2021 Kia Telluride

I drive a Kia Telluride and while driving down the highway two pieces of plastic fell down into the passenger seat. Next the window flew up into the air. I had to physically hold the window down while driving with children in the back seat. No warranty will cover the sunroof and I was quoted $6000 to fix it. Upon searching this information I found that this has happened to multiple people and Kia is not trying to fix it. I spent all of my savings on this car to be able to transport my family safely. This did not happen.

The rear frame of my 2021 Kia Telluride has a broken weld. This is a structural failure that compromises the safety and integrity of the vehicle. The Kia dealership mechanic who inspected it confirmed the weld was defective and also stated they have heard other Tellurides with the same issue. A broken frame weld poses a serious risk to vehicle occupants in the event of a crash and may affect handling, towing, and long-term durability. This appears to be a recurring defect and should be investigated as a potential safety hazard. After several trips to the dealership, for the loud metal to metal type bang, they have replaced struts, rear stab links and shock absorbers. On 9/17/2025 the mechanic was given a list of items to inspect and the dealership informed me that one of the items on the list was to check the frame welds. I was informed that they found the broken weld and have forward pictures to KIA engineers. I was informed that the car is safe to drive and they will get back to me within a couple weeks. They offered me a loaner car but it would be a KIA Soul which is too small for my wife that has bad knees to get in and out of. I do not have pictures of the problem and the dealership didn't want to copy me.

ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 31, AT APPROXIMATELY 12PM, I WAS DRIVING SOUTH ON UNION BLVD., COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, BETWEEN ACACIA DR. AND CIRCLE DR., WHEN I HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION COMING FROM MY ROOF. I DID NOT FEEL ANYTHING HIT MY CAR AND DID NOT SEE ANYTHING OR ANYBODY THAT COULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LOUD SOUND. I DROVE TO A SAFE PLACE AND GOT OUT OF MY CAR TO DISCOVER A HOLE IN AND SHATTERED GLASS FROM MY SUNROOF. FORTUNATELY, THE SUNSHADE WAS CLOSED, KEEPING THE GLASS FROM FALLING INTO MY CAR AND DAMAGING ITS INTERIOR OR HURTING ME. IT WAS A CLEAR 74-DEGREE DAY WITH NO TRAFFIC IN FRONT, OR TO EITHER SIDE OF ME. THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT SOMETHING HIT THE SUNROOF. -WHAT FAILED OR MALFUNCTIONED: THE SUNROOF. -HOW WAS MY SAFETY PUT AT RISK: HAD THE SUNVISOR BEEN OPENED, SHATTERED GLASS COULD HAVE HURT OR CAUSED ME TO CRASH. -VEHICLE OR COMPONENT INSPECTION: IT IS AT THE PEAK KIA SERVICE CENTER BEING LOOKED AT NOW. I AM WAITING FOR MY INSURANCE CLAIMS ADJUSTER TO GET BACK WITH ME. -ANY WARNINGS OR KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROBLEM PRIOR TO THE EXPLOSION: NO. THERE WAS NO ADVANCE WARNING OR KNOWLEDGE. THE FIRST THAT I KNEW ABOUT THE SUNROOF WAS FROM THE EXPLOSIVE SOUND, WHICH SCARED THE HECK OUT OF ME. I HAVE MORE PHOTOS, BUT CAN'T UPLOAD THEM BECAUSE I AM STRUGGLING TO CONVERT THEM FROM HEIC TO JPG.

Sunroof has failed to close. A sunroof that does not close 1. Could allow for build up of moisture within the the vehicle causing mold which could cause respiratory issues. 2. An open sunroof could lead to theft of the vehicle The dealer has stated that sun roof fell off the track and will need to replaced. The Kia dealer completed a diagnostic review. There were no warnings

I was driving at approximately 65-70 mph on the freeway at around 7:40 AM when the sunroof glass spontaneously exploded above me. The sound was terrifying...literally like an explosion or gunshot going off. Thankfully, I did not jerk the wheel at this high speed from the scare and the sunroof shade was closed, preventing glass shards from falling on top of me. The sunroof was not hit by any debris and was not near any large trucks, so it was a huge surprise when it happened.

The sunroof button is defective. It allows both the “vent” and “slide open” functions to activate at the same time, which should not be mechanically possible. This causes the sunroof to jam and break the track system. It’s a design flaw that leads to physical damage and could easily become a safety issue if the sunroof fails while driving or during a storm. This needs to be addressed before more owners end up with broken hardware from a faulty control system.