Kia Recalls Nearly 140,000 Cars Over Dangerous Engine Defect

Keeping up with auto recalls may seem overwhelming, but you mustn’t miss them. If you don’t read up on them, you may mistake any owner letters that you receive for junk mail or useless marketing materials. And that puts you in a dangerous position should your vehicle malfunction. This time around, it’s Kia owners who need to be concerned. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) just announced a recall of nearly 140,000 Kia vehicles due to an engine defect.

If you own a Kia vehicle, pay close attention to any communications from Kia or your local dealership. We’ve broken down the basics of this recall so that you know what to look for and why the impacted vehicles are so dangerous.

Why Are Certain Kia Vehicles Recalled?

According to the NHTSA brief, the recalled Kia vehicles have a dangerous engine defect. More specifically, there’s an issue with the piston oil rings; they “may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in engine damage.” It’s never fun to hear the phrase “engine damage” about your car; it brings to mind incredibly expensive repair bills. But damaged engines are also a safety hazard. The NHTSA warns that “engine damage can cause a vehicle stall or fire, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.”

Which Kia Vehicles Have This Engine Defect?

Kia is recalling nearly 140,000 vehicles because of this engine defect, including the:

• 2021 Kia Selto
• 2022 Kia Selto
• 2023 Kia Selto
• 2021 Kia Soul
• 2022 Kia Soul
• 2023 Kia Soul

If you own one of the vehicles on the list above, refrain from driving it as much as possible until you’ve been able to get the defect repaired. Kia has said that they will be mailing out owner letters in early April 2025; you’ll know for sure whether or not your vehicle is impacted once you get your letter.

What’s Kia’s Proposed Solution?

Kia dealers will inspect the engine of any of the Kia vehicles listed and if the engine is faulty, they will replace it at no cost to the owner. They will also install piston-ring noise sensing system (PNSS) software. The software instillation will be free as well.

If you have further questions, you can contact Kia customer service at 800-333-4542 and ask about recall number SC336. You can also call the NHTSA at 888-327-4236. If you call them instead, specify that you’re asking about recall number 25V099000.

Source

Engine Damage May Cause Stall or Fire, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2025.

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