Engine And Engine Cooling Problems of Kia Motor Telluride - part 1

The contact owns a 2020 kia Telluride. The contact stated that while driving at 60 mph, the vehicle stalled and lost automotive power. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was unable to restart and was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with battery and starter failure. The contact was informed that the starter and the battery needed to be replaced. After the replacement of the starter and the battery, the contact was informed by the dealer that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact stated that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. The approximate failure mileage was 91,300.

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Kia has 110,000 miles on it. We’ve regularly changed the oil at 3-5k mile intervals. A week ago, I heard loud knocking from the front of the car, along with loss of power. We drove it to our local kia dealer (kia of bedford, OH), where upon inspection, they found cylinder bank 2 to be inoperative due to loss of oil. They found approx 2 quarts of oil in the engine - way below normal. They observed no oil leaks. We inspected our garage and driveway floors, and there is no indication of any oil leaks. The kia dealer said the engine needs to be replaced, at a cost of $12,700. I contacted kia customer care, and they said it’s out of warranty and they won’t help. I replied back with an appeal to escalate to a higher / regional level for help. The oil had been changed at 105,000 miles. No oil leak present. Routine oil changes performed. This engine should never have had this issue at 110,000 miles. I know this is a known issue with this era of kia engines. I’ve asked kia to provide assistance in a repair.

See all problems of the 2021 Kia Motor Telluride 🔎.

Recently our 2021 kia Telluride, had a fluttering/metal knocking/mechanical sound and I scheduled a shop visit at our trusted local mechanic. After their inspection, they found that the oil was extremely low and there was metal shavings in the oil filter housing. This was found when absolutely no warning lights were activated that would indicate low oil level or any other engine challenges. The vehicle is maintained with regular oil changes. The vehicle only has 65k miles. Looking further into this online, it seems very similar to the theta engine recall from kia. No warning lights/indicator lights, well maintained vehicle with regular oil changes, and to all of a sudden consume almost all the oil and have metal shavings in the oil filter housing is extremely concerning. As of 4/6/2026 the dealer is assessing the vehicle and coming up with a plan and or further actions to be done.

The contact owns a 2020 kia Telluride. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost automotive power with the check engine and other unknown warning lights illuminated. Additionally, the vehicle stalled several times and with several unknown warnings illuminated. The contact stated that a friend had checked the vehicle and stated that there was no oil inside the engine. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started to lose automotive power with several unknown warning lights flashing on the instrument cluster. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed of repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 73,000.

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.

My 2020 kia Telluride ex experienced a sudden engine shutoff / loss of motive power while driving in traffic. The vehicle stopped in the roadway, would not immediately restart, and restarted later after sitting. This was not normal stop/start operation, the car shut down. No low-oil warning appeared before the event. I am also aware of multiple similar owner reports online describing high oil consumption, stalling, and lack of warning in 2020 Tellurides, but this complaint is based on my own direct experience and concern. It was scary and life threatening!.

I have been having issues with excessive oil consumption . No warning signs or notifications . Also had an issue with my car stopping in the middle of the road which could have been related to the above problem per my mechanic.

2021 kia Telluride experienced sudden engine failure at approximately 120,000 miles. The failure occurred without any prior warning. There were no oil warning lights, dashboard alerts, or other indicators of low oil or engine malfunction before the engine failed. After inspection, the mechanic found no oil on the dipstick and discovered metal flakes in the engine and oil filter, indicating severe internal engine damage. No external oil leaks were identified that would explain the loss of oil. This suggests a potential internal engine defect or abnormal oil consumption without warning to the driver. The vehicle has been regularly serviced and properly maintained according to recommended maintenance schedules. There was no neglect, missed oil changes, or failure to maintain the vehicle. This sudden and unexpected engine failure creates a serious safety concern. A loss of engine power while driving, especially at highway speeds or in traffic, could significantly increase the risk of a crash and place the driver, passengers, and other motorists at risk.

No oil in engine can cause fire. Meineke in walkertown inspects the vehicle. No lights or warnings. Vehicle just started running funny. Problem confirmed by meineke in walkertown. They claim it is a consumption issue because there are no leaks.

Cooling fans running continuously after the car is turned off, which drains the battery. The dealership has identified that this is due to a faulty fan relay that will need to be completely replaced. The battery has been replaced once and the issue continued indicating that it was not a battery issue. The car ran out of battery in a busy location and caused risk to the passengers that were then exposed to busy traffic. The car has been inspected by repair specialists at the vaden Hyundai service center. There were no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms before the problem began.

The 3. 8l lambda ii gdi v6 engine suffered catastrophic failure at approximately 102,000 miles. The root cause is excessive oil consumption documented by an independent repair shop well before the 100,000-mile powertrain warranty expired. At 81,207 miles, during a routine oil change, the mechanic checked oil level before draining and found nothing on the dipstick. Only about 3 quarts drained from an engine with 6. 9-quart capacity, meaning nearly 4 quarts were consumed since the last change. This finding repeated at 88,408 miles, with the shop documenting it was the second time oil was critically low. Both events occurred within the powertrain warranty. Original invoices are available for inspection. At no point during ownership did the vehicle display any warning — no low oil level indicator, no low oil pressure warning, no check engine light — despite oil levels falling dangerously low on multiple documented occasions. The absence of any driver alert while the engine operated with less than half its required oil is a serious safety deficiency. The engine failed on while driving with passengers including three young children, causing complete loss of power and requiring an emergency pullover. Loss of engine power at speed creates serious crash risk. The vehicle was serviced at an authorized kia dealer at 60,449 miles where a 60k service, multi-point inspection, and recall sc243b were performed. The dealer made no mention of oil consumption, did not reference TSB eng222 (addressing excessive consumption across multiple kia engine families), and did not perform an oil consumption test. Kia consumer affairs refused to submit a goodwill claim and closed the case, citing incomplete oil change documentation — despite the defect being documented within warranty. Excessive oil consumption in 2020-2021 Tellurides appears systemic based on numerous owner reports describing the identical pattern: extreme consumption, no dashboard warnings, and eventual engine failure.

Driving on the highway when all the lights on the dashboard came on and heard a loud sound. Pulled over and noticed flames coming out. The front part of the car 911 was called. An incident report was made. The flames were out quickly. The car was towed and is at the dealership.

Car is burning over 2 quarts of oil every 1000 miles with no leaks, stalls at stop signs and lights. Engine needs to be recalled. No warning lights.

Issue: oil consumption/ low oil pressure indicator or check engine light did not go on. Was driving kids to school and on my way home I heard a loud rattling sound. Pulled over and had it towed. Shop said it didn't have oil, it was dry as a bone. We do regular oil changes every 5k miles and there are no oil leak spots on driveway or in garage. No oil light came on, no check engine light. Hoping this didn't damage my engine as I am at 110,000 miles.

I am the original owner of a 2020 kia Telluride with 48,409 miles. My wife purchased it new. It has never been sold or transferred. It is fully covered under kia's 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. What component failed and is it available for inspection? the engine is consuming excessive oil due to failed internal components—likely the piston rings. This has fouled the spark plugs and caused active misfires on cylinders 1,3,4,5. Codes: p0300, p0301, p0303, p0304, p0305. Kia acknowledges this defect in TSB eng222, which defines consumption over 1 quart per 1,000 miles as abnormal. The failed components remain in the vehicle and are available for inspection. Has the problem been confirmed by a dealer? yes. [dealer name] confirmed the misfire codes and excessive oil consumption. Despite being original owners with an active warranty, they refused to cover the repair. The advisor said they "only cover internal engine parts"—which is exactly what is broken. We were sent home with a flashing check engine light. Has it been inspected by manufacturer or others? no. Only the dealership. Kia corporate has not inspected it. How was safety put at risk? a solid check engine light means active misfire and risk of sudden engine stall or seizure. Other Telluride owners report complete power loss on highways and intersections—no acceleration, no power steering, no power brakes. My wife and children drive this car. I fear for their safety every time they start the engine. Were there warning symptoms? yes. Two weeks before the check engine light appeared, I noticed a slight shudder during acceleration that gradually worsened. The light came on solid, then began flashing within days. No oil light appeared. No other warnings. Kia advertised a 10-year/100,000-mile warranty. At 48,409 miles, they denied coverage for a known, documented defect. That is not a warranty. Not true. I request an investigation into the 2020 Telluride 3. 8l engine. Thank you.

Engine has a pcv valve issue that causes oil to leak from seals and burnt through the pistons causing loss of oil, engine damage and possible engine failure while driving. This could cause vehicle to lock up and possible cause an accident especially at freeway speeds. There is no low oil indicator or check engine light that comes on to let driver know that the oil is low.

Oil filter housing assembly- resulted in very low engine oil with no warning lights or engine lights potentially leading to engine damage. Yes the component was inspected and replaced by dealership. This was after getting the oil plan repaired for leaking oil as well.

While driving the instrument panel started flashing and beeping and the engine shutdown and the instrument panel read to put it in park to restart. This is not the first time this has happened with this vehicle and this last time the dealer is telling me there are no codes and they are unable to replicate the incident. This is extremely dangerous!! at the time of this report it has been at the dealer for 5 weeks and they still do not know what the cause is.

See all problems of the 2025 Kia Motor Telluride 🔎.

Purchased a brand new 2025 kia Telluride sx-prestige x-line on may 19, 2025. On or about December 20, 2025, my husband was driving (I was the passenger) in stop/start traffic when the engine shut off and the panel displayed “put vehicle in park or neutral and restart the engine. ” since traffic was stopped, he put the vehicle in park and restarted the engine. The vehicle started right up and we went on our way. However, on Saturday, January 10, 2026, the check engine light came on. I contacted the maintenance department at buchanan kia (where I purchased the vehicle). He asked if the vehicle was having any other issues. It was not, so we scheduled a maintenance appointment. I was told we could drive the vehicle, so we did. On our way home, doing 40 mph down, thankfully, a back road, the engine stopped, all systems shut down including steering/braking and the panel displayed “put vehicle in park or neutral and restart the engine. ” my husband was driving, he coasted the vehicle to a stop, put it in park and the engine restarted. We were about 10 minutes from our house. In those 10 minutes, the engine shut off and displayed the message two more times. At this point the engine was running rough and would not idle. I again called the maintenance department and the vehicle was towed into the service department. The issue could not be replicated by the service department and we retook possession on February 3, 2026. I have sent a formal notice to customer care center, kia America, inc. Via certified mail, return receipt requested. I am filing this report as a precaution in the event something happens and someone is injured due to this malfunction.

Was driving heard a noise and then lost power to gas peddle and bunch of smoke and then flames coming from front of car got out and there were flames coming from hood eventually flames died down and was just smoking police &fire department were called. Piston blew through engine block these engine have a known oil consumption issue and I have kept up with oil .

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Bought my 2021 kia Telluride sx with a cpo warranty with a little over 69,000 miles. At about 73,000 my car began to smoke and the dealership that I bought the vehicle from kept it for the day and sent me on my way with no diagnosis just simply stating they couldnt duplicate the issue and confirming they did no testing on the vehicle. They stated that they topped the coolant and checked the oil in which my oil was in good level. 2 days later I checked the oil trying to figure out why my car was smoking and my dipstick had no reading and no signs of oil. I topped the oil and immediately took the car to a different dealership where we began doing 1,000 mile testing on oil consumption and losing 1. 5 quarts -- cpo warranty will not cover the issue because they stated it is a kia wide issue and recall and even though I dont have specific recall they still refuse to cover. My car has been deemed as needing a motor replacement at 78,000 miles. Kia America does not stand behind their issues and refuse to help and they have denied the claims that have been made even after being escalated, they also refused to give a denial letter in writting or a reason why it was denied!.

My vehicle was consuming what I thought was a good bit of oil, I had an oils consumption test done, at 1000 miles it was 1 qt low, they said that is normal. So I drove away, another 1000 miles later my engine blew while I was driving, blowing metal everywhere! left me sitting on the side of the road and kia is saying it is not a known issue!! no lights car on indicating low oil or engine light.

The oil filter housing cracked on the car, causing all the oil to leak out. In researching this, I have found that this is a common problem with the kia Telluride and kia sorrento. The problem is that the oil filter housing is made of cheap plastic and not durable material such as aluminum or steel. This allows the oil filter housing to easily crack under stress. In speaking with the dealership, this is not an uncommon problem. I feel that this should be covered under the powertrain warranty or through a recall. A quick google search will show that the problem is widespread in the sorrento and Telluride models. This repair cost me a total of $425. If I had not replaced or repaired oil filter housing, the engine would have locked up as all the oil at escaped onto the pavement.

My 2020 kia Telluride has been serviced repeatedly for what has been described as an oil pan leak. My car has stalled out on multiple occasions and at one point wouldn't go above 60 on the highway. This is a know issue with 2020 kia Tellurides, but the repair solutions are not solving the problem. My car stalled again and is idling rough and will now be serviced again for the same problem.

The checked engine light came on with code: p219c00. Vehicle was taken to the kia perris dealership for maintenance inspection. This happened after the vehicle had to be taken back to dealership for an oil leak post oil change service. The issue has been reported by multiple owners on reddit. Seems like a manufacturer issue that should be addressed.

The vehicle is experiencing excessive oil consumption between oil changes, requiring frequent oil top-offs well before the manufacturer’s recommended service interval. No external oil leaks were identified when the vehicle had approximately 91,000 miles. At approximately 118,000 miles, the issue was identified during normal operation and routine maintenance, at which time potential engine-related concerns were noted. Excessive oil consumption raises concern for internal engine wear and the risk of sudden engine failure while driving, which could create a safety hazard. The vehicle has been taken to an authorized kia dealership and is currently undergoing diagnostic evaluation, including oil consumption testing. At this time, the cause has not been fully determined. No warning lights were present prior to discovering the low oil level.

On 12/24/25 the vehicle experienced the very same issue, on the highway, with my family in the car, coming from christmas eve festivities. The car decelerated and no cel (check engine light) ever came on. When transporting to dealer, the car began rough idling like it wanted to die, but still no cel. At this time, I am told there is a need for a new engine but no supporting documents or other diagnostic documentation has been shared with me and kia at this time is refusing to resolve the issue under the powertrain warranty and the car is still under 80k miles (powertrain is until 100k) additional info: on Aug 5, 2025, the vehicle, with no warning lights or cel present, the vehicle decelerated on the highway, putting me and my family in imminent danger (large truck behind us who narrowly missed hitting us) and after about 10 min the cel came on. The vehicle would not drive above 45mph. Once the car was stopped, the cel went off and the vehicle was diagnosed as failed high-pressure fuel pump, ocv harness, and solenoid, along with accompanying lines/gaskets/plugs and seals. After the repairs were done, I reported rattling noise to the dealer within 5 days of picking up the vehicle, when I had to bring it in for an axle joint replacement (aprox 8/12/25).

2020 kia Telluride failed oil consumption test. Available for inspection upon request. A vehicle running on no oil will cause an engine to seize putting myself and others at risk. Confirmed problem by kia. I have documentation of 3 oil consumption tests performed on my 2020 kia Telluride at the dealership. Inspected at dealership by service department. No warning light to indicate low oil or to check engine. Stuttering and stalling of vehicle at stops caused me to bring in the car to kia.

For some time, I was noticing that my 2020 kia Telluride was consuming excessive amounts of motor oil - at least one quart per 1000 miles. I have had my car serviced regularly by a certified reputable mechanic and scheduled oil changes and other required service every 5000 miles. At around 69,100 miles the check engine light appeared and I immediately took the car in for service. I was advised that the spark plugs and valves were heavily carbon fouled. The spark plugs needed changing and the valves needed cleaning. It was also necessary to replace the coils. Total repair bill was $2008. 84. I was advised by my mechanic that excessive oil consumption is a problem with kia automobiles and after researching the issue myself, found this to be the case. Some engine design issues, most likely with oil leaking past the pistons into the combustion chambers, causing fouling. I have learned that ultimately, the pistons and valves will become fouled again, the engine warning light will reappear and possibly, the engine will break down - hopefully, not in a distant place without knowledgable service. The new car warranty for my kia was 100,000 miles but since I bought it used (I am the second owner) the warranty was reduced to 60,000 miles. I filed a complaint with Kia Motors and asked that they simply extend my warranty to 100,000 miles but since there is no pending recalls for this problem, my request was denied.

I purchased the 2021 Telluride (former owner of a sportage, rio and sorento). I have our local mechanic handle maintenance and service. After paying $1,400 for a tune up to address misfiring, we quickly concluded the transmission was shot and my engine was burning theough every drop of oil before it was due for a change. I went to kia of des moines, since it is covered under a 200k/20-year warranty. They replaced the transmission under warranty, I shared my mechanic details for records, and they told me they were going to do an oil consumption test. They sent me on my way, asking for me to return after 1,000 miles. I did (and then my car began shaking, but we thought it was due to snow conditions) and they quickly said, "yes, it is an issue!" my Telluride burned through almost 2. 5 quarts of oil in 1,000 miles. I left on 12/15, being told they would have direction from kia corporate on next steps and acknowledged I need a vehicle loaner during repairs (single disabled mother, who has to travel safely). I did not hear back, chasing for updates. Yesterday, steven text me saying I would need to authorize $1,600 engine tear down fee in order to confirm issue. I asked for denny, the manager to contact me. I also called kia care, who said it is up to dealer. I am seeing so many issues with Tellurides burning oil. And, I do not have $1,600 to make my vehicle safe - that amount would make me sacrifice my home or another necessity. Google said to fight it and to submit a form to you also. I have to fight this because I have no other choice than to sell an organ. I will stock up on oil to keep filling it so my engine doesn't blow up, but have incredible fear of being stranded and not being able to get my vehicle towed or us home safely. If there is anything you can assist with, I appreciate it. I just found out my parent's 2023 Telluride is burning too much oil too - they haven't got the $1,600 sticker, but I know that amount will wreck them also.

Around Dec 13 the cooling fan started running by itself while the vehicle was in the garage for a few hours with the engine shut off, so, engine is cold. . What we do in this circumstance is starting and shutting the engine, that takes car of the situation until it happens again, sometimes right away or a few hours later or next day. I can't identify a relay that controls the fan. So, at this point we don't know how to resolve this problem.

Several oil housing changes. I’m not the first owner, the oil housing has been changed once already and I’m going to have to do it a second time, the car is only 5 years old. I’ve only owned the vehicle 2 years. The dealership did no diligence to check it, I went to the dealership for years and due to negligence with my oil changes and recalls I stopped going, now I’m having to pay out of pocket for issues they’ve caused. I thought I messed up my car and had a part dragging at the bottom, when I took it in to the dealership they said it was previously not bolted down properly. I had a recall, I was told 3 times my lights were connected and I was “good to go” each time I got in and the car said my lights were not connected. After this I never came back! not sure if it’s the dealership issue or on the car for my oil housing leak.

I purchased this vehicle with 109,000 miles on it. After driving for about a month, I noticed a noise and took it in for an inspection. I was told there was no oil in the vehicle and to take it to kia. Kia told me that was a known issue the the oil consumption and wanted to start testing. I have an extended warranty but I am having to come out of pocket $5000 before a claim can even be started and I have only owned it for 5 months.

Vehicle manufacturers have certain basic rules and procedures that must be followed. When a vehicle manufacturer sells a vehicle, it has a duty to ensure that the vehicle functions properly and safely for its advertised use and is free from defects. When a vehicle manufacturer discovers a defect, it must explicitly disclose the defect and make it right or cease selling the vehicle. When a vehicle manufacturer provides a warranty, it must stand by that warranty. I believe kia has breached its duties and rules as follows. Specifically, these class vehicles (tellurides and others) have malfunctions regarding their incorrectly manufactured piston oil rings which can result in engine damage and failure, and even potentially cause a fire known internally and secularly as an ("oil ring defect”). Now, I purchased this car in January of 2023. Based on kia’s active and persistent promotions touting the quality of its vehicles and my partners admiration of kia vehicles, we considered kia a quality company with a strong reputation for producing reliable vehicles. In addition to kia's reputation through its marketing and promotion. We decided on the 2020 kia Telluride because we believed it was a high-quality vehicle, after a salesman convinced us that the vehicle was highly reliable and came with great technological features. Since purchasing this vehicle it has only taken the vehicle to the certified dealership for its routine maintenance as recommended by both the vehicle alert system and the service department at courtesy kia. However, through all our consistent visits to dealerships, we had never been told of any recalls or defects related to his vehicle’s oil ring system. Since 2015, kia has designed, manufactured, distributed, sold, and leased the class vehicles with this problem. As discussed earlier and in more detail below, the class vehicles contain a defect that causes a serious safety concern. The unresolved defect with the Telluride engine is an attack on owners.

The argument for the warranty claim to be honored and the work to be completed is as follows. Kia inc may not want to take responsibility for the engine. They may want to shy away from their duty by claim negligence on the part of the owner. Kia will ask the car owner to produce every receipt and service record you can scrape together just to prove that one was not done at an “authorized” center of some sort. Or they will argue the distance between intervals of oil change down to the smallest of detail to claim you abused the engine. An engine they know has a flaw. An engine with a ring flaw across multiple lines, years and models. That in multiple lawsuits they have in fact taken responsibility for and lost in cases so they are aware of the issue. But my argument is not necessarily these things. My argument is the oil warning light. That light is the real danger when combined with this fatal engine flaw. For a **3. 8l v6 gasoline engine** (like that of the 2020 kia Telluride) using * 5w-30 motor oil**, you can theoretically determine the oil loss level that would trigger a warning indicator based on the overall oil capacity and typical safety standards. Oil capacity and warning indicator calculation specifications of my 2020 kia Telluride according to anthropic ai. - * capacity**: 6. 9 quarts - **typical safe operating level**: generally, engines are designed to alert drivers when oil levels drop to about **1 quart** below the full capacity, which is critical to maintain proper lubrication. Oil loss threshold- - **full capacity**: 6. 9 quarts - *warning threshold*: -*safe level*: 5. 9 quarts (6. 9 quarts - 1 quart)safe oil level - the warning indicator would typically come on when the oil level falls to approximately **5. 5 to 5. 9 quarts. This range ensures the engine continues to operate safely without risking damage due to inadequate lubrication. Key aspects of fmvss 101 regarding oil pressure warning lights. S5. 2. 3. (the light must alert the driver. . .