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2023 Kia Telluride

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2023 Kia Telluride do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 215.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 15 of 206 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.

  • Electrical System. Review the 49 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Visibility/wiper. Review the 29 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

5 crash reports2 fire reports3 injury reports

Engine complaints

23 reports
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Mileage unknown · Sep 30, 2025
Electrical SystemEngineUnknown Or Other

First issue, the entire screen went black while driving. Couldn't see navigation, speed other critical information. Was at the dealership a few weeks got it back and the hazard lights no longer worked but they did before it had gone to the dealership. Screen went out again and took it back. Dealership had it a few weeks fixe…

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First issue, the entire screen went black while driving. Couldn't see navigation, speed other critical information. Was at the dealership a few weeks got it back and the hazard lights no longer worked but they did before it had gone to the dealership. Screen went out again and took it back. Dealership had it a few weeks fixed hazards and started a ticket with Kia engineering. Screen still goes out randomly. Electrical is messed up and car won't start randomly while screen blinks on and off. Been in the shop multiple times for weeks at a time for this issue and they say there is nothing wrong because they can't duplicate it while they have it. They have had to pick it up from my home because it wouldn't start and still say there is nothing wrong with the vehicle.

NHTSA ODI #11690607

Mileage unknown · Jun 26, 2025
Engine

The engines mounting bolts failed. Engine nearly fell out of the car according to the dealer mechanic.

NHTSA ODI #11669554

Mileage unknown · May 8, 2025
Engine

MY 2023 TELLURIDE HAS 50K MILES ON IT, AND WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING MY DAUGHTER TO SCHOOL SHE NOTICED THAT THE AIR CONDITIONING WASNT WORKING. SO I LOOKED ONLINE AND SAW THAT IT MAY BE A COUPLE THINGS. MAJOR COMPLAINT WAS THAT KIA WAS NOT COVERING THERE WARRANTY FOR THERE CONDESOR THAT FAILS BECAUSE THEY CLAIM A ROCK HITS IT. …

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MY 2023 TELLURIDE HAS 50K MILES ON IT, AND WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING MY DAUGHTER TO SCHOOL SHE NOTICED THAT THE AIR CONDITIONING WASNT WORKING. SO I LOOKED ONLINE AND SAW THAT IT MAY BE A COUPLE THINGS. MAJOR COMPLAINT WAS THAT KIA WAS NOT COVERING THERE WARRANTY FOR THERE CONDESOR THAT FAILS BECAUSE THEY CLAIM A ROCK HITS IT. SO I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY CONFIRMED MY NIGHTMARE, THAT IT WAS A ROCK AND THAT IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER THE 100K WARRANTY. IT IS MY FEELING THAT THIS IS A DEFECT IN THE MANUFACTURING OF THE VEHICLE IF YOU FIND MAY DIFFERENT TELLURIDES ONLINE, WITH VARIATION OF MILES ON THEM AND THEY ALL FAIL, AND THE COMPANY CHARGES ITS CUSTOMERS $1800 TO FIX IT. PLEASE HELP

NHTSA ODI #11659795

Mileage unknown · May 1, 2025
EngineService BrakesSteering

The vehicle has now been towed three times, completely shut down while driving three times, with the latest incident being especially dangerous-the car shut off while in drive, the brakes failed, and the steering wheel locked. My [XXX] child was in the car with me, and we were nearly hit by a semi-truck. It was a terrifying exp…

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The vehicle has now been towed three times, completely shut down while driving three times, with the latest incident being especially dangerous-the car shut off while in drive, the brakes failed, and the steering wheel locked. My [XXX] child was in the car with me, and we were nearly hit by a semi-truck. It was a terrifying experience that could have been fatal. Not to mention when I was able to get the vehicle to stop, the hazards wouldn't even turn on and continued to put us in danger. My Telluride has been at the dealership for 7 weeks, and the service department still has no clear answer as to why this is happening. Kia corporate has been unresponsive, not taking the situation seriously, and offering no resolution or accountability. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI #11658207

20,000 miles · Dec 12, 2024
EngineFire

The contact owns a 2023 Kia Telluride. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, she was flagged down by another driver who informed her that there was a fire near the rear exterior of the vehicle. The contact merged to the shoulder of the road and discovered that the fire had extinguished on its own. No warning…

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The contact owns a 2023 Kia Telluride. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, she was flagged down by another driver who informed her that there was a fire near the rear exterior of the vehicle. The contact merged to the shoulder of the road and discovered that the fire had extinguished on its own. No warning lights were illuminated. A fire and police report was not filed. No injuries were reported. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where the inspection was being performed. The was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000. The VIN was not available.

NHTSA ODI #11630349

35,100 miles · Feb 26, 2024
EngineVehicle Speed Control

The contact owns a 2023 Kia Telluride. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle did not accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated before accelerating. The contact stated that the failure started while the vehicle was in snow mode and th…

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The contact owns a 2023 Kia Telluride. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle did not accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated before accelerating. The contact stated that the failure started while the vehicle was in snow mode and then the contact noticed that the failure was occurring while in other selected traction modes. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 35,100.

NHTSA ODI #11573955

Mileage unknown · Jan 24, 2024
Engine

I bought my car on August 28, 2023 (2023 Kia Telluride EX AWD) with 8 miles on it. I took it in in November for an oil change. That was around 7500 miles. Then i started hearing a ticking noise and immediately went to the dealership to report it on or around December 1, 2023. The initial testing of my engine was an entire week. …

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I bought my car on August 28, 2023 (2023 Kia Telluride EX AWD) with 8 miles on it. I took it in in November for an oil change. That was around 7500 miles. Then i started hearing a ticking noise and immediately went to the dealership to report it on or around December 1, 2023. The initial testing of my engine was an entire week. I had to pay for a rental out of my pocket until Kia approved for a rental. I was told that my Engine had metal shavings in it and they had to check the transmission also. The engine had to be replaced. I was told it was on National Backorder and I wouldn't have my car back before February. I complained to corporate and for some reason my engine was there the following week. It was frustrating having a brand-new Kia Telluride EX AWD and the engine goes bad. This is my 5th Kia and the first incident I had with a Kia.

NHTSA ODI #11567457

1,000 miles · Jan 18, 2024
EnginePower Train

The contact owns a 2023 Kia Telluride. The contact stated that on two separate occasions while driving the vehicle in Snow Mode and attempting to accelerate while making a left turn, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact stopped and restarted the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to th…

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The contact owns a 2023 Kia Telluride. The contact stated that on two separate occasions while driving the vehicle in Snow Mode and attempting to accelerate while making a left turn, the vehicle lost motive power. The contact stopped and restarted the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 1,000.

NHTSA ODI #11566230

Mileage unknown · Jan 17, 2024
EnginePower TrainVehicle Speed Control

Telluride was in snow mode with 4 wheel lock activated due to snow covered roads. I was at a stop light, when light turned green I removed my foot from the break. My vehicle began to roll forward slightly as it always does. I gently pressed the gas to continue forward but vehicle did not gain speed, it continued to slowly roll a…

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Telluride was in snow mode with 4 wheel lock activated due to snow covered roads. I was at a stop light, when light turned green I removed my foot from the break. My vehicle began to roll forward slightly as it always does. I gently pressed the gas to continue forward but vehicle did not gain speed, it continued to slowly roll as if my foot was not pressing the gas. I removed my foot from the gas and again pressed the gas gently, my vehicle was not advancing. I deactivated the 4 wheel lock feature but remained in snow mode, gently pressed the gas and my vehicle advanced as normal. The same incident happened with my husband the day prior. Several complete stops were made prior to the incident while in snow mode with 4 wheel lock activated and no issues occurred. After research and reading other incidents like mine it appears this is a common issue. Most people stated this was normal to prevent sliding and spinning. If this is a normal feature then KIA needs to revisit this and consider safety. It is not safe to be rolling into an intersection and having no power when pressing the gas. KIA owners should not have to switch drive modes or deactivate a feature to have the ability to advance their vehicle out of an intersection. This feature could result in serious accidents.

NHTSA ODI #11566075

Mileage unknown · Nov 22, 2023
Electrical SystemEngineUnknown Or Other

There is something wrong with the electrical system that drains the battery. I keep getting. An ESC code, and then the battery goes dead. The car has been at the dealership for the past three days and they are unable to duplicate the problem. I showed them a video I took of the instrument cluster which shows the code and electri…

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There is something wrong with the electrical system that drains the battery. I keep getting. An ESC code, and then the battery goes dead. The car has been at the dealership for the past three days and they are unable to duplicate the problem. I showed them a video I took of the instrument cluster which shows the code and electrical issues. The Kia dealership says they cannot do anything about the code because they are unable to duplicate the air while the vehicle is in their possession. This has happened twice on a new 2023 car. The dealership says they are returning me my vehicle with no resolution. So essentially, I’m getting a broken car returned to me. When you online search “ESC” Kia there appears to be a lot of complaints about this exact same issue but no fix?

NHTSA ODI #11556445

Official recalls

6

26V430000 · 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.

25V494000 · Structure:exterior Trim

Jul 28, 2025

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Telluride vehicles. The door belt molding trim can delaminate and detach from the vehicle.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A detached trim piece can become a road hazard for other vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the belt molding trim assemblies as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 19, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC347.

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.

23V298000 · Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/panel

Apr 26, 2023

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage Plug-in Hybrid, Niro Hybrid, Niro Plug-in Hybrid, Soul, and Telluride vehicles equipped with a digital instrument cluster containing a 4.2" LCD screen.  The instrument cluster may fail to display any information when the vehicle is started.  As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 101, "Control and Displays," and 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A blank instrument cluster display will not show critical information, such as tire pressure, warning messages, and warning lights, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will update the instrument cluster software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 26, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC270.

23V035000 · Air Bags:side/window

Jan 29, 2023

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Telluride vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the wire harnesses for the second row seat side air bags may become damaged, causing them not to deploy in the event of a crash.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace, or secure the air bag wire harnesses, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 28, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC262.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.