RecallRadar

HomeKiaSeltos → 2023

2023 Kia Seltos Recalls & Complaints

2

open safety recalls on record

Critical

78 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.28 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Critical23V531000 Park outside

Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Fluid/Lubricant:Pump

electric oil pump assembly that overheats raises the risk of a vehicle fire.

Remedy & full details

Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will inspect and replace the electric oil pump controller, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 28, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC275.

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.

Critical25V099000

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Hard Parts Internal/Mechanical

Engine damage can cause a vehicle stall or fire, raises the risk of a crash or injury.

Remedy & full details

Dealers will inspect and replace the engine as necessary, free of charge. Dealers will also install piston-ring noise sensing system (PNSS) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 4, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC336.

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.

Complaint volume

78 this model-year 9 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

5Crashes
0Fires
3Injuries
0Deaths

Across 78 complaints. Severity Index 0.28.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Unknown Or Other17 · 22%Engine15 · 19%Electrical System14 · 18%Power Train4 · 5%Visibility/Wiper3 · 4%Forward Collision Avoidan…3 · 4%Service Brakes3 · 4%Structure · Body2 · 3%
  1. Unknown Or Other — 17 reports
  2. Engine — 15 reports
  3. Electrical System — 14 reports
  4. Power Train — 4 reports
  5. Visibility/Wiper — 3 reports
  6. Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings — 3 reports
  7. Service Brakes — 3 reports
  8. Structure:Body — 2 reports
  9. Visibility:Glass, Side/Rear — 2 reports
  10. Lane Departure: Blind Spot Detection — 2 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

2021 (2) · 2022 (1) · 2023 · 2024 (2) · 2025 · 2026

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.