Model year 2023 · Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD, Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD

2023 Kia Seltos: recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings

EPA rates the 2023 Kia Seltos at 27–31 mpg combined across 3 versions. NHTSA lists 2 safety recalls and 47 owner complaints for this model year. Its best NHTSA overall crash-test rating is 4 out of 5 stars.

Safety recalls

EPA combined mpg

27–31

NHTSA overall rating

4/5

Recall file dated Oct 28, 2026 · EPA file dated Sep 29, 2026 · updated Oct 28, 2026, 7:36 AM EDT

Check your own car: enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls for that exact vehicle, and contact a Kia dealer to schedule the repair — safety recall repairs are free. The list below covers the whole model year, so not every recall applies to every car.

2023 Kia Seltos recalls

NHTSA's recall file lists 2 safety recalls for the 2023 Kia Seltos, newest first.

Engine and engine cooling: Engine: Hard parts internal/mechanical

NHTSA 25V099000 Reported Feb 17, 2025

Filed by: Kia America, Inc. (manufacturer recall no. SC336)
Units affected: 137,256 (estimate)
Problem: 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.
Risk: Engine damage can cause a vehicle stall or fire, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy: 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 recall record on nhtsa.gov

Power train: Automatic transmission: Fluid/lubricant: Pump

NHTSA 23V531000 Reported Jul 31, 2023 Park outside

Filed by: Kia America, Inc. (manufacturer recall no. SC275)
Units affected: 39,765 (estimate)
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.
Remedy: 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.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Recall summaries are written by NHTSA from manufacturers' defect reports. Dates are when NHTSA received the report.

2023 Kia Seltos fuel economy by version

EPA city/highway/combined estimates for each engine, transmission and drive combination. Annual fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year (55% city, 45% highway) at EPA's current fuel-price assumptions; your cost will vary.

2023 Kia Seltos EPA fuel economy
Version	Engine	Transmission	Drive	Fuel	City/Hwy/Comb	Fuel cost/yr	CO2 g/mi
Seltos AWD	1.6L 4-cyl turbo	Automatic 7-speed	All-Wheel Drive	Regular	25/30/27 mpg	$2,500	331
Seltos AWD	2.0L 4-cyl	CVT (8 modes)	All-Wheel Drive	Regular	27/31/29 mpg	$2,300	314
Seltos FWD	2.0L 4-cyl	CVT (8 modes)	Front-Wheel Drive	Regular	29/35/31 mpg	$2,150	283

Source: FuelEconomy.gov (U.S. DOE and EPA), file dated Sep 29, 2026. Each version links to its FuelEconomy.gov record.

EPA estimates come from standardized lab tests so cars can be compared fairly; real-world mileage depends on speed, weather, load, tires and driving style.

2023 Kia Seltos crash-test ratings

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the tested versions. More stars mean a lower chance of serious injury in that type of crash. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

2023 Kia Seltos NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Tested vehicle	Overall	Frontal	Side	Rollover	Rollover risk	Forward collision warning
2023 Kia Seltos SUV AWD	4 stars	4 stars	5 stars	4 stars	15.1%	Standard & Optional
2023 Kia Seltos SUV FWD	4 stars	4 stars	5 stars	4 stars	16.9%	Standard & Optional

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program), checked Oct 26, 2026.

Star ratings compare vehicles of similar size and weight; a frontal rating for a large pickup is not directly comparable with one for a small car.

2023 Kia Seltos owner complaints

Owners have filed 47 complaints with NHTSA about the 2023 Kia Seltos, most recently on Oct 19, 2026. 4 mention a crash, 0 a fire, 3 injured people and 0 deaths. These are unverified reports; a complaint is not proof of a defect.

Most-cited components in 2023 Kia Seltos complaints
Component named in complaints	Mentions
Engine	18
Unknown or other	17
Electrical system	15
Power train	4
Service brakes	4
Forward collision avoidance: Warnings	3
Visibility/wiper	3
Engine and engine cooling	2
Forward collision avoidance: Automatic emergency braking	2
Lane departure: Blind spot detection	2

Source: NHTSA consumer complaint files (complaints received since January 1, 2015). One complaint can name several components.

Had a safety problem with your vehicle? You can report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem.

Other Kia Seltos model years

Kia Seltos by model year
Year	Combined	Recalls	Complaints	Overall rating
2027 Seltos	26–30 mpg	0	2	—
2026 Seltos	25–29 mpg	0	4	5/5
2025 Seltos	25–31 mpg	0	13	5/5
2024 Seltos	26–31 mpg	2	47	5/5
2022 Seltos	27–31 mpg	1	76	4/5
2021 Seltos	27–31 mpg	2	377	4/5

All Kia Seltos years compared · Decode a VIN

Other 2023 Kia models

2023 Kia Carnival 2023 Kia EV6 2023 Kia Forte 2023 Kia K5 2023 Kia Niro 2023 Kia Rio 2023 Kia Sorento 2023 Kia Soul 2023 Kia Sportage 2023 Kia Stinger 2023 Kia Telluride

Sources

Recalls: NHTSA recall flat file (FLAT_RCL_POST_2010), dated Oct 28, 2026, plus a live check of api.nhtsa.gov in your browser.
Complaints: NHTSA consumer complaint flat files (COMPLAINTS_RECEIVED), counts only — we do not republish complaint text.
Crash tests: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings API.
Fuel economy: FuelEconomy.gov vehicles file (U.S. DOE and EPA), dated Sep 29, 2026.
NHTSA, EPA and DOE do not endorse OpenVIN. Vehicle names identify vehicles only; OpenVIN is not affiliated with Kia.