Electrical System Problems of Kia Motor Telluride - part 1

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.

See all problems of the 2023 Kia Motor Telluride 🔎.

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.

See all problems of the 2025 Kia Motor Telluride 🔎.

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).

See all problems of the 2024 Kia Motor Telluride 🔎.

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.

See all problems of the 2021 Kia Motor Telluride 🔎.

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.

See all problems of the 2020 Kia Motor Telluride 🔎.

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.

Vehicle has 75,000 miles. The knuckle on the steering column and the rack and pinion became worn out causing the steering wheel to be loose and jump at high speeds. Mirrors would stop opening randomly. Rear camera stopped working making it very difficult to view when backing up. Replacing the camera did not work, the harness was tested to be ok. The only other option is the software in the head unit. This is the 2nd head unit as the first one was replaced for a failed bluetooth. Cost exceeds $5000 to replace it.

The wind deflector and track assembly on the sunroof of our 2020 kia Telluride (56k miles) broke when trying to open the sunroof and kia corporate is unwilling to cover the cost of the repairs ($4,000). Because the track assembly cracked, the dealer had to break another part just to get the sunroof glass to sit flush, and it is only being held down with gorilla tape. This happened in the drive way at our home and thankfully not on the highway at high speeds. We already had to pay $350 for kia just to break a part of the sunroof so that it sits flush and they are quoting $3800+ for the remaining repair.

The dash screen has gone out at random times. Currently there is not TSB or any acknowledgement from kia about this safety issue. Their dealers service department doesn't know what to do and aren't admitting there is a problem. The only fix from customers online was that kia replaced the entire gauge cluster which is a massive expense to kia. The consumers are suffering because of this and kia is not taking responsibility. They need to start a recall campaign or at minimum introduce a TSB so that kia service departments know what is needed to fix this issue.

While attempting to operate the sunroof on my kia Telluride, the sunroof mechanism failed and became completely stuck in the open position. The sunroof will not close, bypass, or reset, leaving the cabin fully exposed. Upon inspection, it appears the internal mechanism arms or wind deflector components have failed/broken, which prevents the glass from sliding forward back into its sealed, closed position.

See all problems of the 2022 Kia Motor Telluride 🔎.

The sunroof wind deflector broke and as a result the sunroof was jammed open. In order to close the top I had to break the mechanism and now the sunroof, while mostly shut, still shifts free occasionally when driving.

Following a recent $9,000 engine replacement performed by an authorized kia dealership, my vehicle suffered a catastrophic, simultaneous mechanical and electronic systems failure while in operation. Without warning, the vehicle triggered the knock sensor detection system (ksds) and entered "limp home mode," severely restricting vehicle power. Immediately following this, the vehicle experienced a total loss of essential safety and driving controls: steering failure: the power steering completely locked up, creating an imminent crash hazard. Dashboard & gauge failure: all dashboard warning lights illuminated simultaneously, and the speedometer completely stopped functioning, leaving me unable to monitor vehicle speed. Powertrain & shifting malfunction: when brought to a stop and placed into "park," the vehicle's electronic systems failed to recognize the gear change, indicating on the dashboard that the vehicle was still in "drive. " this created a severe vehicle roll-away risk. Ignition failure: the vehicle completely refused to shut off or power down when the ignition button was pressed. This event represents an extreme safety hazard involving sudden loss of vehicle control, steering immobilization, roll-away risk, and primary electronic communication failure immediately following a major manufacturer warranty/recall repair. The vehicle is currently un-driveable.

On 5/19, while driving over 60 mph on the highway, I started applying the brakes as traffic started to back up. While braking, the entire car turned off, and experience an unexpected engine stall. The electrical almost immediately turned back on with all dash lights flashing and safety warnings beeping. My car was still moving but I was unable to accelerate and was getting the message “engine off! shit to p or n, then start engine. ” this has happened to my vehicle twice in the last month, and I brought it into the kia dealership where I purchased it and they were unable to recreate the issue.

Ev shut down.

A continuation from my last post. I brought my car back to the dealer. The worker came out to inspect my car and he lifted the hood and he said I had a loose negative battery cable and that I had the wrong battery in my car. He said that might be the cause of the flickering lights. My car was at the dealership for three days before I was called to come pickup my car. He stated they found another service update that my car needed p0471 and that cleared my check engine light and the battery he said once again I have the wrong battery in my car and they were only able to tighten the negative cable so much. I explained to him that it was the correct battery because I went to walmart where the battery was purchased and they auto manger printed out that paperwork that shows it is the correct battery for that car. Then he had me sign for my car and I left. While driving home my battery light stared flickering again. So I called him and said I thought you were able to tighten the negative cable to the battery. He then said they did the best they can do because it is the wrong battery. After he got off the phone all my lights on my dashboard lit up. My car seemed possessed. My steering locked up and brakes were not working. Scared and crying I called him back and was telling him what was happening to my car. He said once again it was due to battery. Crying I said I'm scared what do I do?he advised me to put my car in netural and try to pull off to the side. I explained to him that I was on the freeway in 5pm traffic my hazards, signals and brakes aren't working. I then asked him what do I do once I can stop the car. Do I bring it back to the dealership? he said the only thing they can do if I bring it back is to have me buy a new battery. At this point the car completely turned off. I was able to roll off the freeway then my car stopped completely violently as if someone slammed the the brakes. Now they want me to buy a new alternator and transmission. Car had no issue before taking it in.

Took my 2020 kia Telluride for emission software update after being notified by the the dealership. Two days later my check engine light keeps coming on and off. I called the dealership and the said to bring it in only if the light is on. The next day my engine light once again keeps going on and off but now also my battery light keeps flickering on and off as well. My car is also slow to idle and when going slow speed my steering will shake. Also when I first start my car in the morning by rpm needle goes up and down as well as my a/c blow strong and then low matching rpm needle. My car seems to pull on hills it feels as there is not enough power to make it up the hill and my car also shakes. My car was running perfectly fine before I took my car to the dealership for this emission software update.

While operating my kia vehicle, the vehicle experienced a sudden loss of braking capability and loss of acceleration/power while traveling downhill. Multiple warning lights reportedly illuminated during the event, including the battery light, oil light, and check engine light. The incident created a serious safety concern due to inability to properly control vehicle speed and operation. The vehicle was taken to an authorized kia dealership for inspection. However, the dealership has refused to provide written confirmation that the vehicle is safe to drive and stated they would not assume liability regarding operation of the vehicle. The dealership further recommended towing the vehicle if I feel unsafe operating it. I am requesting investigation into the safety-related condition involving braking/drivability failure and related warning systems.

On 5 different occasions over the last month, I have had the car go into an engine shut off and said put it into p or n and restart while I am driving on the road!! 05/10-was going to a stop sign and going 5-20 mph. 05/17-happened twice that day, both driving around town 10-30 mph. 05/26- happened driving around town going around a curve 5-20 mph. 05/27 getting off the interstate and getting ready to stop and it happened again. This last time I had 20 cars around me and my car was going into this with all my lights flashing and that popping up. It is such a hazard to be driving this vehicle. The dealership could not find an issue last time I took it in. I just bought this car a little over a month ago. So disappointing and scary.

The contact owns a 2022 kia Telluride. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed at night, the side view mirror's blind-spot system generated phantom alerts while there was no object nearby. Additionally, the headlights inadvertently fluctuated between dim (low beam) and extremely bright (high beam) settings. The instrument cluster displayed that the vehicle unintendedly switched to Smart drive mode but failed to display the transmission gears. The trunk button intermittently failed to operate as needed. The back over prevention sensing system failed to alert that there was an object behind the vehicle while reversing. There were several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure, but twenty-six history trouble codes were retrieved, indicating the power steering, abs, air bags, blind spot collision, front radar, and integrated charging control unit (iccu) malfunctions. The contact stated that prior to the failure, a voluntary emissions service campaign: sc357 engine control unit (ecu) was performed on the vehicle; however, the dealer informed the contact that the failure was not related. The dealer recalibrated the front radar, but the failure recurred at night while driving. The vehicle was towed back to the dealer, but the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 71,000.

Dashboard display is black. Therefore, the odometer and speedometer are not visible. I cannot tell how fast I’m driving which is unsafe. I called the naperville and elmhurst locations and they did not deem the issue a priority to diagnose today.

The contact owns a 2025 kia Telluride. The contact stated that on multiple occasions while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power with an ems warning message displayed. The vehicle was able to restart after multiple attempts. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 25,000.

I own a 2021 kia Telluride with approximately 111,000 miles. I initially brought the vehicle to a kia dealership for an oil consumption issue and engine noise. The dealership diagnosed and repaired a timing chain and tensioner issue, stating the vehicle was “working properly” upon return. After picking up the vehicle, I immediately began experiencing electrical warning lights, including the battery warning light and system alerts (blind spot and general warning indicators). I returned to the dealership, where they performed diagnostic testing and indicated a potential alternator issue, but stated it was in a “borderline” range and that the vehicle was safe to drive. Shortly after leaving the dealership, while driving with my family in the vehicle, the electrical system began to fail. Multiple warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle lost electrical function while in motion. The vehicle ultimately became completely inoperable and shut down in a parking lot, creating a serious safety concern. Prior to the dealership visit and repairs, the vehicle had no history of electrical issues, warning lights, or charging system problems. The dealership later acknowledged that the alternator issue was not present when the vehicle was initially brought in. I am submitting this complaint due to the sudden and complete electrical system failure while driving, which posed a significant safety risk. The progression from no prior symptoms to total failure immediately following dealership service and diagnosis raises concerns about vehicle reliability and potential safety defects related to the charging system.

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.

This is supplemental evidence for NHTSA safety complaint #11739200 unified supplemental evidence packet see uploaded file.

The vehicle began showing serious safety related symptoms before the engine failed. These included engine knocking, repeated sensor failures, the speedometer and odometer blacking out while driving, the navigation screen going dark, and the entire instrument cluster malfunctioning. These issues caused loss of speed information, loss of vehicle status, and loss of navigation visibility, creating unsafe driving conditions. Despite these warning signs, the engine later failed suddenly at around 71,399 miles with no warning lights, no oil pressure alerts, and no overheating indicators. The sudden loss of power created a highway safety hazard due to loss of propulsion and reduced steering and braking assist. The manufacturer and dealership also provided conflicting and misleading information about warranty coverage, including a claim of “no warranty on engine,” which contradicts the official warranty coverage documents. This has delayed proper repair of a safety related defect.

While driving about 35 mph, the vehicle began to alarm and stated "the engine is off; pull over, put in park or neutral, and restart the car". I pulled over and found that the engine had indeed turned itself off in the middle of driving. When the engine turns off, both the braking vacuum system and the power steering go off, making it harder to brake and steer to safety. If I were going highway speeds, this would be a serious safety situation. I don't know exactly what caused the engine shut off, but it seems like a malfunction of the auto stop/start feature, which I had switched off during the incident (so the car should never turn off). The kia website gives instructions on what to do in this situation [xxx] ), which would imply it is a known issue. There are forums of people reporting the same issue with 2025 Tellurides. My vehicle has not been inspected since the incident, but because it is electrical and there is no engine code, there is likely no evidence a mechanic could find. There were no warnings prior to or after the event. The vehicle has only 1650 miles on it. I expect it to happen again, and I will attempt to produce a video to document. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The information cluster behind the steering wheel is not turning on. Started all of a sudden. Can’t show speed, none of the advance driving features are working , and not showing gas level.

I have 2 issues going on with my vehicle. The trim on the outside of my doors is coming off which I know was a recall for some Telluride vehicles about this old. Also ive been having some electrical issues/hot smell like something is burning if the heated seats get turned on.

Oil leak that I’ve put so much effort in getting fixed or replaced and nothing is working. The seat belts suck. The seats are ripped.

I am submitting this complaint regarding my 2021 kia Telluride experiencing repeated and dangerous electronic system failures while driving. Kia of east syracuse (NY) diagnosed the issue as related to the backup camera assembly and communication/network failures. While driving, the vehicle experienced loss of power steering assist, instrument cluster failure, speedometer malfunction, incorrect gear indication, backup camera activation while driving forward, blind spot warnings activating incorrectly, flashing/blank temperature display, and multiple driver assistance system failures. The speedometer displayed 0 mph while the vehicle was in motion and later displayed approximately 40 mph while stopped at a traffic light. The vehicle also became stuck in reverse while backing out of my driveway and would not shift properly, leaving the vehicle stopped in the roadway. Multiple safety systems malfunctioned simultaneously, including blind spot collision avoidance assist, lane following assist, rear cross traffic collision avoidance assist, Smart cruise control, parking distance warning, and forward collision warning systems. The dealership documented multiple fault codes and stated the dashboard lit up “like a christmas tree” while the instrument cluster stopped functioning entirely. These failures create a serious safety risk because critical driving information and driver assistance systems become unreliable or inoperative while the vehicle is moving. The failures occur unexpectedly and without warning. Photos and video evidence have been retained, including video of the backup camera activating while driving forward and the speedometer malfunctioning while the vehicle was in motion. I am asking NHTSA investigate these failures as a potential safety defect involving the camera system, instrument cluster communication systems, and can network communication failures in the kia Telluride.

I am reporting multiple life-threatening safety defects with my 2025 kia Telluride. The vehicle has experienced sudden unintended acceleration, where it accelerates to excessive speeds without driver input. During these episodes, the braking system fails to respond, only allowing the vehicle to stop once its internal safety systems intervene. Additionally, the vehicle suffers from unpredictable stalling and power loss; the engine frequently shuts off upon parking—followed by the electrical system cycling back on without the motor—and the vehicle consistently struggles to start in the morning. These recurring mechanical and electrical failures pose an immediate danger to myself and others on the road.

On three different occasions this car’s engine shuts off on me sometimes at highway speeds. It is terrifying being in the left lane and losing all propulsion and power steering. I have to quickly put the car in park (in the middle of the highway) and then restart the car to go again. When it starts failing it keeps shutting off when we come to a stop in stop and go traffic. It’s like the auto shutoff option shuts off the car abut won’t turn it back on. I took it to dch kia of temecula to get to the bottom of this issue. They are saying because there are no check engine lights and they cannot replicate the problem they can’t do anything and want to return the car to us. We fought that and they started a techline report for engineering to help troubleshooting. Kia customer care was involved, but I was told I had 48 hours to pick my car up as is. Driving this car on long trips is now terrifying for me and my family, if you look online, nationwide kia Tellurides are having this same issue I’ve seen from the 2020 models to 2026. I am not the only person having this issue with a kia Telluride. Something needs to be done nation wide before loss of life happens. I would venture to use the fall of the “Saturn” car company as an example of knowing there’s an issue and not fixing it. I want a solution to this issue and I do not feel that “just trade it in” is an acceptable answer.