2021 Kia Seltos · symptom sheet
Engine rattles or ticks
- 26owner reports
- 35,200median miles
- 0involved a crash
Newest report Sep 4, 2026 · checked Oct 2, 2026
267 of the 371 complaints on this car are about the engine. 26 of those describe engine rattle.
Tick what matches of 26 reports
Engine rattle on other Seltos years
No other Seltos model year has enough reports of engine rattle for a sheet of its own. See every Seltos year.
What this problem usually is
Owners in this group hear something before anything breaks. Most describe a ticking or tapping at idle, a rattle that's worse on a cold start and fades as the engine warms, or a noise that comes and goes over weeks. Some report the check engine light following a while later. It's the early-warning end of the engine complaints, and the reports that end in a named part are useful to anyone hearing the same sound.
What got replaced
Few of these reports name the part that was replaced.
Recalls and investigations
2 recalls on the engine cover the 2021 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.
The piston oil rings may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in engine damage.
The piston oil rings may not have been properly heat-treated, which may result in engine damage.
All 2 recalls on the 2021 Kia Seltos, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
NHTSA investigations into the engine on the Seltos
Kia 25v099 piston oil ring recall effectiveness. Closed dec 18, 2025.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 4,000 and 60,000 miles, from the 16 reports that gave a mileage.
What owners wrote
“Usually the car would be taken to a shop for an oil change and I did it myself last time and realized the oil was pretty low. I checked over the weekend and noticed the dip stick marked the oil as 2/3 full after waiting 10 minutes for it to cool down a bit. This is alarming because when I filled the oil it was close to the max level.”
Filed Jun 9, 2026
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 0 of 26 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Paid for this repair before a recall covered it? How recall reimbursement works
Other problems on this car
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 136 reports
- Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing 97 reports
- Check engine light or misfire 75 reports
- Burns oil or oil level rises 61 reports