—
A Kia 2.0L Nu MPI engine recall is under investigation by federal safety regulators following complaints about how Kia has conducted the engine recall.
Kia Piston Oil Ring Recall
The Kia 2.0-liter engine recall was announced in February for 2021-2023 Kia Seltos and Kia Soul vehicles.
According to documents related to the Kia piston oil ring recall, a supplier made mistakes with the piston oil rings that could damage the cylinder walls. Kia customers complained of noise from the engines and illuminated oil pressure warning lights.
Four engine fires had occurred because drivers continued to drive the vehicles once symptoms appeared. And at least 800 complaints had been received about stalled 2.0L engines in Kia Seltos and Kia Soul vehicles.
An engine compartment fire occurs when the piston rings damage the 2.0L engine and sends engine oil leaking onto hot exhaust components.
Kia dealers began repairing the recalled vehicles April 4. Dealers were told to inspect the Kia 2.0L engines and replace them if necessary. Dealers were also told to install piston ring noise sensing system software.
Kia Piston Oil Ring Recall Investigation
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened the “Audit Query” into more than 137,000 Kia Seltos and Kia Soul vehicles because of 47 complaints. Between April 29, 2025, and June 27, 2025, the 47 complaints indicate several problems with the Kia engine piston oil ring recall.
Kia owners complained about “inconsistent results in inspections to determine whether an engine replacement was needed,” and drivers also complained about “the unavailability of recall remedies.”
The “unavailability of recall remedies” means a lack of replacement 2.0L engines or the software to perform the piston ring noise sensing system software installation.
Here’s what a few Kia owners told NHTSA about the Kia 2.0L engine recall.
“The contact owns a 2021 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V099000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the recall remedy was still under engineering review. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.”
Kia allegedly told the Soul owner the “recall remedy test was substandard, and the recall remedy was still under engineering review.”
Another Kia driver accused Kia of putting profits over safety.
“I am submitting this complaint about a serious and unresolved safety issue with my Kia vehicle. Kia is currently attempting to reverse an active recall on my vehicle, despite the fact that the issue still exists and has not been fixed. This is an extremely dangerous situation, and I believe they are doing this simply to save money, not to protect drivers.”
The Kia owner says a dealer had the vehicle for more than three weeks and nothing was done.
“The original issue—covered under an active recall that warned of a potential engine fire—was never addressed. Now I’ve been told I need to pick up my car and drive it, even though Kia acknowledges the vehicle is still under an active recall. The dealer told me that if it “acts up,” I can bring it back. This is completely unacceptable.”
The Kia owner told NHTSA how it should handle the Kia piston oil ring recall failures.
“This is not how recalls should work, and I am asking NHTSA to investigate Kia’s handling of this issue and ensure they are held accountable for knowingly putting unsafe vehicles back on the road. Thank you for your attention to this serious safety matter.”
CarComplaints.com will update our website with results of the Kia piston oil ring recall investigation.