KnownCarProblems2022 Kia Seltos Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 74 complaints with NHTSA about the 2022 Kia Seltos, most often about the engine (65% of complaints, typically around 57,000 miles). It is the 2nd most complained-about Seltos model year since 2000 and has 1 recall.
Most common 2022 Kia Seltos problems
Engine
48 complaints · 65%Half of these problems showed up before 57,000 miles.
The contact owns a 2022 Kia Seltos. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle or while accelerating, there was an abnormal amount of white smoke coming from the exhaust, with droplets of oil. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed and the contact…
The contact owns a 2022 Kia Seltos. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle shut off without warning. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to the dealer where an unknown sensor was replaced; however, the failure returned soon after the repair. The contact then received notification of…
Other or unspecified
17 complaints · 23%The contact owns a 2022 Kia Seltos. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled without warning. Upon restart of the vehicle, the vehicle would enter into limp mode as the vehicle would fail to accelerate above 40 MPH with the accelerator pedal depressed to the…
Transmission
10 complaints · 14%Electrical
8 complaints · 11%Parts named most often: instrument cluster/panel, horn.
The contact owns a 2022 Kia Seltos. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed with the navigation system activated, the instrumental panel started behaving erratically and failed to display pertinent vehicle safety information, prompting the contact to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway to turn…
Driver assistance
3 complaints · 4%Parts named most often: automatic emergency braking, warnings, assist, adaptive cruise control.
Wheels and tires
3 complaints · 4%Air bags
3 complaints · 4%The contact owns a 2022 Kia Seltos. The contact stated that while driving on the highway at 55 MPH, they crashed into a buck. The hood came ajar and shattered the front windshield. The front end was smashed, and the radiator was leaking. The airbags did not deploy. A police report was filed. There was no reported…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2022 Kia Seltos recalls
Engine: hard parts internal/mechanical
Risk: Engine damage can cause a vehicle stall or fire, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix: 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.
Full defect 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.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
NHTSA defect investigations
Kia 25v099 piston oil ring recall effectiveness
Summary
On august 6, 2025, the office of defect investigation (odi) opened audit query (aq) 25001 to assess the implementation of kia america, inc.âs (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, inconsistent inspection results to determine whether an engine replacement was needed, and the unavailability of recall remedies. On august 11, 2025, an information request (ir) was issued to kia requesting: 1) why the inspection test was revised from requiring a âcoldâ engine to a âwarmâ en
Questions about the 2022 Kia Seltos
- What are the most common problems with the 2022 Kia Seltos?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: engine (48 complaints, typically around 57,000 miles); other or unspecified (17 complaints); transmission (10 complaints).
- How many recalls does the 2022 Kia Seltos have?
- 1 recall listed by NHTSA, the latest from February 17, 2025 (engine). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2022 a bad year for the Kia Seltos?
- It is the 2nd most complained-about Seltos model year since 2000, with 74 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.