The 2021 Kia Seltos has had a handful of first-year transmission issues. But with just one recall, no investigations, and 62 complaints on file with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, it’s been a remarkably smooth rollout.
Key Points
- The 2021 Kia Seltos debuted in 2019 in Seoul, making its way to North America for 2021, making this model year the car’s official debut in the Western market.
- A driver on the Kia subreddit has reported a timing chain kink resulting in long-term engine damage, thanks to metal shavings mixing into the oil.
- Many of the car’s 13 powertrain complaints follow a chain of events from engine lights, to trouble shifting, to total transmission failure, demanding a replacement.
- Overheating transmission may be an early sign of an oil leak, thanks to improperly heat-treated piston rings.
- While it may be too early to call, the Seltos is shaping up to be a reliable SUV, with Kias averaging under $500 in annual maintenance costs, and major issues being relatively scarce.
2021 Kia Seltos’ Timing Chain Issues Can Result in Long-term Engine Damage
In this post on the Kia subreddit, a driver reports a fluttering noise in the engine starting at just 8,800 miles. And, when accelerating, they would hear a noise that sounds like “gears grinding.”
After getting it looked at, it turned out to be a timing chain that “went bad,” creating metal shavings that went into the oil, causing a ripple effect of damages throughout the engine.
The driver reports having had a pretty rough time trying to get the car diagnosed and the engine rebuilt or replaced, but eventually, they did get a new engine paid for by Kia.
While experiences like these aren’t common, they are more likely to happen with a brand-new model. There will always be some first-year kinks to iron out, and someone’s going to be the unlucky driver who discovers them.
Consumer Complaints Registered with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Report Sudden Transmission Failure
The 2021 Kia Seltos has one recall and 62 complaints on file with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, with only 13 of the complaints over powertrain issues.
Some of these powertrain complaints are pretty dire. One driver’s check engine light turned on after hitting 17,700 miles, and, after having the car towed to the dealership, he was told it required a whole new transmission.
The same thing happened to a few other drivers, usually reporting the same chain of events: light blinks on, car has trouble shifting, and then they need to replace the transmission, usually before reaching 20,000 miles.
The rate of incidence is so low that it is unlikely to result in an investigation or a recall. Luckily, with the 2021 models still under warranty, a recall may not even be necessary.
2021 Seltos’ Transmission Overheat Complaints May Point to Issues Related to an Engine Recall
Among the 13 powertrain complaints on file, you’ll find some reports of overheating transmission. In these cases, the issue may actually be pointing to a problem in the engine, being excessive oil consumption.
The car’s sole recall is for an oil leak resulting from improperly heat-treated piston oil rings. Without enough oil, your engine and transmission are more likely to overheat and suffer long-term damages. Fire hazard is a very real possibility here, as well.
The recall was issued for nearly 150,000 units, including both the Seltos and a number of 2020 and 2021 Souls. The recall was estimated to affect roughly one in a hundred Seltos owners, with these drivers getting brand new engines at Kia’s expense.
Again, this is simply an example of what can happen when you’re first in line. No car is going to be perfect on launch day. But, that’s what recalls and warranties are for.
A Few Kinks Aside, the 2021 Kia Seltos’ Rollout Has Been Pretty Smooth
Issues with the 2021 Kia Seltos’ transmission are relatively few but can be quite severe when they do occur. The 2021 Seltos is the very first model in the North American market, so you have to expect a few first-year glitches.
But with just one recall and no investigations, the Seltos’ debut has been remarkably smooth. There simply aren’t that many issues to discover in the Kia Seltos.
However, it’s not a bad idea to buy certified pre-owned. A CPO car will have been inspected by the dealership, and you can take comfort in knowing that someone else has already tested the car for a few thousand miles.
In any event, you don’t have much to worry about with a 2021 Kia Seltos. After a year on the road, the car has fewer than 100 complaints, no investigations, and just one recall. Those are pretty good numbers for a brand-new nameplate.
Photos: Kia
