2021-2023 Kia Seltos Engine Recall (25V099)
Kia America, Inc. · 137,256 vehicles · Reported February 17, 2025
Kia America, Inc. is recalling 137,256 2021-2023 Kia Seltos; 2021-2023 Kia Soul vehicles. The piston oil rings may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in engine damage. Engine damage can cause a vehicle stall or fire, increasing the risk of a crash or injury. Dealers will make the repair free of charge.
Recall 25V099 at a glance
| NHTSA campaign number | 25V099000 |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer recall number | SC336 |
| Date reported to NHTSA | February 17, 2025 |
| Manufacturer | Kia America, Inc. |
| Vehicles | 2021-2023 Kia Seltos; 2021-2023 Kia Soul |
| Units affected | 137,256 |
| Build dates | July 2, 2020 to July 1, 2022 |
| Component | Engine And Engine Cooling > Engine > Hard Parts Internal / Mechanical |
| Safety risk | Engine damage can cause a vehicle stall or fire, increasing the risk of a crash or injury. |
| Fix | Available at dealers |
What is wrong with the 2021-2023 Kia Seltos in recall 25V099?
The piston oil rings may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in engine damage.
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.
Is it safe to drive a 2021-2023 Seltos with recall 25V099?
NHTSA has not told owners to stop driving, but the risk is real: Engine damage can cause a vehicle stall or fire, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
NHTSA describes the risk this way: Engine damage can cause a vehicle stall or fire, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
NHTSA has not issued a do-not-drive or park-outside warning for this recall. Still, get the repair done as soon as it is available, and stop driving if you notice symptoms related to the hard parts internal and mechanical.
Which vehicles are included in recall 25V099?
Recall 25V099 covers 137,256 vehicles: 2021-2023 Kia Seltos; 2021-2023 Kia Soul.
NHTSA lists 137,256 vehicles in this campaign, built July 2, 2020 to July 1, 2022. Not every vehicle of these models and years is included, so check your VIN.
| Model years | Make | Model |
|---|---|---|
| 2021-2023 | Kia | Seltos |
| 2021-2023 | Kia | Soul |
What is the fix for the Seltos engine recall?
Yes. Dealers will inspect and replace the engine as necessary, free of charge.
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.
When was recall 25V099 announced?
Kia America, Inc. reported recall 25V099 to NHTSA on February 17, 2025. NHTSA lists the owner letter date as April 4, 2025.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| July 2, 2020 | First affected vehicle built (per Kia America, Inc.'s filing). |
| July 1, 2022 | Last affected vehicle built. |
| February 17, 2025 | Kia America, Inc. filed the defect report with NHTSA; NHTSA assigned campaign 25V099000. |
| April 4, 2025 | Owner notification letters mailed (per NHTSA). |
This recall was filed 19 months ago, and vehicles were built over a span of 729 days. If your Seltos was built in that window, the VIN check below is the way to confirm it is included.
How do I check if my Seltos is part of recall 25V099?
Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If recall 25V099 is open on your Seltos, it will be listed there.
The fastest check is NHTSA’s VIN lookup. Type in the 17 characters from your registration or insurance card. Because only some 2021-2023 Seltos vehicles are included, the VIN check is the only reliable way to know. A brand-new recall may take several days to show up.
What should Seltos owners do about recall 25V099?
Check your VIN, schedule the free recall repair, and keep a repair order for every dealer visit.
- Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm recall 25V099000 applies to your Seltos.
- Call a Kia dealer and schedule the recall repair. Ask how long the repair takes and whether parts are in stock.
- Keep a copy of every repair order. Check that each one lists your complaint, the mileage, and the dates in and out.
- Keep a simple log of any hard parts internal and mechanical symptoms with dates and mileage. Video of a warning light or the problem happening is strong evidence.
- Count the days the vehicle is at the dealer. Days out of service add up toward California's 30-day presumption.
- If the recall repair does not fix it, or the vehicle keeps going back for the same issue, talk to a lemon law attorney.
What are Seltos owners reporting to NHTSA?
Owners have filed 864 complaints with NHTSA about these vehicles since 2020, 598 of them about the engine.
Since recall 25V099 was reported on February 17, 2025, owners have filed 443 complaints with NHTSA about the engine on these vehicles. 55 of them (12%) describe the same problem happening more than once or coming back after a repair attempt.
How we counted: we matched NHTSA owner complaints for the model years in this recall that list the engine and were received on or after February 17, 2025, then flagged narratives that describe a repeat failure or a problem returning after a dealer repair, recall service or software update. Data from NHTSA, accessed October 1, 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports and may involve a related engine issue rather than this exact defect; automated text matching can miss or misread some reports.
NHTSA’s public complaint database lists 864 owner complaints filed since 2020 for the vehicles in this recall, and 598 of them involve the engine. Complaints are reports from owners and have not been verified by NHTSA, but a high count for the same component is a sign the problem is widespread.
- 2021 Kia Seltos: 371 complaints in total, 269 about the engine
- 2021 Kia Soul: 234 complaints in total, 180 about the engine
- 2022 Kia Soul: 88 complaints in total, 70 about the engine
- 2022 Kia Seltos: 73 complaints in total, 47 about the engine
- 2023 Kia Soul: 52 complaints in total, 13 about the engine
- 2023 Kia Seltos: 46 complaints in total, 19 about the engine
A few excerpts from owner complaints filed with NHTSA (unverified, lightly trimmed):
Bought my 2023 Kia seltos new, Been driving it and maintaining the maintaince myself. Vehical has 58,000 Miles still under the warranty. Did my normal oil change only to have it start blowing smoke out of the exhaust. Took it into the dealer for service only to be told that the Rings are failing.
2023 Kia Seltos owner, IN, NHTSA complaint 11651108, filed March 27, 2025
Car has stalled 3 times after driving short or long distances in hot weather (near Great Lakes, not even southern heat). Twice in 2024 and once in 2025. It is 2023 Kia Seltos with only 10,000 miles. Dealer inspected it 2024 (possibly not knowing of other recalls) and said nothing wrong.
2023 Kia Seltos owner, OH, NHTSA complaint 11679495, filed August 9, 2025
3 times in the last 24 hours my vehicle has completely stopped while in motion. Once on the highway and twice in residential areas. There was no precursor problem to let me know this would happen, no strange noises and no check engine light. It just fails and the engine stops while I’m driving.
2023 Kia Seltos owner, MN, NHTSA complaint 11681485, filed August 19, 2025
Can recall 25V099 make my Seltos a lemon in California?
Not by itself. A recall repair that fails, or repeat dealer visits for the same defect, can support a California lemon law claim.
Recall 25V099000 does not automatically make your Seltos a lemon. California's Song-Beverly Act asks two questions: does a warranty defect substantially impair the vehicle's use, value or safety, and did the manufacturer fail to fix it in a reasonable number of tries (Civ. Code 1793.2(d))?
An engine problem that leaves you stranded, or that keeps lighting up the check engine light after a repair, is the kind of defect that can substantially impair a vehicle's use, value or safety.
A remedy is available. Many vehicles are fixed on the first try. If the problem returns after the recall repair, or the 2021-2023 Kia Seltos has needed other repairs for the same defect, those visits count toward a lemon law claim.
For the first 18 months or 18,000 miles, California presumes the manufacturer had enough chances if the Seltos went in two or more times for a defect likely to cause death or serious injury, four or more times for the same defect, or spent more than 30 days in the shop (Civ. Code 1793.22(b)). Direct notice to the manufacturer is required for some of these. The presumption is a shortcut, not the only path to a claim.
An owner who prevails in a lemon law case can recover reasonable attorney fees and costs from the manufacturer (Civ. Code 1794(d)). You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.
In our cases, a recall repair visit counts as a repair attempt, and it's strongest when the owner complained about the problem before the recall came out. A recall shows the defect is real and that enough owners reported it for the manufacturer to issue a fix.
A typical pattern: an owner reports the transmission slipping, and the dealer can't verify it. Six months later, NHTSA issues a recall for the same problem. Because the recall confirms the defect, the mileage offset goes back to that first visit.
The biggest mistake I see is waiting too long. The mileage offset starts at your first repair visit for the problem, so the sooner you take it in, the better. If the problem comes and goes, take it in when it happens. You can't go back to that date later.
If you get a recall notice, call a lemon law attorney right away. You may have taken the car in for the same problem before and forgotten, or there may be other recalls related to it.
Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320), Founder and Managing Attorney. Quotes lightly edited for clarity. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Has your Seltos been back to the dealer for this problem?
Call 877-536-6620Other Kia Seltos recalls
Frequently asked questions about recall 25V099
Did the recall 25V099 fix work?
Since recall 25V099 was reported on February 17, 2025, owners have filed 443 complaints with NHTSA about the engine on these vehicles. 55 of them (12%) describe the same problem happening more than once or coming back after a repair attempt. If your vehicle still has the problem after the recall repair, go back to the dealer, get a repair order, and talk to a lemon law attorney.
When will owners be notified?
According to NHTSA, owner notification letters were or are scheduled to be mailed April 4, 2025.
Is the 25V099000 recall repair free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are done free of charge at authorized dealers.
How do I know if my Seltos is part of recall 25V099000?
Enter your 17-character VIN in NHTSA's recall lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or call a dealer. The VIN is on your registration, insurance card and the lower corner of the windshield.
Does a recall mean my car is a lemon?
Not on its own. A lemon law claim depends on whether a covered defect keeps coming back or keeps the vehicle out of service. A recall repair that fails, or repeat visits for the same problem, can support a claim.
Does the recall fixing my car mean I have no case?
Not necessarily. Even if the recall repair fixed it, you may still have a case, and a car that's a year or more old can still qualify.
Do used cars qualify for California lemon law?
We take certified pre-owned, demo and dealer vehicles. Since the California Supreme Court's Rodriguez decision in 2024, ordinary used cars generally do not qualify.
How long does a recall lemon law case take?
Recall-related cases typically resolve in one to three months from your first call. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
What does a lemon law attorney cost?
You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.
Sources
- NHTSA recall record 25V099000 (recall report and owner letters are posted there)
- NHTSA complaints and recalls data, accessed October 1, 2026
- California Civil Code 1793.2 and 1793.22
Attorney advertising. America’s Lemon Lawyer is a trade name of Wynn Law Group, APC. Responsible attorney: Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320). This page is general information, not legal advice. America’s Lemon Lawyer is not affiliated with NHTSA or Kia. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.