Electrical System Problems of Kia Motor Telluride - part 1

Batter drainage issue. Have paid for a new battery and I just bought the car 09/14/2026.

See all problems of the 2020 Kia Motor Telluride 🔎.

The vehicle electrical system could be a fire hazard since the vehicle electrical system is incurring parasitic draw down of the battery. Believe there is a class action lawsuit filed relating to the problem. It is well known issue wit kia corp while the dealerships play dumb. Thank you.

See all problems of the 2023 Kia Motor Telluride 🔎.

Display gets very hot to the touch , even in 70° or lower weather. Vehicle is kept garaged. Seems hotter behind steering wheel than the home screen/radio side. Trim is not hot. We usually use a sun screen. We do not usually use built-in navigation, real-time traffic, or phone charging. Seems to be a potential fire risk. Internet info suggests that the manufacturer is aware of the problem but no recall. Not sure how long this has been going on. Happens when/after driving.

See all problems of the 2024 Kia Motor Telluride 🔎.

The digital instrument panel cluster went completely black and dead upon vehicle startup, leaving me with zero visibility of my speedometer, safety alerts, or fuel levels while trying to operate the vehicle. Even with completing a short drive, turning off the car for a few minutes and turning it back on, the instrument panel was completely black (3 restarts in an hour period). Approximate mileage of 38,000. I took it to university kia in waco, TX who stated that 3-4 other vehicles of various models came in with the same issue recently. They are keeping the vehicle for repairs under the warranty.

Power seats malfunction.

While driving the vehicle on the highway attempting to pass a vehicle at 75 mph the car unexpectedly shut completely off. We had to swerve between 2 vehicles narrowly avoiding an accident and the car would not turn back on. Towed to kia dealership and was told it was simply a sensor that "talks" to the key fob which caused the car to shut off without warning. Dealership claimed it was fixed but there was no warning lights or notice of the failure. Since the dealership "fixed" the issue now the car is continuously running a check engine failure code and now the dealership claims it's the catalytic converters failing and needing to be replaced. Vehicle was inspected by the kia dealership that it was purchased from.

Vehicle was sitting all night and entered the garage in the morning and found the radiator fan at full speed. Car was not running, so backed it out, turned it off and the fan turned back on. Took it to a kia dealer and kept it for a few days and just stated they couldn't duplicate the issue, although I couldn't get them to tell me technically what they checked. I kept the car parked outside for fear there might be an electrical issue and something overheats. Then was recently out and came out to my vehicle to find the fan running again. This time took multiple videos and it now consistently doing it. Took it home for the evening and disconnected the battery, and in the morning as soon as I reconnected the battery the fan started up to full speed again. Dropped it off to another kia dealership and it was still doing it and showed it to the service advisor and gave him the videos. They are currently looking at it now. Also, there were never any warning lights or alarms that anything was wrong. There are so many postings out there on this issue on forums, fb, Telluride sites, etc. , that I'm shocked there isn't at least a kia TSB on this problem.

See all problems of the 2021 Kia Motor Telluride 🔎.

Appears to be a parasitic drain on batteries. I just replace the 3rd battery yesterday. Kia does not address the underlying cause of battery drain.

See all problems of the 2022 Kia Motor Telluride 🔎.

The contact owns a 2020 kia Telluride. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the air bag warning light illuminated. The dealer was contacted by phone and made aware of the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with an electrical bleeding between the wiring harness. The contact was informed that the wiring harness needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the failure was an expensive out-of-pocket repair. The manufacturer was contacted by phone and made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 119,000.

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 computer fluke and that I would need to wait to see if it happens again. The next day, the exact same thing happened while merging onto the interstate on a tight onramp in congested traffic. This time, I had significant difficulty getting safely to the side of the road and came extremely close to being struck by another vehicle. Again, I had to put the vehicle in park, turn it off, and restart it. The following day, I returned the Telluride to the dealership. It has been there for over a week. They seem to know this is a common issue with Tellurides but they've indicated that kia has not provided guidance on addressing this specific issue. As a result, they could only respond to the code that was generated- which indicates an electrical control issue. I've contacted kia and I'm waiting to hear if they can provide a fix that can guarantee I'm not put into another dangerous situation. If an older person or teenager had been in the situations I had been in, I can nearly guarantee there would've been a very serious and potentially fatal accident. Please help us address this issue!.

See all problems of the 2025 Kia Motor Telluride 🔎.

The left side of my screen where speed, gas and other essential safety features will not show.

My sunroof stopped being able to close all the way. I took it to the dealership and to fix it, it will cost over $7,00 dollars. It will open but won’t close all the way.

When driving, the vehicle will randomly shut off. Every warning light and alarm goes off. A message displays on the dash to put the vehicle on p or n to turn it back on. This happens unexpectedly. It's happened about 16 times on the road and 2 times on the highway. This is a huge safety issue. We notified kia in February of 2026, it's gone to the service department three times for this specific issue, but they are unable to recreate it and no codes are stored for them to see what it is. We have recorded the vehicle acting up once it's shut off. This is very dangerous that a new vehicle randomly shuts off, and no one knows what is causing it. Now, it's at the shop for the fourth time. This time the kia engineers have asked the service shop to replace the engine harness along with some sensors and send it to them. We have recordings from kia corporate stating they dont know what it is. We even have a service tech stating that there are others with this issue but no solution has been uncovered.

The cluster screen on my 2024 Telluride is black when I turned it on today. No issues prior and turning the car off and on does not help. I cannot see my fuel gauge, speed, winshield wiper speed, tire air levels, what gear I am in nothing. I contacted dealer and they have heard of no issues and cannot get me in for repairs until at least two weeks. I feel this is very unsafe since I am not sure of my speed or my fuel level! there was no warning whatsoever, just a black screen.

2025 kia Telluride, rental vehicle, 29,450 miles at failure. Driving xxx w toward the [xxx] exit with my wife and two children (ages [xxx] and [xxx]), the cluster lit with simultaneous failures: electric power steering, electronic parking brake, abs, stability control disabled, tire pressure monitoring, forward collision-avoidance, lane keeping, master warning. I photographed it. Nothing about how the vehicle drove had changed. At highway speed traveling straight, steering effort felt normal. There was no progressive degradation and no warning I could feel. I noticed a slight difference changing lanes for the exit. On the ramp itself, a banked turn taken at speed, the wheel required extreme force to turn. The loss of assist was undetectable until significant steering input was actually required, which happened mid-maneuver on an interstate ramp. I am a large, physically strong adult and forced the wheel through the turn. I do not believe a smaller, older, or weaker driver could have completed it, and a crash at that interchange seems a likely outcome for many drivers. Stopping on an interstate shoulder with two young children seemed more dangerous than continuing two miles to the airport exit, so I continued, with abs and stability control also inoperative. The vehicle developed harsh, jerky shifting and audible clunking. In the rental return lot the wheel would not turn far enough to complete a tight turn. I shifted to reverse; the vehicle did not move, then shut down completely and would not restart. With the vehicle dead the front doors opened, but the rear doors and liftgate would not, and the windows were inoperable. My children were confined inside roughly 10-15 minutes at 86f until an employee climbed in from the front and released the rear doors from inside. The inability to open rear doors or the liftgate from outside after a total power loss is a serious defect in its own right. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

This is an update to my original NHTSA complaint (id 11755209) regarding an intermittent no-start/no-crank defect on my 2023 kia Telluride (VIN [xxx]). Since my original filing, the identical defect has recurred twice more, on xxx — once at approximately 1:01–1:30 pm est and again at approximately 5:03–5:17 pm est, the same day. In both incidents, the dashboard and infotainment system powered up normally, but the vehicle would not crank, consistent with all prior occurrences dating back to xxx. This brings the total documented occurrences to six between xxx and August 8, 2026, including two in a single day. In both August 8 incidents, my wife was stranded and had to be picked up because the vehicle would not start. This follows a dealer-confirmed and dealer-executed starter replacement (kia of cleveland, ro dated xxx, part #36100-3l160) that was performed after the dealer duplicated the fault on the vehicle and on a bench test — and a 4th recurrence on xxx, just 10 days after that repair. I have video evidence of all four August incidents (xxx, and the two on xxx showing the instrument cluster and infotainment fully powered with a no-crank condition. I am providing this update because the frequency of occurrences is escalating — two failures in a single day — despite a repair that was physically confirmed by the dealer's own testing. This strongly suggests the actual root cause (potentially an immobilizer/Smart-key system fault, ibu communication failure, or intermittent wiring/ground fault) has not been correctly identified, and the defect continues to pose an unreasonable stranding risk to occupants. I am concurrently pursuing a vehicle replacement request with kia America under customer care case #26211382. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The contact owns a 2024 kia Telluride. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 26v430000 (seats); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle experienced a failure to start. The contact charged the remote battery pack, and a technician jump-started the vehicle at the residence. While attempting to schedule an appointment with the dealer, the contact was informed that the recall repair could not be completed. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that parts were anticipated to be available by the end of August 2026. The failure mileage was approximately 34,000.

Digital instrument cluster disappears upon startup of vehicle. Happened today August 4, 2026. When the digital instrument cluster disappears, the gas cap is also unable to be opened. Getting out of the vehicle and locking the vehicle and then getting back in and restarting the vehicle resets the system. I found this fix after the first time this happened in 2023 by googling and there were so many complaints a forum had been made about it. This is approximately the fifth or sixth time this has happened since purchase of the vehicle in 2022. Previous year 2022 models have a recall for the same problem, my Telluride is not included in that recall as it was built approximately a month after the recall dates. Was able to report the information to my dealer today and have it documented, previous attempt attempts to have them documented at the service department have been denied and was given the reason of “there’s nowhere to put that information if you don’t bring the car in”.

Driving and brakes malfunctioned and would not stop causing an accident into a tree.

Just started the car and the whole dashboard went blank, no speedometer, gas tank, nothing is showing like the whole dashboard died on us while driving.

While driving this vehicle in route to philadelphia airport jfk, I experienced a total malfunction of the instrument cluster. All of the warning lights continued to go on and off and were illuminating on the cluster non stop along with a audible chiming, all of wich lasted the 3 hour trip. The car is available anytime. Warning lights/alarms were not only distracting but affected the spedometer which would shut down totally. No dealer or service center has been contacted yet.

The Telluride was parked in my driveway on a hill. When the car was started by pushing the ignition all of the lights on the dash panel started flashing. The car was shifted into reverse to back down the driveway however the brakes didn’t work. We captured this on video via cctv footage. You can see the vehicle reversing and the brake lights are on as the pedal was pushed but not responding. As the vehicle went on to a lesser slope it slowed some but was about to crash into my neighbors home when the parking brake button was pushed and the vehicle came to a stop. The evening prior when starting the car on a flat surface the lights all flashed upon starting but the vehicle had operated normally.

The vehicle randomly has seatbelt alerts for seats that are unoccupied and does not have anything on the seat.

I am reporting multiple intermittent safety and electrical issues with my 2027 kia Telluride. The rear passenger seat on the driver’s side repeatedly detects or indicates that a person is occupying the seat when the seat is completely empty with no objects on it. When this occurs, the rear seat belt warning activates and the alarm/chime repeatedly sounds as though an unbelted passenger is present. The issue is unpredictable. Sometimes it begins shortly after starting the vehicle and driving away. Other times, the vehicle operates normally and the warning suddenly activates while I am already driving. I have also experienced an auto hold system error/malfunction as well as other intermittent electrical/dashboard errors affecting vehicle functions and warning indicators. I am a member of a facebook group for owners of this vehicle, and numerous owners have reported experiencing similar rear-seat detection/seat belt warning problems. I have also seen multiple reports from owners describing other electrical issues with their vehicles. This raises concern that these problems may not be isolated to my vehicle. I contacted my kia dealership regarding these concerns and was advised that there is currently nothing they can do because there is no recall for the vehicle addressing these issues. I am concerned that an electrical, software, sensor, wiring, or control-module defect may be affecting multiple systems. The false occupant warning is especially concerning because I cannot determine whether the vehicle’s occupant and safety systems will function properly when an actual passenger is present. I am requesting that NHTSA document and investigate these issues to determine whether they represent a broader safety defect affecting the 2027 kia Telluride.

Instrument cluster began failing intermittently (tachometer first, then other gauges), and the dealer determined the entire cluster had to be replaced at a cost of about $3,000. The vehicle had 78,000 miles, so it was outside kia's 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty.

Driver assistance warning (daw) warning bells and dash sign "driver needs a break" with coffee pot showing goes off constantly. Even with safest driving possible, on purpose safest driving, the warning and sounds goes off every few miles and few minutes. Kia dealer has kept car for 2 weeks and say they can not duplicate and I drive it (perfectly) and it goes off. This is a 2023 kia Telluride , previous year models and later models you could turn off or turn down sensitivity of this warning. Kia eliminated the owner the opportunity to disable or turn down this warning. It is a safety hazard because it is always going off, causing the driver to take his attention from the road to the dash every few minutes with the bells and coffee pot take a break warning . Kia will not do anything about it.

Twice I was making a right hand turn through a green light and an alarm sounded and the dash displayed an ”engine off” message. I was able to pull over and restart the car. I took it to the dealership but they were not able to replicate the incident. They told me that they tightened a few connections and sent me on my way. About three weeks later, I was driving straight at about 45mph and it shut off again. Fortunately I was again able to safely pull over and restart the car. This time I recorded it. I will return it to the dealership ASAP. I am afraid this will happen again while I am on the freeway or in heavy traffic and I won’t be as lucky as I have been.

On xxx, while driving my 2024 kia Telluride (VIN: [xxx]) with approximately 34,000 miles, the vehicle suddenly experienced a complete electrical failure without warning. The instrument cluster went completely black, I lost electric power steering assist, the transmission would not shift, and the vehicle would not accelerate. The vehicle lost motive power while I was driving, creating a significant safety hazard for me and surrounding traffic. After bringing the vehicle to a stop, it would not restart. The vehicle had to be towed to dutch miller kia for diagnosis and repair. The vehicle is still covered under the manufacturer's warranty. It has been at the dealership since xxx, awaiting diagnosis and repair. As of the date of this complaint, I have not been provided with a loaner vehicle or alternate transportation. I am filing this complaint because a complete loss of electrical power, steering assist, acceleration, and shifting while the vehicle is in operation presents a serious safety risk. I believe this incident should be investigated to determine whether it represents a broader safety issue affecting other vehicles. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The airbag warning light came on at about 4,000–4,500 miles in July 2026. The selling dealer found active code b142900 and a damaged yellow srs connector under the driver-side second-row seat. The green wire is pulled out of the terminal, with exposed copper. The connector is hanging loose under the seat, in the path of the seat frame. The dealer wiring diagram identifies it as connector f49, rear side airbag lh. The failed connector is still on the vehicle and available for inspection. Dealer case 26238900 was opened July 7, 2026 and closed July 8. Techline said it only handles engines, transmissions, and high-voltage batteries, and directed the warranty question to the service manager, dpsm, and warranty department. The dealer did not issue a written warranty decision, called the damage owner-caused, and quoted a main-harness replacement above $6,000. This is the same second-row driver-side side-airbag circuit recalled under sc262 / NHTSA 23v-035 for harness damage from seat-frame contact during normal seat movement. The srs light is still on at 6,182 miles, so that airbag will not deploy. A warranty review was submitted to kia customer care center on October 1, 2026. No crash, fire, or injury. Photos of the pulled wire, the under-seat location, and the f49 diagram are attached.

System/component malfunction & availability: the vehicle's electronic safety and engine control systems malfunctioned while driving at speed. This issue has occurred twice under identical thermal conditions, with the first instance occurring on 5/19/26. The vehicle is fully intact and available for inspection upon request. Safety risk: during the first incident, a false dashboard warning triggered, but the physical engine remained running. However, during the most recent incident on 7/2/26, the defect escalated and the engine physically stalled while driving on the road in high 90-degree ambient temperatures. The stall caused an immediate loss of power and a complete loss of power steering assist, making the vehicle incredibly difficult to control and creating an imminent risk of a crash for my family and surrounding drivers. Dealer confirmation & inspection: following the first incident, the vehicle was brought to a certified kia dealership and left in their custody for 10 days for diagnostic troubleshooting. The service center stated they could not pull a hard diagnostic trouble code (dtc) and could not replicate the failure on a standard test drive. No other entities (police, insurance) have inspected the vehicle yet. Corporate kia was notified (case #26160914) but refused to authorize a specialized repair plan because the dealer could not replicate the issue. Warning symptoms & messages: there were no mechanical or performance warning symptoms prior to either failure. Both times, the issue began instantly with an audible cabin alarm and a prominent dashboard display message stating: "engine off! shift to p or n, then start engine. " during the first incident, the physical engine remained running despite the message, allowing us to safely pull over and reset the vehicle by cycling the ignition. During the second incident, under the same extreme outside heat (high 90s), the engine completely cut out mechanically, creating a severe stalling hazard.

All vehicle electronics shut down when isg / asg activates.

Bought car on a Saturday (6-20-26)and that night noticed the drive mode was broke and the forward collison is broke and will go on and off. Dealership said they did the whole inspection on the car before they put it on the lot to sell. Also, oil was extremely low when I left the lot and had to go back for an oil change. Took it to them on 6-22 to repair and have had to call to ask about my cars status when they said they would call me. Never would get an answer as to what was going on.

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).

I have a 2020 kia Telluride. On 6/14/2026 I opened my sun roof and was unable to close it. I called my local dealership and was advised that they were unable to look at my car for at least 2 weeks. I am currently having it repaired by a licensed auto shop which will cost me $3800. 00.

Not due to recalls. My entire car was malfunctioning over the backup camera. Every system was being displayed on my dashboard as all lights were on. Turning signals and four ways would not work, my steering became tight and hard to turn.