Power Train Problems of Kia Motor Telluride - part 2

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.

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My transmission failed at 95k miles and was available for inspection at a fee. My safety was at risk since my car was jerking on the highway and I had to quickly pull over while the car slowed down in a fast and high trafficked area. The problem has been an ongoing issue especially in 2020 models from social media and the dealership. The vehicle was inspected by the kia dealership. The engine light did not come on until the car showed immediate signs of issues.

I am filing this complaint regarding my 2020 kia Telluride because of excessive oil consumption that kia has refused to address. My vehicle currently has approximately 138,000 miles and consumes about one quart of engine oil every 500 miles. This level of oil consumption is excessive and creates an ongoing risk of engine damage if the oil level is not constantly monitored and replenished. After researching this issue, I discovered that many kia owners have reported similar excessive oil consumption problems. Despite the large number of complaints, kia has not issued a recall or provided assistance for owners whose vehicles experience this problem after the factory warranty expires. I sought assistance from my local kia dealership. At one point, the service manager attempted to advocate for me and other customers by bringing these concerns to kia corporate. I later learned that he was no longer employed there. They have completed oil consumption tests and agreed my car is consuming a significant amount of oil. They conducted a “band aid” fix that did not help. The last appointment when we brought it in, all they did was check oil levels again. Since then, my concerns have largely been ignored, and I have been offered no meaningful assistance. While I understand my vehicle is outside the warranty period, a vehicle should not consume one quart of oil every 500 miles under normal operation. This appears to be a widespread issue rather than normal wear and tear. I respectfully request that this complaint be investigated and added to the record of similar complaints involving kia vehicles. I also ask that kia be encouraged to provide assistance to affected owners whose vehicles suffer from excessive oil consumption caused by what appears to be a common defect. Thank you for your time and consideration.

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.

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!.

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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.

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I purchased this vehicle new in September 2025. At approximately 3,903 miles, the vehicle exhibited a failure of the transmission system affecting its ability to remain stationary when placed in park. When the vehicle was placed in “park” on an incline, the park mechanism failed to hold the vehicle, and the vehicle rolled despite being in park. This condition presents a clear risk of unintended vehicle movement. The issue was verified by the dealership during a test drive. Diagnostic inspection confirmed that the gear selector and transmission position indicators were functioning correctly; however, the vehicle continued to roll freely in park. The parking pawl was audibly engaging but failed to mechanically secure the vehicle. No diagnostic trouble codes were present, and no evidence of external damage, improper use, or installation issues was identified. The failure appears to be internal to the transmission system. This defect occurred at very low mileage and involves a core safety function intended to prevent unintended vehicle movement. Based on these facts, this issue is being reported as a potential safety-related defect. The dealer had the vehicle for over 30 days and installed a completely new transmission.

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Our 2022 Telluride is binding when turning at low speed or accelerating on the highway we took it to our trusted mechanic, he believes it to be the all-wheel-drive coupling unit and that is a common failure point with these vehicles. I called our local kia dealership and stated that the mechanic told me they need to check the firmware for the ecu to see if that may fix the issue. The dealership stated that they were just gonna have to replace the all-wheel-drive coupling unit instead of diagnosing the problem. After reading several reports from this government agency and other forms, etc. It sounds like the all-wheel-drive coupling unit is a common failure point and needs to be addressed as a recall by kia.

The contact owns a 2025 kia Telluride. The contact stated that while driving at slower speeds, the vehicle lost motive power. The message "place vehicle in park - press brake to restart" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer; however, the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 6,500.

In August 2025, my kia dealership serviced my 2021 kia Telluride and billed me for 7 quarts of oil as part of the repair. Approximately four months later, in December 2025, the vehicle developed severe engine problems and became inoperable. The dealership diagnosed the failure as a collapsed timing tensioner and stated the engine required complete replacement. Kia techline agreed with that diagnosis and used it as the basis for recommending a new engine. Despite acknowledging that engine replacement was necessary, kia denied warranty coverage, leaving me responsible for an estimated $11,000 repair. I then obtained a second opinion from an independent, reputable repair facility. After inspecting the vehicle, the shop concluded the engine failure was not caused by a timing system failure. Instead, they found the engine contained only about one quart of oil and determined the damage resulted from oil starvation. They further stated that, in their professional opinion, the dealership had misdiagnosed the vehicle and that the low oil level was consistent with the possibility that the dealership failed to add the oil for which I was charged during the August 2025 service. What is especially concerning is that the dealership never documented or informed me that the engine was critically low on oil. Because the timing components rely on engine oil for lubrication, I believe it would have been impossible to properly inspect and diagnose a timing tensioner failure without recognizing and documenting the severely low oil level. Based on the independent inspection and the dealership's failure to identify or disclose the lack of oil, I believe the dealership either failed to perform the service as billed or failed to correctly diagnose the true cause of the engine failure. I am concerned that this incorrect diagnosis diverted attention from possible negligent workmanship during the prior service and led to an unnecessary recommendation for an $11,000 engine replacement.

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.

While driving on a highway at approximately 50 mph, the vehicle suddenly lost acceleration without warning and was unable to exceed approximately 10–15 mph. This created a dangerous situation requiring immediate maneuvering across multiple lanes of traffic to reach safety. At the time of the incident, the check engine light was illuminated. Diagnostic trouble codes p0191, p2177, and p2179 were later identified, indicating fuel pressure irregularities and air/fuel imbalance. The vehicle was inspected by a dealership, which diagnosed a purge valve vacuum leak and faulty high-pressure fuel system components. The repair required replacement of the purge valve and high-pressure fuel system components. The failure involved components within the fuel/propulsion system and engine systems, which are controlled in part by the electronic control module (ecm). This resulted in a sudden and unexpected loss of propulsion while driving at highway speed. Prior to the incident, there were issues with refueling, including difficulty filling the fuel tank when near empty, indicating a potential developing issue within the fuel system. This condition created a significant safety risk due to the sudden and unexpected loss of vehicle speed in active highway traffic, increasing the risk of collision.

Kia equips their 2020 Tellurides with a plastic oil filter housing unit. Over time, the heat from metal and pressure causes the plastic component to crack, become warped and this leads to oil leaks.

The oil filter housing is made of plastic and it cracked causing a major oil leak. There were no warning lights on the dash. Our family had just gotten into the car to visit family for thanksgiving. I ran back into the house to get something and when I came back I first saw a large puddle of oil where the car was parked then I looked at the car and could see oil streaming out. At first I thought the filter or the oil drain plug had come loose. We had our local mechanic look at it and he said it was a common problem they see with plastic housings instead of metal. We called the closet kia dealership and they said it was a known problem but kia has not issued a recall. I searched online and found many complaints. If I had not noticed the leak we could have either had a fire or major damage to the engine.

Description of defect: my 2020 kia Telluride experienced catastrophic engine failure and excessive oil consumption, which is a known issue for this model year (to the point that I had to sell it just 1 year after I bought it). The vehicle consumes oil at an alarming rate without any dashboard warning lights, or low oil pressure indicators, leading to sudden loss of engine power and potential stalling while in motion. This failure occurred at 93,200 miles, well before the expected service life of the powertrain. Safety risk: sudden engine stalling or power loss while driving at highway speeds creates an immediate risk of rear-end collisions and leaves the driver without power steering or braking assistance. The lack of any 'check engine' or 'low oil' light prior to the mechanical crisis meant there was zero opportunity to safely maneuver off the road before the vehicle became disabled. Furthermore, excessive oil consumption in this engine type has been linked to potential fire risks under the hood. Failure/incident details: despite following all manufacturer-recommended maintenance, the vehicle suffered a major [engine/transmission] failure. Kia America has acknowledged the failure but refuses to provide transparency or assistance, despite technical service bulletins (TSB sa428 and TSB 089) existing for these exact powertrain issues. This represents a significant safety defect that puts my family and other drivers at risk.

Oil consumption problem and oil filter housing needing replacement.

On 11/01/2025, while traveling on the highway traveling at a speed of 80mph, my vehicle suddenly would not accelerate beyond 60 mph. I managed to exit safely, but this created a dangerous situation for both me, my daughter and other motorists . The next day, firestone inspected the vehicle and informed me the engine contained zero oil—yet no oil light, check-engine light, temperature warning, or sensor alerts were triggered at any point. There were no visible oil leaks, suggesting internal oil consumption, which I had reported to kia in October of 2024. On 10/21/2024, I paid $3,300 for a flywheel/ignition repair at a kia dealership. When I dropped off the vehicle for that repair, I specifically reported abnormal oil consumption and requested it be checked. Kia did not diagnose or remedy the concern. The combination -complete oil loss -no warning indicators -sudden loss of power and inability to accelerate -occurring at highway speed constitutes a critical safety defect. Drivers cannot take preventative action if the vehicle provides no indication of catastrophic engine failure until it is already occurring. This defect exposes drivers, passengers, and surrounding motorists to severe risk of collision or injury. Additionally, the dealership later provided a carfax entry simple stating "car maintenance" on 10/22/2024. No record of what was repaired, indicating inaccurate or incomplete documentation. I am requesting that NHTSA: -review this incident as a potential engine safety defect. -investigate whether other 2021 kia Telluride owners are experiencing similar catastrophic oil -loss or lack of warning indicators. -assess whether current recalls adequately address this failure pattern. -determine whether an additional recall or investigation is warranted.

The vehicle was taken in several times for a vibration, binding coming from the rear. It has been ongoing back to the original owner. It is the all wheel drive coupler. This is a known issue with tsbs out on it. Kia has been contacted and seems unwilling to help, replace. Online thousands of these things have failed some even twice. In icy or slippery conditions this can cause loss of control due to binding.

After 8 months of trips to the shop telling them the engine was bad, and spending thousands to do things it didn’t need trying to get warranty to cover engine, kia finally agreed it had issues. Tore it down and piston rings are bad. There was carbon build up despite regular maintenance and they are telling me warranty won’t replace.

The engine is consuming oil.

Awd coupler locking and wobbling jerks vehicle.

Right at 100k miles both our engine began burning oil at an extremely high rate with no clear resolution for the issue. We are adding 1-2 quarts ever week. Simultaneously, we received transmission solenoid codes from a check engine light. The sealed factory transmission had burn looking transmission fluid and after replacement the light continue to show and now the transmission is slipping and hesitating and we are being told it needs replaced.

The engine is stalling, knocking and the check engine light will occasionally come on. You can smell carbon monoxide and hot oil. We are having to add a quart of oil weekly.

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.

See all problems of the 2024 Kia Motor Telluride 🔎.

I had the awd coupler replaced at 66000 under warranty due to a TSB and hesitation when turning at slow speeds. I'm at 110000 and the awd coupler is failing again and needs replacement but kia warranty won't cover it again. Very frustrated.

A week after purchasing a new 2025 telliride with less than 8 miles on it the transmission stopped shifting into gear. I would have to move manuel mode and shift into each gear to keep SUV moving. Never got a check engine light and nothing showed when codes were ran on car from dealership. The first dealership where I purchased from replace throttle body thinking that would fix it but it did not. After driving a few hours back to work the same issue happened again and I had to bring to closer dealership near job for repair. They said you transmission is completely not working and needs to be replaced. They opened a case with kia, unlike previous dealership and repaired the transmission. Since I have had the transmission completely repair it is starting again, but seems it has something to due with the engine nothing throttling down and up and make a little jump when taking off or slowing down.

Vehicle (2021 kia Telluride) at ~94k miles received cel p000a for (camshaft position - slow response (bank 1)). Personally checked the oil before taking the vehicle to the dealership and there was very little oil, below the "l" line. Vehicle is burning oil fast, which more likley than not cause the p000a cel. Vehicle would go im amd out of not being able to accelerate. Dealership wants me to pay diagnostic fees for them doing absolutely nothing other and resetting the code and conducting an oil change. Vehicle is a cpo which has a 10y / 100k mile warranty which seems like the dealership is trying to prolong until vehicle is out of warranty to diagnose it correctly. Engine is burning oil and needs to be replaced but the dealersbip wants to play games with customers.

Borescope inspection of the engine shows multiple signs of internal mechanical failure involving oil control, piston ring integrity, coolant intrusion, and cylinder wall damage. Excessive oil buildup is visible above the oil control ring, far beyond what is expected at 59k miles. Cylinder walls show heavy polishing where cross-hatching should be visible, indicating loss of lubrication and abnormal wear. Carbon deposits are extremely thick; in several areas carbon has flaked off and been pulled downward into the cylinder, creating scoring. Straight vertical scoring marks cut through the normal diagonal honing pattern, confirming blow-by and damage to the cylinder sleeves. Evidence of coolant intrusion is present, including orange discoloration consistent with rust/coolant contamination, excessive moisture, and steam-cleaned areas of the combustion chamber. The intake valve and combustion surfaces appear abnormally clean, consistent with coolant steam-washing. This suggests head-gasket failure, a block or head casting defect, or ring damage (possible cracked scraper ring). Coolant in the cylinders can wash away oil from the bore, leading to rusted pistons and accelerated scoring. Multiple pictures show severe scoring and loss of lubrication. This compromises the ability of new pistons or rings to seal, meaning the cylinder walls would continue to allow blow-by, oil burning, coolant intrusion, and friction. Even attempting to polish or recondition these bores would enlarge them, causing piston flutter, noise, and long-term failure. Based on the level of damage, the engine is no longer safe or reliable. A seized piston could cause sudden loss of power at highway speeds, creating a safety risk. The observed defects indicate a potential manufacturing or casting issue that may affect other engines. The dealership and kia consumer affairs have been notified but there has been no replacement or resolution after 3 months of ongoing issues, and 8 weeks of holding my vehicle.

The vehicle decelerated in the highway, from about 70mph to 40mhp with no warning, no check engine light, and no previous symptoms, sounds or other indicators. The vehicle was brought to the dealer who advised the high pressure fuel pump went bad as well as the solenoid and ocv harness, causing oil to be forced through the harness. Kia refused to cover the repairs at 74k miles and it was fixed at the owner expense, even after kias long history of failed high pressure fuel pumps in many other models. We were in the fast lane and were almost hit by a semi, who was thankfully able to move over at the last minute, narrowly averting the deaths of both my children, myself, my nephew and brother at aprox 4am.

The Telluride has developed a shimmy. At first, the shimmy was noted at lower speeds, around 35 to 45 mph while under minimal load such as going uphill and slightly accelerating. The car was taken to the dealership. The tires were balanced. We were told no other problems. A month later, same thing, same result. We just took a 2700 mile trip. The shimmy is apparent at higher speeds and in all transmission modes of operation.

My torque converter is failing on my 2020 kia Telluride. This is a known issue among other owners of this model year, and I believe kia knows about it and is refusing to acknowledge because of how expensive it is.

The awd couplers continue to fail. We are waiting for the dealer to get parts in so they can be replaced again. The tech stated kia continues to install defective parts.

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The contact's spouse owns a 2020 kia Telluride. The contact's spouse stated that while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle inadvertently rolled backwards and struck the contact’s aunt as she was exiting the vehicle. The contact’s aunt was taken to the emergency room by ambulance/helicopter, where she later succumbed to the injuries and was pronounced dead. The contact stated that the vehicle remained at the scene. In addition, before the incident, there was grinding coming from the gears. The contact was unsure what specific injuries were sustained. A police report was filed. The contact stated that the VIN was included in NHTSA campaign number: 24v214000 (power train); which the contact related to the failure. The contact had previously received the recall notification. The dealer was not contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 101,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

Car erratically shifts and provides more power to vehicle when it is not necessary. It often shakes in between shifting.

Awd coupler assembly failed twice and company will not repair. Rear shocks thumping and noisy, company repaired twice but still inop.