9.5

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
1,000 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2021 Kia Seltos fuel system problems

fuel system problem

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2021 Kia Seltos Owner Comments

problem #9

Apr 192024

Seltos

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

This happens everyday while I-??m driving. The vehicle hesitates and grinds when you try to accelerate and prevents you from going forward. It pulls the car back in yanking motion. Which is extremely dangerous.

- Des Plaines, IL, USA

problem #8

Jun 262023

Seltos

  • miles
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

- Allentown, PA, USA

problem #7

Aug 112021

Seltos

  • miles
I've owned this car since it was new. I've been disappointed with the transmission. At low speeds, it will hesitate and shudder. This is especially true if I'm making a turn. This has been a consistent problem. Secondly, twice my transmission has overheated. The first time we were in a Halloween event during the Pandemic 2020. It was a drive-through event that was stop-and-go. The warning light came on with the gauge showing one bar over the limit. As luck would have it, the traffic started to move towards the end and it lowered the bar to just under the overheating bar. The second time this happened it was much more serious. I had four people in the car. We had just left a restaurant and were heading towards the freeway. Unfortunately, we got stuck on a hill in Hollywood Bowl traffic. We were stuck there long enough that my car shut down on the hill. We were blocking traffic and my wife got out to direct traffic around us. I tried to put the car in neutral and coast towards an open curbside parking space. It wouldn't budge. We spent what felt like an eternity blocking traffic. It was probably 4-5 minutes where we were unable to start or roll backward.

- Newbury Park, CA, USA

problem #6

Feb 012023

Seltos

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

A Unknown component has failed with the vehicles fuel system. The service center at the Kia Dealership was unable to clear the associated Check engine light after numerous attempts. This is the Third time I tuned in for this same reason. The First time they attempted to resolve by replacing O2 sensor. After a Few weeks the Check engine light returned. Then I was told it was my Spark plugs. After one trip from dealership to home the check engine light appeared again. I returned to service center and it has been there for over a Month. Kia corporate scheduled a Tech to come and Assist with the problem. I am deeply concerned that my safety may be at risk for a Faulty fuel system that may fail while I-??m in route to work. I work for the Utility 74 miles away from home and I am an Essential worker to the great city of New York. I support the Transmission cable systems reliability and respond to emergency directly with this Vehicle. I am requesting assurances that I will not be the first of many in a future realized safety recall. The Company has had Many most recently with these kind of fuel system failures if my memory serves me right.

- Poughkeepsie, NY, USA

problem #5

Mar 082021

Seltos

  • miles
I was driving the car at a speed of approximate 30 mph. As I was slowing down for a traffic light, the car jerked backwards. The car braking system engaged without me touching the brake. When I took the car in for service, I was told they could not duplicate the issue. I took the car in after receiving the recall. I was assured all was well with the car, though I was having issues with the car stalling out at traffic lights. I took the car in for service and was told by the manager that they could not duplicate the problem. I became so frustrated with the car that I insisted the manager get in my car and drive it with me until the problem presented itself again. He did and the car stalled out on him 2x. They kept my car for two weeks and called me to tell me that the car had no oil in it. I told them I got a recent oil change at another KIA dealership, so the issue was not my responsibility. No check engine light or oil light ever came on to notify me of any issue. KIA kept my car for over 2 weeks. They installed a Camshaft, Exhaust, Tensioner, RTV Gasket, and engine bracket, retimed the engine, replaced the hydraulic tensioner and resealed the timing cover. I continue having problems with the car. It sputters, stalls at traffic lights and sometimes when shifting gears. I have not been able to resolve the issues with the car even after involving a senior administrator, Ariston Crane, in their consumer affairs department.

- Boca Raton, FL, USA

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problem #4

Jul 282022

Seltos

  • miles
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.

- Bloomingdale, IL, USA

problem #3

Mar 012022

Seltos

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

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.

- Thurmont, MD, USA

problem #2

Jul 012021

Seltos

  • miles
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.

- Poughkeepsie, NY, USA

problem #1

Sep 032020

Seltos

  • 9,000 miles
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.

- Spring Hill, FL, USA

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