2023 Kia Telluride
The Verdict
The 2023 Kia Telluride has 192 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are body (105 complaints) and electrical (38 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 56/100, it earns a "Proceed with Caution" rating. If you're shopping for a Kia Telluride, consider the 2025 model year which has 56% fewer complaints.
Safe Bet
The 2025 has 56% fewer complaints
View the 2025 Kia Telluride dashboard →
Klunk Score: Proceed with Caution
About average for complaint volume. Research the specific issues before buying.
How is this calculated?
The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.
Recalls 2
Active safety recalls from NHTSA for this vehicle year.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Telluride vehicles. The door belt molding trim can delaminate and detach from the vehicle.
Risk
A detached trim piece can become a road hazard for other vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash.
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 ...
Reported Apr 10, 2026
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Telluride vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the wire harnesses for the second row seat side air bags may become damaged, causing them not to...
Risk
Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace, or secure the air bag wire harnesses, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 28, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer ser...
Reported Apr 10, 2026
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Under the Hood
Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.
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Complaints
On June 15, 2026, my check engine light came on. On June 17, 2026, I took it to Auto Zone, they checked the code for the check engine light, and it indicated P0016 and P0017–crankshaft issues. On June 19, 2026, while driving down the highway, my vehicle failed to accelerate. I exited the highway, and my vehicle completely decelerated and ultimately shut down. I was unable to get my engine running and had to get it towed to the dealer. It has been at the dealer for 3 weeks now. The dealer said my engine will likely need to be replaced. It is a 2023 Kia Telluride with less than 66,000 miles on it.
AWD Coupler is bad make noise and shaking at low turn speeds only
While driving my car randomly displays a warning that I need to shift to park or neutral immediately and turn off my engine. Sometimes my car will work afterwards, other times it will not and I’m stuck for 5-7 minutes. It happens in the middle of me driving with no warning signs. I’ve tried to ignore it and the whole car shuts off and the brakes lock up. It is very frightening. I brought it in the first time and they claimed it was my battery so they replaced it. It’s now happened 4 times and they have no idea how to fix it. My car has been at the dealership for 6 weeks now with no end in sight. They want to give me my car back but I keep pushing back. They were able to duplicate the issue one time but no error codes came up. It happened to the technician at a stop light so they’re claiming it’s probably only when stopped. Which is not true, so they don’t see the safety concern!!! I’m 8 months pregnant and do not feel safe driving a car that shuts off in the middle of me driving! I have also opened up a case with corporate. I have seen Reddit threads and so many complaints regarding this issue. Specifically on 2025 tellurides, although mine is 2023. I want out of this car because I genuinely fear for mine and my families safety in this car. I can’t believe this isn’t a bigger issue!!!!
The contact owns a 2023 Kia Telluride. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the brake light illuminated and was flashing. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer for a repair on the wheel speed sensor and parking brakes. After retrieving the vehicle, the EPB warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the local dealer, but the dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on eight occasions for the parking switch, a software reset, and other unknown repairs. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure persisted, and the vehicle became inoperable. The contact stated that the brakes had seized. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, who was covering the cost of the repairs. The dealer informed the contact about signing a waiver. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 35,000.
My vehicle has an active Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) airbag dashboard warning light. A professional diagnostic scan has confirmed the active fault code: B143100 - "SIDE AIRBAG REAR DRIVER RESISTANCE CIRCUIT SHORT TO GROUND This exact physical failure matches the known manufacturing defect detailed in NHTSA Campaign 23V-035 (Kia Recall Code SC262). While my specific VIN does not currently show up as part of the official recall population, the vehicle is suffering from the identical manufacturing defect and active short, resulting in a disabled passenger safety system.
The engine cooling fan activates at high speed and runs continuously for an extended period — in one instance, overnight — after the vehicle has been turned off, locked, and left unattended. This has occurred on multiple occasions. No warning lamps or messages appear before or during the event. The vehicle gives no indication anything is wrong; the fan simply runs at full speed on its own, without the ignition on, for hours at a time. The component involved is the engine cooling fan and/or its control module. Based on owner community research, the likely cause is a faulty signal being sent to the Engine Control Module, which triggers the fan to run even when the vehicle is not overheating and is fully shut off. The component is available for inspection. Safety risk: The vehicle is parked in an attached garage. An electrical component running uncontrolled and unattended for hours inside an enclosed structure attached to a residence poses a credible fire hazard. A bedroom is located directly above the garage. This is not an inconvenience — it is a fire risk to occupants of the home. The problem has been reported to an authorized Kia dealer on multiple occasions. The dealer was unable to replicate the condition during the service visit and did not perform a repair. The defect is intermittent in nature, which makes dealer replication difficult, but video documentation of the fan running with the vehicle off and unattended exists for multiple incidents. The vehicle has not been inspected by police or insurance representatives. No warning lamps illuminate during or prior to the event. The fan simply activates after shutoff with no prior symptoms. VIDEO LINK of both incidences: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Multiple times over the course of six months the vehicle would turn itself and all electric components off while being driven, with no warning. The car would then refuse to restart.
Engine shuts off without warning while driving. First reported to the dealer on XXX (approximately 12,000 miles) and has continued for 2.5+ years despite repeated repair attempts. Shutoffs typically occur at low speed while decelerating, such as turning into neighborhoods or approaching stops, but have also occurred while coasting at 33 mph on a busy road with cruise control active (August 8, 2025). Frequency has varied from roughly every 1,000 miles to severe clusters: three shutoffs within one hour on [XXX] and again on [XXX], and five in a single day in mid-August 2025. The dealer reproduced the failure with diagnostic equipment connected in August 2024. Most recent events: XXX;XXX (quit while coasting at 20 mph on a busy four-lane road with cruise control engaged);XXX (quit while slowing to turn onto a neighborhood street, 87 degrees F, A/C on high). The vehicle usually restarts immediately, but on [XXX] it would not restart for 5-7 minutes. After restart, cruise control retains its previous set speed, indicating an incomplete power cycle. The dealer (Kia Store East, [XXX]) has attempted repairs since September 2023 under Kia case #XXX, including crank position sensor replacement, MAP sensor replacement (June 2025), and a four-wheel-drive coupler replacement plus software update (October 2025); shutoffs continued after every repair. Historical fault codes include P0068 and B1763. Events have occurred in traffic and at intersections with several near-misses, including one that nearly caused a collision in an intersection on XXX. This is a family vehicle regularly carrying children. Repair orders are available upon request. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
All wheel drive coupler is failing a third time. There is no safety warning. Difficulty accelerating especially when turning.
Ever since purchasing this 2023 Kia telluride I have felt a skipping or thumping feeling when making a turn from a stop sign or a light, at a slower speed, then accelerating.. I have read many many forums stating this happens in A LOT of these models of vehicles. It is called a failing AWD coupler! I have mentioned it to the dealer but they could not replicate at the shop so I moved on. Now issue after issue is arising with this vehicle.
At 30,000 miles, the dealership replaced the right rear shock absorber because I noticed it was clunking when an adult sat in the third row. I just had it serviced at 40,000 miles and I mentioned to the tech that there was a slight clunking sound when making a right-hand turn and accelerating from a stop. The dealership did not notice any issues so did not make any repairs. Now, at 41,500 miles, the clunking is much more noticeable when going over bumps and turning at low speeds.
The sunroof exploded. Nothing hit it, there was nothing wrong with it previously and it was not being used at the time it exploded. We were driving and it exploded with a loud boom.
Airbag/seatbelt dashboard light on.
Standard vehicle component- shattered window. I was driving on highway I 275 and heard a loud sound, when I investigated I realized that the window in the second row to the right simply just shattered, glass flying everywhere.
I have a 2023 Telluride awd. I only have 25000 miles on the vehicle since i dont drive much. I went on a trip with family and the first time a person sat in my drivers side, 2nd row seating, the seat belt wont retract.
The contact owns a 2023 Kia Telluride. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission was slipping. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that while the vehicle was stopped, it unexpectedly lunged forward. There was no warning light illuminated. Additionally, there was an abnormal sound coming from the muffler. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and it was determined that the ECM software had failed and needed to be reprogrammed. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 91,000.
The contact owns a 2023 Kia Telluride. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the front windshield started to crack on the upper passenger’s side of the windshield. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 38,200.
I was at a complete stop, made a right hand turn, and as I was turning, the driver side door opened/became a jar and then my car alerted me that the door was open Yes, my safety was at risk because the door was open It beeped the lights were on in the cabin, and there was a notification on my dashboard
I was driving on the service road of the freeway, driving approximately 40 mph when my main screen started flashing warnings. I was only able to catch 2 before the screen shut off. One was saying front collision sensors not working and the other said side sensors not working then the screen where the radio was went black. Then my brake pedal locked up, the car lost all power steering. The car started to just roll and I was able to pull into a side parking lot and the car died. I was not able to start the vehicle and called roadside assistance and had my vehicle towed to the car dealership. This was during rush hour traffic with multiple vehicles in the road. I was terrified as my vehicle was slowly starting to stop moving and there were multiple cars surrounding me while I lost all brake function and power steering. At the time of this report, the service department at my dealership was closed and will call them in the morning. The tow truck left my vehicle there as it is inoperable. From the time I noticed the warnings on the screen to when my vehicle came to a complete stop was about 2 minutes.
While driving, the silver siding flew off of my vehicle, the piece that covers the door handle manual key entry also fell off and I found it run over, crushed in a mall parking lot.
192 total