Kia Soul and Seltos Engine Damage Risk
high How serious is it? About this label
A damaged engine could stall while driving and increase the risk of a crash, and leaking oil could catch fire near hot exhaust parts. The notice does not tell owners to stop driving.
Key facts
| NHTSA campaign number | 21V259000 |
|---|---|
| Reported to NHTSA | Apr 13, 2021 |
| Manufacturer | Kia Motors America |
| Part affected | Engine |
| Vehicles covered | 3 model/year combinations, model years 2020–2021 |
| Do-not-drive advisory | No |
| Park-outside advisory | No |
| Repair | Free at any franchised dealer |
What's wrong, in plain English
Some Kia Soul and Seltos vehicles have small engine parts that were not treated correctly during manufacturing. This can lead to damage inside the engine over time. If the engine becomes damaged, it may stall while you are driving, which raises the chance of a crash. Oil could also leak from the damaged engine onto hot exhaust parts nearby, which raises the risk of a fire starting under the hood.
What you should do
2. Contact a Kia dealer, or call Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542, to schedule an inspection.
3. Any needed engine repair and software update are free of charge.
Where do I find my VIN, and what do I tell the dealer?
Your VIN is the 17-character code on the lower left of the windshield, on your registration and usually on your insurance card. Enter it at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether this recall is still open on your car. When you call the dealer, say you have an open safety recall and give them NHTSA campaign number 21V259000. More in how recalls work.
Affected vehicles (3)
Who to contact
Kia — official Kia recall lookup
Customer service: 1-800-333-4542
Other Kia Soul recalls
- Feb 17, 2025Kia Seltos and Soul Engine Piston Rings Defectivecritical
- Dec 22, 2023Kia Soul and Seltos Side Airbags May Deploy Unexpectedlyhigh
- Jul 31, 2023Kia Seltos, Soul, Sportage: Oil Pump Fire Riskcritical
- Apr 26, 2023Kia SUVs and cars: dashboard display may go blankmedium
- Jan 25, 2022Kia Air Bags May Fail to Deploy in Crashhigh
Official notice
- Component
- ENGINE
- Summary
- 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.
- Safety risk
- A damaged engine may stall, increasing the risk of a crash. In addition, oil may leak onto hot exhaust components, increasing the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- 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 recall is SC209.
Verify your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov. Recall repairs are free of charge by law.