Kia Motor Telluride owners have reported 59 suspension related problems since 1996. Table 1 shows the 1 most common suspension problems. The number one most common problem is related to the vehicle's suspension (59 problems). For details of each of the problem category, use the links in the table.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Suspension problems |
I have 2021 kia Telluride with 38000 miles on it. When I wash my car, I normally wash the roof and in order to do that I put one foot on 3 step ladder and one foot on the back tire. I always had a plenty space above the tire and under the fender and I could stand up on the tire while I was washing the roof. On my last wash after the harsh winter weather, I notice I can not place my foot on the tire anymore. I google the height from the bottom of the fender to the ground and I noticed is way down. I read on google that is covered by kia for 15 years or 180000 miles. I contacted the riverhead kia and they replaced the shocks. When I came out of the dealer I immediately noticed the height has not been improved. I informed the service advisor, he said that is not going to be like a new 2026 vehicle and it should be ok. Two days later over the weekend I noticed roaring sound and when I hit the bump it seems my chasing banging on the axle. I am planning to go back to dealer tomorrow.
Rear shocks unstable. When on rough roads or small imperfections in the road it’s hard to control vehicle and items/people get abruptly jostled. The dealership has been notified but says it’s not a recall and will look at it but can only take pictures and send it off to main office. No warning of this failure.
Noise over bumps from the rear.
My rear shocks are making bumping and rattling noise at slow speeds. It also has a stiff ride in some situations.
This vehicle only has 31,000 miles on it and I've already had one door trim molding replaced. (now the rest of the trim doesn't match so that's great for aesthetics) the interior door panel replaced because it was loose. This car developed a "thumping" noise around 25k miles when turning at low speeds. Took it to the dealer, told them it is probably the awd coupler, and they said the self-leveling rear shocks were leaking. So those got replaced. Thumping was still there. I mentioned to the dealer that it is probably still the awd coupler. Dealer decides to replace the rear differential because they found metal shavings in the diff fluid. Sound is still there but now not as loud. Car is currently back at the dealer for diagnostics to remedy the situation. I don't understand how a car with only 30k miles on it should be having these kinds of major issues. Kia seems to know about these issues because they do not argue about replacing anything. The car looks great, and the size is great. But I cannot imagine the nightmares I'm going to have for the next 30k. Or how bad the nightmare will be once I am out of factory warranty.
Rear shocks failed prematurely.
I am experiencing rear self leveling shock strut failure (thumping noise) again after having both sides previously replaced under warranty and now the dealership is refusing to replace them again. This has been an ongoing problem and I am in fear of these shocks completely failing and encountering control problems with the vehicle.
Rear shock failure for the second time. This time in under 9 months. Front crash detection constantly goes off in cold snowy weather or rain. Engine issue is frequent popping sound in exhaust and causing dirty oxygen sensors.
The contact owns a 2022 kia Telluride. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was a clanking sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer was not yet notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 46,000.
The rear frame of my 2021 kia Telluride has a broken weld. This is a structural failure that compromises the safety and integrity of the vehicle. The kia dealership mechanic who inspected it confirmed the weld was defective and also stated they have heard other Tellurides with the same issue. A broken frame weld poses a serious risk to vehicle occupants in the event of a crash and may affect handling, towing, and long-term durability. This appears to be a recurring defect and should be investigated as a potential safety hazard. After several trips to the dealership, for the loud metal to metal type bang, they have replaced struts, rear stab links and shock absorbers. On 9/17/2025 the mechanic was given a list of items to inspect and the dealership informed me that one of the items on the list was to check the frame welds. I was informed that they found the broken weld and have forward pictures to kia engineers. I was informed that the car is safe to drive and they will get back to me within a couple weeks. They offered me a loaner car but it would be a kia soul which is too small for my wife that has bad knees to get in and out of. I do not have pictures of the problem and the dealership didn't want to copy me.
—-engine problem, I was driving then dash board screen show up the red light of overheat suddenly, I pullover my car to see what’s going on, I don’t see no smoke no fire or leak. Very strange issue. I keep driving the car and everything is fine for the moment. This happens in the other kia Telluride that I had, that’s why I change it for this one 2022. And did the same thing of over heating. I took the car to the dealer but they prefer to sell me this 2022 kia Telluride like I said it did have the same problem. No solution. —-suspension, the car bounce too much and it hit the floor hard, the car feels like don’t have suspension, I have to change the road system to get comfortable way and dont feel that situation, when I park the car move side to side that happen when a another car pass in certain speed, very uncomfortable situation.
Car has been brought to kia for transmission issues multiple times and the associate tells me to just tighten the gas cap to get the light to go off. The car is not shifting properly and will "jump" or "lunge" forward while driving. I have noticed that the rpm's will jump and bounce around, seemingly down shifting, then shift again, and then down shift again, which causes jerking motion. The reason I initially took the vehicle in was for a "shake" or "wobble" when accelerating up a hill (semi steep incline) or at freeway speeds (55-70mph). In these instances, the vehicle will have a hard time shifting and temporarily lose momentum causing concerns for me and other drivers on the road. The transmission light will go on and I call kia to be told to tighten the gas cap. I recently brought it in for the third time and they diagnosed something different. I have mentioned the transmission each time, but they have focused on other items and not the transmission. I have had the shocks replaced, the tires replaced, alignment performed, and the problem still persist. However, the dealership will not look at the transmission and says that it is the other items, but the issue still remains after fixing the other items. The shock failure caused other items to wear out and the dealer should be on the hook for those items. I have brought the vehicle in dating to last year for the transmission issue with no help from the dealership. Please take action so that we don't lose our lives or put others at risk for injury.
Rear shocks failure at less than 20k miles. Dealership replaced both rear shocks, but will happen again in another 20k miles?.
My rear struts are leaking and kia is refusing to repair them. I know that kia recalled self-leveling struts for my make, model and year, but I'm told that my version doesn't have those struts. Even though I'm at ~85,000 miles now and it's out of warranty, I believe my struts failed much earlier and it didn't become noticeable until now. Moreover, in searching the internet, many other owners of kia Tellurides are facing this issue. I would like kia to be investigated for failures related to rear struts for the 2020 kia Telluride to see if this is a parts defect.
After 30k miles the self-leveling rear suspension had become very hard causing the vehicle to jolt and not absorb bumps which causes a distraction to the driver causing an unsafe condition.
Rear self leveling shock pn # 55367-s9ka0. Unknown problem has been reproduced by kia dealer. Shock makes noise, clunking, going over bumps. No no.
There is an ongoing problem with the nivomat self-leveling shocks on every model year of this vehicle. The problem occurs at nearly every speed but is more noticeable at lower speeds (35mph or less) while going over uneven terrain or hitting small bumps. The vehicle produces a clunking noise from the rear of the vehicle and there is no cushioning or rebounding from going over the bump or uneven terrain. Instead, there is more of a jolting knock when hitting small bumps and a constant bouncing around/floating feeling while driving over uneven terrain. This is dangerous because passengers and cargo in the vehicle gets bounced around and the vehicle gets harder to control especially at higher speeds. Many of these shocks are failing early in the life of the vehicle. Mine is at 27k miles, however I believe the problem started before and probably closer to 18-20k miles. Kia knows about this issue but has failed to come up with a reliable solution. This is four model years now with the same issue. Kia has released TSB after TSB on this, only replacing certain parts of the shock (isolators, etc. ). However, there are still reports of replacement parts and even new full shock assemblies failing around the same amount of milage. It would be great if a wider recall can be issued to address this ongoing problem that seems to affect every model year so hopefully kia can find a more reliable, quality part to replace the consistently failing part.
Vehicle began having issues around 60,000 miles. Stutters and slips between 2nd and 3rd gear. When on an incline the issue is much more prevalent. On a steep incline, the vehicle is like lurching it is so prevalent and it feels as though the vehicle is going to give up. Around 45 mph, the vehicle begins vibrating; as speeds increase, the shaking (left to right) becomes increasingly violent. At times, it feels as though the vehicle is going to shake off the road. The issues I primarily when accelerating, and when the gas pedal is released, the shaking slows almost to a stop. Tires, balance, and alignment checked multiple times over the course of the issue and tires are changed seasonally. Took to dealership multiple times to be told there was no issue with the vehicle and it was operating properly. Just over 100k miles, back at the dealership and there is suddenly an issue found. Was told at dealership that passenger side front axle inner race is damaged and needs replaced. Took vehicle to local mechanic since dealership had jerked us around so much over the issues, not repairing, keeping car for extended amounts of time without a loaner vehicle, etc. Local mechanic did a lot of research. This is a common complaint of the Telluride and kia is aware but is not doing anything about it. Mechanics recreated issue immedately said rear driveshaft had movement it shouldn't and replaced. They also serviced the transfer case and transmission. There is a TSB issued on this, but research suggests that it is not resolving the problems and kia dealerships are not acknowledging the issue until out of warranty and TSB doesn't cover the repairs even though it is faulty manufacturing.
The rear shocks are faulty and have had problems since I bought it with 36,000 miles.
The back self-leveling shock absorbers have failed. Even the slightest bump has my back passengers in danger of hitting their heads. In reading various forums, this is a problem with the 2020 Tellurides with the tow package.
Rear shocks are defective, bounces around, diagonal pitch and rough / harsh ride. Dealers idea of fix is shock isolator replacement. They don't have in stock and make you wait several days for repair. There should be a recall on this.
Shocks on vehicle wear prematurely. First set completely failed at 35k. Second set completely failed almost 30k later.
Very bumpy ride. Shocks had failed. The shock failure was part of another problem from the shock insulator and absorber. The vehicle became very dangerous and unstable to drive at high speeds (freeway). Shock failure and suspension potentially caused additional problems.
The rear suspension is incredibly creaky sounding. It constantly makes noise at every slight bump and turn regardless of speed. Kia service admitted there is a known issue with the self levelling shocks on the '23 Tellurides and said I should replace them.
In the summer of 2023 I started hearing a clunking noise from the rear of the vehicle that became louder when going over bumps. Took the car to the dealer and I was told the rear shocks were bad and needed to be replaced. Aug of 2023 the original shocks on the car were replaced which was premature for the average life of shocks. Then months later the same things started and I had a puddle of fluid on my garage floor. I took my vehicle back into the same dealership in June of 2024 only to find the rear shocks had failed again. This time in less than a year. Now in September, I can feel the back end getting loose when I go over bumps, which is what happened previously before the shock completely failed. The ride is continuing to regress. Up until this I thought I would go into another Telluride but the lack of longevity in the ride comfort has changed my mind. Something has to be wrong for brand new shocks to fail so shortly after installation.
The right rear strut assembly is faulty. Warranty work has been done to vehicle in the past for the faulty strut. Brought vehicle back into dealership and they brush it off saying it was my tire condition causing the noise. New tires were purchased to no avail. The exact same noise continues inside the cabin of tapping noise. Dealership was able to reproduce the noise but they were not specific as to what was causing the noise on my service documentation.
. Cannot drive the vehicle because the rear end bounces up and down and side to side violently making it difficult to control ehile driving. Kia dealership said rear shock absorbers need replacement and kia warranty does not cover $1800 repair. Kia dealer said this has happened previously. There are many comments on the internet from other kia Telluride owners about the same problem. I opened a case with Kia Motor company requesting they cover a portion of the repair given the numerous online complaints, and the obvious safety risks. They refused. Kia is clearly installing defective parts on this vehicle.
The rear shock is leaking/bad. My car only has 30k miles. It caused my wheels to wear unevenly, which could have led me and my family to have a car accident if a wheel popped while driving. An independent service center has confirmed this when the vehicle failed inspection. No warning of the issue.
Valve cover gasket leak, coolant hose leaks, passenger side axel boot slinging grease, parasitic draw.
Rear shocks failed at only 9,000 miles. A known issue with self leveling suspension on some Telluride models.
The car suspension is not working properly and the car has becoming very bouncy-even on highway. Not sure if it is too hard or too soft, but issues start when it is about 24,000 miles. Changing driving mode made no difference. Besides being uncomfortable, it is very distracting. To the driver.
Less than 40k miles and the rear suspension has completely gone out. The jolting at low speeds is significant. At higher speeds, the lack of suspension is dangerous. Never used for towing. Purchased with tow package and self leveling shocks. Began early this year and has not subsided.
My 2020 telly has a random vibration. When it appears it can be felt throughout the vehicle. Just as quickly as it appears it disappears. Mostly felt with acceleration/when changing gears (right after). Also there have been a handful of times I've attempted to go from a stopped position or pulling into traffic and the car just sits there. It does not rev or increase rpm's, it does nothing. Then after about 2 seconds it will just calmly go as if I had just pressed on the gas. This is very scary when it happens while pulling into traffic or attempting to cross over traffic. . . Because when it does start to go you are now 2 seconds behind where you should be and I was almost hit. Had a similar issue with my tucson and Hyundai fixed it ASAP. . It was the transmission clutch. Also having an issue with my cv axle/joint/boot. It's leaking but it is not broken or cracked etc. It's just leaking and spitting greas/fluid all over the wheel etc. Trying to find a part for it that is not at the dealer is not easy but the dealer wants 400 just for the boot (not installed). This is ridiculous and price gouging. Check the kia forum and you will see many people with these same complaints/concerns that need to be addressed before someone gets hurt. Having your vehicle not go while pulling into traffic is serious. . Fix it kia! I have 2 shops that have confirmed there's an issue, felt vibration, picture of leak, instead what's up with the transmission awd but is believed to be driveshaft/transfer case related. 64,440 miles currently. Issues started at 62,261. . Also I contacted crown kia(st. Pete FL) regarding windshield replacement because I have a crack that is growing after repair. I have the letter (customer and dealer regarding cheap glass "goodwill repair" and they knew nothing about it. I produced the letter and have heard nothing from them. Dealerships hate doing anything that won't bring a dollar. Kia fix my ability to safely go in traffic please. Save lives please now thank you.
Car sways between 60-80 mph and the shocks didn’t fix it.
Self leveling shocks on rear are defective. They are firm to the point that the SUV is highly unstable. It overly reacts to bumps and holes in the road. Occupants in rear seats are bounced around! vehicle becomes unstable and if the driver is not careful could lose control and wreck!!0.
Rear suspension has failed or is failing, causing unsafe driving conditions and risk of loss of control. The vehicles rides shakes and bounces on normal street conditions. After repair of factory recall for trailer hitch, vehicle rear suspension failed and is unsafe for children especially in rear of vehicle in normal driving conditions>.
Rear self leveling shocks failed, confirmed at 65,000 miles but issue had been present for months.
Vehicle at 700 miles is having suspension issues causing bumping and shaking during the ride making it unsafe.
Around 65,000 miles rear self-leveling shock absorbers started making clunking noises, now they're extremely stiff, not compressing with weight, even small speed bumps affect the rear of the car, rear/cargo bouncing up violently over mild speed bumps, rough on 2nd/3rd row passengers. The standard front shocks which are still good. The problem, reproduced on a drive, verified by a dealership service department tech. Local dealership reported problem to kia, and kia offered to cover parts but I'd be charged over $500 labor. A premium package car shouldn't have such a rough ride because of failing suspension parts. Kia should fix the rear shock issue on the 2021 Tellurides ordered w/ "self-leveling rear suspension" under a recall. Thanks for your attention.
Rear self leveling suspension has gotten stiff and creates a severely rough and uncomfortable ride, especially when in the middle or third row. It can be jolting. I had the TSB 113 repair completed and ride is moderately better, but still very stiff. TSB 113 eliminated the clunking in the rear end but the ride is so stiff it creates discomfort for the occupants.
Iafter recognizing some problems with suspension, I went to an independent auto repair shop. Mechanic discovered that axle on front passenger side was falling apart. He took pictures of it. I turned it into a nearest kia dealer in garden grove, CA. They said that they would repair it under manufacturer's warranty after receiving parts. Dealer did not provide a copy of work oder. It was so dangerous to drive on the freeway with 2 toddlers on car seats. It occurred on approx. 11,000 milesage. This is a significant safety issue that needs to be officially investigated for safety. Mechanic stated that it almost fell out that may have caused fatal accidents.
Rear shocks failed causing vehicle to have considerable bouncing making it harder to control.
Right rear self leveling shock has "failed" at 55k miles. My mechanic said it was broken and leaking. Not covered under warranty. This car has a tow package therefore the self leveling shocks and have to replace both rear. Kia customer service said they are unaware of any issues, however 1/2022 issued technical safety bulletin #113 rear shock absorber assembly noise. It's not the whole shock they will replace but there is obviously a problem if they have a bulletin.
Rear suspension harshness, rough ride, and asymmetric rear ride quality body movement. Medium to large bumbs on road causing body to pitch latterally causing all passengers to have accessive headtoss. Driver fatigue sets in quickly.
The rear self leveling shock absorbers are making a clunking noise and appear to have failed. Very stiff suspension which causes handling problems. Kia dealers are unresponsive in fixing this issue.
The rear self-levelling shocks have failed completely, providing no shock absorbtion whatsoever. The vehicle is extremely difficult to control on bumpy roads even at moderate speed as it bounces so violently it is difficlult to maintain steeering. My vehicle is a 2021 Telluride sx with towing package.
The 2020 kia Telluride was purchased with the "tow package" which included "self-leveling" rear shocks. The self-leveling rear shocks failed early and has created a safety concern with braking/handling/steering in addition to comfort in ride. Concern with the shocks began around 60,000 miles (roughly Jan 2023), but there was no indication of shock failure or leakage. Our independent service center/mechanic told us the shocks looked fine and that typically shocks should never fail this early. We just assumed the ride was rough and even after replacing tires, the ride never improved. As it progressively worsened, the local certified kia dealership has now inspected and verified that both rear shocks have failed (leaking and rusting) and that the ride is unbearable (the vehicle is over 77,000 miles now). I believe the vehicle is unsafe to drive in its current condition and though it is out of warranty for this repair, we are having the dealership replace both rear shocks. Over the course of the past 17,000 miles, braking, steering, and cornering have certainly been compromised due to this early shock failure, putting me and my family as well as other motorists at risk. There were not any warning lamps or other obvious signs of wear other than riding in the vehicle. The ride left most passengers feeling ill, with headaches from a very rough ride even on smoot concrete.
The rear self adjusting shocks do not work - the smallest bump jolts anyone in the car, even at the slowest speeds (10 mph), nothing works to keep bumps from feeling like there are no shocks at all or they are frozen (and I am accustomed a Jeep wrangler's rough ride). My son has an lvad implanted in his chest, attached to his heart that keeps his heart pumping, and every ride to the doctor is like the car is trying to yank the lvad off his heart, causing him great pain. I can't stop the car from hurting him!! the dealer replaced the cap on the shock but it did nothing to help. I have another appointment, they admitted there were problems with the shocks, and my car isn't even included in the TSB!!! they fit me in for an appointment in October but said they had received word the manufacturer might be going to try something else. The problem first started being really noticeable at the beginning of 2023.
My Telluride mileage just passed 30k. The rear suspension seems like no shock-absorbing capability since the car is so bumpy. The front suspension looks fine though. I went to a service center, but they told me they couldn't find any symptoms. I was shocked when I heard about that because I could see an apparent difference even with pushing it with my hand! strangely, there's no squicking noise. And they told me no oil leakage. But, it's bumpy. I'll try to visit the service center for the recall and ask them to check the suspension together with me. The rear suspension has the optional self-leveling shock that has a noise concern. I may need to replace them with a normal suspension.
At 13,500 miles I started hearing a clunking noise in the rear of the vehicle. There is also a strong burning rubber smell after I have been driving. The kia dealer confirmed that my rear self leveling shocks need to be replaced. I'm not sure if the melting rubber smell is a fire concern. I am concerned that the reduced braking and cornering ability with the defective shocks would make it harder to avoid an accident. I'm currently waiting for the parts to arrive for repair but was instructed to continue to drive it. These shocks are specific to Tellurides with the tow package and it seems to be a known issue from the response I've gotten at both the dealer I purchased from and the dealer where I took it for service.
Severe vibration at highway speeds between 60-80 mph on intermittent basis. Low frequency vibration at speeds 40-50 mph on intermittent basis. 10/11/2022 reviewed by service at wasatch front kia, no issues found. Problem continues. 12/16/2022 reviewed by costco tire center, draper, ut. Screw/nail found in tire. Tire repaired. Wheel/tire balance performed. Problem reduced but not eliminated. 01/04/2023 vibration occurred at similar intensity as to prior to 12/16 service.
My 2020 kia Telluride has faulty suspension related to kia's factory installed towing system. This makes the vehicle very noisy while everyday driving and unsafe when towing. Yes the problem has been confirmed by the dealer, kia has put out a service bulletin, but hasn't extended the warranty to cover their known defect. This started a couple months ago.
The rear self leveling shocks have locked up resulting in bone shattering jolts. The Telluride forum reveals these shocks frequently fail at low mileage and affect the cornering and stopping characteristics of the vehicle.
We have taken the vehicle in to zeigler kia twice to complain about a clicking noise athat sounds like it around the tire area. Neither time has the issue been resolved. We have also taken the vehicle in for a recall that possibly could be related to the sensors being inoperable. This issue has yet to be resolved as well. They are quite unhelpful even making us stay on hold for over 30 minutes to try and speak to a representative. I would like to get the issue resolved as it sometimes sounds like a tire may disconnect.
In short, kia is putting inferior rear self leveling shocks on at least their Telluride model with tow packages. We are one of many (per kia blog posts) who have been forced to drive our vehicle for thousands of miles with ceased shocks. Kia has been aware of this safety issue since the model was released in 2020 but done nothing aout it. Then they're just replacing with the same inferior shocks, which I've seen from others posts are failing a 2nd time. We had our vehicle in several times before they finally agreed to replace (over 5k miles from 1st shop visit) ours, which did repair the issue, but it's the principle. Come to find out from multiple kia employees, kia makes their dealer repair shops jump through hoops to perform warranty work and why this took so long. I reached out to kia corporate in the midst of this fiasco to see what they're doing about this and they told me only the nhsta could issue recalls (your site says otherwise), to which I replied "that's not acceptable". I also asked kia corporate how in the world elderly or less driven individuals could navigate this, no response. They did offer restitution with a sign off for the issues, which I declined because all I want to do is help the next guy and hold kia accountable. Kia needs to be exposed for their negligence on this issue and lack of proper customer service due to their ridiculous warranty policy and the mindset they've instilled into the minds of their techs to perform the bare minimum. I've attached my running notes with dates and the multiple repair docs to assist with the review of this issue. If you need more info please let me know!.
The contact owns a 2020 kia Telluride. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the "electronic parking brake" warning light remained illuminated, and the vehicle failed to properly accelerate. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the "parking brake connector" had fractured. The vehicle was not yet repaired. Additionally, while driving at various speeds, the vehicle was shaking and vibrating abnormally. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who replaced the rear shock absorbers, rear sway bars, rear control arms, and the motor mounts. The local dealer also discovered that the oil pan and oil filter had cracked. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 50,000.
#1 rear shocks have been replaced 5 times (beginning November 2021-September 2024) after bringing the vehicle in 7 times due to clunking. After dealing with kia directly they agreed to cover costs. Clunking was resolved shortly but started again a couple months later. #2 recently the car began locking up while in operation, while accelerating, but no code was detected. Transmission was flushed (December 2024) and one month later same type of lock up began happening again, this time the check engine light came on (January 2025). Code indicates torque converter clutch is off. Dealer will now try to fix the issue. Car is available for inspection. Problem #1has been reproduced by kia service at the dealership. Problem #2, since code was detected dealer will inspect and hopefully be able to fix. This car is just over 5 years old with less than 70,000 miles. Between these 2 issues I have been in to the service department going on 8 times!.
I have owned my kia teuride for about 7 months and in those months I have had to bring the car to the dealer 3 separate times for a vibration problem. For each time car was in service for a few weeks. First was told I needed tires balanced and they balanced. 2nd time was told I needed a new driveshaft and they replaced. 3rd time wad told I needed a new awd coupler and it was replaced. I am a disabled father of 3 kids and cannot go back and forth to the dealer all the time when they tell me I can't have a rental car or loaner and then strand me at the dealer 14 miles away from my house. There has to be a better way to help people cause it seems that kia consumer affairs is not even helping.
Rear struts/shocks have been replaced twice due to failure and they have failed again. The first time was due to horrible noises coming from rear of vehicle going up inclines. The second time they were replaced noises came from the rear going over any slight bump or rough terrain.