Kia Telluride Complaints (2021)

374 consumer complaints on file.

#11708378January 2, 2026
ENGINE
The checked engine light came on with Code: P219C00. Vehicle was taken to the Kia Perris dealership for maintenance inspection. This happened after the vehicle had to be taken back to dealership for an oil leak post oil change service. The issue has been reported by multiple owners on Reddit. Seems like a manufacturer issue that should be addressed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11707979December 31, 2025
ENGINE
Bought the vehicle in February. The vehicle is burning oil too fast. In 1 week 5 qts. I don't drive much as I work from home. Kia dealer wants thousands of dollars. I paid for extended warranty.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11707761December 30, 2025
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN
I purchased the 2021 Telluride (former owner of a Sportage, Rio and Sorento). I have our local mechanic handle maintenance and service. After paying $1,400 for a tune up to address misfiring, we quickly concluded the transmission was shot and my engine was burning theough every drop of oil before it was due for a change. I went to Kia of Des Moines, since it is covered under a 200k/20-year warranty. They replaced the transmission under warranty, I shared my mechanic details for records, and they told me they were going to do an oil consumption test. They sent me on my way, asking for me to return after 1,000 miles. I did (and then my car began shaking, but we thought it was due to snow conditions) and they quickly said, "Yes, it is an issue!" My Telluride burned through almost 2.5 quarts of oil in 1,000 miles. I left on 12/15, being told they would have direction from Kia corporate on next steps and acknowledged I need a vehicle loaner during repairs (single disabled mother, who has to travel safely). I did not hear back, chasing for updates. Yesterday, Steven text me saying I would need to authorize $1,600 engine tear down fee in order to confirm issue. I asked for Denny, the manager to contact me. I also called Kia Care, who said it is up to dealer. I am seeing so many issues with Tellurides burning oil. And, I do not have $1,600 to make my vehicle safe - that amount would make me sacrifice my home or another necessity. Google said to fight it and to submit a form to you also. I have to fight this because I have no other choice than to sell an organ. I will stock up on oil to keep filling it so my engine doesn't blow up, but have incredible fear of being stranded and not being able to get my vehicle towed or us home safely. If there is anything you can assist with, I appreciate it. I just found out my parent's 2023 telluride is burning too much oil too - they haven't got the $1,600 sticker, but I know that amount will wreck them also.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11707297December 27, 2025
ENGINE
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
Yes
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11707249December 27, 2025
STRUCTURE:BODY
The plastic arms of the sunroof deflector assembly broke. Part # - (81690-S8000). Now my sunroof won't close.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11706739December 23, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
1) What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The panoramic sunroof assembly — specifically the sunroof panel and its track/mechanism — failed. The sunroof panel came off its track and damaged related components (e.g., guide rails/wind deflector arms). The damaged sunroof and broken parts are available for inspection upon request. 2) How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The sunroof panel dislodged unexpectedly during normal use. This could have caused objects or glass to fall into the cabin or onto the roadway, presenting a risk of injury to occupants or other road users. Sudden failure of the sunroof mechanism also poses a distraction while driving. 3) Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes. The dealership/service center inspected the vehicle and confirmed the sunroof panel was off its track and broken. (If the dealer refused to acknowledge it as a defect, state: “The dealership inspected the failure but did not classify it as a warranty defect.”) 4) Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? The vehicle/sunroof was inspected by an authorized Kia dealership service department. (If applicable: “Insurance representatives were not involved.” / “Kia corporate has not inspected the vehicle.”) 5) Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? There were no warning lamps or dashboard messages prior to the sunroof failure. There were no abnormal noises or operational symptoms immediately before the sunroof panel disengaged from its track.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11706337December 20, 2025
STRUCTURE:BODY
Wind deflecters on sunroof have broken off which is making it inoperable.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11705733December 17, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
My stationary sunroof exploded with no Impact while driving. You can tell from. Photos the hole is inside to outside. This happened May 1st, I had it repaired with OEM glass on 5/10 and from day 1 after the repair had the shade vented to alleviate hot air getting trapped as they say they could be a factor. Well then it happened again today on Dec. 17th !! Something is wrong with either frame or the glass KIA is using !
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11704186December 10, 2025
SUSPENSION
Rear shocks unstable. When on rough roads or small imperfections in the road it’s hard to control vehicle and items/people get abruptly jostled. The dealership has been notified but says it’s not a recall and will look at it but can only take pictures and send it off to main office. No warning of this failure.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11703071December 4, 2025
POWER TRAIN
The oil filter housing is made of plastic and it cracked causing a major oil leak. There were no warning lights on the dash. Our family had just gotten into the car to visit family for Thanksgiving. I ran back into the house to get something and when I came back I first saw a large puddle of oil where the car was parked then I looked at the car and could see oil streaming out. At first I thought the filter or the oil drain plug had come loose. We had our local mechanic look at it and he said it was a common problem they see with plastic housings instead of metal. We called the closet KIA dealership and they said it was a known problem but KIA has not issued a recall. I searched online and found many complaints. If I had not noticed the leak we could have either had a fire or major damage to the engine.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11700613November 20, 2025
STRUCTURE:BODY
The door belt molding trim detached. It is available for inspection. If not caught before it completely detached it would have caused a road hazard. Models from 2023-2025 have already been recalled but not my 2021 model which has the same issue. The vehicle was inspected by the dealership I bought it from but they were unwilling to take responsibility since the recall didn't encompass my 2021 model. Kia Corp also was unwilling to take responsibility after I brought the issue to their attention. I noticed the trim pealing off the car. It took little effort to remove it completely and I'm glad I did because it would have fallen off while we were driving.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11700236November 19, 2025
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
On 11/01/2025, while traveling on the highway traveling at a speed of 80mph, my vehicle suddenly would not accelerate beyond 60 mph. I managed to exit safely, but this created a dangerous situation for both me, my daughter and other motorists . The next day, Firestone inspected the vehicle and informed me the engine contained zero oil—yet no oil light, check-engine light, temperature warning, or sensor alerts were triggered at any point. There were no visible oil leaks, suggesting internal oil consumption, which I had reported to Kia in October of 2024. On 10/21/2024, I paid $3,300 for a flywheel/ignition repair at a Kia dealership. When I dropped off the vehicle for that repair, I specifically reported abnormal oil consumption and requested it be checked. Kia did not diagnose or remedy the concern. The combination of: -Complete oil loss -No warning indicators -Sudden loss of power and inability to accelerate -Occurring at highway speed constitutes a critical safety defect. Drivers cannot take preventative action if the vehicle provides no indication of catastrophic engine failure until it is already occurring. This defect exposes drivers, passengers, and surrounding motorists to severe risk of collision or injury. Additionally, the dealership later provided a Carfax entry simple stating "car maintenance" on 10/22/2024. No record of what was repaired, indicating inaccurate or incomplete documentation. I am requesting that NHTSA: -Review this incident as a potential engine safety defect. -investigate whether other 2021 Kia Telluride owners are experiencing similar catastrophic oil -loss or lack of warning indicators. -Assess whether current recalls adequately address this failure pattern. -Determine whether an additional recall or investigation is warranted.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11696343October 29, 2025
SERVICE BRAKES
After having a rear brake replacement on 10/14/25 - was driving to work on 10/28/25, hear a clunk noise that repeated at random. When pulling thru a parking lot I lost my brakes completely. When I parked the car I looked at the brake and the newly installed caliper had fallen apart. Towed to shop to have the vehicle looked and then replaced the caliper with the same brand caliper from the dealership.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11696275October 29, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I tried to open the sunroof and it made a loud "popping" sound then would not close. I took it to the Kia Service center in SC (Fred Anderson Kia Greenville, SC)and the tech informed me this would be a $7000 fix. They also informed me to report this incident since they have also had numerous sunroof issues with this make and model. KIA also released a technical service bulletin " This bulletin provides information to perform a partial replacement of the sunroof wind deflector and mechanism arms on some 2019-2022MY Telluride (ON) vehicles produced from February 15, 2019 through January 19, 2022. The affected vehicles may experience the sunroof open/close operation inoperative and/or the sunroof wind deflector function inoperative. " A this is a known defect, this should be issued recall as it could result in sunroof glass break, causing injury to drivers, passengers.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11695670October 26, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The trim pieces on the outside of the doors are not properly on and are flapping.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11695361October 24, 2025
SEAT BELTS
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 control. When I contacted the dealership, I received no apology, explanation, or acknowledgment of responsibility. No one followed up or offered to inspect the vehicle. I also contacted Kia America Customer Relations, but I have not received any response. If such a fundamental safety step can be missed, I am extremely concerned about what other oversights may occur during Kia service work nationwide. This situation should be formally investigated by the NHTSA. I’m requesting a full investigation into Kia’s service procedures, technician training, and inspection protocols to ensure that no other vehicles are returned to customers in unsafe condition. Please treat this as a formal safety complaint. A loose seatbelt is not a minor error, it’s life-threatening negligence. I want this fully investigated and documented under my VIN, with confirmation of corrective action. My family’s safety, and that of other Kia owners, depends on it. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11694319October 18, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I opened up my sunroof it became lodged, sideways and cracked
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11694204October 17, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
While driving at highway speed, The moon roof cracked and blew outward with out any reason.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11693291October 14, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11693072October 13, 2025
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Sunroof fails to close. Problem is known as there are multiple reports stating that the sunroof deflector breaks within a few years on Kia Telluride. Vehicle cannot be driven as you cannot lock the vehicle when a window is open/weather impacts drive-ability..
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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