Thousands of Kia Soul and Seltos Crossovers May Need Engine Replacement

The Kia Soul and Seltos are facing a new safety recall due to a potentially serious problem with their naturally aspirated 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine. The recall covers units from the 2021-2023 model years in both cases including over 137,000 in the U.S. and a yet-unspecified number in  Canada.

According to documents posted by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), it’s been determined through an investigation that the piston rings may have a manufacturing defect and fail to meet the automaker’s quality standards.  

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Over time, said piston rings may lose their ability to keep a tight seal inside each cylinder, prevent engine oil from entering the combustion chamber and maintain the proper compression ratio for the air-fuel mixture. 

There have been around 400 owner-reported incidents so far in the U.S., four of which have involved a fire. Abnormal engine noise, increased oil consumption, smoke in the exhaust and the oil pressure light turning on are some of the trouble signs to watch for.

Kia dealers will inspect the engine on all recalled Soul and Seltos units and replace it if necessary—an operation that will be at no cost to owners but could prevent them from using their vehicle for an extended period of time.

Alternatively, dealers will install a software update as a precaution to help detect possible noise from failing piston rings and alert the driver. However, if that scenario plays out, the engine is also likely to need a replacement.

Recall notices will be sent by mail beginning in April. At any time, you can go to Kia Canada’s recall website to find out if your vehicle is affected by this particular recall or any other.