FaultScore

Worst years for a KIA Seltos

Owners have filed 768 complaints about the KIA Seltos with NHTSA across model years 2021 to 2026. More of them are about the engine & cooling than anything else.

Avoid

2021 KIA Seltos

498 complaints — the highest FaultScore of any year, mostly engine & cooling.

Cleanest on record

2025 KIA Seltos

20 complaints — the lowest FaultScore of the graded years.

Every KIA Seltos year, graded

The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded
Year Grade Complaints Crashes Fires Median miles Most reported
2026 7 1 0 Brakes
2025 B 20 3 0 Driver Assist & Collision Avoidance
2024 C 64 10 1 Electrical System
2023 B 79 6 0 Engine & Cooling
2022 C 100 9 8 50,000 Engine & Cooling
2021 F 498 23 10 34,410 Engine & Cooling

What breaks on a KIA Seltos

Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.

Engine & Cooling 334 43.5%

Worst in 2021

Worst in 2021

Worst in 2021

Worst in 2021

Worst in 2021

Worst in 2021

Windows, Mirrors & Wipers 16 2.1%

Worst in 2023

Acceleration & Cruise Control 15 2.0%

Worst in 2021

Brakes 13 1.7%

Worst in 2021

Airbags 12 1.6%

Worst in 2021

Body & Structure 9 1.2%

Worst in 2023

Steering 8 1.0%

Worst in 2021

Suspension 7 0.9%

Worst in 2021

Seat Belts 7 0.9%

Worst in 2021

Exactly what failed on a KIA Seltos

The named sub-assemblies behind those complaints, across every model year.

Warnings 14 25.5%
Automatic Emergency Braking 11 20.0%
Blind Spot Detection 7 12.7%
Body 6 10.9%
Horn 5 9.1%
Assist 3 5.5%
Adaptive Cruise Control 3 5.5%
Warning 2 3.6%
Camera 2 3.6%
Speedometer/Odometer 2 3.6%

Complaints filed over time

Every complaint about every KIA Seltos, by the month it reached NHTSA.

Jun 2020 peak 45 Aug 2026

KIA Seltos problems by state

Where owners filed from. Heavier states are usually just bigger markets, but a part that fails in heat or salt shows up here first.

Compare the KIA Seltos

Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.