2021 Kia Seltos Problems: 16 Known Issues

On the 2021-2022 Kia Seltos, kia CS2309 applies to certain 2021-2022 Seltos vehicles produced from November 21, 2019 through February 28, 2022 that may not be equipped with an immobilizer. The dealer software upgrade adds anti-theft ignition-start logic that activates when the vehicle is locked. For eligible vehicles whose body-control module received the software upgrade, CS2312 adds a permanently affixed ignition-cylinder protector and anti-theft decals.

On the 2021-2024 Kia Seltos, the Seltos instrument cluster intermittently fails to illuminate on initial startup, displaying a completely blank screen. Speedometer, tachometer, fuel gauge, and warning lights are not visible. The issue typically resolves after turning the vehicle off and restarting, but can recur. Some owners report it happens after extended driving followed by a short stop. A software update has been released to address the issue.

On the 2021-2023 Kia Seltos, the 10.25-inch AVN 5.0 Wide navigation head unit fitted to SX/SX Turbo trims locks up: the screen freezes on the last image or the UVO/Kia splash logo, touch input is ignored, the map position stops updating, and radio and HVAC touch controls stop responding until the unit self-reboots or the ignition is cycled. The most common trigger is a wired Apple CarPlay or Android Auto session — plugging in a phone causes the projection session to hang and take the whole head unit with it. Kia issued bulletin ELE320 for 2022-2023 MY Seltos covering screen freezing with Apple CarPlay, alongside related bulletins ELE303 (non-responsive radio icon) and ELE250 (wireless CarPlay behavior), so this is firmware, not a hardware defect in most cars. Owners also report several-second lag reaching radio controls right after startup.

On the 2021 Kia Seltos, this is the base-trim head unit problem, distinct from the AVN 5.0 Wide navigation unit fitted to EX/SX trims. LX and S Seltos use the 8-inch D-AUDIO 2.0 (Display Audio 2.0) unit, and early 2021MY cars built 21 Nov 2019 through 21 Jan 2020 exhibit intermittent malfunction of the radio control button per Kia TSB ELE196 / Service Action SA415: the physical or on-screen radio control stops responding while the rest of the display still works, so the driver cannot change source, station, or preset until the unit is power-cycled. Kia followed with further D-AUDIO 2.0 software bulletins (ELE222, and ELE250 covering wireless Apple CarPlay behavior on the DA 2.0V unit), indicating the head-unit firmware was revised more than once. The failure is firmware, not a bad switch — replacing the unit without loading current software reproduces the same behavior.

On the 2021-2023 Kia Seltos 2.0L Nu MPI, nHTSA recall 25V099000 (Kia SC336) covers 53,635 certain 2021-2023 Seltos vehicles equipped with 2.0L Nu MPI engines and produced from July 2, 2020 through July 1, 2022. A supplier quality deviation can allow the piston oil ring to damage the cylinder wall, increasing oil consumption and eventually causing abnormal engine noise or an oil-pressure warning. Continued operation can lead to engine damage or seizure, loss of motive power and, in limited cases, fire if a hole in the engine block lets oil reach a hot exhaust component.

On the 2021-2023 Kia Seltos, nHTSA opened Audit Query AQ25001 on August 6, 2025 to evaluate Kia's remedy for recall 25V099 after reviewing 47 complaints submitted from April 29 through June 27, 2025. Those complaints alleged an ineffective remedy, inconsistent engine-inspection results or unavailable remedies. The opening resume does not document 400-plus stalling complaints or four fires. Recall 25V099 itself says the piston-ring condition can cause increased oil consumption, abnormal engine noise or an oil-pressure warning and, if operation continues, engine seizure, loss of motive power or a limited fire risk.

On the 2021-2025 Kia Seltos 2.0L, the Seltos equipped with the 2.0L engine and CVT (IVT) exhibits hesitation, jerking, and poor acceleration response, particularly when merging or climbing hills. The CVT struggles under load and can enter limp mode. Owners report the transmission feels sluggish compared to traditional automatics. Kia has released TCU software updates to improve response.

On the 2021-2025 Kia Seltos, the SX / GT-Line / X-Line turbo Seltos uses a 7-speed dry dual-clutch transmission (the base 2.0L uses an IVT/CVT). With no fluid bath to cool the clutch packs, the dry DCT can overheat in stop-and-go traffic, trigger a transmission-overheat warning, and enter a protect/limp mode. Owners also report low-speed judder, hesitation from a stop, and jerky engagement from heat-stressed dry clutches that can worsen as the unit warms.

On the 2021-2023 Kia Seltos 2.0L Nu MPI (AWD), on AWD 2.0L Seltos the AWD ECU software fails to recognize that the compact temporary spare tire has been installed. Because the spare is a significantly different rolling circumference from the three road tires, the coupling constantly slips to reconcile the speed difference. Without the software's spare-tire detection to limit transfer-case engagement, transfer case oil temperature climbs sharply, producing a hot-oil smell, visible smoke, and eventually a front wheel transfer assembly oil seal leak. Kia issued voluntary service campaign SC242 for AWD 2021-2023 MY Seltos with the 2.0L engine built 11/20/2019-05/18/2022. The same physics applies to any mismatched tire set — Kia's PS750 bulletin warns that circumference between all four tires must stay within 10 mm or the AWD coupling will chatter and wear prematurely.

On the 2021-2023 Kia Seltos, on AWD Seltos (SP2) the 4WD Electronic Control Unit is mounted on the floor under the driver's seat. Snow and slush tracked in on boots melts in the driver's footwell and the meltwater migrates rearward into the ECU, corroding the circuit board. The unit then faults out, illuminating the 4WD warning light and dropping the vehicle into front-wheel drive only. Kia opened voluntary service campaign SC297 covering 2021-2023 AWD Seltos built 11/20/2019-03/02/2023 that were sold or registered in 36 snowbelt states plus DC, which is a strong indicator of how region-correlated the failure is. Owners typically see it first in the second or third winter.

On the 2021-2025 Kia Seltos, seltos owners report an unusual rate of paint chipping and clear-coat failure on low-mileage cars. Chips appear on the leading edge of the hood and the front fenders within weeks to a few thousand miles of delivery — one owner documented multiple hood and driver-fender chips at 5,300 miles on a 2024 SX. The consensus on the owner forums is that the factory clear coat is unusually thin, so ordinary highway stone strikes that would leave a mark on other cars punch straight through to base coat and primer. Snow White Pearl is the most frequently named color for outright peeling and delamination, where the base coat lifts off the primer in sheets rather than chipping. Once base coat is exposed, corrosion starts at the chip edge, which is why this is worth catching early rather than living with.

On the 2021-2025 Kia Seltos, seltos owners across model years report moisture and water droplets forming inside the front LED headlight, DRL, and fog-lamp assemblies, often most visible after night driving when the lamps heat and then cool. Heavy fogging looks like a defect and is reported to reduce output and, over time, degrade the assembly. Kia's official position treats light condensation as a normal venting phenomenon, so replacements are frequently denied unless there is standing water rather than mist.

On the 2021 Kia Seltos, on early-build 2021 Seltos (SP2) the Electric Power Steering module logs DTC C160404 during its start-up diagnostic self-check and illuminates the steering warning light. In most cases the hardware is fine — the module's judgment logic is over-sensitive during the power-up check, particularly when battery voltage sags at cranking. Kia addressed it with bulletin CHA110 / campaign SA466, an EPS ECU reflash titled 'SP2 EPS MIL ON DTC (C160404) JUDGMENT LOGIC IMPROVEMENT'. Because the fault can appear as a hard warning light, owners are frequently quoted a full EPS rack replacement when a reflash is the actual repair.

On the 2021-2023 Kia Seltos, kia CHA117 addresses certain 2021–2023 Seltos SP2 vehicles with multiple warning lamps and C1626/C162604. A possible yaw-rate calculation error associated with alignment and tire-diameter differences is addressed by revised ABS/ESC logic. The code alone does not exclude sensor, wiring or other brake-system faults.

On the 2021-2024 Kia Seltos, the upper strut bearing and the rubber upper spring pad on the front MacPherson struts wear and bind. As the strut assembly rotates with steering input, the bearing sticks and releases, transmitting an intermittent creak, pop, or clunk into the cabin. It is most obvious at parking-lot speeds and when turning the wheel with the car stationary, but owners also report it over driveway transitions and on highway lane changes. Kia acknowledged the pattern in bulletin CHA121, which covers 2021-2024 Seltos (SP2) built from 11/20/2019 to present — an unusually open production window, meaning the part was never fully redesigned out. It is a noise/comfort defect, not a structural safety failure, but it recurs if only the bearing is replaced without the spring pad.

On the 2021-2023 Kia Seltos, a hollow rattle or metallic knock comes from behind the rear seat when driving over broken pavement, expansion joints, or speed bumps. The cause is the folding rear seatback latches: the striker-to-latch tolerance is loose enough that the seatback rocks against its strikers, and the rear seat area hardware works loose over time. Kia documented it in Pitstop bulletin PS695, which covers a rattle or clunk from the rear seat area on 2021 MY Seltos over bumps and uneven surfaces. It is one of the most-discussed complaints on the owner forums because dealers frequently cannot reproduce it on a smooth test drive and send owners away, and because it is easily misdiagnosed as a rear shock absorber or trailing-arm problem.