Kia service campaign SC297_QA
Kia filed this with NHTSA as a service campaign dated Apr 2, 2025, received Apr 3, 2024, about the power train — 4 documents under this number: SC297_OWNR_201, SC297_TSB, SC297_OWNR. It names 3 model years (2021–2023). A service campaign is not a safety recall — there is no NHTSA campaign number and no federal requirement — but it is usually work the manufacturer pays for on the vehicles it names; the dealer checks the VIN against the manufacturer’s list.
What the bulletin says
Source: NHTSA's summary of the manufacturer's communicationTECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: 4WD ECU INSPECTION/REPLACEMENT (SC297) - This bulletin provides information to inspect and, if necessary, replace/repair the 4WD Electronic Control Unit (ECU) and wire harness and also to install a protective cover over the 4WD ECU on certain 2021-2023MY Seltos (SP2) All-Wheel Drive (AWD) vehicles produced from November 20, 2019 through March 2, 2023 that were originally sold or are currently registered in one of 36 states and the District of Columbia with significant snowfall (AK, CO, CT, DC, DE, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MT, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OR, OH, PA, RI, SD, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, and WY). In the 36 states and District of Columbia with significant snowfall, snow may be tracked into the driverâs footwell area. Meltwater from this snow may enter the 4WD ECU located under the driverâs seat and, over time, damage the 4WD ECU circuit board components. This can lead to the illumination of the 4WD Warning Light and deactivation of the vehicleâs 4WD feature. If this occurs, the vehicle can continue to be driven in the front-wheel drive mode. This service campaign is to improve protection of the 4WD ECU against water intrusion.
Documents filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SC297_OWNR_201 | Service campaign | Apr 2, 2025 | 11016935 | not yet checked |
| SC297_TSB | Service bulletin | Apr 17, 2024 | 10253539 | not yet checked |
| SC297_OWNR | Service bulletin | Apr 2, 2024 | 10252798 | not yet checked |
| SC297_QA | Service bulletin | Mar 28, 2024 | 10252090 | not yet checked |
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.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR 579.5Is Kia SC297_QA a recall?
No. A service campaign 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 SC297_QA repair free?
A service campaign is usually paid by the manufacturer on the vehicles it names, within the terms and time limit the document sets; the dealer checks the VIN against the manufacturer’s list.
Which vehicles does SC297_QA cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 3 model years: 2023 Kia Seltos, 2022 Kia Seltos, 2021 Kia Seltos. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.