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Active NHTSA advisory: park outside and away from structures until repaired. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and see the recall details below.

Kia · Compact SUV

2024 Kia Seltos

Gas

Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
3 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26

Safety Signal

72 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record

Recalls2 critical 2

Complaints4 crash · 1 fire · 2 injured reported 47

Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★

Fuel economybest combined, EPA 31 mpg

Starting MSRP7 trims · manufacturer $24,490

2027 2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021

The 2024 Kia Seltos is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV with 3 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Seltos FWD, is EPA-rated at 31 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year, 2 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of C. Owners have filed 47 complaints, most often about the electrical system. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall. Manufacturer pricing runs from $24,490 to $30,090 across 7 trims.

Kia Seltos — photograph via Wikimedia Commons — Kia Seltos · Photo: Peżot · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Trims & pricing

Source: manufacturer press kitWhich trim should I buy? → Compare a trim →

Trim	Powertrain	Drive	MSRP	HP	Torque	MPG comb	Cargo (2nd row)	Wheels
LX	Gas	AWD	$24,490	146 hp	132 lb-ft	29 mpg	26.6 cu-ft	17 in
S	Gas	FWD	$25,090	146 hp	132 lb-ft	31 mpg	26.6 cu-ft	17 in
S	Gas	AWD	$26,590	146 hp	132 lb-ft	29 mpg	26.6 cu-ft	17 in
EX	Gas	FWD	$25,890	146 hp	132 lb-ft	31 mpg	26.6 cu-ft	17 in
EX	Gas	AWD	$28,090	146 hp	132 lb-ft	29 mpg	26.6 cu-ft	17 in
X-Line	Gas	AWD	$28,790	195 hp	195 lb-ft	26 mpg	26.6 cu-ft	18 in
SX	Gas	AWD	$30,090	195 hp	195 lb-ft	26 mpg	26.6 cu-ft	18 in

MSRP excludes destination. Open a trim for the complete spec sheet and standard/optional equipment. Have the car in front of you? Decode its VIN to see which of these trims it is and what it was priced at.

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov

Configuration	Powertrain	Drive	Engine / motor	City	Hwy	Comb	Annual fuel*
Seltos FWD	Gas	FWD	2.0L 4-cyl	28	34	31	$2,150
Seltos AWD	Gas	AWD	2.0L 4-cyl	27	31	29	$2,300
Seltos AWD	Gas	AWD	1.6L 4-cyl turbo	25	27	26	$2,600

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 46454, 46456, 46455.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates

Configuration	Smog rating	Emission standard	Where it can be sold new	SmartWay
Seltos AWD, Seltos FWD	7 / 10	California LEV-III SULEV30 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 30	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—
Seltos AWD	5 / 10	California LEV-III ULEV70 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 70	All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards	—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

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Recalls (2)

Source: NHTSA recall database

!critical

Air Bags

SC289

2,967 vehicles 81% reported repaired

Problem Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Soul and 2024 Seltos vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the side curtain air bags may deploy unexpectedly. Risk An air bag that deploys unexpectedly can increase the risk of injury or crash. Fix Dealers will inspect and replace both side curtain air bag modules as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 31, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC289.

Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDF Remedy instructions PDF

NHTSA campaign 23V830000 reported Dec 22, 2023 Kia America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

!critical

Power Train

SC275

Park outside 39,765 vehicles 87% reported repaired

Problem Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Soul, Sportage, and 2023-2024 Seltos vehicles. The electronic controller for the Idle Stop & Go oil pump assembly may contain damaged electrical components that can cause the pump to overheat. Risk An electric oil pump assembly that overheats increases the risk of a vehicle fire. Fix Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will inspect and replace the electric oil pump controller, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 28, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC275.

Filed with NHTSARemedy instructions PDF Chronology PDF

NHTSA campaign 23V531000 reported Jul 31, 2023 Kia America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Whether any of this applies to one specific Seltos

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2024 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Kia publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Kia’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2024 Kia Seltos, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database

47complaints filed

4 involved a crash · 1 a fire · 2 injuries · 0 deaths reported

5.3 per 10,000 built · Kia reported 89,416 Seltos built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2023: 5 · 2024: 6 · 2025: 21 · 2026: 15

Most-cited components

Electrical System 18

Engine 10

Unspecified 9

Power Train 6

Forward Collision Avoidance 5

Visibility/Wiper 4

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

Driver side seat stays warm all the time I tried removing both seat heater fuses and in plugged the seat warmer plugs but the back seat rest still stay warm

Seats Nov 16, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11699697

I bought this Kia with 25 miles on it and I had all oil changes done and then at 33,000 miles the engine seized and Kia refused to honor my 100,000 mile warranty. The dealership told me that the spark plugs melted causing the issue and that it definitely wasn’t an oil issue. Kia still refused to honor the warranty.

Engine Oct 14, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11693492

Issue: Defective Seatbelt Sensor - Refused Warranty Repair Vehicle: 2024 Kia Seltos EX Make/Model/Year: Kia Seltos, 2024 Mileage (approx.): 12,033 I am filing a formal safety complaint regarding a malfunctioning seatbelt sensor on my 2024 Kia Seltos EX.

Seat Belts Jul 29, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11676977

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.

Electrical System Jul 24, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11676008

Rear view camera collects rain drops obstructing the rear view while backing up during rainy weather

Visibility/Wiper Jun 7, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11665491

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.

Power Train Jun 3, 2025 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11664693

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Kia itself: 6 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 6 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 6.7 per 100,000 built. Every Seltos model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP

Configuration	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk
SUV AWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆	15%
SUV FWD	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★★	★★★★☆	17%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications

Extended coverage on file 1 filing by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year

10 years or 120,000 miles, whichever comes first · Kia warranty extension WTY038CAMPAIGN: TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: HORN ASSEMBLY INSPECTION/REPLACEMEN (WTY038) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information.

The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every Kia warranty extension (28) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 27

Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-05-28

Kindsas classified by NHTSA 19 service bulletins, 7 warranty extensions, 1 other

Most often about: Electrical System, Power Train, Suspension, Fuel/Propulsion System, Engine.

TSB_ELE422 Service bulletin
2026-05-28 · Electrical System
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM SOFTWARE UPDATE USING UPDATE. KIA. COM - This bulletin provides information and service procedures for updating the infotainment systems on applicable Kia vehicles using the Kia Navigation Updater available at update.kia.com. The software update may improve system performance, enhance existing features, and apply the latest operating software for sup
PS797 Other
2025-12-09 · Back Over Prevention — Warnings
PITSTOP: TECHNICAL OPERATIONS: EXTERNAL DAMAGE TO ULTRASONIC SENSOR: This Pitstop provides information related to Parking Distance Warning (PDW) alerts and repairs involving ultrasonic sensors. The PDW system alerts the driver while parking, by calculating distance based on the difference in signal transmission and reception times between the vehicle (ultrasonic sensor) and an object. The membrane
TSB_ELE382_R1 Service bulletin
2025-10-22 · Electrical System
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: IBU LOGIC IMPROVEMENT: This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information to upgrade the Integrated Body Control Unit (IBU) software on some 2021-2025MY Seltos (SP2) vehicles produced from November 20, 2019 through January 13. 2025. Wh
WTY038_TSB_R1 Warranty extension
2025-10-21 · Electrical System
WARRANTY EXTENSION CAMPAIGN: TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: HORN ASSEMBLY INSPECTION/REPLACEMEN (WTY038) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information associated with the ‘Warranty Extension Program’ (WTY038) to inspect and, if necessary, replace the horn ass
TSB_ELE382 Service bulletin
2025-08-19 · Electrical System
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: IBU LOGIC IMPROVEMENT - This bulletin provides information to upgrade the Integrated Body Control Unit (IBU) software on some 2021-2025MY Seltos (SP2) vehicles produced from November 20, 2019 through January 13. 2025. When the key fob is stored near the vehicle, a signal generated by the IBU for the 'Welcome Function' can cause the key fob battery to become depleted. Th
TSB_ELE359 Service bulletin
2025-06-23 · Electrical System
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE ACTION: OIL CHANGE REMINDER RESETOPERATION LOGIC (SA592) - This bulletin provides information to upgrade the Integrated Control Unit ‘ICU’ software on certain 2024-2025MY Seltos (SP2) vehicles equipped with 1.6L T-GDI GAMMA engines produced from February 14, 2023 through June 29, 2024. The affected vehicles are not equipped with the Oil Change Reminder Reset sel
TSB_TRA114 Service bulletin
2025-06-11 · Power Train
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) acc
TSB_ELE374 Service bulletin
2025-05-21 · Power Train
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: AWD COUPLING ACTUATOR LOGIC IMPROVEMENT (SA605) - This bulletin provides information to upgrade the 4-Wheel Drive (“4WD”) system software on certain 2024-2025MY Seltos (SP2) vehicles equipped with All-Wheel Drive (“AWD”) produced from February 14, 2023 through October 08, 2024. The affected vehicles may experience an interruption of supplementary power to the rear wheel

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

Code	What it means	Most often filed under	Where it appears
P0171 P0171 on Kia →	The engine is running lean on bank 1: too much air, or not enough fuel, for the mixture the computer wants.	Fuel/Propulsion System · Mass air flow sensor →	1 owner report

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

New York inspections 0.40%

failed emissions

4,324 initial inspections of 4,273 vehicles.

Measure	The 2024 Seltos	Every 2024 vehicle	Behind it
Failed the emissions check	0.40%	1.5%	3,527
Failed the safety inspection	1.1%	0.74%	4,324
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit	0.28%	0.17%	4,324
Miles driven a year	9,993	9,424	odometer at inspection
Average odometer	22,506	21,104	odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2024 vehicle” is every 2024 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

Seltos by model year

all years, side by side →

Year Safety Recalls Complaints

2027 A 0 2 30 mpg 2026 A 0 4 29 mpg 2025 A 0 13 31 mpg 2024 this page C 2 47 Park outside 2023 C 2 47 Park outside 2022 A 1 76 31 mpg 2021 B 2 378 31 mpg

Common questions about the 2024 Seltos

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

How much does the 2024 Kia Seltos cost?

Manufacturer pricing runs from $24,490 for the LX AWD to $30,090 for the SX AWD, across 7 trims. Those are MSRPs from the manufacturer's own press material; they exclude destination, options, taxes and whatever the dealer adds. Every trim and price is listed above.

Does the 2024 Kia Seltos have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 2 recall campaigns for the 2024 Kia Seltos, 2 of them rated critical. The most serious on file is 23V830000, covering Air Bags. There is an active park outside advisory — act on it before driving. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2024 Kia Seltos?

NHTSA gave the 2024 Kia Seltos 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 5-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it C (72/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2024 Kia Seltos?

Across the 3 EPA-rated configurations of the 2024 Kia Seltos, the best EPA combined figure is 31 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What do owners complain about on the 2024 Kia Seltos?

Owners have filed 47 complaints with NHTSA about the 2024 Kia Seltos, most often about electrical system, engine, unspecified. Of those, 4 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 2 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2024 Kia Seltos?

The EPA smog rating for the 2024 Kia Seltos runs 5 to 7 out of 10 across its configurations. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III SULEV30, California LEV-III ULEV70, Federal Tier 3 Bin 30, Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2024 Kia Seltos?

The manufacturer has filed 27 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2024 Kia Seltos, most often covering electrical system, power train, suspension. The most recent is dated 2026-05-28. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2024 Kia Seltos do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2024 Kia Seltos failed the emissions check on 0.40% of first inspections — lower than the 1.5% for every 2024 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.1% (every 2024 vehicle: 0.74%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

Which 2024 Kia Seltos trim is the best value?

$5,600 separates the cheapest of the 7 trims from the most expensive, so the answer depends on which of the differences you would actually use. Every trim has its own page here with the manufacturer's full specification and equipment list, plus a short summary of exactly what it adds over the base trim — worth reading before a dealer frames the walk-up for you. The trim-by-trim ladder shows what every step up costs and what it makes standard.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

Data	Held	Source	What it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations	3 configurations	EPA certification records	Every configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates	3 configurations	EPA emission certificates	Smog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls	2	NHTSA recall campaigns	A complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints	47	NHTSA complaint database	Also complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings	2 tested	NHTSA NCAP	Only the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins	27	NHTSA manufacturer communications	Everything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
Investigations	none	NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation	No defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reports	none	NHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01	No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA	none	NHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patterns	We had no VIN pattern to decode for this model year, or the manufacturer filed nothing usable.
Trims, pricing & equipment	7 trims	Manufacturer press kit	Transcribed from the manufacturer's own press material, every value carrying the document it came from.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly. Trim-level specifications and pricing are transcribed from the manufacturer's official press kit; every value carries its source in the data file.

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