[Jon]

Hi guys. Some will know that our Seltos here in Australian have a defectively manufactured body part, the panel on the front with the KIA logo. It has ripples in them, some like mine 8 in total, 4 each side of the logo and recent ones can have just 6.
Kia's only alternative, obviously they are admitting its a fault, is to have me take it to a crash repairer and they fill the ripples and paint it.
Personally I say not good enough. I payed for a new car not one that needed to be repaired at a crash repairers because they made a faulty part.
Thinking my new car will now have filler on the front as if damaged in a minor accident makes me fume that this is their answer.
Im going to escalate the issue on websites to alert all Aussie owners they have defective panels. And if I do, will that mean crash repairers everywhere will be inundated by Seltos owners getting their cars front having filler put on them!?
Good look for Kia Aus huh!

 

[pauldymock]

Why can't Kia replace with a
New bonnet. As you stated it is a new Car.
I also ordered a seltos 1.6t AWD
In December 2020.
Delivery date be here in February 2021
Now been informed maybe here in May 2021.
Let's see how the bonnet will look
Cheers
Paul

 

[Jon]

Why can't Kia replace with a
New bonnet. As you stated it is a new Car.
I also ordered a seltos 1.6t AWD
In December 2020.
Delivery date be here in February 2021
Now been informed maybe here in May 2021.
Let's see how the bonnet will look
Cheers
Paul

Hi Paul. Glad to hear from another Aussie. No dis to others here but am anxious to hear from others here from Oz.
KIA says, and this is an admission and get out in my opinion "we can replace it but it will likely have similar issues. We can have it repaired at a panel repair shop"
Me...repaired!? When was it ever damaged!? Its a defective produced part on a New Car!
When you get yours could you please check back here. Look at that section from all angles to see if or how many ripples it has. Right now from 2019 till at least mine July 2020 have 4 each side of the logo. Newer ones have 3 each side of the logo. I saw them like that at the dealership in Ballarat first hand just weeks ago. If it part of the design then why the different numbers of them and why do the Aussie ones have them but not the US ones!?
If when you get it you have pull your hair our rattle noises behind you then tag me in as I have fixed several in mine. Good luck mate.
Im escalating this big time if they dont replace the part.
Here is what I and hundreds here if not thous with their Seltos. Only seen on an angle but either way it looks crap!

 

[pauldymock]

Hi Paul. Glad to hear from another Aussie. No dis to others here but am anxious to hear from others here from Oz.
KIA says, and this is an admission and get out in my opinion "we can replace it but it will likely have similar issues. We can have it repaired at a panel repair shop"
Me...repaired!? When was it ever damaged!? Its a defective produced part on a New Car!
When you get yours could you please check back here. Look at that section from all angles to see if or how many ripples it has. Right now from 2019 till at least mine July 2020 have 4 each side of the logo. Newer ones have 3 each side of the logo. I saw them like that at the dealership in Ballarat first hand just weeks ago. If it part of the design then why the different numbers of them and why do the Aussie ones have them but not the US ones!?
If when you get it you have pull your hair our rattle noises behind you then tag me in as I have fixed several in mine. Good luck mate.
Im escalating this big time if they dont replace the part.

No Worries Mate
Will keep you informed

Cheers
Paul

 

[Jon]

No Worries Mate
Will keep you informed

Cheers
Paul

@pauldymock
Check out the issue above mate.
If you get the same issue then it shows Kia and the dealers are knowingly selling the Seltos with a faulty panel. As they are now well aware of it.

 

[dougt]

I know, this is very bad news. I'm quite sure other Australian buyers have commented in this forum and perhaps they have some information that would be helpful as well.

 

[Jon]

So far.
Kia Aus asked me to send in pictures of the issue and some info on it. They just replied.

So I have taken it to a dealer already who sent pictures to them. They told me take it to a crash repairs.
Not happy about that so now they say take it to another dealer!
So I now have to drive to another town an hour away to do so. I can only assume the previous dealer didn't give them all the info about it like I did in my email and they want to hear what these guys reckon about it.
Surely they know this issue exists by now.

 

[dougt]

Stinks............

 

[Jon]

Stinks............

Agree. Not happy but will go to the other dealer the week after this long weekend here in Oz.
Like what are they going to see different to my photos that they have received twice already!?
After this if no joy im going on the Aus Kia facebook site and every other Kia site I can find in the world and show it.

 

[dougt]

Please keep us informed. Kia needs to remember their current customers in light of all their potential future success. And...it really seems like Corporate should be helping you out with the dealers....sheesh.

 

[Jon]

Please keep us informed. Kia needs to remember their current customers in light of all their potential future success. And...it really seems like Corporate should be helping you out with the dealers....sheesh.

Yeah will let you know when I see them and get a response from that from Kia.

 

[LuisitoPR]

My Kia Seltos also has it. I was like "those can't be rock ships." So is apparently a defect from the factory. I wouldn't take it to a shop to fix it though. Maybe PDR

 

[Jon]

My Kia Seltos also has it. I was like "those can't be rock ships." So is apparently a defect from the factory. I wouldn't take it to a shop to fix it though. Maybe PDR

Hi Luisito. What country are you in, I dont recognise the flag? Just asking as to know where it was built.
Mine is a Korean build.
How many each side of your Kia Logo do you have on yours.

 

[LuisitoPR]

Hi Luisito. What country are you in, I dont recognise the flag? Just asking as to know where it was built.
Mine is a Korean build.
How many each side of your Kia Logo do you have on yours.

I'm from Puerto Rico. So I think mines is built at Mexico. I'll check today how many are they. It's still dark outside.

 

[JASmith]

Here is what I and hundreds here if not thous with their Seltos. Only seen on an angle but either way it looks crap!

Wow, that's extreme! Wonder if its heat related, but these are all made in Korea w/ the same parts, aren't they? So would affect US customers too.

 

[Jon]

Wow, that's extreme! Wonder if its heat related, but these are all made in Korea w/ the same parts, aren't they? So would affect US customers too.

Hi. Ours are made in Korea but the US Seltos in Mexico. I have asked here if others have the same issue but as yet just 1 has said they do. Others have looked and say no.
Its a tricky one. You can look front on mine and it looks ok. You only see those if you stand on an angle to get the light to show them up. They are probably only a mm or so deep but when you are on the angle to see them it looks crap. I'v never seen anything like it on any car ever and it really detracts from the look.
Interesting just 1 person here sees it on his. He is from Puerto Rico but I understand the Seltos there comes from the same maker in Mexico. If his has it then surely others from where his is made has the issue too you'd think. Interseting to hear from others here if there's shows up under inspection, not just a glance at it. A quick glance and you can miss it as the light angle hides it.

 

[JASmith]

Ours are made in Korea but the US Seltos in Mexico.

Ah, I stand corrected. A shame they can't make these in Alabama alongside Hyundais. Not only is it nice keeping the money/jobs in your own economy, but so many manufacturers have seen quality suffer when moving production to Mexico where "good enough" seems to be the motto of Mexican parts suppliers and what not.

 

[Jon]

Ah, I stand corrected. A shame they can't make these in Alabama alongside Hyundais. Not only is it nice keeping the money/jobs in your own economy, but so many manufacturers have seen quality suffer when moving production to Mexico where "good enough" seems to be the motto of Mexican parts suppliers and what not.

Yeah we used to have Ford, GMH and Mitsubishi made here. All gone now. I think that with the new modern production methods and electronics overload put into cars now, hey not knocking some of the tech stuff, buy the more there is the more goes wrong. All I see these days is recalls from every maker.
I used to work on all my older cars myself, these new ones forget it, I cant even get my hand into most of the spaces. Let alone afford all the specialty tools.
Yeah they dissapear, the manufacturing to cheaper labour countries, I don't knock the people in them but often the quality does suffer unfortunately. Our Fords and GMH (Gm was called Holden here) cars used to be solid reliable units. The ones now are recall machines.

 

[LuisitoPR]

Mines have 6, 3 on each side. Looking at that i found rock ships near bonnet. 🤬 Thinking about getting the paint pen with the color of the car to fix it. Have anyone tried this yet?

 

[Jon]

Mines have 6, 3 on each side. Looking at that i found rock ships near bonnet. 🤬 Thinking about getting the paint pen with the color of the car to fix it. Have anyone tried this yet?

Thanks Luisito for letting me know. Mine has 8 but I did see one here with 6 like yours not long back. This confirms it is a manufacturing defect as the numbers differ. If it was meant to be so, though it would be a pretty crap design to give a car panel part ripples, then there would be the same on every one. Not different.
When I got my Seltos there was a minor paint issue on the rear drivers side passenger window sill area. The paint was sort of cracked, for want of a better description. I fixed it myself as covid was in the town where I got it from and didnt want to go there. Ours had no covid.
You see it here.....those white lines.

I fixed it with one of these. You cant even see where it was now. Its a clear coat that fills the gaps and becomes invisible kind of.

If the chips are not too big and deep this would work. But if they are through the paint and undercoat it doesn't work that great. I used it on a deep chip on a previous car and you could see where it was, but smaller shallow ones were covered.