Kia Telluride

Where it stands out against its peers

• Exterior lighting: more complaints than 97% of 2020 cars — 25% of its 746 complaints, where an ordinary 2020 car has 3%.
• Visibility/wiper: more complaints than 94% of 2020 cars — 18% of its 746 complaints, where an ordinary 2020 car has 4%.

Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.

Before you buy one

Built from what this car fails on, not from general knowledge of the model.

• EXTERIOR LIGHTING — 164 owners reported this, 1 involving a crash
• VISIBILITY/WIPER — 121 owners reported this
• ENGINE — 88 owners reported this, 2 involving a fire
• STRUCTURE — 40 owners reported this
• POWER TRAIN — 33 owners reported this, 1 involving a crash
• SUSPENSION — 20 owners reported this
• ELECTRICAL SYSTEM — 13 owners reported this
• POWER TRAIN,ENGINE — 12 owners reported this, 1 involving a fire
• VISIBILITY — 12 owners reported this

Crash test

Crash-tested by NHTSA, the American road safety agency.

Specification

Recalls

Filed by the manufacturer with a regulator. A recall is repaired free of charge, whoever owns the car now.

18% of 2022 cars have more recall campaigns than this one, and an ordinary one has 3. More of them means more to check the service record for, not a worse car.

• 19V594000

  If a child seat is not properly secured, there is an increased risk of injury to the occupant in a crash.

  Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles and replace any incorrect seat belt assemblies. The repair will also include replacing the driver's seat belt which has a non-U.S. specified label, with a U.S. specification seat belt. The repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began August 30, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC181.

• 20V436000

  Inoperative trailer brake lights can fail to warn other drivers that the vehicle is slowing, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Kia will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional wire harness to the main fuse box to signal the trailer brake lights, free of charge. The recall began September 10, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC194.

• 21V164000

  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.

  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.

• 21V577000

  A blank LCD display may be missing information, such as the digital speedometer, gear selection indicator, and odometer, which may increase the risk of a crash.

  Dealers will update the instrument cluster's software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 3, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC215.

• 22V344000

  A blank instrument cluster display screen will not show critical information, such as the odometer, which can increase the risk of a crash.

  Dealers will replace the instrument cluster assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 15, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC237.

• 22V509000

  Impaired anti-lock braking or traction control systems can increase the risk of a crash.

  Dealers will inspect and replace the spare tire, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 27, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC244.

• 22V626000

  A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.

  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.

• 24V148000

  Inoperable high beam headlights may reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Dealers will inspect and repair or replace the high beam headlights, as necessary free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 9, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC299.

3 more campaigns have been filed against this model. A dealer can check by VIN which apply to one car.

Regulator investigations

Opened by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation is a question the regulator asked about a possible defect, not a fault it found — most end without a recall.

• Complete Loss of High Beams

  Preliminary evaluation, opened January 2023, closed April 2024.

  Became recall 24V148000.

What the maker told its dealers

Service bulletins are the manufacturer's own repair guidance to dealers, filed with NHTSA. A bulletin is not a defect finding; the count rises with how many things a maker writes down, not only with how many go wrong.

Kia filed 12 bulletins about the 2027 Telluride.

• Electrical system: 6
• Service brakes: 3
• Power train: 2
• Engine: 1

• VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: QUESTION AND ANSWER (SC377) - This document is the Question and Answer Guide containing the most frequently asked questions regarding the Voluntary Service Campaign SC377. · August 2026
• VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: DEALER PARTS AND SERVICE MANAGER MEMO (SC377) - This document is the announcement to the dealer Parts and Service managers advising that Kia is conducting a Voluntary… · August 2026
• VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: DEALER PRINCIPAL MEMO (SC377) - This document is the announcement to the dealer principals advising that Kia is conducting a Voluntary Service Campaign on certain 2027 MY… · August 2026
• TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: CRANKCASE EJECTOR INSPECTION/REPLACEMENT (SA650) - This bulletin provides instructions to inspect and, if necessary, replace the PCV ejector on certain 2027MY Telluride… · August 2026
• TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE ACTION: TRANSAXLE ASSEMBLY REPLACEMENT (SA648) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are… · July 2026
• RELEASE NOTES: OVER-THE-AIR: SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR BODY DOMAIN CONTROLLER (SA651) - This Over-the-Air (OTA) software update is designed to update the Body Domian Controller (BDC) logic of certain 2027… · June 2026
• TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE ACTION: DIGITAL KEY BATTERY: DISCHARGE LOGIC IMPROVEMENT (SA651) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this… · June 2026
• TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE ACTION: TRANSAXLE ASSEMBLY REPLACEMENT (SA648) - This bulletin provides information to replace the transaxle assembly on certain 2027MY Telluride Hybrid (LQ2 HEV)… · June 2026

4 more.

Grouped by NHTSA's top-level system; a bulletin filed under a sub-heading counts toward its system.