2023 Kia Seltos
Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 2023 Kia Seltos is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 4 on record.
2023 Kia Seltos at a glance
Included: that car's specs and build sheet, model-year recall campaigns and a fair price.
2023 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 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.
Fix: 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 …
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.
2023 Kia Seltos common problems
The most-reported problem areas across all 46 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — and what to check before you buy.
2023 Kia Seltos safety ratings
Rollover risk: 15.1% — 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 2023 Kia Seltos SUV AWD. Ratings can differ by body style and drivetrain.
2023 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.
Estimated 5-year cost to own
A rough guide to what running a 2023 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 2023 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 51
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 51.
TECHNICAL 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 2026PITSTOP: 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 2025TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: IBU LOGIC IMPROVEMENT - This bulletin provides information to upgrade the Integrated Body Control Unit (IBU) software on some 2021-2025MY Seltos (SP2) vehicles produced from November 20, 2019 through January 13. 2025. When the key f…
Bulletin TSB_ELE382 · Electrical System · Aug 2025TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: TRANSMISSION FLUID APPLICATION GUIDE - 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 relat…
Bulletin TSB_TRA046_R5 · Power Train · Apr 2025TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: PISTON NOISE SENSING SYSTEM (PNSS) INSPECTION - This bulletin provides instructions to perform an engine vibration inspection using the Kia Diagnostic System (KDS) tablet on certain 2020 - 2023 MY Kia Soul (SK3) 2021 - 2023 MY Selto…
Bulletin TSB_SST082 · Electrical System, Engine · Apr 2025VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: OWNER RENOTIFICATION (SC297) - This document is the owner renotification advising that Kia conducting a Voluntary Service Campaign to inspect and, if necessary, replace the AWD Control Unit in certain 2021-2023 MY Seltos all-wheel d…
Bulletin SC297_OWNR_201 · Power Train · Apr 2025Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, listed for the SELTOS FWD. Model-year data, not specific to one car.
Canadian recalls 4
Transport Canada recall campaigns for the 2023 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 2024Powertrain
Issue: On certain vehicles, the circuit board in the electric oil pump assembly for the transmission may be damaged. As a result, the circuit board could short circuit and overheat. Safety Risk: A short circuit could create the risk of a fire. Corrective Actions: Kia will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your vehicle to a dealership to inspect the transmission elect…
Transport Canada #2023421 · Aug 2023Source: 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.