2021 Kia seltos
Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 2021 Kia seltos is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 17 on record.
2021 Kia seltos at a glance
Included: that car's specs and build sheet, model-year recall campaigns and a fair price.
2021 Kia seltos recalls 2
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.
Fix: 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 …
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.
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the engine, free of charge. In addition, Kia will deploy Piston Ring Noise Sensing System (PNSS) software. The recall began June 11, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this rec…
Source: U.S. NHTSA, checked 4 Nov 2026. A campaign covers the model year; to see whether a particular car still needs the repair, check its VIN on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer.
2021 Kia seltos common problems
The most-reported problem areas across all 372 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — and what to check before you buy.
2021 Kia seltos safety ratings
Rollover risk: 16.9% — NHTSA's estimated chance of rollover in a single-vehicle crash (dynamic test: no tip).
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), tested as the 2021 Kia SELTOS SUV FWD. Ratings can differ by body style and drivetrain.
2021 Kia seltos MPG & running costs
Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov. The EPA lists 3 versions of this model year; combined is shown as a range and the other figures are averages.
What's a 2021 Kia seltos worth?
Estimated 5-year cost to own
A rough guide to what running a 2021 Kia seltos costs over five years and 75,000 miles.
How this is estimated: fuel is the U.S. EPA annual cost at 15,000 miles a year. There aren't enough comparable listings to estimate depreciation for this model, so it is left out. Not included: insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, registration and finance costs. Treat it as a comparison guide, not a quote.
Dimensions & weight
Manufacturer-reported figures for the 2021 Kia seltos — ranges cover the 3 body / drivetrain versions on record. Source: Transport Canada vehicle specifications via NHTSA.
Investigations & service bulletins
NHTSA defect investigations 1
Kia 25V099 Piston Oil Ring Recall Effectiveness Closed
On August 6, 2025, the Office of Defect Investigation (ODI) opened Audit Query (AQ) 25001 to assess the implementation of Kia America, Inc.’s (Kia) remedy program for Safety Recall 25V099, involving incorrectly manufactured piston oil rings which may damage the engine causing a loss of motive power or fire. This AQ was opened in response to consumer complaints alleging of an ineffective remedy, inconsistent inspectio…
NHTSA #AQ25001 · Engine And Engine Cooling · opened Aug 2025 · closed Dec 2025An investigation means NHTSA is examining a possible defect — it is not a recall, and many close without one.
Manufacturer service bulletins 134
Technical notes the manufacturer sent to dealers about known issues and fixes. Useful to mention to a mechanic — they are not recalls and repairs may not be covered. Showing the 10 most recent of 134.
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: THEFT DETERRENT IGNITION CYLINDER PROTECTOR AND DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2312) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black ba…
Bulletin CS2312_TSB_R2 · Structure · Jun 2026TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM SOFTWARE UPDATE USING UPDATE.KIA.COM - This bulletin provides information and service procedures for updating the infotainment systems on applicable Kia vehicles using the Kia Navigation Updater available at upda…
Bulletin TSB_ELE422 · Electrical System · May 2026VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: OWNER RENOTIFICATION (SC199 FL301) - This document is the owner renotification advising that Kia is conducting Voluntary Service Campaign to update the software programming on the Transmission Control Module (TCM) and, if…
Bulletin SC199_OWNR_SP2_3 · Power Train, Electrical System · Feb 2026TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CUSTOMER SATISFACTION: THEFT DETERRENT IGNITION CYLINDER PROTECTOR AND DECAL INSTALLATION (CS2312) - This bulletin provides information to install a Theft Deterrent Ignition Cylinder Protector on certain 2010-2022MY Kia vehicles out…
Bulletin TSB_CS2312 · Structure · Dec 2025CUSTOMER SATISFACTION CAMPAIGN: OWNER NOTIFICATION (CS2312) - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia is conducting Customer Satisfaction Campaign. A software upgrade that addresses the social media theft method has been made available to own…
Bulletin CS2312_OWNR · Structure · Dec 2025PITSTOP: TECHNICAL OPERATIONS: EXTERNAL DAMAGE TO ULTRASONIC SENSOR: This Pitstop provides information related to Parking Distance Warning (PDW) alerts and repairs involving ultrasonic sensors. The PDW system alerts the driver while parking, by calculating dis…
Bulletin PS797 · Back Over Prevention · Dec 2025TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: IBU LOGIC IMPROVEMENT: This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information to upgrade the Integr…
Bulletin TSB_ELE382_R1 · Electrical System · Oct 2025WARRANTY EXTENSION CAMPAIGN: TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: HORN ASSEMBLY INSPECTION/REPLACEMEN (WTY038) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. Thi…
Bulletin WTY038_TSB_R1 · Electrical System · Oct 2025This bulletin provides instructions to perform an engine vibration inspection using the Kia Diagnostic System (KDS) tablet on certain Kia engine/model vehicles. The piston oil ring(s) in certain Kia engines may, over time, damage the surface of the engine cyli…
Bulletin SST082_R1 · Engine, Electrical System · Sep 2025This bulletin provides information related to the Technical Service Bulletin previously published under SC336 titled “Engine Inspection/Replacement and ECM Logic Improvement”.
Bulletin SC336YZ_TSB · Engine · Sep 2025Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, listed for the SELTOS AWD. Model-year data, not specific to one car.
Canadian recalls 4
Transport Canada recall campaigns for the 2021 Kia seltos. Relevant if the car was first sold in, or imported from, Canada.
Engine
Issue: On certain vehicles, the piston oil rings may not have been manufactured properly and could damage the cylinder walls. As a result, the engine could make abnormal noises, and a warning light may turn on. If you continue to drive the vehicle with these symptoms, the engine could fail. Note: This recall only affects certain vehicles equipped with a 2.0L MPI engine. Safety…
Transport Canada #2025083 · Feb 2025Label
Issue: On certain vehicles, the compliance label may be missing information in French. The words listed on the label for "Tires", "Rims", "Front" and "Rear" appear in English only, when they should be listed as "Tires/Pneus", "Rims/Jantes", "Front/Avant" and "Rear/Arriere". Canadian regulations require this information to be listed on the label in both English and French. Safet…
Transport Canada #2024549 · Aug 2024Electrical
Issue: On certain vehicles, the 4WD control unit under the driver's seat may become contaminated by a mixture of salt and moisture inside the vehicle. Over time, this can lead to corrosion that could cause a short circuit. Note: This recall only affects vehicles equipped with all-wheel drive. Safety Risk: A short circuit can create a fire risk, even while the vehicle is parked…
Transport Canada #2024093 · Feb 2024Engine
Issue: On certain vehicles, the engine's piston oil rings may be defective. This can cause engine wear that can lead to increased oil consumption. Eventually, this can create abnormal engine noise and the oil pressure warning light may turn on. If you continue to drive the vehicle with these symptoms, the engine could fail. Note: This only affects vehicles equipped with a 2.0 L…
Transport Canada #2021225 · Apr 2021Source: Transport Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Recalls Database.
About the Kia seltos
The Kia Seltos is a crossover SUV manufactured by Kia since 2019.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Describes the model line in general, not this model year specifically.
2021 Kia seltos trims & engines on record
2021 Kia seltos vehicles on record
2021 Kia seltos SXKNDETCA20M7127813
2021 Kia seltos SXKNDETCA2XM7177876
2021 Kia seltos SXKNDETCA23M7202990
2021 Kia seltos EXKNDERCAA7M7065686
2021 Kia seltos SKNDEUCAA7M7049289
2021 Kia seltos SKNDEU2AA3M7055505
2021 Kia seltos SKNDEUCAA4M7081889
2021 Kia seltosKNDEPCAA1M7197266
2021 Kia seltosKNAEN815GNK277127
2021 Kia seltosKNDEUCA21N7252530
2021 Kia seltosKNDEUCA25M7202616
2021 Kia seltosKNDEUCAAXM7213991
2021 Kia seltosKNDEPCAA0M7202330
2021 Kia seltosKNDEUCAA9M7226232
2021 Kia seltosKNDEU2AA4M7196468
2021 Kia seltosKNDERCAA8N7297604
2021 Kia seltosKNDEPCAA1M7211666