Your vehicle report
2021 Kia Telluride
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 373
- Received Aug 2020 to Oct 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Glass shatters or cracks without impact151 complaints · 40% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Engine burns excessive oil between changes26 complaints · 7.0% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Suspension struts and shocks wear out early16 complaints · 4.3% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #26V430000Park outsideKia 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.
- Recall #24V407000Park outsideKia 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.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
- Engine burns excessive oil between changesFirst signal: Apr 2025
- Suspension struts and shocks wear out earlyFirst signal: Jan 2024
Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 7 crashes, 4 fires, 9 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
- Glass shatters or cracks without impact
- Rear door latch fails to open or close
- Windshield wipers work intermittently or fail
1 more problem
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 17 |
| 2021 | 52 |
| 2022 | 35 |
| 2023 | 36 |
| 2024 | 72 |
| 2025 | 61 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 100 |
| Total | 373 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 151 | 40% | 11.3× | |
| Engine burns excessive oil between changes | 26 | 7.0% | 9.6× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Apr 2025 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 3.7% |
| Suspension struts and shocks wear out early | 16 | 4.3% | 11.6× | BrakeNews flag · First signal: Jan 2024 Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 4.5% |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 9 | 2.4% | 2.2× | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 8 | 2.1% | – | |
| Engine stalls and loses power while driving | 8 | 2.1% | 2.4× | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 7 | 1.9% | 1.3× | NHTSA recall #22V626000 |
| Steering wheel shakes violently at highway speed | 6 | 1.6% | – | |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 5 | 1.3% | – | |
| Instrument cluster or speedometer fails | 5 | 1.3% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 5 | 1.3% | 1× | |
| Automatic emergency braking applies without reason | 5 | 1.3% | – | |
| Windshield wipers work intermittently or fail | 4 | 1.1% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 4 | 1.1% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 4 | 1.1% | – | |
| Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps | 4 | 1.1% | – | |
| Paint peels off roof and hood | 3 | 0.8% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 3 | 0.8% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 3 | 0.8% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 3 | 0.8% | 0.8× |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #26V430000July 2, 2026462,869 vehicles affected
Park outside: NHTSA advises this until the repair is done.
seats: front assembly: power adjust
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.
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.
NHTSA recall #24V407000June 5, 2024462,869 vehicles affected
Park outside: NHTSA advises this until the repair is done.
seats: front assembly: power adjust
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.
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.
NHTSA recall #22V626000August 15, 202236,417 vehicles affected
Park outside: NHTSA advises this until the repair is done.
trailer hitches
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.
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.
NHTSA recall #24V214000March 20, 2024427,407 vehicles affected
power train: driveline: driveshaft
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.
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.
NHTSA recall #21V164000March 11, 2021142 vehicles affected
air bags: air bag/restraint control module; 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."
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.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2021 Kia Telluride.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN