Problems › Kia › 2021 Telluride
2021 Kia Telluride Problems & Owner Complaints
Age-normalised, this year draws ~57.2 complaints per year on the road — ranking 4 of 5 Kia Telluride years we track (1 = most complaints per year).
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What owners report
Visibility/Wiper is the most-reported problem area on the 2021 Kia Telluride, cited in 62 of 343 filed complaints (18%).
Engine is next (57 complaints, 17%), followed by Electrical System (39), Structure (31), Power Train (25).
Across all complaints, 7 report a crash, 4 report a fire, 9 report injuries.
The most safety-critical cluster is Unknown Or Other: 5 injury report(s).
Complaints by vehicle system
Owner complaints filed with the U.S. NHTSA for the 2021 Kia Telluride, grouped by the vehicle system each cites. A single complaint can name more than one system, so the group totals can add up to more than 343.
Unknown Or Other 94 5 injury
“Children helping to unload groceries from trunk. 2 different kids have burnt their legs on exhaust pipe while leaning into car to reach.”
NHTSA complaint #11751416, 2026 · 2 injury(ies)
“The panoramic sunroof hinges on my vehicle snapped and a part of the assembly fell and hit me in the head while I was driving.”
NHTSA complaint #11604395, 2024 · 1 injury(ies)
“My car was in park and went into reverse with my two kiddos in the car in my driveway. I tried to jump in but the car door knocked me over as the car rolled faster as I was holding my sweet one year old and ended up rolling over my ankle and chest. [XXX] fortunately ended up with a scratch but I ended up with a broken leg and 6 broken ribs, a punctured lung and torn acl. I am lucky to be alive There is a police report I do not have right now and a ton of medical bills INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)”
NHTSA complaint #11580152, 2023 · 1 injury(ies)
Visibility/Wiper 62
“The sunroof won’t close properly, it looks like wind deflector is broken”
NHTSA complaint #11747081, 2026
“Windshield chipped and cracked. Causes a safety issue due to temperamental glass and vision impairment. McKenneys garage has viewed the damage and confirms the damage. No. No.”
NHTSA complaint #11739016, 2026
“The sunroof on my 2021 Kia Telluride broke and is stuck open. We had to take it to Kia to have the repair quoted and they want to charge $6k to have it replaced. This is a huge safety issue, as it is winter and we have rain/snow getting in the car, as well as the potential for someone to break into my car through the sunroof as well. I have read numerous reports online of other 2021 Kia Tellurides with this same issue. Please have Kia issue a recall to have this issue addressed.”
NHTSA complaint #11733089, 2026
Engine 57 3 fire
“Driving on the highway when all the lights on the dashboard came on and heard a loud sound. Pulled over and noticed flames coming out. The front part of the car 911 was called. An incident report was made. The flames were out quickly. The car was towed and is at the dealership.”
NHTSA complaint #11725589, 2026 · fire
“First there are holes in the block from a rod bearing coming off. It was leaking oil and started on fire. There are many recalls and law suits regarding this matter and we shouldn’t be on the hook for putting a new engine in.”
NHTSA complaint #11707297, 2025 · fire
“The contact owns a 2021 Kia Telluride. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and turned off, there was smoke coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the engine located on the rear driver's side had caught on fire. The vehicle was extinguished by the Fire Department. A fire report was filed, and a fire report number was not provided. The cause of the failure was not yet been determined. A Police report was not filed. There were no occupants at the time of the failure. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was towed to an im…”
NHTSA complaint #11670899, 2025 · fire
Electrical System 39 1 injury
“Here are some basic facts on what has happened: On August [XXX] I was in my driveway, in Mt Pleasant, SC, when my car rolled down my driveway with my two kiddos inside, resulting in me reacting and getting knocked over by the driver side door and the car running over my chest. I had 5 broken ribs, 4 are now titanium, several broken bones, a punctured lung and a torn acl. There is a police report but do not have to upload right now This was reported and Kia had my car for about a month to investigate it and gave us a very brief response stating “After the preliminary investigation results i…”
NHTSA complaint #11587469, 2023 · 1 injury(ies)
“While driving this vehicle in route to Philadelphia airport JFK, i experienced a total malfunction of the instrument cluster. All of the warning lights continued to go on and off and were illuminating on the cluster non stop along with a audible chiming, all of wich lasted the 3 hour trip. The car is available anytime. Warning lights/alarms were not only distracting but affected the spedometer which would shut down totally. No dealer or service center has been contacted yet.”
NHTSA complaint #11754085, 2026
“CATASTROPHIC FAILURE TIMELINE (13 DAYS) XXX: Delivery taken at 105,439 miles.XXX: My boyfriend noticed a cloud of smoke from exhaust as I pressed the accelerator pedal to leave the parking lot. I didn't notice because it was almost dark outside when leaving. He didn't notice again so he didn't stop me and told me when we got home. XXX (Day 12): Check Engine Light (CEL) on. Dipstick found dry. 2 quarts of oil purchased and added. Which brought the level right above the L line. Sent texts to both salesmen (Freedom and Driveway). Went to work in [XXX]. XXX (Day 13): Got home with Odometer: 106,9…”
NHTSA complaint #11753326, 2026
Structure 31
“My 2021 Kia Telluride (60,500 miles) experienced failure of the panoramic sunroof wind deflector arm/mechanism. The broken component is available for inspection. The failure prevents the sunroof system from operating properly and may result in improper sealing, water intrusion, or further mechanical damage. The issue was confirmed by a Kia dealership. Kia has issued Technical Service Bulletin BOD 319 addressing Telluride sunroof wind deflector arm and mechanism failures. Despite this bulletin, I was quoted approximately $4,000+ for replacement of the entire sunroof assembly instead of the com…”
NHTSA complaint #11753524, 2026
“Sunroof won't fully close which becomes a big issue when driving or parking the vehicle in the rain. Kia dealership diagnosed that the full sunroof assembly needs to be replaced at a total expense of $6,441.56 since the vehicle is out of the 5-year warranty period. No warning messages were displayed on the vehicle prior to this issue.”
NHTSA complaint #11742831, 2026
“I have used the sunroof on my 2021 Kia Telluride probably less than ten times in the 5 years I've owned it. I started getting a leak in front of my rearview mirror so I searched for the drains by opening the sunroof and fond them. Cleaned them out as best I could. closed the sunroof but was still having a leak. The next time I opened it to look at it, it jammed and wouldn't open completely or close. With a little help, i was able to get it back on track and close but still had the leak. Took to the dealership for service and to have them look for a problem with the sunroof. They said it…”
NHTSA complaint #11737292, 2026
Power Train 25
“I own a 2021 Kia Telluride with approximately 111,000 miles. I initially brought the vehicle to a Kia dealership for an oil consumption issue and engine noise. The dealership diagnosed and repaired a timing chain and tensioner issue, stating the vehicle was “working properly” upon return. After picking up the vehicle, I immediately began experiencing electrical warning lights, including the battery warning light and system alerts (blind spot and general warning indicators). I returned to the dealership, where they performed diagnostic testing and indicated a potential alternator issue, but st…”
NHTSA complaint #11739870, 2026
“Bought my 2021 kia telluride sx with a cpo warranty with a little over 69,000 miles. at about 73,000 my car began to smoke and the dealership that I bought the vehicle from kept it for the day and sent me on my way with no diagnosis just simply stating they couldnt duplicate the issue and confirming they did NO testing on the vehicle. They stated that they topped the coolant and checked the oil in which my oil was in good level. 2 days later I checked the oil trying to figure out why my car was smoking and my dipstick had NO reading and no signs of oil. I topped the oil and immediately took th…”
NHTSA complaint #11731466, 2026
“Hello, I've contacted customer service for Kia America and also, customer service in Puerto Rico since I'm a resident in Puerto Rico, so that I can address the safety recall with number SC303 and also a technical service bulletin with number BOD319. However, customer service advised that they can't pull up my SUV vehicle information with the VIN provided. I'm unable to address the safety recall and the technical service bulletin since Kia can't pull up the vehicle information. My vehicle is experiencing technical failure with the intermediate shaft as described on the safety recall. Also, th…”
NHTSA complaint #11730234, 2026
Visibility 23 1 injury
“The panoramic sunroof hinges on my vehicle snapped and a part of the assembly fell and hit me in the head while I was driving.”
NHTSA complaint #11604395, 2024 · 1 injury(ies)
“The contact owns a 2021 Kia Telluride. While the contact’s wife was driving approximately 60 MPH, the sunroof was open, and there was a loud sound coming from the sunroof, and metal pieces flew off the vehicle and fell inside the vehicle. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was out of warranty. The failure mileage was approximately 75,833.”
NHTSA complaint #11750569, 2026
“My wife was driving with my kids when there sounded like an explosion and the sunroof exploded. There was nothing around that hit the glass and we haven't been involved in any accidents that may have compromised the integrity of the glass. The sound sounds like an explosion and luckily when it scared my wife while driving, she didn't jerk the wheel and flip the vehicle. Also, thankfully the sunroof shade was closed otherwise glass would have exploded everywhere inside the vehicle hitting my kids and wife. It appears that it explodes up and in the middle of the sunroof by looking at how the…”
NHTSA complaint #11661106, 2025
Forward Collision Avoidance 20 3 crash 2 injury
“On February 16th at about 6 AM, I was in a collision. I was first hit in the front by a pickup truck impacting my frontside, from right to left. I expected my Kia Telluride to engage it's safety features such as, Automatic Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Warning, and at the very least the Airbags, which none of them deployed at anytime during this collision. I was then rear-ended by an 18-wheeler; smashing my entire back window. The 18-wheelers' trailer that it was holding then slide down on the passenger side of my 2021 Kia Telluride. With that my vehicle was then pushed into the guardra…”
NHTSA complaint #11573224, 2024 · crash · 1 injury(ies)
“Here are some basic facts on what has happened: On August [XXX] I was in my driveway, in Mt Pleasant, SC, when my car rolled down my driveway with my two kiddos inside, resulting in me reacting and getting knocked over by the driver side door and the car running over my chest. I had 5 broken ribs, 4 are now titanium, several broken bones, a punctured lung and a torn acl. There is a police report but do not have to upload right now This was reported and Kia had my car for about a month to investigate it and gave us a very brief response stating “After the preliminary investigation results i…”
NHTSA complaint #11587469, 2023 · 1 injury(ies)
“There were 2 lanes going in the same direction and I was on the right. The road was turning to the right and ended up hitting a car in the lane on the right. Road conditions were wet but no puddling. I depressed the brake pedal to reduce my speed for the turn, but and I kept going as if I hadn't hit it at all. By moving from the right to the left lane, the car was going up a slight bank. There was no skidding, no rumbling from the anti-lock, just a steady forward motion. I was so caught off guard with this unusual movement of the car that I thought my brakes had locked, so I didn't bother tr…”
NHTSA complaint #11570087, 2023 · crash
Suspension 18
“The rear suspension on the car has completely failed. The car is extremely bouncy and would be unsafe for young children and elderly people.”
NHTSA complaint #11751264, 2026
“I wish to amend my previous report dated 6/22/2026. #11745783. IT is is cv boot on the right side. I had a dealer do the repair. It is not under warranty, If you follow the Kia Telluride complaint page son FB, others have had the same issue. It cost $777.61 to repair. It should not need to be repaired at 72k miles. That is a third of the expected life expectancy. Thank you for considering this safety matter.”
NHTSA complaint #11746935, 2026
“The CV axel is bad and needs replaced. I am only at 72,000 miles. If I had not gotten an oil change and the technician saw it, it could have broken while driving this coming weekend for 14 hours. Independent service center is replacing. No warning. This could have caused a serious accident.”
NHTSA complaint #11745783, 2026
Service Brakes 14 3 crash 2 injury
“Here are some basic facts on what has happened: On August [XXX] I was in my driveway, in Mt Pleasant, SC, when my car rolled down my driveway with my two kiddos inside, resulting in me reacting and getting knocked over by the driver side door and the car running over my chest. I had 5 broken ribs, 4 are now titanium, several broken bones, a punctured lung and a torn acl. There is a police report but do not have to upload right now This was reported and Kia had my car for about a month to investigate it and gave us a very brief response stating “After the preliminary investigation results i…”
NHTSA complaint #11587469, 2023 · 1 injury(ies)
“My car was in park and went into reverse with my two kiddos in the car in my driveway. I tried to jump in but the car door knocked me over as the car rolled faster as I was holding my sweet one year old and ended up rolling over my ankle and chest. [XXX] fortunately ended up with a scratch but I ended up with a broken leg and 6 broken ribs, a punctured lung and torn acl. I am lucky to be alive There is a police report I do not have right now and a ton of medical bills INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)”
NHTSA complaint #11580152, 2023 · 1 injury(ies)
“There were 2 lanes going in the same direction and I was on the right. The road was turning to the right and ended up hitting a car in the lane on the right. Road conditions were wet but no puddling. I depressed the brake pedal to reduce my speed for the turn, but and I kept going as if I hadn't hit it at all. By moving from the right to the left lane, the car was going up a slight bank. There was no skidding, no rumbling from the anti-lock, just a steady forward motion. I was so caught off guard with this unusual movement of the car that I thought my brakes had locked, so I didn't bother tr…”
NHTSA complaint #11570087, 2023 · crash
Exterior Lighting 10
“Headlight on passenger side is no longer working causing unsafe visibility issues. While under warranty, the car was taken in for service at a Kia dealership twice for the same problem but during this time frame, the headlight issue was only occurring intermittently. Both times no repair or replacement was made and I was told the headlight was fine. The headlight ended up experiencing complete failure shortly after my warranty expired. I have pictures of my dash mileage when it happened. Researching online, I have discovered other Kia Telluride owners with similar complaints about their headl…”
NHTSA complaint #11661035, 2024
“The contact owns a 2021 Kia Telluride. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, other drivers were flashing their headlights, attempting to notify the contact that the front headlights were not functioning as intended. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the high beam headlights were replaced. The contact stated that on another occasion, while driving at various speeds, the driver’s side front high beam headlight failed to illuminate as intended. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, no cause for the failure was found. The high beam headlights were replaced. The co…”
NHTSA complaint #11653157, 2024
“Harness and wires damaged and chewed by woodchuck causing multiple warning lights and malfunctions including headlight; turning signal and temperature to suddenly stop working, resulting in front wiring harness replacement and repairs costing over $7k in damage.”
NHTSA complaint #11542412, 2023
Fuel/Propulsion System 7
“Code P0087 on a Kia Telluride indicates that the fuel rail pressure is too low. This means the engine is not receiving enough fuel, often resulting in poor acceleration, stalling, rough idle, and decreased power. It is frequently caused by a faulty high-pressure fuel pump... This is the code is threw when it stalled in busy traffic on a hill. The CEL came on at this point. Then continued to stall. Before this incident, it would periodically stall while in park, or rough idle and prolonged startup. However, this was sporadic and couldn't be recreated when taken to a mechanic. We were coming…”
NHTSA complaint #11728949, 2026
“The vehicle decelerated in the highway, from about 70mph to 40mhp with no warning, no check engine light, and no previous symptoms, sounds or other indicators. The vehicle was brought to the dealer who advised the high pressure fuel pump went bad as well as the solenoid and OCV harness, causing oil to be forced through the harness. KIA refused to cover the repairs at 74k miles and it was fixed at the owner expense, even after KIAs long history of failed high pressure fuel pumps in many other models. We were in the fast lane and were almost hit by a semi, who was thankfully able to move over at…”
NHTSA complaint #11709856, 2025
“On 12/24/25 the vehicle experienced the very same issue, on the highway, with my family in the car, coming from Christmas Eve festivities. The car decelerated and NO cel (check engine light) ever came on. when transporting to dealer, the car began rough idling like it wanted to die, but still no CEL. At this time, I am told there is a need for a new engine but no supporting documents or other diagnostic documentation has been shared with me and KIA at this time is refusing to resolve the issue under the powertrain warranty and the car is still under 80k miles (powertrain is until 100k) Additio…”
NHTSA complaint #11709402, 2025
Seats 5
“The contact owns a 2021 Kia Telluride. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V430000 (Seats). The contact was concerned about a vehicle fire. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to parts being on back order. The manufacturer was not contacted. The contact had not experienced a failure.”
NHTSA complaint #11752679, 2026
“I noticed the button to fold captain’s chair began working intermittently beginning of Jun, then the seat began to fold on my granddaughter then my daughter on 2 different occasions. I called dealership to get a diagnostic done but they couldn’t get me in until 29 Jun. After diagnostic I was told the seat actuator wasn’t working, though it wasn’t damaged, and would cost me over $2400 to replace! Kia corporation stated because I was over the 150k warranty, by 30 mi I’d just driven home from airport, they couldn’t help me.”
NHTSA complaint #11747568, 2026
“I have 2 issues going on with my vehicle. The trim on the outside of my doors is coming off which I know was a recall for some telluride vehicles about this old. Also ive been having some electrical issues/hot smell like something is burning if the heated seats get turned on.”
NHTSA complaint #11729468, 2026
Steering 5
“The contact owns a 2021 Kia Telluride. The contact stated that the passenger’s side drive shaft boot was leaking. The steering and mileage were affected by the failure. While making a turn, the steering wheel was readjusting. The accelerator pedal was depressed; after the pedal was released, the pedal jerked. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who confirmed there were no open recalls associated with the VIN. The brakes were reprogrammed. The vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that the front boot was leaking, and the axle and tires nee…”
NHTSA complaint #11744846, 2026
“I am submitting this complaint regarding my 2021 Kia Telluride experiencing repeated and dangerous electronic system failures while driving. Kia of East Syracuse (NY) diagnosed the issue as related to the backup camera assembly and communication/network failures. While driving, the vehicle experienced loss of power steering assist, instrument cluster failure, speedometer malfunction, incorrect gear indication, backup camera activation while driving forward, blind spot warnings activating incorrectly, flashing/blank temperature display, and multiple driver assistance system failures. The speedo…”
NHTSA complaint #11737499, 2026
“On [XXX] my vehicle had a collision warning signal, then tire pressure, then brake lights and entire dash instrument panel. I parked the vehicle, then later in the evening test drove it again and the panel lit up again, in addition to the loss of the speedometer, tachometer, gear display, and drive mode display, so I immediately drove it to Courtesy Kia in Altoona, PA. On 4/18/25 Wendy Giordano of Courtesy Kia confirmed vehicle intake Courtesy Kia reset codes and was unable to replicate or diagnose a repair. The vehicle was returned on 4/23/25 despite my expressed concerns over safety. On […”
NHTSA complaint #11667747, 2025
Air Bags 4 3 crash 3 injury
“The contact owned a 2021 Kia Telluride SX. The contact stated while the wife was driving 70MPH the vehicle was stuck on the rear driver's side and crashed into a tree. No warning lights were noticed. The air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was towed to an impound yard. The vehicle could possibly be totaled. There was a police report. The driver sustained injuries to the face, head, knee, chest, and shoulder. The passenger sustained back injuries. The spouse drove the passengers in a separate vehicle to the hospital where they received medical attention. The manufacturer was not informed of th…”
NHTSA complaint #11461602, 2022 · crash · 2 injury(ies)
“On February 16th at about 6 AM, I was in a collision. I was first hit in the front by a pickup truck impacting my frontside, from right to left. I expected my Kia Telluride to engage it's safety features such as, Automatic Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Warning, and at the very least the Airbags, which none of them deployed at anytime during this collision. I was then rear-ended by an 18-wheeler; smashing my entire back window. The 18-wheelers' trailer that it was holding then slide down on the passenger side of my 2021 Kia Telluride. With that my vehicle was then pushed into the guardra…”
NHTSA complaint #11573224, 2024 · crash · 1 injury(ies)
“I was broadsided by a chevy cobalt traveling over 40mph. The impact was so great it spun my vehicle. No airbags deployed at all and the rear passenger door took the brunt of the impact.”
NHTSA complaint #11458025, 2022 · crash
Back Over Prevention 4
“There rear parking sensors have come up with an error message. After I looked into this it looks like a wide spread problem. The Kia Dealership said it was the rear bumper harness was faulty. I am just outside of warranty and Kia is trying to charge $850 for a problem that they are well aware of and are not addressing. They are also claiming that the oil filter housing is damaged and I have only ever gone to a Kia dealership for oil changes. After researching, this also appears to be a widespread issue which they are trying to charge $450 for. These 2 issues are known defects and widely report…”
NHTSA complaint #11723311, 2025
“My main screen on my 2021 Telluride goes out suddenly, turning off the backup camera and collision warnings. Sometimes when I start the car it never turns on, sometimes it starts to boot and then goes out and sometimes it works for a few seconds/minutes and then turns off. Once and a while it turns on and stays on for days before going on randomly again.”
NHTSA complaint #11663365, 2025
“Anytime going through the car wash the front and back parking sensors don’t work and gives an error. It is now permanently stuck with this error.”
NHTSA complaint #11633021, 2024
Seat Belts 4
“The seat belt buckle in the driver position is failing to latch. It has to be pushed in multiple times in a row and very hard to get the seat belt buckle firmly latched. There has also been more than 1 occasion that I have been driving and all of a sudden the seat belt unbuckles and my seat belt not buckled light and dinging goes off. So it seemed it was fully buckled, but was not. This would be horrible if it unbuckled in a crash! This issues has been ongoing for about 2 months.”
NHTSA complaint #11715866, 2025
“After warranty work was performed on my Kia Telluride at an authorized Kia dealership, I discovered that the rear driver-side seatbelt had not been bolted back down. It was completely loose and hanging under the seat. This means my family could have been driving with no seatbelt protection at all. This is a serious safety failure and clear negligence. A seatbelt is one of the most basic, life-saving components in any vehicle. For a dealership to return a car to a customer without confirming all seatbelts are installed correctly shows a complete breakdown in safety inspection and quality contr…”
NHTSA complaint #11695361, 2025
“After sunroof repair seatbelt no longer functioning. Track seemed stuck so unable to retract seatbelt. Dealer said they had to take seatbelt apart for sunroof install and they didn’t put it back correctly. Took 2 days for repairs to be completed.”
NHTSA complaint #11617963, 2024
Vehicle Speed Control 4
“The contact owns a 2021 Kia Telluride. The contact stated that the passenger’s side drive shaft boot was leaking. The steering and mileage were affected by the failure. While making a turn, the steering wheel was readjusting. The accelerator pedal was depressed; after the pedal was released, the pedal jerked. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who confirmed there were no open recalls associated with the VIN. The brakes were reprogrammed. The vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that the front boot was leaking, and the axle and tires nee…”
NHTSA complaint #11744846, 2026
“On [XXX] my vehicle had a collision warning signal, then tire pressure, then brake lights and entire dash instrument panel. I parked the vehicle, then later in the evening test drove it again and the panel lit up again, in addition to the loss of the speedometer, tachometer, gear display, and drive mode display, so I immediately drove it to Courtesy Kia in Altoona, PA. On 4/18/25 Wendy Giordano of Courtesy Kia confirmed vehicle intake Courtesy Kia reset codes and was unable to replicate or diagnose a repair. The vehicle was returned on 4/23/25 despite my expressed concerns over safety. On […”
NHTSA complaint #11667747, 2025
“The front wiper blades get stuck when in use. This most often occurs when they are at their upper most point, but happens in a lower position as well. I had a previous issue where the left blade components had to be replaced because of stripped nuts/gears. This does not appear to be the same issue. I’ve taken it to the dealer and to another mechanic, neither of who could recreate the problem. This is quite dangerous as it impedes my visibility while driving in precipitation. The other issue is with buttons on the steering column that either do not work or miscommunication. This has bee…”
NHTSA complaint #11562706, 2023
Lane Departure 3
“While driving the Kia Telluride, the forward collision avoidance warnings started flashing, then said it was failing, then the tire pressure system did the same, then the speedometer and tachometer failed as did the turn signals, gear shift, and lights. The car was becoming unsafe to drive. The car has been at the dealer for 3 weeks now, the dealer changed the Cluster Assembly-Instrument at at cost of $2600. Within 1/2 of leaving the dealership the same problem noted above began happening, again making the car unsafe to drive. In researching on line at the KiaTelluride forum there have been…”
NHTSA complaint #11578022, 2024
“On my wished a small object hit my windshield on the passenger side and within an hour it spread more by the best day it was almost on the driver side of the windshield. Second, the forward collision and lane departure lights came on. I took the SUV to Kia they said it was an issue with the camera and they where going to order the part and replace it for me. It seem I was not the only one with this issue.”
NHTSA complaint #11432933, 2021
“The Blind Spot Warning light doesn't work all the time. I have read through the Kia owners manual and couldn't find an explanation for the malfunction. I have tested in local and highway driving both low and high speed during good days and nights. Warning only comes up sometimes, then stops and comes back only after vehicle restart, then repeats the issue.”
NHTSA complaint #11421611, 2021
Engine And Engine Cooling 2 1 fire
“The contact owns a 2021 Kia Telluride. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH there was a loud rattling sound that came from under the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact then pulled over safety. The contact stated there were parts of the vehicle that fell onto the highway. When the contact was on the side of the vehicle they checked under the hood, and located smoke and fire from the engine. The contact exhausted the flames with liquid from a nearby driver. The CHP and fire arrived on the scene; however, the fire was extinguished by the time of their…”
NHTSA complaint #11481776, 2022 · fire
Tires 2
“The rear driver side tire blew out when the vehicle was going approximately 70 mph. I attached photos of the damage. The low tire pressure light turned on about 5 minutes before the tire blew out. I took my vehicle to NTB to replace the tire. They determined because of the tread depth that all four tires needed to be replaced. The tread depth was 4mm and all their new tires were 10mm (even though the vehicle only has 25,000 miles). They did replace all four tires and said the insides of all the tires were cracked and had "dry rot" and it was only a matter of time before all the tires did t…”
NHTSA complaint #11517491, 2023
“These tires ball super quick and are a danger to the road. Others have complained as well on review sites. Since they wear fast they also pop easily. Have popped 3 tires in 1.5 years all different tires. 1st tire popped at 12K miles 2nd tire popped at 20k miles 3rd tire popped at 26k miles SCORPION ZERO ALL SEASON - SIZE: 245/50R20 These need recalled. They are pour quality and are a road hazard if anyone pops their tire at higher speeds. Thankfully all three of mine were lower speeds. I have now replaced the latest tire with a different brand as these tires put me at risk.”
NHTSA complaint #11475100, 2022
Wheels 2
“The rear shock is leaking/bad. My car only has 30K miles. It caused my wheels to wear unevenly, which could have led me and my family to have a car accident if a wheel popped while driving. An independent service center has confirmed this when the vehicle failed inspection. No warning of the issue.”
NHTSA complaint #11588187, 2024
“These tires ball super quick and are a danger to the road. Others have complained as well on review sites. Since they wear fast they also pop easily. Have popped 3 tires in 1.5 years all different tires. 1st tire popped at 12K miles 2nd tire popped at 20k miles 3rd tire popped at 26k miles SCORPION ZERO ALL SEASON - SIZE: 245/50R20 These need recalled. They are pour quality and are a road hazard if anyone pops their tire at higher speeds. Thankfully all three of mine were lower speeds. I have now replaced the latest tire with a different brand as these tires put me at risk.”
NHTSA complaint #11475100, 2022
Electronic Stability Control (Esc) 1 1 crash
“09/26/2020, 2:30PM CST, WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN STATIONARY 'AUTO HOLD' POSITION, STEPPED ON ACCELERATOR, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LURCH FORWARD VIOLENTLY, RESULTING IN A REAR-END COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE IN FRONT OF TELLURIDE. FILED UNDER PROGRESSIVE CLAIM #201457380, 09/26/2020.”
NHTSA complaint #11361397, 2020 · crash
Equipment 1
“The contact owns a 2021 Kia Telluride. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the infotainment center displayed a blank screen. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The dealer was made aware of the failure. In addition, the contact was informed that the repair was not covered under recall or warranty. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 66,000.”
NHTSA complaint #11735896, 2026
Latches/Locks/Linkages 1
“The contact owns a 2021 Kia Telluride. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the rear door latch was not operating properly, and the door failed to close as intended. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the wiring harness had melted. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 19,000.”
NHTSA complaint #11606132, 2024
Other/I Am Not Sure 1
“This car seat is missing any labels on the seat that have booster information. It is an all-in-one car seat and does have a booster mode. The manual does state the height, weight and age limit, but this is not noted anywhere on the stickers on the seat. This is a problem when the manual is not available.”
NHTSA complaint #11748824, 2026
How we read this (methodology)
How to read this: raw complaint totals are not a clean reliability score — a model year with more cars sold, or simply more years on the road, accumulates more complaints regardless of how good it is. So this page leans on two signals that are not distorted by sales volume: the share of complaints falling on each vehicle system (the breakdown above) and NHTSA's own crash / fire / injury / death flags. When we compare model years of the same model, we normalise by years on the road (complaints ÷ vehicle age) rather than comparing raw totals. Age-normalised, the 2021 Kia Telluride draws about 57.2 complaints per year on the road, ranking 4 of 5 among the Kia Telluride model years we have ingested (1 = most complaints per year on road).
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Data source: U.S. NHTSA (nhtsa.gov). SaveVIN surfaces public recall data and is not affiliated with or endorsed by NHTSA.