2024 Kia Seltos: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2024 Kia Seltos
On the 2024 Kia Seltos, the failure owners report most often is other electrical problem, with 10 reports on file. Across every failure mode on this year, half the dated reports were filed before 300 miles. Overall it scores 83 out of 100, severe risk for a 2024.
Severe risk for a 2024 — 26th riskiest of the 220 2024 vehicles we can rate. 64 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.
What owners report breaking
Owners have reported 26 named failure modes on the 2024 Kia Seltos, and the three most-reported carry 25% of everything filed, which is an unusually even spread for one model year.
Other electrical problem leads with 10 reports and about 1.0 per 1,000 vehicles.
Excessive oil consumption follows with 3 reports.
Differential or transfer case failure follows with 3 reports.
By system, the reports fall mostly into engine (11), electrical (10) and adas (8).
At what mileage it happens
Too few of the reports on this year carry an odometer reading to describe the timing: 4 of them do. The mileages quoted elsewhere on this page come from the modes that have enough of them.
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 26. The full list is in the table below.
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
How bad it is when it goes
Across the named modes, 9 mention a crash, 1 a fire and 3 an injury. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.
The average severity weight across every report on this year is 4.59, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.
What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: other electrical problem at $250–$2,000, excessive oil consumption at $900–$6,500, differential or transfer case failure at $900–$4,200 and airbag failed to deploy in a crash at $1,000–$5,000. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
25% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 10 | 2 | — | 6k | — | 1.0 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Excessive oil consumption | engine | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.3 | $900–$6,500 | High |
| Differential or transfer case failure | drivetrain | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.3 | $900–$4,200 | High |
| Airbag failed to deploy in a crash | airbag | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.3 | $1,000–$5,000 | Critical |
| Lane keep or steering assist fault | adas | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.3 | $200–$1,600 | High |
| Cruise control failure | adas | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.3 | $200–$1,400 | High |
| Wheel, stud or lug nut failure | wheels | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.3 | $150–$1,500 | Critical |
| Catalytic converter failure | emissions | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.3 | $900–$3,500 | Moderate |
| Other engine problem | engine | 3 | 1 | — | 300 | — | 0.3 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Other visibility problem | glass | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.3 | $150–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Complete engine failure or seizure | engine | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.2 | $4,500–$12,000 | Critical |
| Fuel gauge or level sensor failure | fuel | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.2 | $300–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Other powertrain problem | transmission | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.2 | $400–$4,500 | High |
| Other driver assistance problem | adas | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.2 | $250–$1,800 | High |
| Other body or interior problem | body | 2 | 1 | — | 118 | — | 0.2 | $200–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Engine bay fire | engine | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $4,000–$20,000 | Critical |
| Oil leak | engine | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $250–$2,200 | Moderate |
| No-start or intermittent start failure | engine | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $200–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Infotainment screen failure | infotainment | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $400–$2,600 | Low |
| Backup camera failure | infotainment | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Instrument cluster or gauge failure | infotainment | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $350–$1,400 | Moderate |
| Seat belt or retractor failure | airbag | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $200–$900 | High |
| Other brake problem | brakes | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $300–$1,800 | High |
| Other suspension problem | suspension | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $350–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other wheel or tire problem | wheels | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $200–$1,500 | High |
| Other lighting problem | lighting | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $120–$1,200 | Moderate |
| Unclassified problem | other | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.6 | — | Moderate |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
How often, against how many were built
Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2024 Kia Seltos draws about 6.4 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 92nd percentile of complaint rates among 2024 vehicles we can rate.
That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.
The working figure is 9,941 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2024 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.
What owners wrote
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.
Other electrical problem
The contact owns a 2024 Kia Seltos. The contact stated that while stopped at a red light, the vehicle shut off with several messages displayed. The contact was able to restart the vehicle despite the failure. The dealer was notified of the failure but initially offered no assistance. The contact recently stated that a "Low Oil" warning light was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it remained in dealer possession. The vehicle was not serviced or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 300.
The contact owns a 2024 Kia Seltos. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH and attempting to depress the horn there was no sound coming from the horn. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the failure began in 2023. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed; however, the dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The contact stated that the horn was previously replaced, and the vehicle was repaired three times for the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 11,000.
Recalls on the 2024 model year
NHTSA has issued 2 recall campaigns covering the 2024 Kia Seltos, affecting an estimated 11,424 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover air bags and power train:automatic transmission:fluid/lubricant:pump. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
Recalls also distort complaint counts. Publicity about a campaign reminds owners that complaining is possible, so reports for a recalled component often spike after the recall rather than before it.
AIR BAGS
2,967 vehicles 2023-12-22- Defect
- Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Soul and 2024 Seltos vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the side curtain air bags may deploy unexpectedly.
- Consequence
- An air bag that deploys unexpectedly can increase the risk of injury or crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and replace both side curtain air bag modules as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 31, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC289.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:FLUID/LUBRICANT:PUMP
39,765 vehicles 2023-07-31- Defect
- Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Soul, Sportage, and 2023-2024 Seltos vehicles. The electronic controller for the Idle Stop & Go oil pump assembly may contain damaged electrical components that can cause the pump to overheat.
- Consequence
- An electric oil pump assembly that overheats increases the risk of a vehicle fire.
- Remedy
- Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will inspect and replace the electric oil pump controller, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 28, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC275.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
How it ranks in the 2024 field
The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.
Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.
- Left fewer and less serious reports
- Right more, or worse
- Marker this vehicle
Better and worse years of the same car
Severe risk for a 2024 — 26th riskiest of the 220 2024 vehicles we can rate. Every score on this site is a rank inside its own model year, which is what makes a 2004 and a 2019 comparable at all.
Across the 5 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 2023 comes out best at 65 and 2024 worst at 83, with 2024 itself at 83.
If the model year is negotiable, 2023, 2025, 2022 and 2021 score lower than 2024 by a margin worth acting on. Same body, same engines, different luck — usually a supplier change or a mid-cycle fix, which the complaint data can show but never explain.
Within the 2021–2026 generation specifically, 2023 is the strongest year at 65 and 2024 the weakest at 83.
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.
Within the 2021-2026 generation, 2023 Kia Seltos scores best at 65 and 2024 Kia Seltos worst at 83.
The limits of complaint data
64 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.
Of those 64 reports, 4 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 6% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".
Named failure modes come from matching phrases in the complaint text, so a badly worded complaint can land in the wrong bucket. The effect washes out across hundreds of reports and does not wash out across five.
And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.
Questions this page answers
What are the most common problems with the 2024 Kia Seltos?
The most-reported failures are other electrical problem (10 reports, median 5,000 miles), excessive oil consumption (3 reports) and differential or transfer case failure (3 reports). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.
Is the 2024 Kia Seltos reliable?
It scores 83 out of 100 on our risk index, which is severe — 26th riskiest of the 220 2024 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2024 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.
Which year of the Kia Seltos is best?
Within the 2021–2026 generation, 2023 scores best at 65 out of 100 and 2024 worst at 83. Same body, same engines, different luck.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed