2025 KIA Telluride Problems and Recalls (106 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 2025 KIA Telluride is Engine (24% of 106 owner reports). There are 3 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Engine — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 106 complaints · 3 recalls

What problems show up on the 2025 KIA Telluride?

25 of 106 filings named Engine (24% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Glass / wipers / cameras (19 reports).

There are 3 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Body / frame and Tires. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 2024 has 214 reports on file; this year has 106. A smaller lifetime total is not a clean bill of health. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 2025 KIA Telluride

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 3 campaigns on file below.
  2. Engine. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise.
  3. Glass / wipers / cameras. Check windshield, wipers and any camera or sensor the listing claims is there.
  4. Electrical. Have a shop scan for stored codes and check battery, charging and any warning lights that stay on.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Engine. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Engine 25 complaints · 23.6% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 3
  • Fires 2
  • Injuries 5
  • Deaths 0
All KIA Telluride years →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Engine (ENGINE) appears in 25 of 106 owner complaints (23.6%) in this vehicle snapshot. Engine (ENGINE): 25 complaints, 23.6% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 25 · 23.6% Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY): 19 complaints, 17.9% of reports Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 19 · 17.9% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 9 complaints, 8.5% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 1 fire reports 9 · 8.5% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 6 complaints, 5.7% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 6 · 5.7% Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE): 5 complaints, 4.7% of reports Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE) 5 · 4.7% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 4 complaints, 3.8% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 4 · 3.8% Steering (STEERING): 4 complaints, 3.8% of reports Steering (STEERING) 1 crash reports 4 · 3.8% Seat belts (SEAT BELTS): 3 complaints, 2.8% of reports Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) 1 crash reports 3 · 2.8% Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM): 2 complaints, 1.9% of reports Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 2 · 1.9% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 40 complaints, 37.7% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 1 crash reports 1 fire reports 40 · 37.7% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Engine (ENGINE) 25 23.6% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 19 17.9% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 9 8.5% 0 crashes · 1 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 6 5.7% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE) 5 4.7% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 4 3.8% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Steering (STEERING) 4 3.8% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Seat belts (SEAT BELTS) 3 2.8% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 2 1.9% 0 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 40 37.7% 1 crashes · 1 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Oct 2024; the first recall shown was reported in Jul 2025. 2024-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2025-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2025-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 2025-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2025-Q4: 8 owner reports 8 2026-Q1: 20 owner reports 20 2026-Q2: 33 owner reports 33 2026-Q3: 28 owner reports 28 Owner reports Oct 2024 Jul 2026 Recall campaign 25V494000 ◆ Recall campaign 25V494000 Recall campaign 25V745000 ◆ Recall campaign 25V745000 Recall campaign 26V105000 ◆ Recall campaign 26V105000
  • Campaign 25V494000 was reported 153 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 26V105000 was reported 363 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2024-Q4 Owner reports 2
2025-Q1 Owner reports 4
2025-Q2 Owner reports 6
2025-Q3 Owner reports 5
2025-Q4 Owner reports 8
2026-Q1 Owner reports 20
2026-Q2 Owner reports 33
2026-Q3 Owner reports 28
Recall campaign 1 25V494000
Recall campaign 1 25V745000
Recall campaign 1 26V105000
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (3)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Body / frame and Tires.

  1. Recall campaign 25V494000

    Body / frame

    Report date
    Component:
    Body / frame (STRUCTURE)
    Consequence:
    A detached trim piece can become a road hazard for other vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will inspect and replace the belt molding trim assemblies as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 19, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC347.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Recall campaign 25V745000

    Tires

    Report date
    Component:
    Tires (TIRES)
    Consequence:
    Anti-lock braking or traction control systems that do not function properly can increase the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will replace the spare wheel and tire assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 3, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC355. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning November 13, 2025.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Recall campaign 26V105000

    Safety recall 26V105000

    Report date
    Component:
    Unclassified NHTSA leftover
    Consequence:
    A seat back frame that fails to properly restrain an occupant during a crash increases the risk of injury.
    Remedy:
    Dealers will inspect and replace the front seat back frame assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning April 24, 2026. Owners may contact Kia Customer Service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC362. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 9, 2026.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Safety incident filters
Showing 6 of 106 complaints · page 1 of 5
2026-09-03Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 11761899
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The engine just quit when making a brake stop. The RPM went to zero. The car did restart but failed a second time after a few feet of travel and the brakes were applied. There are at least two occasions when the issue occurred within the past two days.
2026-08-31Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11761004
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The infotainment displayed information at the home screen is so close to the left side of the screen that when you are driving, the steering wheel and my hand covers it, so if you want to see it, you need to bend a little to the right, taking the eyes off the road and more important things. The infotainment screen design has a lot of room in the middle of the screen, but somebody with very low brain, had to be a designer, decided it was better to put everything stacked up to the left
2026-08-31Steering (STEERING)
NHTSA ODI 11760914
CrashFireInjuryDeath
When driving, the vehicle will randomly shut off. Every warning light and alarm goes off. A message displays on the dash to put the vehicle on P or N to turn it back on. This happens unexpectedly. It's happened about 16 times on the road and 2 times on the highway. This is a huge safety issue. We notified Kia in February of 2026, it's gone to the service department three times for this specific issue, but they are unable to recreate it and no codes are stored for them to see what it is. We have recorded the vehicle acting up once it's shut off. This is very dangerous that a new vehicle randomly shuts off, and no one knows what is causing it. Now, it's at the shop for the fourth time. This time the Kia engineers have asked the service shop to replace the engine harness along with some sensors and send it to them. We have recordings from Kia Corporate stating they dont know what it is. We even have a service tech stating that there are others with this issue but no solution has been uncovered.
2026-08-30Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 11760734
CrashFireInjuryDeath
XXX While returning home, we just turned right onto [XXX] heading south, an audible alarm sounded which surprised us and then a message appeared that stated "Engine Off! Shift to [XXX], then start engine". This same problem had just occurred not 10 minutes earlier while crossing the bridge into [XXX] from [XXX]! Again, once I was able to refocus my attention to the road, I was then able to turn on my hazard signals, stop the car (no power brakes), shift to Park and restart the car. With this occurrence we were fortunate there was no traffic on the street at the time. We were traveling at about 30mph. This was the 3rd occurrence of this problem within 30 days and then again the second occurrence within 10 minutes on the same day! This is really unnerving to have your engine turn off suddenly and without any warnings! Just a sudden audible alarm, followed by a message, completely out of the blue! I cannot imagine what will happen should this occur at higher speeds? Or in heavier traffic? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
2026-08-30Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 11760732
CrashFireInjuryDeath
XXX While returning home, we were crossing a 2 lane bridge between [XXX] and [XXX] heading south, an audible alarm sounded which surprised us and then a message appeared that stated "Engine Off! Shift to P or N, then start engine". Once I was able to refocus my attention to the road, I was then able to turn on my hazard signals, stop the car, shift to Park and restart the car. This all happened with traffic behind us and passing us in the opposite lane. There was no shoulder for us to use to get out of the way. I should also mention we were traveling a slight incline up as we were crossing the bridge. This was the second time this has happened and again it forced my attention away from the road so that I could address this issue. Fortunately, this all occurred at low speed, approx 30-35mph. Also, luckily I was able to get my hazard signals on quickly to avoid being rear ended by the sudden occurrence of this issue. I cannot imagine what would have happened if I had been on the interstate going 70+ mph. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
2026-08-30Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 11760727
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Aug 1 2026 While going to the store, we were waiting at the traffic light to make a left turn, as we were making the left turn and entering the store parking lot an audible alarm sounded which surprised us and then a message appeared that stated "Engine Off! Shift to P or N, then start engine". Fortunately, there were no cars behind us and I was able to shift into Park and restart my car. With engine off, we had no power steering or power brakes, again a surprise. Had there been traffic, the surprise loss of these features makes driving difficult. The mere fact that the engine turned off alone in the middle of a parking lot driveway poses risk for traffic accidents ... I had to take my eyes off the road to see what the alarm was. Not to mention had there been traffic and having to stop in a somewhat sudden manner could pose risk for accidents from other drivers.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 2025 KIA Telluride?

Owners named Engine most often — 25 of 106 reports (24%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 2025 KIA Telluride?

NHTSA lists 3 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Body / frame and Tires. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 2025 KIA Telluride?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources