Kia America, Inc.: Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Hard Parts Internal/Mechanical
Kia America, Inc. reported this defect to federal regulators on Feb 17, 2025 and put the number of vehicles at risk at 137,256. The repair is free for as long as the recall stands.
The defect
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.
The risk
Engine damage can cause a vehicle stall or fire, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
The remedy
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.
6 model years covered
Newest first| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Fires | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 Kia Seltos | 47 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| 2023 Kia Soul | 54 | 4 | 1 | 6 |
| 2022 Kia Seltos | 76 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
| 2022 Kia Soul | 95 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 2021 Kia Seltos | 380 | 2 | 6 | 13 |
| 2021 Kia Soul | 240 | 2 | 3 | 12 |
What this page is, and what to do next
A recall is not an opinion. It is a Part 573 report a manufacturer is required by federal law to file once it decides a defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety, and it commits them to repairing the vehicle at no cost to the owner. The three passages above are the manufacturer’s own wording as published by NHTSA.
This page describes the campaign. It cannot tell you whether one particular car has already been through the shop — that is tracked by VIN, and only the manufacturer knows it. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a franchised dealer, quoting campaign number 25V099000.
Full record for the 2023 Kia Seltos → · Recalls carrying a do-not-drive advisory → · Where this data comes from →