2021 Kia Telluride

Defect. Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2024 Telluride vehicles. The front power seat motor may overheat due to a stuck power seat slide knob or an improper recall 24V407 repair, which can result in a fire while parked or driving.

Risk. A fire increases the risk of injury.

Remedy. Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will install an electronic fuse assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 13, 2026. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC374. This recall replaces NHTSA recall number 24V407. Vehicles already repaired under the previous recall will need to have the new remedy completed. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning July 17, 2026.

Defect. Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2024 Telluride vehicles. The front power seat motor may overheat due to a stuck power seat slide knob, which can result in a fire while parked or driving.

Risk. A fire increases the risk of injury.

Remedy. Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will install a bracket for the power seat switch back covers and replace the seat slide knobs, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 30, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC316.

Defect. Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2024 Telluride vehicles. The intermediate shaft and right front driveshaft may not be fully engaged, which can result in vehicle roll away while in PARK.

Risk. A vehicle roll away increases the risk of a crash or injury.

Remedy. Owners are advised to manually engage the emergency parking brake prior to exiting the vehicle until the recall remedy is performed. Dealers will update the electronic parking brake software and replace any damaged intermediate shafts as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 15, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC303.

Defect. Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Telluride vehicles potentially equipped with a Genuine Kia 4-pin tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Kia dealership. Debris and moisture accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.

Risk. A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy. Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will install a new fuse and a wiring harness extension. Dealers will also inspect and replace the tow hitch harness assembly, as necessary. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 12, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC247.

Defect. Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021 Telluride, K5, and Forte vehicles. The Occupant Classification and Detection System (OCS/ODS) unit may not detect the presence of a child restraint system in the front passenger seat. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Risk. In the event of a crash, deployment of the front passenger air bag, with a child in that seat, can increase the risk of injury to the child.

Remedy. Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the OCS/ODS unit, free of charge. The recall began March 18, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC207.

My wife and I purchased a 2021 Kia Telluride brand new a few years ago when we lived in [XXX]. We are currently active duty USAF and brought our KIA Telluride with us here, while stationed in [XXX]. The vehicle is currently under two recalls SC316R and SC374 and is a fire risk. Under these types of recalls, vehicle shipping companies will not transport vehicles on their boats. We know this because we had to have two recalls (SC247F and SC243B) completed before we could have our vehicle shipped from the [XXX] to [XXX]. I am looking for assistance on how to have recalls and warranty service during our assignment here in [XXX]. We've reached out to Kia, opened 3 customer service cases, and have talked to them shortly to try to setup a repair. Then Kia stops communicating and ignores our calls and emails. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I have owned this vehicle since new. This vehicle has never had an accident. In the last 3 months the FCAS started sending messages to the dashboard without a vehicle in front, in clear blue skies and the radar element in front is clean. The message lasts 2-3 minutes and disappears. Went to Kia Service At Greenway Kia at the Avenues in Jacksonville, FL. The first time they said no errors codes popped up. They said it it happens again, bring it back. It kept on the same and I went back. No resolution. Then I sent and email to Kia Customer Service and after two weeks called them and the rep stated she found the email. She said take it to Kia Service which I did. Still the issue is unresolved. Made a second call to Kia Customer Service and spoke to another rep and she sent me to an agent "higher up?". He said that he will let the Kia dealership know. I was under the impression he would call them with the "fix". No luck. Why have they not changed the radar element in front? Money? I have driven vehicles for 62 years and never needed FACS. I guess car manufacturers installed this to deal with the current drivers paying attention to their social media accounts instead of driving. There is Kia Telluride Thread I found and several others describe the same issue. All report no solutions. Perhaps a recall only for those vehicles that have this problem. Respectfully,

The problem first occurred at the end of May 2026. The digital instrument cluster completely stopped working while driving, cutting off all FMVSS 101 compliance indicators including the speedometer, fuel gauge, engine temperature, and RPMs. This problem has persisted on and off since May 2026. This is a huge safety concern because I am unable to determine my vehicle speed, etc. while driving. The issue occurs without warning and completely affects my ability to safely operate the vehicle. I took it to the Kia Stamford, CT dealer on June 5th and they were unable to replicate the problem saying when they turned the car on the instrument cluster was functioning normally. They said they "hard reset" it at that time. The very same day after leaving the dealership, the problem occurred again and has occurred intermittently ever since

Every time the wiper blades are in intermittent mode they randomly stop at various spots on the windshield. I have to switch to low or high or turn them off completely for the motor to engage and work again.

Spontaneous shatter of sunroof. Danger to myself, passengers in the car, and others on the road. Insurance claim complete and the sunroof is now replaced/repaired No warning signs, no impacts prior or at the time of shattering. Glass puckered up as if pressure from the car caused the shatter rather than something external to the car.

My 2021 Kia Telluride has developed progressively worsening engine problems without any warning lights ever appearing that may present a serious safety concern. Approximately two months ago, the vehicle began experiencing significant engine shaking and rocking. Maintenance and repairs were performed, and the symptoms temporarily improved. The engine symptoms later returned. The vehicle began making a noticeable ticking noise that progressively became much louder and occurred both while idling and during acceleration. The vehicle subsequently shut off after being driven to an independent mechanic. Multiple warning/diagnostic alerts appeared, and the vehicle would not remain running when restarted. The mechanic checked the engine oil and found it essentially empty. Approximately 4½ quarts of oil were added. The ticking noise continued despite the addition of oil. Later that same day, the engine developed a pronounced knocking noise that continued while driving. There was also a hot smell, and I had noticed discolored smoke coming from the exhaust. The vehicle is currently parked and is available for inspection. I have stopped driving it because I am concerned about an engine failure and the possibility of the vehicle shutting off or losing power while being operated. The vehicle has been maintained and I have documentation of its maintenance and repair history. The underlying cause of the severe oil loss and engine symptoms has not been determined.

I opened my sunroof to let the heat out as we were getting back in after seeing a movie and the track popped and the sunroof glass was not broken, but not able to close because of the track. Kia dealership claimed not a warranty item and $7,000 to have fixed since it was the track that was faulty. Full mechanism needs replacing. Charged $250 for the diagnostic review and disabled the use of sunroof and moon roof until I pay to have the whole thing fixed. We were not driving when this happened. We were parked in a parking lot.

After having a recall, performed on the emergency parking brake it would engage while parked, but when trying to put it in drive or reverse, it would not disengage this began happening approximately two weeks to one month after the recall was performed. It isn’t happening constantly, but it does happen often. On occasion, while driving, it will engage and pull the car to the side nearly pulling me off the road. After looking for other instances of this online, I came across a post that stated it happens to their car, but only when it was over a certain temperature. After watching more closely, I had figured out that it only happens above 70°F and it would only happen occasionally it was not every time it was above this . I have also brought it to the repair shop and they have no idea is what is causing it. I have found other postings about people having this issue with their Telluride same year. It is still occurring now and they are unsure of why or what is the cause.

After receiving a Kia‑issued transmission control module (TCM) software update, my 2021 Kia Telluride experienced a severe and dangerous transmission malfunction while descending a high mountain pass in Colorado. When I attempted to downshift for engine braking, 3rd gear completely disengaged, causing the vehicle to accelerate uncontrollably downhill. None of the lower gears would engage or hold as they had prior to the software update. This forced me to slam on the brakes and ride them continuously down the mountain, creating a serious loss‑of‑control hazard and risk of brake failure. Downshifting is essential for safe descent on steep grades, and the vehicle’s inability to do so created an extremely dangerous situation. The issue was duplicated by the Kia dealership technicians, and Kia field engineers have confirmed awareness of the problem. Despite this, Kia Corporate refuses to authorize transmission replacement or reversal of the software update, leaving the vehicle in an unsafe condition. This is a critical safety defect involving gear disengagement, loss of engine braking, unintended acceleration, and brake‑dependent descent control. The vehicle is unsafe to operate on mountain roads, and Kia has declined to perform the necessary repairs.

Constant failure of the rear self leveling shocks there is tsb on the issue but manufacturer will only replace first set of shocks which causes the owner to pay every 20k plus miles for new rear shocks

I had recall 26V430000 service performed at: Regal Kia [XXX] After the work was performed, both front power seats were inoperative. I was never informed by the service rep that the power seats were inoperative. I received a text of the multi-point inspection which included a quote for $546.87 for both front seat power switches. Never had the service rep discuss this with me while I was at Regal Kia, but reviewing my invoice at home I saw where the technician stated the power seats were inoperative after performing the recall SC374 service. The technician stated after following the applicable TSB for the recall they recommend replacement of both power seat switches at a cost of of $546.87 which Regal Kia wanted me to pay. It appears the TSB maybe doesn’t resolve the issue or perhaps a technician error during installation. I contacted Kia Customer Care ([XXX]) to see if I could have a local repair shop review the repair. They said only a dealership could do recall repairs. They recommended the next closest dealership in [XXX], but it is a one hour drive for me. They assigned case XXX and said they would contact Regal Kia and someone would call me back. I received no return call. I share the vehicle with my wife and she is now unable to adjust the driver seat to a comfortable and safe position. Why I was never informed prior to leaving Regal Kia is unacceptable as seat position is very important while driving. As both fronts seats were operative prior to the recall work, I don’t

I believe my engine to be defective and Commonwealth Kia to be neglegent in finding the defect dispite having been tasked to repair an issue while my car was under warranty. I first mentioned the problem on the XXX visit at $85,000 miles. Asked them to check the filters. Mentioned again at the XXX visit at 92,000 there is not documentation of the complaints on either of these visits but it does say ont eh XXX visit that the car "STILL LACKS POWER..." indicating that there have been previous discussions about the issue. The car was at 99,000+ miles at the XXX visit (still under warranty) I returned on XXX and XXX and was told on 1/20 that they FINALLY found the problem and that I would have to pay to have the entire engine replaced. I have since done some research and the issues that I am having are very similar to the Class Action Suit against Kia and the THETA II engine. [XXX] I have also seen on multilple owners boards on social media and in reports found on the internet that 2020-2023 Kia Tellurides have been having the same issues as THETA II engine models. [XXX] I find it difficult to believe Commonwealth Kia Service have not heard similar complaints nor have the ability to diagnose the problem on the first or second mention of the problem (which was while the car was still under warranty) I have called Kia USA who can not help me due to the fact that I am the second owner. The car was sold to me as "Certified Pre-Owned" by Kia. I believe Commonwealth Kia willfully misdi

Vehicle sunroof came off track on July 22, 2025. Possibly by the fault of the customer. Customer sought repair. Authorized Kia dealer recommended complete replacement of sunroof. On August 29, 2025, Customer paid authorized Kia dealer to replace sunroof with official Kia parts. On June 25, 2026, sunroof broke again through no fault of the customer. Wind deflector arms broke, got stuck open, and caused the glass to go off-track, rendering the sunroof inoperable and completely ruined. Took the vehicle to the same Kia dealer that repaired the sunroof originally. Even though the vehicle was within the 12 month warranty, it was over the 12,000 mile warranty, and Kia would not fix the sunroof. We opened a complaint with Kia Customer Care, and they did not resolve the issue for two months. Our claim was denied. We cannot afford to fix the sunroof again after 10 months, and if we do, we are concerned about it malfunctioning again. I am concerned that the sunroof glass could come dislodged while driving and strike another vehicle or cause a collision.

I purchased this 2021 Kia Telluride new and have had it routinely serviced and maintained by authorized Kia dealerships. At approximately 60,000–80,000 miles, the engine began consuming excessive oil. I reported the condition to the Kia dealer at approximately 80,000 miles, while the vehicle was still within Kia's 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. The dealer initially recommended a tune-up, but the oil consumption continued. During a later visit, the dealer identified an issue involving the OEM oil-filter housing and replaced the affected component. Despite this repair and continued maintenance, oil consumption progressively worsened. The vehicle now has approximately 160,000 miles and requires approximately one pint of oil every 2–3 weeks. The current diagnosis indicates potential internal engine damage, including cylinder-wall scoring that may allow oil to bypass the piston rings and burn in the combustion chambers. I have been advised the engine may require replacement at an estimated cost of approximately $13,000. My primary concern is that this condition began and was reported to Kia while the vehicle was still under the powertrain warranty, but the repairs did not correct it. Continued excessive oil consumption and internal engine damage create a safety concern because they could result in low oil pressure, engine seizure, stalling, or sudden loss of propulsion while driving. The vehicle is available for inspection, and its maintenance history, prior complaints,

My 2021 Kia Telluride has suffered two consecutive component failures of the rear suspension's self-leveling shock absorbers. This component is the exact subject of Kia's August 15, 2024 Extended Warranty Program (WTY040), which acknowledges a widespread engineering defect causing premature rear shock failures. The factory-installed original shock failed previously. The official Kia genuine replacement part (redesigned by Kia to permanently address the original defect) has now failed prematurely under the exact same mechanical conditions. The failed replacement component bears a manufacturing date stamp of 11/2023. Kia America Corporate is utilizing an administrative loophole regarding the component's manufacturing date code to deny safety coverage, actively refusing to honor or remedy the failure of their own redesigned replacement part. The local Kia dealership service manager inspected the vehicle and formally endorsed 100% replacement coverage due to this premature safety failure, but Kia Corporate has completely stalled the repair (I have had a formal 100% goodwill coverage request submitted since 7/21/26 without resolution), leaving a known vehicle stability defect unaddressed on a public roadway.

Sunroof broke when trying to open it. Now it’s in the open, venting, position unable to close. Dealership can’t look at it for a week so I’m risking water damage. Vehicle only has 31,000 miles on it and is just past the 5 yr warranty of course

Was low on oil and check oil light don't go on have to put oil very 2 week because it get low and I don't have no oil leak at all I found out because the motor start shaking and making noise tow it home and mechanical came to check it out and didn't have oil he say I was lurking I was not in the highway because it could lock the mortar and cause a accident

The sunroof is stuck open and is loose on the tracks, if even on the tracks at all. Very dangerous, as it could fly off while I am driving. This is a common problem with the Telluride, and I believe it should be recalled.

In August 2025, my Kia dealership serviced my 2021 Kia Telluride and billed me for 7 quarts of oil as part of the repair. Approximately four months later, in December 2025, the vehicle developed severe engine problems and became inoperable. The dealership diagnosed the failure as a collapsed timing tensioner and stated the engine required complete replacement. Kia Techline agreed with that diagnosis and used it as the basis for recommending a new engine. Despite acknowledging that engine replacement was necessary, Kia denied warranty coverage, leaving me responsible for an estimated $11,000 repair. I then obtained a second opinion from an independent, reputable repair facility. After inspecting the vehicle, the shop concluded the engine failure was not caused by a timing system failure. Instead, they found the engine contained only about one quart of oil and determined the damage resulted from oil starvation. They further stated that, in their professional opinion, the dealership had misdiagnosed the vehicle and that the low oil level was consistent with the possibility that the dealership failed to add the oil for which I was charged during the August 2025 service. What is especially concerning is that the dealership never documented or informed me that the engine was critically low on oil. Because the timing components rely on engine oil for lubrication, I believe it would have been impossible to properly inspect and diagnose a timing tensioner failure without recognizing a

Opened the sunroof wind deflector broke tracks broke will not close