Kia bulletin CA2503
What it saysThis bulletin provides information related to the Technical Service Bulletin previously published under ELE374, titled ‘Service Action: AWD Coupling Actuator Logic Improvement (SA605)’. NHTSA’s full summary ↓
Kia filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Jun 11, 2025, about the power train — 1 document under this number: TSB_TRA114. It names 2 model years (2024–2025). A service bulletin is not a safety recall: it is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a condition, and whether the work is paid for depends on the warranty in force. Quoting the number at a service desk can save a diagnosis.
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What the bulletin says
Source: NHTSA's summary of the manufacturer's communicationWhat it applies to, as the document itself states it — the build window in the manufacturer’s own words, read by machine from the PDF NHTSA serves. The build date is on the certification label in the driver’s door jamb; the dealer settles a borderline vehicle by its VIN.
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: AWD/4WD COUPLING ACTUATOR REPLACEMENT (CA2503) - This bulletin provides information related to the Technical Service Bulletin previously published under ELE374, titled ‘Service Action: AWD Coupling Actuator Logic Improvement (SA605)’. If the affected vehicles experience a loss of AWD capability (FWD continues to operate but there is no power sent to the rear wheels) accompanied by a warning message on the instrument cluster “Check AWD/4WD System” and the Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) illuminated with DTCs P195800 and P196000 stored AFTER the AWD Coupling Actuator Logic Improvement has been installed per ELE374/SA605, follow the instructions outlined in this publication to replace the AWD Coupling Actuator on the applicable vehicle.
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TSB_TRA114 | Service bulletin | Jun 11, 2025 | 11019481 | PDF, 960 KB |
The summary is NHTSA’s abstract of the document, as filed under 49 CFR 579.5. One communication is usually filed as several documents — the bulletin, a dealer notice, an owner letter — and the number on any of them finds this page. A PDF link is shown only once NHTSA’s own server has been seen to serve that document; the rest are checked over the following nights. Quote the number at a service desk; it is what the dealer’s system is keyed on.
Model years it names
Source: as the manufacturer filed themA vehicle page’s bulletin list shows the newest few communications filed against that model year; the count there is every one.
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What owners reported
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseOwners of the 2 model years this bulletin names have filed 60 complaints with NHTSA since 2015. 27 of them name Electrical System, Power Train — the same broad component group this bulletin is filed under. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so that means the same area of the vehicle, not necessarily the same fault.
The contact owns a 2024 Kia Seltos. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle briefly lost motive power before the engine seized. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the valves.
2024 Kia Seltos · Power Train · filed with NHTSA Jun 3, 2025 · ODI 11664693
Instrument cluster does not turn on upon ignition, when in cold weather. this has been a repeating incident, first of which started only 2 months after the purchase. even after 7 separate incidents, and handful dealer visits, car was deemed "okay" because they could not replicate the issue.
2025 Kia Seltos · Electrical System · filed with NHTSA Jan 21, 2026 · ODI 11712544
On July 9 while waiting at a red light car randomly turned off, had to put car in park and restart On July 19 while driving about 55mph on an extremely busy interstate highway car shut down completely.
2024 Kia Seltos · Electrical System · filed with NHTSA Jul 24, 2025 · ODI 11676008
A complaint is one owner’s account, not a defect finding, and a bulletin is not a recall. Nothing here says this bulletin was issued because of these complaints, or that the repair it describes fixed them. Complaint files on this site begin in 2015.
More bulletins about the power train
Source: same model, same component group10 other manufacturer communications filed against the Kia Seltos under the same component group (power train), newest first. The eight newest are listed; the rest are on the Kia list.
| Number | Kind | Dated | NHTSA’s summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| SC199_TSB_R1 | Emissions | Feb 19, 2026 | VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: IVT SOFTWARE LOGIC IMPROVEMENT AND/OR IVT REPLACEMENT (SC199) - This bulletin has been revised to incl… |
| SA605 | Service bulletin | May 21, 2025 | TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: AWD COUPLING ACTUATOR LOGIC IMPROVEMENT (SA605) - This bulletin provides information to upgrade the 4-Wheel Driv… |
| TSB_TRA046_R5 | Service bulletin | Apr 17, 2025 | TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: TRANSMISSION FLUID APPLICATION GUIDE - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/rev… |
| SC297_QA | Service campaign | Apr 2, 2025 | TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: 4WD ECU INSPECTION/REPLACEMENT (SC297) - This bulletin provides information to inspe… |
| TSB_TRA109 | Service bulletin | Jul 11, 2024 | TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: IVT OIL PRESSURE SENSOR REPLACEMENT: This bulletin provides information to replace the Intelligent Variable Tran… |
| TSB_TRA046_R4 | Service bulletin | May 16, 2024 | This bulletin provides information relating to the correct transmission fluid type and fill quantity requirement for each Kia model. A flush… |
| SC297_DPSM | Service bulletin | Mar 28, 2024 | VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: DEALER PARTS & SERVICE MANAGER MEMO (SC297) - This document is the announcement to the dealer Parts and Service… |
| SC297_DP | Service bulletin | Mar 28, 2024 | VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: DEALER PRINCIPAL MEMO (SC297) - This document is the announcement to the dealer principals that Kia is conductin… |
Quote the number at the service desk. It is what the dealer’s system is keyed on.
Every manufacturer communication NHTSA holds for Kia, by the number printed on the letter.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR 579.5Is Kia CA2503 a recall?
No. A service bulletin is a manufacturer communication filed with NHTSA under 49 CFR 579.5; a safety recall carries an NHTSA campaign number (two digits, a letter, six digits) and a federal duty to repair for free. Check the vehicle’s recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or on its page here.
Is the CA2503 repair free?
Not automatically. A service bulletin describes how to diagnose or repair a condition; who pays depends on the warranty in force, any extension, and the dealer. Quoting the number can save a diagnosis either way. Every Kia warranty extension on file lists the ones Kia has filed.
Which vehicles does CA2503 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 2 model years: 2025 Kia Seltos, 2024 Kia Seltos. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone. The document itself sets the build window: Seltos (SP2): built 14 Feb 2023 – 8 Oct 2024 — the build date is on the certification label in the driver’s door jamb.