Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government
holds on this vehicle.
Owners have filed 115 safety complaints
about the 2025 Kia Telluride with the US government. Of those, 3 describe a crash, 2 mention a fire, 5 people were injured and no death is recorded. 3 recall campaigns are open against it.
The most complained-about system is the engine,
named in 43 complaints, 37% of the total.
The typical failure was reported at 7,000 miles,
the median across the 11
complaints that gave
an odometer reading.
Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files
· Covers November 2024 to September 2026 · How this is counted
What is on file
115 complaints on file
115
Complaints
3
Describe a crash
2
Mention fire
5
People injured
0
Deaths
A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a
finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts
them.
A recall is the manufacturer conceding a defect, and the repair is free.
Whether one covers your particular car is a question only its VIN can
answer, because a campaign covers a production range rather than a
model year.
Which system owners named
Complaints naming each system
ENGINE 43 · 37%
43 37%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 22 · 19%
22 19%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 21 · 18%
21 18%
VISIBILITY/WIPER 16 · 14%
16 14%
POWER TRAIN 8 · 7%
8 7%
SEATS 8 · 7%
8 7%
STEERING 8 · 7%
8 7%
STRUCTURE 6 · 5%
6 5%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 6 · 5%
6 5%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 5 · 4%
5 4%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 4 · 3%
4 3%
VISIBILITY 4 · 3%
4 3%
01938
Red marks a system with a recall campaign against it.
One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 115.
When the complaints arrived
By the year NHTSA received them
By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures
happened. They peaked in 2026 at 90.
96 72 48 24
242024252025262026
This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure
happened. The range runs from 2024 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program
NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what
happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2025 Kia TELLURIDE, and it is a separate
question from what owners report going wrong later.
Test
SUV AWD
SUV FWD
Overall
Frontal crash
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash
Side barrier
Side pole
Rollover
Chance of rollover
14.3%
15.5%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard
A rating belongs to a tested body style and drivetrain, not to the model as a whole, which is why more than one is listed.
A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 Telluride vehicles, equipped with power front seat(s). Due to a manufacturing error, the driver and passenger seat back frame assemblies may fail to properly restrain occupants in a crash.
The risk
A seat back frame that fails to properly restrain an occupant during a crash increases the risk of injury.
The remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the front seat back frame assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning April 24, 2026. Owners may contact Kia Customer Service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC362. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 9, 2026.
Kia America, Inc. · up to 85,515 vehicles across all model years covered
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 Telluride and 2026 Sorento vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with an incorrect spare tire which, when installed, can impair the anti-lock braking system (ABS) and the traction control system (TCS). As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
The risk
Anti-lock braking or traction control systems that do not function properly can increase the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Dealers will replace the spare wheel and tire assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 3, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC355. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning November 13, 2025.
Kia America, Inc. · up to 45 vehicles across all model years covered
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Telluride vehicles. The door belt molding trim can delaminate and detach from the vehicle.
The risk
A detached trim piece can become a road hazard for other vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash.
The 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.
Kia America, Inc. · up to 201,149 vehicles across all model years covered
In owners’ own words
Quoted from the complaint file
Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the
people who filed them, not findings of fault.
AIR BAGS
2 injured · crash · towed
On Sunday January 18th 2026, my daughter and I were involved in a multi-car accident in St Paul, MN on WB I-94. The weather was very cold and windy and it was snowing lightly. Traffic was moving slowly at about 40-45 miles per hour due the possible icy road conditions. A 2020 GMC Terrain, driven by a [XXX] male, was driving at excessive speeds and weaving in an out of traffic when he struck the back of a semi which in turn caused the vehicle in front of our vehicle to hit him and then we struck that vehicle traveling at approximately 40 to 45 miles per hour. There was no time to respond it happened so quickly. Neither my nor my daughters air bags deployed nor did either of your seatbelts …
NHTSA complaint 11720120, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
1 injured · fire · crash · towed
I was driving down the highway at approximately 70 mph, and a deer ran into the front driver's side corner of the car. The airbag fortunately didn’t deploy, but the hood flew up and covered the windshield, blocking my ability to see. I was somehow able to pull the vehicle over without being able to see. Within 30 seconds of pulling over—and while I was still in the driver's seat—I noticed flames coming out of the engine compartment. I screamed to my son to get out of the car, and within minutes the car was completely engulfed in flames. The car burned to the ground and is a total loss. I have no idea how this could have possibly happened. This shouldn't have happened from a deer. The …
NHTSA complaint 11735759, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
LANE DEPARTURE
1 injured · crash · towed · 33,000 miles
The contact rented a 2025 Kia Telluride. The contact stated that there was damage to the rear bumper upon retrieval. While using lane assist, traveling around a curve at 55 MPH, the steering wheel was pushing and pulling, and failed to turn and continued going straight; the vehicle crossed the highway and crashed into a ditch. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact sustained injuries to his back and had bruises, but no medical assistance was provided. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The air bags deployed. There was no reported fire. A police report was filed. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The rental company was notified of …
NHTSA complaint 11705157, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
SEAT BELTS
1 injured
My stepson became entangled in the left/driver-side third-row seat belt of my 2025 Kia Telluride. The seat belt webbing became wrapped/tangled around him and the seat belt retractor entered a locked condition. We were unable to create sufficient slack or otherwise release him from the restraint. The situation became a life-threatening child-entrapment emergency. Emergency services were called and responders ultimately had to CUT THE FACTORY SEAT BELT WEBBING to free the child. My safety concern is not simply that a child became tangled in a seat belt. My concern is that once this occurred, the seat belt/retractor locked in a manner that prevented us from releasing tension and freeing the …
NHTSA complaint 11759623, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
WHEELS
On XXX, I picked up a rental vehicle from the Budget Car Rental branch at [XXX] (SJC) for a family trip. On XXX, while driving through a remote mountain area near [XXX], the rear tire suffered a catastrophic and sudden pressure failure, dropping instantly to 0 PSI. Upon inspecting the failed tire, I discovered severe, pre-existing mechanical negligence: the entire inside edge of the tire tread was completely bald with structural steel belts and cords fully exposed. Most shockingly, upon inspecting the vehicle's keys, I discovered that the rental agency had full, documented prior knowledge of this dangerous defect. The words "Tires Bald" were explicitly handwritten by the fleet maintenance …
NHTSA complaint 11768170, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ENGINE
22,000 miles
The contact owns a 2025 Kia Telluride. The contact stated that while driving uphill at 55 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle lost power. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed; however, the diagnostic result was unknown. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on several occasions. The approximate failure mileage was 22,000.
NHTSA complaint 11766970. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ENGINE
The engine randomly turns off and I get a warning that says "Engine Off! Shift to P or N, then start engine" This happened recently as my mother in law was making a left hand turn on a busy intersection. If there were other cars coming she would've been hit. There are no prior warnings or indications that the car is having any issues. The car has been inspected by the dealership, which has been unable to reproduce the issue.
NHTSA complaint 11766464. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ENGINE
My 2025 Kia Telluride has experienced repeated, unresolved engine stalling/shutdown while driving. The defect began as stalling at low speeds approaching stops and has escalated to the vehicle shutting off completely while traveling at 45–50 miles per hour on public roads. When the engine shuts off at highway speeds, power steering and power brakes are lost, creating an immediate life-threatening situation for the driver and any passengers. The dealership has made multiple repair attempts across two separate phases of this defect without success. Despite the ongoing safety hazard, the dealer has pressured me to return my rental vehicle and accept the car back without verified resolution of …
NHTSA complaint 11765128, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
SEATS
My 2025 Kia Telluride is subject to safety recall SC362A / NHTSA Recall 26V105 involving the front seatback assemblies. On March 24, 2026, I left the vehicle with an authorized Kia dealer for the recall repair. The dealer documented “REMEDY NOT AVAIL” and also documented that the vehicle would remain at the dealer until the recall was performed. As of September 14, 2026, the vehicle remains unrepaired and NHTSA’s VIN recall lookup still shows this recall as unrepaired. The vehicle has therefore been unavailable for approximately 174 days because Kia has not provided and completed the recall remedy. I am requesting that NHTSA review Kia’s failure to provide this safety recall remedy within a …
NHTSA complaint 11764126, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
STEERING
We purchased a new 2025 Kia Telluride 17 days ago. Just three days after purchasing the vehicle, I experienced a serious and potentially dangerous failure while driving in heavy traffic in downtown Chicago. The dashboard suddenly lit up, an alarm began sounding, and the following warning appeared: “Engine Off! Shift to P or N and then start engine.” I was forced to pull off the road in VERY congested downtown traffic, put the vehicle in park, turn it off, and restart it. I immediately contacted the dealership. The next day, I took the vehicle to the dealership for an unrelated detailing issue and asked them to check out the car to address what had happened. I was told it was likely a …
NHTSA complaint 11764163, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's
lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. How
many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by
the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.
Complaints: NHTSA's ODI
complaint file, published October 2, 2026. One
complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.
Recalls: NHTSA's recall
campaign API, newest campaign on this vehicle filed February 23, 2026.
Investigations: NHTSA's ODI
investigation file, published October 2, 2026.
A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by
us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that
sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.
G
Compiled and maintained by guarledes Independent developer and analyst