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#BS-2021-KIASEL-37C5

2021 Kia Seltos

Based on reports from 414 owners and 2 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
414
Crashes
18
Fires
5
Recalls
2
TSBs
132
🛑

Preliminary Verdict

Red Flag

Based on 414 complaints, 18 crashes, 5 fires, and 2 recalls. Complaint rate is 2.4x the class average. This is the worst model year for this vehicle.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

transmission stopped shifting properly

3 complaints • Severity 9.3/10

$X,XXX
2

transmission overheating

2 complaints • Severity 6/10

$X,XXX
3

very bad update

1 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the EngineHIGH

201 owners reported engine issues — failures commonly reported around 17K miles.

!Inspect the DrivetrainMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

51
0–30K
20
30–60K
16
60–90K
3
90–120K
120–150K
150K+

Peak failure range: 0–30K miles (51 reports) • Median: 17K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Engine (201 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Engine201 (49%)
Drivetrain54 (13%)
Other39 (9%)
Electrical38 (9%)
Fuel System21 (5%)
Speed Control8 (2%)
Brakes6 (1%)
Seat Belts5 (1%)

2021 Kia Seltos: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Engine Issues

Engine complaints account for 49% of all reports filed for the 2021 Kia Seltos, with 201 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 16,927 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 17K-mile mark.

Drivetrain Issues

Drivetrain complaints account for 13% of all reports filed for the 2021 Kia Seltos, with 54 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to drivetrain-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Electrical Issues

Electrical complaints account for 9% of all reports filed for the 2021 Kia Seltos, with 38 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Fuel System Issues

Fuel System complaints account for 5% of all reports filed for the 2021 Kia Seltos, with 21 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to fuel system-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

27
20
42
21
58
22
57
23
39
24
166
25
25
26

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2021 Kia Seltos. Recent trend: decreasing.

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Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (2 recalls)

21V259000Jun 2021

ENGINE

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Soul, and 2021 Seltos vehicles equipped with 2.0L Nu MPI engines. The piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which may result in engine damage.

25V099000Apr 2025

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:HARD PARTS INTERNAL/MECHANICAL

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.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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This is the worst model year for the Kia Seltos according to owner complaint data. The biggest problem area is transmission.

2021 Kia Seltos vs. Class Average (Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD)

This vehicle

414

Class avg

172

2.4x the class average — significantly more complaints than typical small sport utility vehicle 2wd vehicles.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 414 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 2 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Kia Seltos Model Years

20252024202320222021
View all Kia Seltos years →

2021 Kia Seltos: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2021 Kia Seltos?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2021 Kia Seltos is related to the engine, with 201 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2021 Kia Seltos reliable?
The 2021 Kia Seltos has 414 complaints, 18 crash reports, and 5 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is 2.4x the class average — higher than typical for its segment.
How much does it cost to fix 2021 Kia Seltos problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 2021 Kia Seltos have any recalls?
Yes, the 2021 Kia Seltos has 2 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Kia Seltos problems start?
Based on 90 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 16,927 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 0–30K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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10 sections of AI analysis based on 414 owner reports. Know before you buy.

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