Recalls happen for many reasons. Anything from faulty clear coats to spontaneous combustion can be grounds for a recall. As of now, 147,249 2021 Kia Seltos and 2020-2021 Kia Soul units were called back to the dealership to deal with an engine failure issue that can potentially lead to fires. These recalls are aimed at addressing a problem with the 2.0-liter engines.
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Why is there a Kia Soul and Kia Seltos recall?
According to Consumer Reports, 147,249 2021 Kia Seltos and 2020-2021 Kia Souls are being recalled due to an intermittent problem with the heat-treating process for the piston oil rings. This issue can lead to engine damage, ultimately killing the engine and increasing danger for drivers.
So far, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has filed paperwork on four separate fires potentially related to this oil ring issue. According to Consumer Reports, Kia has not linked this issue to fires as of now.
Consumer Reports says that by June 2021, owners of 2021 Kia Seltos and 2020-2021 Kia Souls will be told to bring their vehicles to the dealership to address the problem.
Kia says that dealers will attempt to fix the issue with the piston oil rings directly. However, the engine itself may be replaced if the damage has already been done. Although recalls are never fun, getting a new engine in your 2020 Kia Soul might not be such a bad thing.
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Consumer Reports also mentions that dealers will also install software that will alert drivers of any potential piston oil ring failure in the future. For any owner that has already paid for work connected to this recall, reimbursements are available for such work.
2021 Kia Seltos and Kia Soul recall details
The 2021 Kia Seltos is a sub-compact SUV that follows a long line of wallet-friendly offerings from the Korean brand. The 2021 Kia Seltos comes with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder as the base power plant. The turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder comes with the up-trim models. The 2.0-liter, which it shares with the 2020-2021 Kia Soul, is where the problem lies.
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For 2021 Kia Seltos made between Nov. 20, 2019, through Oct. 15, 2020, and 2020-2021 Kia Soul units made between Nov. 24, 2018, through Oct. 24, 2020, these models will most likely see damage from these improperly heat-treated engines.
Owners may contact Kia customer service at 800-333-4542.
How to know if your car has an open recall?
Knowing exactly when your car was produced can be confusing. Luckily, there are some tools to help with this. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website has tools to help you figure out if your Kia Soul or any other car has an open recall.
If you plug your car’s 17-digit VIN code into the VIN tool, it will tell you if there is an issue with your specific model. This is useful for newer cars, of course, but even with older models. Recalls on older vehicles don’t always make the news, making it worthwhile to regularly check on your ride on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website.
Kia has issued a recall for the Seltos SUV and the Soul crossover in the US market against a potential fire risk. As per a document filed by Kia with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) last week, the 2020-2021 model year of both vehicles may feature improperly heat-treated piston rings. Kia has recalled 147,249 unit of the Seltos and Soul combined. Specifically speaking, models fitted with the 2.0-liter Nu MPI four-cylinder engine have been affected by this issue, which could potentially cause a fire or cause the engine to stall while driving.
While manufacturing of the vehicles, the supplier didn't apply the correct heat treatment, which created harder piston oil rings in the affected cars. This in turn may cause the ring to scuff the cylinder bore and increase oil consumption. This could eventually lead to a seized connecting rod bearing. As for the potential fire risk, oil may leak onto surrounding exhaust components and catch fire. Owners of affected vehicles may see the oil pressure warning light illuminate in such a scenario. Other signs of the problem include abnormal noises from the engine and increased oil consumption.
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So far, the manufacturer hasn't recorded any fire or injuries related to the problem. They are estimating that just 1% of all the recalled vehicles may actually be affected by the issue. During inspection, the engine will have to be completely dissembled to identify the issue. If detected with the problem, the engine will have to be completely replaced. Kia will cover all work and parts at no charge to the customer, but this will be a big job. The company also says it is fitting the vehicles with piston ring noise sensing system software. Owners of the potentially affected vehicles will be notified by Kia in early June.
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Back here in India, Kia is all set to roll out a mid-life update on the Seltos on April 27, 2021. Some of the updates that are likely to feature in the new Seltos include a new logo, more features and possibly even a special Gravity Edition variant as a new top-spec model. The most distinct update on the Seltos Gravity Edition is to the SUV's exterior styling. It comes with an unique chrome-studded design for the signature 'Tiger Nose' grille. It also gets a new design for the 18-inch alloy wheels. On the inside, it is expected to sport an unique grey-black theme for the dashboard and upholstery.
Kia will also be introducing the intelligent clutchless manual transmission - iMT - on the Seltos for the first time, making it the fourth product from Hyundai Motor Group to be offered with the iMT option after the Sonet, Venue and i20. It will likely be offered with both the 1.5L NA petrol and 1.4L turbo-petrol engine options. The Kia Seltos currently retails between INR 9.89 lakh and INR 17.65 lakh (ex-showroom) in India. Prices are likely to be increased marginally with the addition of new features. The new Gravity Edition will likely be positioned even higher.
Stay tuned to IndianAutosBlog.com for more Kia updates and other four-wheeler news.