We were driving the car and it began lurching unpredictably. It was difficult to maneuver safely. It is now 3 weeks past that time and my Kia has been at the dealership this entire time. The dealer says that they cannot do anything without checking with Kia HQ and each time they do, Kia has them run another diagnostic.
2021 Kia Telluride
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2021 Kia Telluride do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 215.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Telluride years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 40 of 360 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Visibility/wiper. Review the 63 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 62 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 40 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Power Train complaints
27 reportsI DROVE MY BRAND NEW TELLURIDE OFF THE LOT WITH APPROXIMATELY 12 MILES ON IT. ABOUT A MONTH AFTER HAVING IT I NOTICED THE FOLLOWING: WHEN ENTERING A HIGHWAY FROM ABOUT 20-25 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GRADUALLY ACCELERATE ALLOWING ME TO ENTER THE HIGHWAY. AS I CONTINUE TO PRESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL THE RPMS WOULD EVENTUALLY J…
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I DROVE MY BRAND NEW TELLURIDE OFF THE LOT WITH APPROXIMATELY 12 MILES ON IT. ABOUT A MONTH AFTER HAVING IT I NOTICED THE FOLLOWING: WHEN ENTERING A HIGHWAY FROM ABOUT 20-25 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GRADUALLY ACCELERATE ALLOWING ME TO ENTER THE HIGHWAY. AS I CONTINUE TO PRESS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL THE RPMS WOULD EVENTUALLY JUMP UP AND THE VEHICLE WOULD LAUNCH ITSELF FORWARD. REACHING 5000-6000 RPMS. WHEN I LET OFF THE ACCELERATOR THE ENGINE WOULD DOWNSHIFT SIMILAR TO A MANUAL TRANSMISSION AND WOULD JERK AS IT CHANGED GEARS AND THE RPMs DECREASE. ADDITIONALLY, WHEN CREEPING IN TRAFFIC I NOTICE JERKY AND HESITATION FROM THE ENGINE/TRANSMISSION. THIS IS QUITE DANGEROUS AS ONE TIME IT ALMOST LAUNCHED ME INTO THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. MERGING ONTO A HIGHWAY IS ALSO QUITE DANGEROUS AS I AM NOT CONFIDENT THE VEHICLE WILL ACCELERATE WHEN I ATTEMPT TO MERGE. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO A DEALERSHIP AND HAD THE TECHNICIAN DRIVE IT AND HE CONCURRED THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP HAS TRIED WORKING WITH THE MANUFACTURER BUT TO NO AVAIL AFTER 3 MONTHS. NOW THE DEALERSHIP WON'T EVEN CALL ME BACK. THE DEALERSHIP, VIA THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE MANUFACTURER, HAS RESET "ADAPTIVE VALUES" AT LEAST 3 TIMES, BUT THAT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THERE ARE NO WARNING LIGHTS OR MESSAGES OF A PROBLEM. WHILE QUITE NOTICEABLE, THIS PROBLEM IS EVEN MORE NOTICEABLE WHEN IT IS IN SPORT MODE.
I DROVE MY BRAND NEW TELLURIDE OFF THE LOT WITH 11 MILES ON IT. BEFORE I GAINED SPEEDS OVER 50MPH MY VEHICLE WOULD JERK AS IT CHANGED GEARS AND THE RPM INCREASED. AFTER I STOPPED AT STOP SIGNS OR RED LIGHTS AND THEN BEGAN TO ACCELERATE AGAIN, THE CAR WOULD JERK, THE ENGINE WOULD REV UP AND NO ACCELERATION WOULD HAPPEN. IF I KEPT…
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I DROVE MY BRAND NEW TELLURIDE OFF THE LOT WITH 11 MILES ON IT. BEFORE I GAINED SPEEDS OVER 50MPH MY VEHICLE WOULD JERK AS IT CHANGED GEARS AND THE RPM INCREASED. AFTER I STOPPED AT STOP SIGNS OR RED LIGHTS AND THEN BEGAN TO ACCELERATE AGAIN, THE CAR WOULD JERK, THE ENGINE WOULD REV UP AND NO ACCELERATION WOULD HAPPEN. IF I KEPT PRESSING THE GAS, EVENTUALLY THE CAR WOULD JERK AGAIN, CATCH THE GEAR AND DRIVE. THIS HAPPENED EVERY SINGLE TIME I WOULD STOP AND GO AGAIN. OVER SPEEDS OF 50-60MPH I DID NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM.
WHILE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE AT 65-70MPH A HIGH-SPEED LOW-TONE OSCILLATING VIBRATION CAN BE HEARD AND FELT AND CONTINUES THROUGH 75MPH.
THE VEHICLE STARTED VIBRATING WITHIN A MONTH OF THE PURCHASE AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 60-80. SEVERAL TRIPS TO KIA WITH KIA TECH LINE AND THEY DENY THE VEHICLE HAS AN ISSUE. THEY SAID THE VIBRATION MEASURED WITH A PICOSCOPE WAS WITHIN THE NORMAL RANGE. AFTER FIGHTING WITH KIA CONSUMERS, I TOOK IT TO A DRIVESHAFT SPECIALIST FOR AN INDEP…
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THE VEHICLE STARTED VIBRATING WITHIN A MONTH OF THE PURCHASE AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 60-80. SEVERAL TRIPS TO KIA WITH KIA TECH LINE AND THEY DENY THE VEHICLE HAS AN ISSUE. THEY SAID THE VIBRATION MEASURED WITH A PICOSCOPE WAS WITHIN THE NORMAL RANGE. AFTER FIGHTING WITH KIA CONSUMERS, I TOOK IT TO A DRIVESHAFT SPECIALIST FOR AN INDEPENDENT DIAGNOSIS. THE FINDINGS FROM THE DRIVESHAFT SPECIALIST WERE QUITE ALARMING AND IT'S OBVIOUS KIA IS TRYING TO HIDE THE PROBLEM AND FORCING CUSTOMERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM TO LIVE WITH IT. DRIVESHAFT SPECIALIST TOLD ME THIS PROBLEM WOULD GET WORSE AND AFFECT OTHER AREAS OF THE VEHICLE. I HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING A KIA FORUM AND THEY ARE LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF TELLURIDE AWD'S WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. YESTERDAY I TRADED MY VEHICLE OFF AT A $6K LOSS SO I DID NOT HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE HEADACHES AND KEEP FIGHTING KIA. THIS IS NOT RIGHT TO CONSUMERS AND HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE THEIR 2020 AWD TELLURIDE. IT APPEARS TO BE A MANUFACTURING DESIGN FLAW. I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE TEXAS ATTORNEY GENERAL #CGS-266219 IN OCTOBER. I HAVE FILED NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS WITH KIA CONSUMER ASSISTANCE CASE #13767404. THEY OFFERED ME $2500 AND WANTED ME TO SIGN OFF ON THE COMPLAINT. I HAVE NOT SIGNED ANYTHING OR RECEIVED ANY MONIES. I JUST LOST $6,000 BECAUSE OF THESE PEOPLE SO $2500 IS NOT COVERING MY LOSS. I HAVE RECENTLY RECOVERED FROM SURGERY, CHEMO, AND RADIATION AND DO NOT HAVE THE STRENGTH TO FIGHT THIS GIANT. THEY NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. THERE IS A KIA FORUM ON VIBRATION WHERE THERE ARE LITERALLY SEVERAL HUNDRED PEOPLE WITH THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE HELP US HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE.
THERE IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH TELLURIDES AND HYUNDAI PALISADE VEHICLES RIGHT NOW WITH EXCESSIVE VIBRATION WHEN SPEEDS REACH 55MPH - 70MPH. KIA CONSUMER ASSISTANCE AND DEALERS ARE NOT BEING HELPFUL. THEY ROAD FORCED BALANCED MY WHEELS AND SENT ME HOME...I TOLD THEM IT'S NOT FIXED AND NOW THEY WANT ME TO TAKE IT BACK. THERE ARE MULT…
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THERE IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH TELLURIDES AND HYUNDAI PALISADE VEHICLES RIGHT NOW WITH EXCESSIVE VIBRATION WHEN SPEEDS REACH 55MPH - 70MPH. KIA CONSUMER ASSISTANCE AND DEALERS ARE NOT BEING HELPFUL. THEY ROAD FORCED BALANCED MY WHEELS AND SENT ME HOME...I TOLD THEM IT'S NOT FIXED AND NOW THEY WANT ME TO TAKE IT BACK. THERE ARE MULTIPLE PEOPLE ON FORUM/MESSAGING BOARD WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. KIA REPLACES DRIVESHAFTS/AWD COUPLERS ON SOME WHICH RESOLVES THE ISSUES BUT IGNORES OTHERS. THEY NEED A TSB TO FIX THIS UNIVERSALLY. THIS PIECEMEAL APPROACH HAS GOTTEN THEM IN TROUBLE WITH NHSTA ALREADY.
THE STEERING WHEEL AND SEATS VIBRATE WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 60-80MPH. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE ON TELLURIDES AND PALISADES THAT IS FIXED BY REPLACING WITH A PROPERLY BALANCED DRIVESHAFT. HOWEVER THE DEALER REFUSES TO PROCEED AND KIA CONSUMER AFFAIRS HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO WORK WITH.
Official recalls
526V430000 · Seats:front Assembly:power Adjust
Jul 2, 2026
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: 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.
24V407000 · Seats:front Assembly:power Adjust
Jun 5, 2024
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: 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.
24V214000 · Power Train:driveline:driveshaft
Mar 20, 2024
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: 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.
22V626000 · Trailer Hitches
Aug 15, 2022
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: 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.
21V164000 · Air Bags: Air Bag/restraint Control Module; Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification:front Passenger
Mar 11, 2021
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."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: 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.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Air Bags:sensor:occupant Classification:front Passenger
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."
Consequence: 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.
Air Bags: Air Bag/restraint Control Module
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."
Consequence: 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.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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