Kia Seltos AWD Recall in Canada: 48,070 SUVs, Fire Risk

File photo of a 2024 Seltos LX taken in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. This particular vehicle is not necessarily one of those recalled.

Updated October 17, 2026. Kia is recalling 48,070 Seltos SUVs in Canada, model years 2024 to 2026, because a control unit under the driver's seat can corrode and short-circuit. The risk is a fire, and Transport Canada's notice says that can happen even when the vehicle is parked and turned off. Only all-wheel-drive Seltos are included. Here is what the notice says, what Kia wants owners to do right now, and how to check a VIN.

What Kia is recalling

Transport Canada lists the problem under recall number 2026461. On certain Seltos, the 4WD control unit under the driver's seat may become contaminated by a mixture of salt and moisture inside the vehicle. Over time, that can lead to corrosion and a short circuit. Transport Canada's stated safety risk is a fire, "even while the vehicle is parked and turned off."

The notice carries a September 25, 2026 publication date and was last updated on October 8. The earliest Canadian coverage we found is dated October 9, so this is the recall owners are hearing about this week.

The 48,070 figure isn't printed on the public alert page we read, so we're attributing it to the outlets that reported it. Both cite the Transport Canada filing.

What to do if you own an affected Seltos

Kia's advice is the same as the notice: until the repair is done, park the vehicle outdoors and away from other vehicles and structures. A garage counts as a structure, so for most people that means the driveway or the street.

After that, the process is what you'd expect from a safety recall:

• Kia will notify owners by mail and ask them to bring the vehicle to a dealership.
• The dealer inspects the 4WD control unit. The unit and other components are replaced as necessary.
• The dealer also installs a protective cover over the control unit.

The notice doesn't say when the letters go out. Transport Canada says manufacturers will almost always make recall repairs free of charge, and the notice doesn't suggest otherwise, but we haven't seen Kia state a price either way. If you get asked to pay, call Kia before you do.

How to check your Seltos

You don't have to wait for the letter. Checking takes a couple of minutes.

1. Find your 17-character VIN. It's on the registration, the insurance slip and on the dashboard at the base of the windshield.
2. Enter it in Kia Canada's recall lookup. Transport Canada's recalls pages also let you search by VIN.
3. If your Seltos is included, call a Kia dealer and book the inspection. Kia Canada's customer line is 1-877-542-2886.
4. If you're not sure whether yours is all-wheel drive, the VIN lookup will settle it. The recall doesn't cover front-wheel-drive Seltos.

Not every 2024 to 2026 AWD Seltos is necessarily affected. The notice says "certain vehicles," so the VIN result is the one that counts.

It isn't the first Seltos recall for this part

This is a second round. In February 2024, Transport Canada published recall 2024093 for the 2021, 2022 and 2023 Seltos. The wording is nearly identical: a 4WD control unit under the driver's seat contaminated by salt and moisture, corrosion, a short circuit, and a fire risk, again only on AWD models. The remedy is the same too, with an inspection, replacement as needed and a protective cover.

Between them, the two notices cover all-wheel-drive Seltos from the 2021 through 2026 model years, though each one applies only to "certain vehicles." Kia Canada said in June that it had delivered 110,747 Seltos in Canada since the model arrived in 2020, so a lot of owners should be checking their VINs.

If you bought a 2021 to 2023 Seltos and had the 2024 repair done, that doesn't automatically mean you're covered by the new notice, because the new one is for different model years. Check the VIN.

What about the 2027 Seltos?

Not affected, as far as the notice shows. Transport Canada's recall lists the 2024, 2025 and 2026 model years only, and The Car Guide notes that the redesigned 2027 Seltos isn't part of it.

Kia Canada announced pricing for the second-generation Seltos on June 9, 2026. These are MSRPs from Kia's release, before freight, the A/C charge and dealer fees:

Kia says a hybrid is expected by the end of the year, with an available e-AWD system, and that its pricing and fuel economy figures will come closer to its on-sale date.

Photo: Kia Canada (2027 Seltos, international model shown)

Vehonix doesn't have a 2027 Seltos page yet. Our Kia Seltos page covers the 2026 model year with Natural Resources Canada fuel ratings of 7.6 to 9.2 L/100 km combined across its three listed configurations. The page pulls Transport Canada recalls automatically and can lag behind a new notice by a few days, so if it doesn't show 2026461 yet, trust the Transport Canada and Kia lookups above.

If you're shopping for a used Seltos

A recall is a reason to check, not a reason to walk away. If you're looking at a 2024 to 2026 AWD Seltos:

• Ask the seller for the VIN and run it yourself before you visit.
• Ask whether the recall repair has been done, and get that on paper from the dealer or the seller. Transport Canada says a dealer can look up open repairs by VIN, and you can ask the seller to have them done before you take the vehicle.
• For a front-wheel-drive Seltos, this recall doesn't apply, but still run the VIN. Other campaigns exist, and our Seltos page lists the ones Transport Canada has filed under the model name.
• If you're comparing options, our head-to-heads put the Seltos against the Nissan Kicks and the Hyundai Venue. For a wider look at what's open on other models, see our Canadian recalls page.

Two other recent recalls we've covered also involve fire or leak risks: the Toyota Land Cruiser fuel tube recall and the Ford Bronco wiring harness recall. All of our recall stories are under Recalls & safety.

What we don't know yet

• When Kia's owner letters will be mailed. Neither the notice nor the coverage we read gives a date.
• How many incidents, if any, have been reported in Canada. The notice doesn't say.
• How the salt and moisture get into the vehicle. The notice only says it happens "inside the vehicle," so we won't guess.
• Which VIN ranges or build dates are included beyond "certain vehicles."
• Whether the 2024 to 2026 recall will be extended to other model years. Nothing we've seen suggests it, but it happened once already.

Vehonix hasn't tested or inspected any Seltos. This article uses the sources linked below, and we'll update it if Transport Canada or Kia change the notice.

FAQ

Which Kia Seltos are being recalled in Canada? Certain 2024, 2025 and 2026 Seltos with all-wheel drive. Transport Canada lists the recall as 2026461, and outlets report 48,070 vehicles.

What is the risk? Salt and moisture can contaminate the 4WD control unit under the driver's seat. Corrosion over time could cause a short circuit, and Transport Canada says that creates a fire risk even when the vehicle is parked and turned off.

Can I keep driving my Seltos? The notice doesn't tell owners to stop driving. It says to park outdoors, away from other vehicles and structures, until the repair is done. If you have concerns about your specific vehicle, call Kia or a dealer.

Is the repair free? Transport Canada says manufacturers will almost always make recall repairs free of charge. Kia's notice doesn't mention a cost, so confirm with the dealer when you book.

Does the recall cover front-wheel-drive Seltos or the new 2027 model? No. Transport Canada's notice covers all-wheel-drive Seltos from the 2024 to 2026 model years only.

How do I check my VIN? Use Kia Canada's recall lookup or Transport Canada's recalls database. You can also call a Kia dealer with your VIN.

Sources

• Transport Canada, Recall 2026461 (Kia), published September 25, 2026, last updated October 8, 2026
• Transport Canada, Recall 2024093 (Kia), published February 14, 2024
• Transport Canada, Defects and recalls of vehicles, tires and child car seats and The importance of having recalled vehicles repaired
• Kia Canada, Recall lookup
• Kia Canada, pricing release for the 2027 Seltos, June 9, 2026
• CP24, "More than 48K Kia vehicles recalled in Canada over fire risk concerns", October 9, 2026
• The Car Guide, "Kia Canada Recalls 48,000 Seltos Crossovers That May Short Circuit", October 11, 2026
• Photos: Elise240SX (CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons) and Kia Canada