- Kia is recalling some 137,256 newer vehicles in the U.S. for a possible engine problem
- Bad piston rings could cause severe engine damage, and even pose a fire risk
- It’s unclear how many vehicles are affected by the same issue in Canada
Over 130,000 Kia vehicles are being recalled south of the border thanks to an issue with piston rings in that brand’s 2.0L four-cylinder engine, found under the hood of some Soul and Seltos models. However, it isn’t immediately clear if Canadian owners will be similarly covered.
First, a quick survey of the situation. Numerous owners in the United States have apparently been after Kia for a solution to some engine woes, to the point numerous websites have sprung up attempting a class-action type of legal resolution. Covered under the new recall in America are a total of 83,621 Kia Soul vehicles from the 2021-2023 model years; and 53,635 Kia Seltos vehicles from the same era.
A specific problem was identified regarding deviations in quality by the supplier of the engine’s piston rings. Over time, a faulty piston ring could damage and score the walls of an engine cylinder, an event which could very likely lead to increased oil consumption.
The recall specifically states this may cause “abnormal noise from the engine,” and continued operation in this state could cause engine damage and/or seizure. If the latter happens, it could blow a rather inconvenient hole in the block, from which oil could leak and start a fire. Affected owners will be notified to take their machines to a Kia dealer for inspection and, if necessary, total engine replacement.
That’s in the States—but what about Canada? At present, the only recall of this type is for certain examples of the 2021 Seltos and 2020 and 2021 Soul, plus the 2020 Forte. This is a much smaller net than the American recall, with only 19,634 vehicles covered across the three model lines. Additionally, this recall has been on the books since April 2021, though it does describe an all but identical set of circumstances (and, most importantly, engine replacement process) as in the expanded American recall.
We’ve reached out to those in the know at Kia Canada for clarity and will update this post appropriately.
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