Complaint volume
332 consumer-submitted complaints are matched to this model year. Treat the count as a research signal, then read the actual summaries for repeated symptoms.
Complaint records
2021 Kia Telluride Complaints
332 consumer-submitted complaints on record for the 2021 Kia Telluride, grouped by component category.
332 Total complaints
7 Crash reports
4 Fire reports
6 Injury reports
Complaint data reflects consumer-submitted reports. A complaint is not proof
of a defect, recall, or manufacturer fault. Enriched severity fields come
from official bulk records when the complaint can be matched by ODI number.
Buyer interpretation
How to use these complaints before buying
Complaint records are most useful when they turn into inspection points, seller questions, and comparison checks against nearby model years.
Pattern to inspect
The most common categories are unknown or other, visibility/wiper, engine. Use those categories as a test-drive checklist instead of judging the vehicle from the total count alone.
Severity flags
Enriched records include 7 crash reports, 4 fire reports, 6 injury reports, and 0 fatality reports. These fields come from complaint records and should be read in context.
Mileage clue
Mileage is available on 40 complaints, with an average reported failure mileage of 17,163 miles. Compare that with the mileage on the listing.
Questions to ask the seller
- Have you had any problems related to unknown or other, visibility/wiper, engine?
- Can I see recent maintenance and repair records?
- Has the vehicle ever been towed, involved in a crash, or repaired for the same issue twice?
- Can we also check the recall record for this 2021 Kia Telluride?
Used-car checklist
Use these complaints before the test drive.
Build a buyer checklist to turn these issues into questions and inspection points.
2021 Kia Telluride
Build buyer checklist Compare with other years Sends year, make, and model to pre-fill your checklist.
How severe are the 2021 Kia Telluride complaints?
7 Crash
4 Fire
6 Injury
0 Fatality
8 Towed
5 Medical attention
What are the most common 2021 Kia Telluride complaint categories?
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 73
VISIBILITY/WIPER 55
ENGINE 41
STRUCTURE 19
POWER TRAIN 17
VISIBILITY 13
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 12
SUSPENSION 12
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 9
SERVICE BRAKES 9
332 total complaints on record
Latest complaints
| Date | Component | Summary | Severity | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | While driving at highway speed, The moon roof cracked and blew outward with out any reason. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Oct 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 | Unknown |
| Oct 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 | Unknown |
| Sep 2025 | ENGINE | 1. The engine consumed oil to where it soaked up all the oil in the engine likely as part of a piston ring failure. We have had it at the shop for the last 9 weeks, and cost to replace engine is $10,500 and because extended warranty explicitly wrote this out of the contract as this is a known issue and Kia has stated as such, but not a recall yet so nothing they will do to help. It is available for inspection, but we need the car back so likely not going to drag on much longer. 2. Yes, as no warning lights on the car came on, nothing out of the ordinary other than it just started acting weird and I took it in to get looked at, and was told there was no oil in the engine at all and this is known issue and engine is blown and we have to pay out of pocket to fix. This is extrememly alarming as we have 3 small kids that ride in that car daily and could have caught fire or broke down on the road at any point. 3. We have been told repeatedly by Kia and the extended warranty provider, JM&A, this is a known issue and many cases have been reported this year alone. 4. No, just the Kia dealership where we bought it. 5. There were no warning signs at all. No low oil light or notification came on at all leading us to believe there was a major problem. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2025 | FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | Inspected by Kia for 2nd time due to vehicle suddenly shaking, overheating and turning off. First time fluids were low and replaced, kia stated should be fine but then while driving on the highway this past week same dangerous problem happened again suddenly where my vehicle started abruptly shaking making it hard to control, alerted overheating and immediately shut off. This time Kia diagnosed this issue is being caused by multiple hoses and seals failing due to degradation and leaking in multiple locations. Kia’s diagnostic repair inspection states heater core hoses(all), valve cover gaskets,Radiator Hoses upper & Lower, and other seals or connecting components are all leaking and need replaced. Have read online and communicated with other owners of the telluride in which many state same complaints of similar or same problem, therefore this seems to be a very common issue, a safety hazard and concern, not to mention a costly repair that seems to be a quality or manufacturing issue that may need to be evaluated further. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 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. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2025 | ENGINE | We own a 2021 Kia Telluride which we bought new, have changed the oil as expected and had the 100,000 mile check completed. It now has about 116,000 miles and has been a great and safe car, until now. On a random trip home, traveling on a busy highway, we had to pull over because we suddenly lost power. Our children were in the car and this was very dangerous on a very busy highway. We had it towed to our local garage and was told it was down 3-4 quarts of oil which wrecked the engine and we would need a new one! There were no warning lights for the engine or the oil at all. We are currently having the engine replaced at our very hefty expense as we have no other choice. I see this is quickly becoming an issue with the 21 Telluride and I hope that Kia will do something about it! | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 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. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Sep 2025 | ENGINE | On or about December 2024, we noticed a hesitation or sputtering in the performance of our Kia. I contacted Ancira Kia who reviewed the vehicle, which displayed no warning lights. Since they couldn’t duplicate the issue, nothing could be done. On or about [XXX], the vehicle’s cooling fan engaged on its own while parked in the garage and revved up extremely high. This was the second time this had happened. Ancira Kia couldn’t duplicate the problem although they mentioned another customer was experiencing the same problem. A few days later, I was advised to bring the vehicle in for a sensor replacement. So far, the problem hasn’t recurred but I won’t know if it’s fixed until it never happens again. On [XXX], while traveling from Del Rio to San Antonio, TX, we stopped at a rest area. There were no warning lights visible and no performance issues noted until this time. When we started the vehicle to leave, we noticed a slight knocking that went away when we put the vehicle in drive. After our next stop, we noticed the knocking noise again when we started the vehicle and the noise dissipate when we drove. After the next stop the noise appeared to be louder so we decided to stop for lunch and let the vehicle cool down so we could check the oil. When we checked the oil, we saw there was no oil marking the dip stick. I took the vehicle to Ancira Kia who also found no oil marking the dip stick. The engine was ruined and needed to be replaced. None of the Telluride’s warning systems illuminated. No check engine or oil pressure lights lit up. This is a catastrophic failure of the Telluride which placed my husband and I in severe danger. We could have been injured and possibly killed had the engine seized while we traveled on the highway between Del Rio and San Antonio, Texas (150 miles). My vehicle is meticulously maintained at Ancira Kia. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | My sunroof won't open anymore | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 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 | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2025 | POWER TRAIN,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | Vehicle (2021 Kia Telluride) at ~94K miles received CEL P000A for (Camshaft Position - Slow Response (Bank 1)). Personally checked the oil before taking the vehicle to the dealership and there was very little oil, below the "L" line. Vehicle is burning oil fast, which more likley than not cause the P000A CEL. Vehicle would go im amd out of not being able to accelerate. Dealership wants me to pay diagnostic fees for them doing absolutely nothing other and resetting the code and conducting an oil change. Vehicle is a CPO which has a 10y / 100k mile warranty which seems like the dealership is trying to prolong until vehicle is out of warranty to diagnose it correctly. Engine is burning oil and needs to be replaced but the dealersbip wants to play games with customers. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2025 | FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS | Rear shock failure for the second time. This time in under 9 months. Front crash detection constantly goes off in cold snowy weather or rain. engine issue is frequent popping sound in exhaust and causing dirty oxygen sensors | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2025 | ENGINE | The contact owns a 2021 Kia Telluride. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the check engine warning light had previously illuminated; however, the warning light then turned off independently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 63,000. | Crash: No Fire: No | 63,000 |
| Aug 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | Tried to open sunroof and it would not open. Seems to be a common issue on 20-22 tellurides. Please make this a recall so people don’t have to pay out of pocket for a repair, like the dealership is telling me. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2025 | SERVICE BRAKES | Driving and trying to brake and brake pushed to floor and still not stop.I pulled over and called AAA.While waiting for AAA to arrive low brake fluid light came on.AAA driver arrived and stated bolts protecting driver side rear tire were gone and caliper on that side were left hanging.Towed to Kia Dealer and stated bolts were clearly removed.Last visit to Kia dealer was 30 days ago only for oil change not brake work.Dealer repaired caliper bolts and pistons for over 2000.Dealer had no idea why bolts came off by themselves and why it happened. There was no warning or lights going off until after brakes failed.Luckily when it happened i was only on back roads so could slow down eventually without incident but if I had been on highway not know how I would have come to a stop before crashing.Can anyone tell me why this happened and how to prevent it from ever happening to me or anyone else owning a Kia Telluride | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 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. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Aug 2025 | POWER TRAIN | Vehicle transmission has been slipping and Sutter since around 30k miles. Dealer has test vehicle and agrees but will not repair due to no codes in PCM or ECM. Vehicle stalled almost causing another vehicle to clip rear of vehicle. Issue is getting worst. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 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. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jul 2025 | ENGINE | The contact owns a 2021 Kia Telluride. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and turned off, there was smoke coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the engine located on the rear driver's side had caught on fire. The vehicle was extinguished by the Fire Department. A fire report was filed, and a fire report number was not provided. The cause of the failure was not yet been determined. A Police report was not filed. There were no occupants at the time of the failure. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000. | Crash: No Fire: Yes Towed | 90,000 |
| Jun 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | Child Safety Lock Failure. At random times something within the rear doors will make a constant clicking noise for roughly 20 seconds. When clicking stops the dash will display child safety lock failure. The clicking noise sounds as though it is coming from an electrical component such as an actuator or solenoid. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES,ENGINE | I am reporting a serious and ongoing electrical and transmission issue with my 2021 Kia Telluride (VIN: [XXX] ). The problem began under 20,000 miles and has continued intermittently for years, progressively worsening. My vehicle is currently at ~99,600 miles and under extended warranty. The key safety concerns include: Transmission Lockout: The vehicle intermittently becomes stuck in Park and will not shift, even with the brake depressed. No-Start Condition: The vehicle will randomly become completely unresponsive—no dash lights, no infotainment, and no engine start. Electrical System Failure While Driving: Multiple safety systems fail mid-drive, including: Loss of power steering and air conditioning Random activation of ESC, TPMS, Collision Assist, Blind Spot, and Parking Brake warnings Infotainment screen turns off while in motion Component Failures Due to Electrical Shorts: Both the radio and the backup camera were diagnosed with shorts and had to be replaced under warranty. Brake Lockout Post-Shutdown: The brake pedal becomes very firm and the vehicle will not restart until hours later. Most concerning, my wife and children have been left stranded in the disabled vehicle on multiple occasions due to these issues. The car has been in the shop several times — around 50,000 and 80,000 miles — but no permanent resolution has been found. This is a clear and escalating safety hazard. The failures affect critical systems while driving and leave the vehicle unpredictably disabled. Kia has been made aware and an escalation is underway, but I am filing this report to ensure the NHTSA is aware of the pattern and potential danger these failures pose to others. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2025 | STEERING,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE | On [XXX] my vehicle had a collision warning signal, then tire pressure, then brake lights and entire dash instrument panel. I parked the vehicle, then later in the evening test drove it again and the panel lit up again, in addition to the loss of the speedometer, tachometer, gear display, and drive mode display, so I immediately drove it to Courtesy Kia in Altoona, PA. On 4/18/25 Wendy Giordano of Courtesy Kia confirmed vehicle intake Courtesy Kia reset codes and was unable to replicate or diagnose a repair. The vehicle was returned on 4/23/25 despite my expressed concerns over safety. On [XXX] the vehicle again displayed the collision warning and the instrument panel lit up again, in addition to the loss of the speedometer, tachometer, gear display, and drive mode display. I got off the highway and limped the vehicle closer to my home, stopped for a brief time, and proceeded the three miles to the dealership. In this time I lost power steering, and eventually brake lights and turn signals within 1,000 feet of the dealership and was nearly collided with in front of the dealershipOn 5/12 I continued to ask status and request a loaner with no adequate follow up. I was bounced between JT, Tyler and Wendy Giordano my service advisor. Around 5/22 I called in requesting an update and was put on the phone with the service tech to describe my issues On 6/6/25 John from courtesy ford left a 2 minute long rambling voicemail, 6/3 he said he received a fax. He said he spoke to service department and I could drive the car, that I could be driving the car now. "he wasn't sure what was going on with it" They've driven it and can't find anything. Kia is looking at video, service rep there on Tuesday and find nothing wrong. I think, how long and haven't had it long. Suggest you "just drive it, I don't know" In addition I've followed up with numerous emails and calls to determine course of action and repair and haven't had a productive repair plan. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| Jun 2025 | UNKNOWN OR OTHER | The sun roof exploded driving on a busy interstate highway, fortunately the sun visor was closed otherwise we and our dogs would have been wearing the glass. Lots of glass coming off the roof on cars behind us. Dealer has confirmed other failures. Dealer is servicing now at no charge. No warning of this failure and should be a recall as many of these early model KIA Tellurides have this issue. | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |
| May 2025 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE | I recently brought this 2021 kia telluride used from a local dealership with 103,000 miles and everything was great , until yesterday i notice that when coming to a stop the car would sputter i thought maybe it was just a one off because i recently got recall work done at a kia dealership and they checked over the vehicle and everything was fine. so this morning im driving to work and it happens again so i check the oil and its completely empty i've went less than 3k miles on this oil change something needs to be done no warning to lights | Crash: No Fire: No | Unknown |