealers will inspect and replace the engine as necessary, free of charge.
23V830000NHTSA report received December 2023Model years: 2024
NHTSA campaign 23V830000: Kia Seltos air bags recall
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Soul and 2024 Seltos vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the side curtain air bags may deploy unexpectedly.
Consequence: An air bag that deploys unexpectedly can increase the risk of injury or crash.
Remedy per NHTSA (as of 2026-08-27): Dealers will inspect and replace both side curtain air bag modules as necessary, free of charge.
23V531000NHTSA report received July 2023Model years: 2023–2024
NHTSA campaign 23V531000: Kia Seltos power train recall
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: An electric oil pump assembly that overheats increases the risk of a vehicle fire.
Remedy per NHTSA (as of 2026-08-27): Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete.
21V259000NHTSA report received April 2021Model years: 2021
NHTSA campaign 21V259000: Kia Seltos engine recall
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.
Consequence: A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, oil may leak onto hot exhaust components, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy per NHTSA (as of 2026-08-27): Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the engine, free of charge.
The same full inspection at every tier, at the seller’s location, with a photo-documented report:
Other subcompact SUVs to weigh against the Kia Seltos. Recall counts cover different model-year spans and are not a reliability ranking.
How many recalls does the Kia Seltos have?
As of NHTSA records retrieved 2026-08-27, NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the Kia Seltos, model years 2016–2024. A recall applies to specific VIN ranges, variants, trims or build dates, so a particular vehicle may be affected by all, some, or none of them, and a campaign count is not a reliability ranking. Whether an open recall is a safety risk depends on the campaign, so read the NHTSA entry for the VIN. Each campaign below shows the remedy NHTSA records, which may be a dealer or service-center repair, an over-the-air software update, or, for some campaigns, a repurchase. This page details the most recent campaigns; the full record for any VIN is at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What should an inspector check on a used Kia Seltos?
Beyond the standard pre-purchase checks, the recall history for this model concentrates in: engine, engine and engine cooling, power train, air bags. An inspector documents the visible and operational condition of those systems without disassembly; internal parts, software-only issues and whether a recall remedy was performed are VIN-lookup questions, not inspection findings.
Can a pre-purchase inspection tell me whether a Kia Seltos recall was done?
No. Whether a recall repair was performed is recorded against the VIN, so NHTSA's lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls (or the manufacturer's own) is the authoritative check. Run it before you travel. The inspection covers what a VIN lookup cannot: the physical condition of the vehicle in front of you.
Can you inspect a Kia Seltos at a dealer, a private seller, or out of state?
Yes. The inspector usually travels to the vehicle at the seller's location — a dealer lot or a private seller — and you do not need to be there. Vehicle Inspectors dispatches an independent inspector within 50 miles of any US ZIP code, widening to 150 miles if needed; more remote locations are quoted case by case. You get a photo-documented PDF report in 24–48 hours.
How much does a Kia Seltos pre-purchase inspection cost?
A pre-purchase inspection of a Kia Seltos through Vehicle Inspectors: Bronze $249 · Silver $349 · Gold $449. Your card is saved at booking, not charged. A hold is placed when an inspector schedules, and you are charged after the inspection is completed. If no inspector accepts within 72 hours, the request auto-cancels and nothing is charged.
Vehicle Inspectors matches buyers with independent inspectors nationwide. Local pages for cities with active inspectors:
