2025 Kia SELTOS: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
12 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
8,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2025 model year. Data snapshot: . 1 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 3 of 12 complaints (25.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 2 | 16.7% |
| Steering behavior | 2 | 16.7% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 8.3% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 8.3% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 3 |
| Exterior Lighting | 3 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking | 2 |
| Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings | 2 |
| Unknown Or Other | 2 |
| Engine | 1 |
| Lane Departure: Assist | 1 |
| Lane Departure: Blind Spot Detection | 1 |
Electrical System: 3; Exterior Lighting: 3; Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking: 2; Forward Collision Avoidance: Warnings: 2; Unknown Or Other: 2; Engine: 1; Lane Departure: Assist: 1; Lane Departure: Blind Spot Detection: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (1). 11 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 2 |
| 2025 | 5 |
| 2026 | 5 |
2024: 2; 2025: 5; 2026: 5
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 2 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 2 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 11624432 · 2024-11-10 (November 10, 2024)
I just bought 2025 kia seltos EX for 5 days. oil cooler already leaking oil, car running fine no lights on. And another issue is when I moved steering to left or right, even on slow speed make any turn, I heard 'dot dot dot' mental sounds under passage wheel, can't believe it happened in new car.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11624432 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11627634 · 2024-11-27 (November 27, 2024)
When I drive this vehicle at night it seems like the low beam headlights are not aimed correctly. It seems like they are angled too far down on the road as I feel like I could not see more than 15-20 feet in front of the vehicle without my high beams on, also the low beams are angled so far down towards the road that it did not illuminate any traffic signs on the side of the road so I could not make them out either. It was scary not being able to see far out as I’m used to.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11627634 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11635043 · 2025-01-09 (January 9, 2025)
The main instrument cluster will not illuminate on initial start ups. The screen will not illuminate on it's own, a vehicle restart is required after a extended period of driving/engine running. Speedometer, tachometer and fuel gauge are not visible. It is a recurring problem. The vehicle was taken to the dealership and the service department said it is a known problem with the Seltos and other models. They said Kia hasn't identified the problem.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11635043 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11642950 · 2025-02-15 (February 15, 2025)
Car delivered [XXX] since then we have had 3 incidents of the dash control lights going out along with the head lights going dim making it very dangerous to drive in the dark. Car had about 1200 miles on it when it started and it had 1823 miles on it when they had a appointment for me to get the car in. We are going on a 3 week trip south at the end of march and based on my experience with the Saltos, the dash lights go out and the head lights either go out or go very dim. How do I know, I had a 2023 Seltos that had the same problem, answ…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11642950 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11649477 · 2025-03-20 (March 20, 2025)
My Seltos was sitting in my driveway and a crack appeared this morning. It wasn't there two days ago when I last drove it.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11649477 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11668451 · 2025-06-22 (June 22, 2025)
i get my lane assist and almost wrecked bc it defaulted without warning. when i came up on a car to fast. it didn’t slow down and try to automatically brake.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11668451 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11673648 · 2025-07-15 (July 15, 2025)
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The braking system appears to have failed. When I attempted to slow down for a stop sign, the brake pedal went straight to the floor and did not respond as expected. I began pumping the brakes out of panic, but they only engaged at the last moment, approximately one foot or less from the vehicle in front of me. The vehicle is currently totaled, but I believe the braking system could still be inspected upon request, pending insurance and tow yard ac…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11673648 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11712544 · 2026-01-21 (January 21, 2026)
Instrument cluster does not turn on upon ignition, when in cold weather. this has been a repeating incident, first of which started only 2 months after the purchase. even after 7 separate incidents, and handful dealer visits, car was deemed "okay" because they could not replicate the issue. employees at the dealership have taken pictures and videos but have yet to find a solution to fix this issue, and they further "ask" that if the incident happens again, drive as is so they can see the issue. this is a serious safety issue since nothing is v…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11712544 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.