2022 Kia Seltos Owner Complaints

The contact owns a 2022 Kia Seltos. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated and stalled while driving at various speeds with the check engine warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and the contact was provided information associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V099000 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The contact was advised to take the vehicle to a dealer for service. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, and the contact was informed that a software update needed to be performed; however, no additional repairs were performed on the vehicle. The contact was also informed by the dealer that the engine was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil. The contact linked the oil consumption failure with the recall. The mechanic at the dealer failed to perform any further testing or repairs on the vehicle. The failure persisted once the vehicle was returned to the contact. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic who replaced the PCV valve which showed excessive oil inside the valve. The mechanic also discovered blowby in the engine caused by leaking of combustion gases and air-fuel mixtures past the piston rings and down into the crankcase of the engine. The mechanic stated that it was proof that the piston oil ring was inoperable and that the recall was not performed properly. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the contact was provided a case number. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer and an OBD II scan was performed but showed no failures with the vehicle. The vehicle remained with the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 36,000.

NHTSA ID

11753088

Incident

Dec 1, 2025

Mileage

36,000 mi

My 2022 Kia seltos with 47669 miles does while while driving. It DID NOT make a noise or shake. The engine light and oils light come on and the car dies. I have maintained regular oil changes and maintenance on the vehicle since the time of purchase.

NHTSA ID

11752910

Incident

Jul 26, 2026

My 2022 Kia Seltos is burning through oil at a very high rate. I was reading that there is a recall for 2021-2023 Kia Seltos for this exact issue with the engine, but my vin from my vehicle is not listed on the recall. I spoke with Naperville, IL Kia and they advised I would have to buy a new engine.

NHTSA ID

11749709

Incident

Apr 2, 2026

I pulled into the drive and put the car in park I left it running for the air conditioner.I got out opened back door to adjust the babies car seat shut the door and went into the house. My in-law told me my car was moving so I ran outside and the car had run into the garage door.The drive has a upward slope so the car was going uphill and seemed to be picking up speed

NHTSA ID

11748057

Incident

Jun 30, 2026

My 2022 Kia Seltos is equipped with Idle Stop & Go (ISG), which shuts the engine off when stopped and restarts it when the driver releases the brake/presses the accelerator. ISG stopped functioning about a year ago (the engine stayed running at stops). I didn't think anything of it because the ISG had worked sporadically from the day I bought the car. (I purchased it new.) It began working again, sporadically, about a week ago. Since then, on 3 occasions, when stopped at a red light with the engine auto-shut-off via ISG, pressing the accelerator to proceed causes the engine to fail to restart as I accelerate, and the vehicle stalls. The dashboard displays a "Press Ignition Button" message. I lose power to the engine, and the vehicle stops accelerating, coasting briefly on momentum until I manually restart it via the ignition button. I have not confirmed whether warning lights were illuminated, as my focus was on regaining control. This appears consistent with documented ISG restart failures reported by other Kia owners online, suggesting a possible pattern rather than an isolated defect. I checked my VIN on NHTSA.gov; zero open recalls. Kia customer care was closed when I called (today is a weekend day). I plan to call on Monday for a diagnostic appointment. This is a safety concern because the stall occurs unpredictably at the exact moment of accelerating from a stop, particularly hazardous at intersections in traffic.

NHTSA ID

11746914

Incident

Jun 26, 2026

My 2022 Kia Seltos out of nowhere started smoking, losing power, total control and braking. There were no lights on the dashboard warning of any kind complete stall than a little bit of power hesitation stall no brakes. I managed to coast it into a parking space at a hotel with it smoking so bad I couldn’t see. It then burst into flames and golfing the entire Engine bay and melting the front of the car about 90 seconds after I got out of the car all of the symptoms here are completely aligned with the recall on this vehicle and the soul. In fact, my son soul had all the same issues except the fire and Kia refused to replace the Engine claiming that his lack of a recent oil change caused the problem that we all see reported here this vehicle was not in the recall VIN group but failed catastrophically just as described in the recall

NHTSA ID

11740429

Incident

May 26, 2026

The engine started to fail when I'm driving and on the highway it suddenly loses strength, the oil goes down and I don't know where it's going, the engine starts to make noises and burning smell, the ignition light turns on and minutes later goes out, a triangle signal also sometimes appears for 6 seconds and disappears, when this triangle appears the car starts to fail and give strong jolts, this has already happened on the highway and I almost lost control of the car due to the jock. I looked for a Kia store on 08/04/25 to recall and reported the problem, they said at the time that there was no vacancy to do the recall service 25v099 mileage 44232, so they managed to meet me only on the date 03/19/26 and said that the car was with the recall problem corrected, but 2 months later the engine power problems, oil lowering, noise and burning smell were intensifying, so today 05/15/25 I looked again the KIA 11295 Rosevelt blvd store and they informed that I could not do the service because the vehicle was no longer in the warranty of up to 60000 miles, but when I took the car to the store it was with 44000 miles and in addition to scheduling months later something that puts my life at risk, they simply told me that in the recall was fixed, but the problem that appears today from what I researched are characteristics of the errors caused by this problem and that at the time of the recall they did not

NHTSA ID

11738064

Incident

May 14, 2026

The contact owns a 2022 Kia Seltos. The contact stated that the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was able to be restarted, but the vehicle was jerking while driving. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 84,000.

NHTSA ID

11733426

Incident

Mar 28, 2026

Mileage

84,000 mi

Engine issue - unknown excessive oil consumption. I started the car to drive to work and immediately it had a very rough idle. I turned the car off and checked the oil level. The car was on a level surface and the oil level was below the acceptable range on the dipstick. It has been about 4000 miles since my last oil change (around 82000 miles) and I noticed the engine was consuming oil about 2500 miles after that oil change. I added a quart of oil to bring the level back within the dipstick’s acceptable range. Throughout all of this, there have been no puddles to indicate a leak, no smoke to indicate oil burning, and no “Low Oil” warning light. I took the car to a Kia dealership in August 2025 for a piston ring recall inspection, and I was told there was nothing wrong with my car. At the time, there was nothing noticeably wrong with my car. I now wonder if the inspection properly assessed the issue. After looking on the Internet, high oil consumption seems like a common issue with my engine that persists even after Kia’s recall inspection. There was no immediate threat to my safety this morning, but I am concerned that this excessive oil consumption could cause catastrophic engine failure before an owner has a reasonable expectation to check the oil level between service intervals.

NHTSA ID

11730759

Incident

Apr 13, 2026

Took my car in for oil piston recall. H&H KIA advised my oil level was low. I advised oil change just done 1/16/2026 and under the 6 month/7500 mile oil change recommendation. I provided screenshot that show it could indicate problem related to recall. Dealership did inspection and did advise no oil leak. When I asked about this they advised I had to pay for an engine clean and also an oil test. I questioned why should I have to pay if related to recall. They quickly said the recall was fixed by software update. When I asked again about low level of oil readings the answer was recommending the engine clean. Oil change totaling more than 300.00 . I fear my safety now driving my car due to this which in turn is causing a high amount of uneasiness and anxiety.

NHTSA ID

11727616

Incident

Mar 27, 2026

I was driving and my car halted to a complete stop.

NHTSA ID

11722175

Incident

Oct 6, 2025

Car is throwing a P1327 error code which aligns with this recall: 25V099. However, my VIN is not included in the recall despite being a 2022 Kia Seltos.

NHTSA ID

11719612

Incident

Feb 20, 2026

Certified shop said my timing chain was going as well as other associated components. My car is always low on oil even when mileage has not been met. Found my car is part of piston ring recall. Dealership stated my car is not affected however the issues the shop found most certainly confirm my issue which is going to cost over $2k to fix is associated with this. Dealership not only says my car passed piston ring recall but wanted $175 to diagnose what has already been diagnosed and then another $175 on top of that to "dig into the engine". Check engine light came on and car began making noise and not running properly on 2/7/2026 on 2/9/2026 called independent service center and car was checked out and diagnosed on 2/11/2026. Found out this is likely recall related 2/12/2026. Car was looked at by dealership on 2/17/2026 and I was told the aforementioned. However magically the two other recalls on this vehicle were remedied but not this one.

NHTSA ID

11718581

Incident

Feb 7, 2026

Purchased my 2022 Kia Seltos new from my local dealership and stayed up to date with all scheduled service, as well as all manufacturer recalls and software updates. When driving it in January 2025, I experienced loss of power when accelerating and an engine stall. Took it to the dealer the same day and was told the vehicle was out of oil, and this caused engine damage that would not be covered by my warranty (I have approximately 44,000 miles on the car). Never had any kind of warning signs — no check engine light or any dashboard alerts. Also never had any issues with oil levels between regular oil changes at the dealership. Luckily, I’d not been driving in particularly heavy traffic when the issue emerged, or else could’ve caused an accident. And luckily I took it to the dealer when I did to prevent a more catastrophic engine failure. Seems to have burned through a ridiculous amount of oil in a relatively short period of time while giving no warning signs that it was doing so.

NHTSA ID

11711691

Incident

Jan 16, 2026

I purchased this 2022 Kia Seltos on [XXX] from Serra Nissan Volkswagen Inc, Birmingham. One week afterwards my vehicle cut off at the light while waiting for light to change....This incident has occurred more than 10 x since then. My vehicle have over a 100,000 miles on it which does not qualify for Kia yo check it out. I will be taking my vehicle to get a service check. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11711057

Incident

Nov 26, 2025

My Seltos transmission heats up to such an extent that I have to get out of the car and park it for 45 minutes to have it cooled down. Has only 25k miles in it. Took to the dealership and they say nothing is wrong. Numerous reported issues of the same kind on Kia message boards regarding the same issue. Something to do with the dual clutch system and start/stop function

NHTSA ID

11708016

Incident

Dec 28, 2025

My 2022 KIA Seltos with 52000 miles shut down on me completely in the middle of a road while I was going full speed limit causing the car behind me promptly to change lanes to avoid the collision. It happened 2 more times until I got to my destination l. After I googled what could cause the issue I saw the recall info which I didn’t get any notification about. I brought my car to a dealership and they told me that it passed the recall but I have to replace the whole engine because they found metal filings in the oil. They are refusing to do it under warranty or recall because I cannot produce oil change receipts since January of 2025. I was under the impression that recalls need to be fixed but they denying that it is a recall even though it is to a tee follows the description of a recall.

NHTSA ID

11707764

Incident

Nov 30, 2025

My vehicle was sent to the Kia dealership for service after a front-end collision there was minor body damage however the car wouldn't move so long story short a modular had to be replaced on the transmission there was multiple issues trying to program it I was told there was an issue with my computer they had to reach out to Kia manufacturer for help. I received my car back and while it was there for service I had them do an oil change I hadn't drove 300 to 400 miles and all of my oil was gone from my car when I called Kia they had me bring it back in couldn't find anything wrong with it and said they want to do a oil consumption after I had already documented oil that I had to put into the car three times in the week up until my appointment because every time I check the car it was empty of oil. Now Kia is telling me to drive a thousand miles on it so they can do an oil consumption however my check engine lights on my oil lights on and it is clearly burning extremely high amount of oil. So in caution of not blowing my engine I added oil to my car yesterday one quart and now my oil light is back on after maybe 20 miles of driving. Haven't gotten to 400 mi yet total out of the thousand Kia wants me to drive and my car has stalled at three red lights and cause me to miss out on two job opportunities. My car is a 2022 and has 62,000 miles on it. Everything I research shows there's piston recalls on the engines that are causing these exact problems that my car is having except there hasn't been a recall put into place for my specific year and make. The 2021 and the 2023 Seltos are listed, but my VIN number shows no recalls. The car has a horrible smell now it constantly smells like burning rubber or oil rather, exhaust stinks now. Car is not performing as you would expect a car would with that low of mileage in less than 3 years of ownership. And related to my accident the only issue was the modular on the transmission according to the mechanics everything else was ok

NHTSA ID

11704100

Incident

Aug 23, 2025

My 2022 Kia Seltos repeatedly stalls and shuts off while driving, including in traffic and at stop signs. The vehicle has also had multiple electrical failures and an emergency brake malfunction. A few weeks ago, October 26th, while going through a Starbucks drive-through, My car completely stopped. I got stuck in the Starbucks line and multiple people had to help me push my car out of the drive through. I can get the name of the lady at the Starbucks and maybe her co-workers to collaborate if need be plus I have text messages with my family because I didn't know what to do. The vehicle has now been at Covina Kia for three weeks, and the dealership has refused to provide a diagnosis, repair timeline, or loaner vehicle. I called today to get an update and was told to expect a response or diagnostics in approximately 10 days. They won't even give me a rental car and I'm stranded without transportation. This is a serious safety hazard that could cause a crash. I am requesting NHTSA investigation and documentation of this defect.”

NHTSA ID

11702868

Incident

Oct 26, 2025

This vehicle passed the piston oil ring recall in September 2025, by November 2025 the vehicle was burning through a quart of oil a week. Two different dealerships advised that this wouldn't be covered under the recall, stating the recall was for engine noise. The recall states that the issue in question can cause increased oil consumption that will then lead to noise. The vehicle was 5,000 miles out of warrenty

NHTSA ID

11700512

Incident

Nov 8, 2025

[XXX] [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] 2022 Kia Seltos [XXX] 54,000 mileage I am reporting two serious safety defects with my 2022 Kia Seltos: Engine Shut Off / “Push Engine to Start” Warning: Date(s) of occurrence:[XXX] Location: Throughout Portland, OR Description: While slowing down and stopping at intersections, the vehicle starts beeping very fast, then displays the “Push Engine to Start” warning, and then shuts off completely, creating a high risk of collision. Cruise Control Unintended Acceleration: Date(s) of occurrence: [XXX] Location: Throughout Charleston, SC and Charlotte, NC Description: While cruise control was engaged, the vehicle accelerated without any driver input. This happens infrequently. On two occasions, I was on straight open roads and watched to see how fast the speed would increase - 80 mph and 100 mph. I used the brakes to stop the increase in speed. This is a severe safety hazard. The transmission stutters at low speeds, causing the car to lurch: Ongoing issue - a few times a month since purchasing the car. Previous Claims / Service History: I have previously filed a warranty claim for other issues with this vehicle. The current issues have been reported to the dealership but have not yet been repaired or reproduced. Additional Information: No video evidence is available, as the events are intermittent and stop before a camera can capture them. I am concerned for my safety, the safety of passengers, and the safety of other drivers. Action Requested: I request that NHTSA review this complaint for potential safety investigation and recall consideration. [XXX] 11/17/2025 INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11699926

Incident

Nov 15, 2025

While at red lights, my car shuts off. It happened within the first year I had my car but Scott Kia in Springfield, PA 19064 said "we can't duplicate the problem" and did nothing. Now this has happened 3 times within 3 weeks. This morning, it took several minutes and many tries before it restarted; I had to put it in park and hit the start button many times before the engine restarted. A few times, the dashboard would light up, but then go off and engine didn't engage. There have not been any warning lights. I am taking it to my mechanic, then Kia, again. Prior to this, it would turn off in drive, then reverse. I did report this to Kia (not Springfield, the main Kia) but nothing was done.

NHTSA ID

11698726

Incident

Oct 29, 2025

The contact owns a 2022 Kia Seltos. The contact stated that while driving on the highway at 55 MPH, they crashed into a buck. The hood came ajar and shattered the front windshield. The front end was smashed, and the radiator was leaking. The airbags did not deploy. A police report was filed. There was no reported fire. The contact sustained injuries to her neck with spasms and reversed neck and back pain; medical attention was provided. The collision alert was illuminated. The collision message was displayed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The towing company referred her to the NHTSA hotline. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

NHTSA ID

11695999

Incident

Oct 25, 2025

Mileage

100,000 mi

When the car goes 75-80mph on the highway, there is a metallic "ticking" noise coming from the front two sides of the car, around the area where the tires are. KIA is refusing to do anything about it because they claim they cannot drive the car that fast due to speed limits. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? --unknown How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? It is unknown what is causing the issue since KIA is refusing to look further into the issue. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? - There is audio and video recording of the noise. However, the dealer is refusing to reproduce the issue. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? - No Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? - No

NHTSA ID

11695072

Incident

Aug 16, 2025

Engine failure while driving. Car not accelerating. Check engine light came on. Pulled over, checked oil, found to be very low without evidence of leak. Oil should’ve not been that low, seemed to be burning up. Car towed to nearest auto shop for inspection/repair.

NHTSA ID

11687008

Incident

Sep 12, 2025