NHTSA Complaint #11717855 — 2021 KIA SELTOS

On 01/04/26, my vehicle’s Check Engine light came on and the engine was shaking. The next day, my mechanic diagnosed a P0301 code (cylinder #1 misfire), found signs of burning oil and cylinder damage in all cylinders, and noted the car had burned over 2 quarts of oil since the last oil change. He suspected faulty oil rings (previously recalled) and advised immediate dealer repair, warning of possible engine failure or fire hazard. The car had only 42K miles and should have been under warranty, but the dealer refused service because the code was cleared and said the warranty expired 4 months earlier. They claimed recall work was completed in June 2021 and would only help if the check engine light returned. Despite research showing codes are stored in the engine control system, the dealer insisted there was “no way to see the code.” After 10 days, the light didn’t return, so I picked up the car and continued driving, noticing a burning oil smell. On 02/02/26, I returned to the dealer, who offered only an Oil Consumption Test, stating it’s acceptable for the vehicle to burn 1.3 quarts per 1,000 miles—though the car’s oil capacity is just 4.2 quarts. The service advisor suggested I contact Kia USA, which I did on 2/06/26. Kia USA sent a repair order to the dealer, who claimed to be “working on the diagnosis.” Kia USA requested two more business days to follow up. GPS tracking shows the vehicle hasn’t moved except for parking since it was brought in.