What breaks most · 2021 to 2026 model years
Kia Seltos problems by year
Owners have filed 539 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Kia Seltos across model years 2021 to 2026. One year stands out: 2021 for engine complaints. The quietest years are 2024, 2023 and 2022.
- Years to check closely: 2021
- Fewest complaints: 2024, 2023, 2022
- Complaints on file
- 5392021 to 2026, all trims
- Worst year
- 2021363 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 2910 fires · 17 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 43kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 7Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 363 | 13 | 2 | Engine (220) | |
| 72 | 6 | 1 | Engine (37) | |
| 45 | 4 | 2 | Unknown or other (17) | |
| 43 | 4 | 2 | Electrical system (16) | |
| 12 | 1 | 0 | Forward collision system (3) | |
| 4 | 1 | 0 | Brakes (hydraulic) (2) |
What fails on the 2021 Kia Seltos
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 61% |
220 | 2 | Shop engine parts for the 2021 Kia Seltos |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 18% |
66 | 1 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 13% |
46 | 1 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2021 Kia Seltos |
| Unknown or other | 12% |
44 | 4 | — |
| Engine and coolingRadiators, thermostats and cooling | 12% |
43 | 0 | Shop engine and cooling parts for the 2021 Kia Seltos |
| Fuel systemFuel pumps and injectors | 7% |
24 | 0 | Shop fuel system parts for the 2021 Kia Seltos |
| Speed control and throttleThrottle and pedal sensors | 3% |
10 | 2 | Shop speed control and throttle parts for the 2021 Kia Seltos |
| Forward collision systemRadar and camera sensors | 2% |
6 | 2 | Shop forward collision system parts for the 2021 Kia Seltos |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
-
Car cutoff. Started back up to get off interstate. Saw smoke under hood and got it. Within 5 min sparks under the frame and then 10-15 min later flames
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Kia Seltos years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2021 carries the most filings on the Kia Seltos. The 2021 alone has 363 complaints, led by engine.
What is the most common Kia Seltos problem?
On the 2021 model year, the most-reported component is engine with 220 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Kia Seltos problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Kia Seltos complaints that include mileage is about 43,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.