2023 Kia Seltos problems
Owners have filed 83 complaints with NHTSA about the 2023 Kia Seltos. Engine is the most reported problem area, at 24% of complaints. After that come electrical system (19%) and wipers, windshield & visibility (8%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 83 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Engine 24% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 6 and 0
- Injuries and deaths
- 3 and 0
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
What the data shows
Safety-related details: 6 complaints mention a crash; 3 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2023 ranks 3rd most-complained-about out of 4 model years of the Kia Seltos with enough data (83 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 2 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
I was in a car crash [XXX]. My 8 year old child was buckled in the backseat on the driver's side. Her seat belt failed and let her be thrown across the car into the passenger side floorboard face down. She was unconscious and lifeless, I had to pull her from the vehicle. She was life flighted to Memorial Hermann Children's in Houston, TX.
The contact owns a 2023 Kia Seltos. The contact stated that while parallel parking her vehicle, the vehicle independently accelerated backward while in the reverse(R) position and crashed into a barrier. The contact did not sustain any injuries as a result of the failure. A police report was filed at the scene. Due to the failure, the vehicle was towed to a dealer where it remained in the dealer's possession. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be diagnosed or repaired.
Went to stop at a red light and I had no breaks pushed break pedal all to the floor and nothing hit another car no air bags seat belt never tightened no collision warning nothing I was was at fault and charge wreck less driving and ticked. And Kia wants to charge me 200 for a diagnostic fee to figure out what happened I just had the oil changed 2 months ago
The contact owns a 2023 Kia Seltos. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was while smoke coming from the exhaust, after which the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to be restarted. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the engine due to possible poor maintenance, which the contact disputed.
The contact owns a 2023 Kia Seltos. The contact stated that while driving at 10 MPH, there was an abnormal fuel odor coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was stopped, and the contact became aware of smoke coming from the engine compartment. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was towed to the dealer to be diagnosed, and it was determined that the catalytic converter, turbo, and engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired.