NHTSA has received 74 owner complaints about the 2022 Kia Seltos, or 15.5 per year on the road — far fewer complaints than typical (complaint index 0.38, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 92 model-year 2022 vehicles we track, it ranks #37 of 92 by complaints per year (#1 = fewest). Against other Kia models its rate is 56% lower; against other Subcompact SUVs it is 32% lower.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Complaints filed between 2021-12-15 and 2026-10-07. Median delay from incident to filing: 26 days.
74Complaints
15.5Complaints per year on the road
0.38Complaint index vs. all tracked vehicles
1Recalls
12.2%Share involving a crash or fire
27Last 12 months
Analysis
The previous model year (2021) drew 65.0 complaints per year, more than this one. The following model year (2023) drew 12.1 per year, fewer than this one. In its first two years on the road the 2022 model collected 16 complaints, 78% lower than the average vehicle of the same model year.
The most common problem area is Engine (64.9% of complaints), followed by Unspecified or other (14.9%) and Electrical (6.8%). Engine complaints are 2.9 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. 9 reports (12.2%) describe a crash or fire; owners mention 2 injuries and 0 deaths.
Half of the reported incidents happened within 39 months of the model year's start; the busiest period was years three to five (66% of incidents). In the last 12 months 27 new complaints were filed, versus 25 in the 12 months before — up 8%.
NHTSA lists 1 safety recall for this model year. 1 NHTSA investigation covers this model year; the most recent is “Kia 25V099 Piston Oil Ring Recall Effectiveness” (audit query, opened 2025-08-06, closed 2025-12-18).
Complaint index
vs. all tracked vehicles0.38
vs. other Kia models0.44
vs. other 2022 models0.39
vs. other Subcompact SUVs0.68
Complaints in first 2 years on the road · vs. same-year average (16)0.22
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.
Unspecified or other · 2026-07-02 · ODI 11748057 · Crash
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.
Engine · 2026-05-27 · ODI 11740429 · Fire
While I was driving off the freeway, my vehicle suddenly stalled while I was in motion. The vehicle restarted, but shortly afterward it stalled again.
Engine · 2026-10-07 · ODI 11769754
Uneven wear 8/16 ones at 7/16 and one is 6/16 and the other is at 5/16 and has been riding ruff since we purchased them.
Wheels, tires & suspension · 2026-08-17 · ODI 11757466
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.
Unspecified or other · 2025-11-11 · ODI 11698726
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:HARD PARTS INTERNAL/MECHANICAL Campaign 25V099000 · 2025-02-17
Summary: 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.
Risk: Engine damage can cause a vehicle stall or fire, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
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.
Kia 25V099 Piston Oil Ring Recall EffectivenessClosed
AQ25001 · audit query · ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:HARD PARTS INTERNAL/MECHANICAL · Opened 2025-08-06 · Closed 2025-12-18 · Model years: 2021, 2022, 2023
On August 6, 2025, the Office of Defect Investigation (ODI) opened Audit Query (AQ) 25001 to assess the implementation of Kia America, Inc.’s (Kia) remedy program for Safety Recall 25V099, involving incorrectly manufactured piston oil rings which may damage the engine causing a loss of motive power or fire. This AQ was opened in response to consumer complaints alleging of an ineffective remedy, in…
