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2025 Kia Telluride
The verdict
1 thing going for it, 3 to watch.
Cons
Official recall campaigns exist for this vehicle. See the Safety Recalls section for what failed and how it's fixed.
Why we say this — NHTSA — Safety Recalls
28 of 91 owner complaints are about the engine. Tap it in the heatmap to read the real reports.
Why we say this — NHTSA — Owner Complaints
3 complaint(s) involved a crash and 2 involved a fire.
Why we say this — NHTSA — Owner Complaints
Pros
Earned a strong overall government crash-test rating.
Why we say this — NHTSA — 5-Star Safety Ratings
Neutral
Official EPA fuel economy. We show this as a neutral fact — whether it's 'good' depends on the vehicle's class.
Why we say this — U.S. EPA / DOE — fueleconomy.gov
Take this with you:
★★★★★Crash-test safety
0Safety recalls
0Owner complaints
5% involved a crash or fire
20–22Combined MPG
ℹ️ Recalls & complaints are reported per model — the same across every trim & engine. Fuel economy (and crash ratings by body style) can vary — use the pickers in those sections.
Safety Recalls
Official recall campaigns. Tap one to see the danger and the fix.
What is a recall, really?
A recall means the government made the manufacturer admit a safety defect — and the fix is free at any dealer, forever, even for used cars. Recalls range from a software update to "the steering wheel can detach," so read the danger line on each one. Buying used? Ask the seller for proof each recall was completed, or have a dealer run the VIN. Recalls also have a quieter cousin worth reading: technical service bulletins.
NHTSA Campaign 25V494000
What's wrong: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Telluride vehicles. The door belt molding trim can delaminate and detach from the vehicle.
The danger: A detached trim piece can become a road hazard for other vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: 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.
NHTSA Campaign 25V745000
What's wrong: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 Telluride and 2026 Sorento vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with an incorrect spare tire which, when installed, can impair the anti-lock braking system (ABS) and the traction control system (TCS). As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
The danger: Anti-lock braking or traction control systems that do not function properly can increase the risk of a crash.
The fix: 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.
NHTSA Campaign 26V105000
What's wrong: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 Telluride vehicles, equipped with power front seat(s). Due to a manufacturing error, the driver and passenger seat back frame assemblies may fail to properly restrain occupants in a crash.
The danger: A seat back frame that fails to properly restrain an occupant during a crash increases the risk of injury.
The fix: 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.
Source: NHTSA — Safety Recalls · re-checked about every 24 hours
Where Owners Report Problems
Where owners report the most trouble — based on 91 complaints (3 involved a crash, 2 a fire). Tap a part to read the real reports.
Raw count — best-sellers naturally log more complaints than rare cars, so judge it against the peer comparison below, not on its own.
Why don't we show complaints per vehicle sold?
Because no official source publishes sales counts per model — that data is sold by private firms, and the free numbers online are guesses. A rate built on a guessed denominator is a guess wearing a lab coat, so we refuse to show one. Instead we show comparisons where fleet size cancels out or is disclosed: the same model across its own years, the crash/fire severity mix, and the peer ranking below — each with its methodology attached.
Of 28 reports about this part, 0 involved a crash and 1 a fire.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 5 of 28):
On four different occasions the car starts flashing red saying to immediately put in park. We lose all control of the car, have to slowly coast to the side of the highway and turn the car off. When we turn it back on, drive again, it will happen shortly after. It has happened two different days about a month apart, two times each day. Our car has been at the dealership for two months and since they can’t duplicate it Kia consumer affairs says we have to go get the car and deal with it.
Twice I was making a right hand turn through a green light and an alarm sounded and the dash displayed an ”Engine Off” message. I was able to pull over and restart the car. I took it to the dealership but they were not able to replicate the incident. They told me that they tightened a few connections and sent me on my way. About three weeks later, I was driving straight at about 45mph and it shut off again. Fortunately I was again able to safely pull over and restart the car. This time I recorded it. I will return it to the dealership ASAP. I am afraid this will happen again while I am on the freeway or in heavy traffic and I won’t be as lucky as I have been.
About 3 months after I bought a brand new 2025 Telluride the vehicle started to randomly accelerate rapidly without increasing the gas while driving and stall when idling at lights, stop signs, or slowing down and would not turn back on for several minutes. When it does start back it misfires causing a rumbling before the check engine light comes on. It would show code P006800 and P017100 saying “critical engine error”. Despite bringing it into the dealership multiple times we were told they couldn’t replicate the problem and sent home with no solutions just to wait for it to happen again. This became a extremely dangerous situation when recently at a red light on a busy highway in the rain my telluride stalled leaving me and my young children trapped inside unable to restart the car while other vehicles flew past narrowly missing us. I’m extremely concerned for the safely of my children if we continue to drive this car. We went back to the dealership just to be told that Kia may not honor our warranty despite this being a documented problem with the 2025 Kia Telluride.
The vehicle had been throwing different Electrical Codes for several months around August through December 2025. The last code it through was an engine management system error. On December 22nd 2025 the car caught fire in the engine and exploded while parked in the driveway. Fire investigators are leaning towards in electrical issue in the engine. I currently have an additional 2025 Kia Telluride vehicle which is also starting to display some of the same electrical messages
System/Component Malfunction & Availability: The vehicle's electronic safety and engine control systems malfunctioned while driving at speed. This issue has occurred twice under identical thermal conditions, with the first instance occurring on 5/19/26. The vehicle is fully intact and available for inspection upon request. Safety Risk: During the first incident, a false dashboard warning triggered, but the physical engine remained running. However, during the most recent incident on 7/2/26, the defect escalated and the engine physically stalled while driving on the road in high 90-degree ambient temperatures. The stall caused an immediate loss of power and a complete loss of power steering assist, making the vehicle incredibly difficult to control and creating an imminent risk of a crash for my family and surrounding drivers. Dealer Confirmation & Inspection: Following the first incident, the vehicle was brought to a certified Kia dealership and left in their custody for 10 days for diagnostic troubleshooting. The service center stated they could not pull a hard diagnostic trouble code (DTC) and could not replicate the failure on a standard test drive. No other entities (police, insurance) have inspected the vehicle yet. Corporate Kia was notified (Case #26160914) but refused to authorize a specialized repair plan because the dealer could not replicate the issue. Warning Symptoms & Messages: There were no mechanical or performance warning symptoms prior to either failure. Both times, the issue began instantly with an audible cabin alarm and a prominent dashboard display message stating: "Engine Off! Shift to P or N, then start engine." During the first incident, the physical engine remained running despite the message, allowing us to safely pull over and reset the vehicle by cycling the ignition. During the second incident, under the same extreme outside heat (high 90s), the engine completely cut out mechanically, creating a severe stalling hazard.
Of 18 reports about this part, 1 involved a crash and 1 a fire.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 5 of 18):
clear coat is coming off of 2025 white kia Telluride
My 2025 Kia Telluride is suddenly shutting off in traffic. It first happened 6/24/26 I was pulling away from a stop light when my vehicle shut off. I received a red dash as you would for collision warning and a message to shift into park or neutral to restart the vehicle, I tried to restart it started but without RPM's then would not restart my husband had to push the vehicle off of the roadway. I then tried to restart it again it started and shut off in less than 20 feet. I had it towed to the dealership after keeping it 1 week they say they can not recreate the problem. I picked up my vehicle yesterday and it again shut off before I made it 2 miles down the road, I had stopped at a stop light to make a left turn accelerated to make to my turn and the vehicle again shut off I coasted into a parking lot was able to restart it and drove it back to the dealership. The vehicle is currently with them. The vehicle had no warning lights prior to this happening everything was fine in fact when the vehicle shuts off the radio and Air Conditioner stay running like nothing happened. I have searched the internet and found many others having this issue with their dealerships also saying they can't recreate the problem.
I was driving my brand new 2025 Kia Telluride that was purchased from the dealership 3 weeks before the incident. The engine died while driving approximately 40 mph on a flat road. The engine died and then there was a loud beeping and a flashing alert on the dashboard in the circle where the righthand indicator camera view appears that said, “Engine Off-Shift to P or N then start engine.” This occurred at about 7:30 pm on May 19, 2026 with about 40% full tank of gas. The automatic engine auto-stop feature was on at the time. The car had been running for about 3 minutes before the engine died. The power steering was also affected. Once I pulled over and put the car in park the engine started again as normal and there were no alerts on the dash or when I checked the Kia app. I dropped the car at the dealership the following morning, they have had it for 6 days so far and let me know that their diagnostics and test drives did not reveal any issues or defects with the vehicle.
I rented a car from Avis on [XXX] (a Friday) for a 24-hour rental. I rented it in Manhattan, and the car (a Kia Telluride) had a New York license plate [XXX] ). I drove to Boston to pick up my daughter from college and then returned the car Saturday morning (XXX). The drive was fine. But when I returned the car, the attendant took the key and wrote on the window and windshield that the car had been recalled (I've uploaded photos). I complained to the rental staff that they rented me a car that had been recalled. The attendant said they apparently didn't know about the recall until I returned the car. I find that hard to believe. I checked NHTSA's website a day after I returned the car [XXX] ), and it said that the Kia Telluride I rented had been recalled on February 23, 2026. The reason for the recall was because "THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT BACK FRAME ASSEMBLIES MAY FAIL TO PROPERLY RESTRAIN OCCUPANTS IN A CRASH". That's a terrifying thought. According to Avis's recall policy [XXX] they're not supposed to rent the car and they are supposed to notify me about the recall. Avis did neither of these things. Luckily the trip was accident-free and my daughter and I are physically fine. But I think Avis should be held accountable for allowing me to drive a rental car that may have had a higher likelihood of killing us in a crash. At the very least they didn't notify me in any way. They weren't even going to mention anything about the recall, and I had to ask about it after I saw what they wrote on the windows. I also submitted a review afterward (Avis sent me a standard email asking about my experience), and I explained my frustration about them renting me a recalled car. Avis replied, but it was just a standard apology and they didn't say anything about the recall. All around a terrible experience. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I was driving down the highway at approximately 70 mph, and a deer ran into the front driver's side corner of the car. The airbag fortunately didn’t deploy, but the hood flew up and covered the windshield, blocking my ability to see. I was somehow able to pull the vehicle over without being able to see. Within 30 seconds of pulling over—and while I was still in the driver's seat—I noticed flames coming out of the engine compartment. I screamed to my son to get out of the car, and within minutes the car was completely engulfed in flames. The car burned to the ground and is a total loss. I have no idea how this could have possibly happened. This shouldn't have happened from a deer. The vehicle was only 7 months old, was up to date on all required maintenance and recalls, and had approximately 11,000 miles on it. It was in perfect condition. We were able to escape, but for a moment I thought we might not be able to. We're lucky to be alive. I reported the issue to my insurance company and the manufacturer and have received no information on causation. A link to the video of the car burning is below: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Of 17 reports about this part, 0 involved a crash and 1 a fire.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 5 of 17):
Twice I was making a right hand turn through a green light and an alarm sounded and the dash displayed an ”Engine Off” message. I was able to pull over and restart the car. I took it to the dealership but they were not able to replicate the incident. They told me that they tightened a few connections and sent me on my way. About three weeks later, I was driving straight at about 45mph and it shut off again. Fortunately I was again able to safely pull over and restart the car. This time I recorded it. I will return it to the dealership ASAP. I am afraid this will happen again while I am on the freeway or in heavy traffic and I won’t be as lucky as I have been.
All vehicle electronics shut down when ISG / ASG activates
The vehicle had been throwing different Electrical Codes for several months around August through December 2025. The last code it through was an engine management system error. On December 22nd 2025 the car caught fire in the engine and exploded while parked in the driveway. Fire investigators are leaning towards in electrical issue in the engine. I currently have an additional 2025 Kia Telluride vehicle which is also starting to display some of the same electrical messages
System/Component Malfunction & Availability: The vehicle's electronic safety and engine control systems malfunctioned while driving at speed. This issue has occurred twice under identical thermal conditions, with the first instance occurring on 5/19/26. The vehicle is fully intact and available for inspection upon request. Safety Risk: During the first incident, a false dashboard warning triggered, but the physical engine remained running. However, during the most recent incident on 7/2/26, the defect escalated and the engine physically stalled while driving on the road in high 90-degree ambient temperatures. The stall caused an immediate loss of power and a complete loss of power steering assist, making the vehicle incredibly difficult to control and creating an imminent risk of a crash for my family and surrounding drivers. Dealer Confirmation & Inspection: Following the first incident, the vehicle was brought to a certified Kia dealership and left in their custody for 10 days for diagnostic troubleshooting. The service center stated they could not pull a hard diagnostic trouble code (DTC) and could not replicate the failure on a standard test drive. No other entities (police, insurance) have inspected the vehicle yet. Corporate Kia was notified (Case #26160914) but refused to authorize a specialized repair plan because the dealer could not replicate the issue. Warning Symptoms & Messages: There were no mechanical or performance warning symptoms prior to either failure. Both times, the issue began instantly with an audible cabin alarm and a prominent dashboard display message stating: "Engine Off! Shift to P or N, then start engine." During the first incident, the physical engine remained running despite the message, allowing us to safely pull over and reset the vehicle by cycling the ignition. During the second incident, under the same extreme outside heat (high 90s), the engine completely cut out mechanically, creating a severe stalling hazard.
On 5/19, while driving over 60 MPH on the highway, I started applying the brakes as traffic started to back up. While braking, the entire car turned off, and experience an unexpected engine stall. The electrical almost immediately turned back on with all dash lights flashing and safety warnings beeping. My car was still moving but I was unable to accelerate and was getting the message “Engine Off! Shit to P or N, then start engine.” This has happened to my vehicle twice in the last month, and I brought it into the Kia Dealership where I purchased it and they were unable to recreate the issue.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 5 of 15):
The car randomly has inoperable wipers. Both in auto and non auto mode. Doesn’t happen every time but it has happened to my family on rainy days. The back wipers work fine. We took the car to the dealer and they said nothing was wrong, they blamed it on my cars window tint. Which makes no sense considering it’s not functioning in the non-auto position. After doing my own research it seems to be that multiple other owners have had similar issues, yet no recall has been issued.
After sitting in the driveway came out to a crack across half of the passenger side front side window. In the process of getting the window replaced. Crack originated from underneath the door trim. Window could shatter while driving if not noticed.
I purchased a 2025 Kia Telluride on 6/23/2025. In February 2026 I started having issues with the windshield wiper system. When I spray the front windshield, it would leak fluid on the back windshield. Brought the car in for service at the end of February and they said I needed a new motor, but never called me back to replace it. On 5/7/2026, I brought the car in and they couldn’t replicate the issue. On 5/28/2026 I brought it back, they again told me they couldn’t duplicate the issue. The service coordinator repeatedly told me this was a “feature”. When I picked it up, I replicated the issue immediately and they said I had some weird setting on which is why it happened. The issue continued so I brought it back 6/3. They claimed to have opened a tech line case with Kia so they replaced the motor and switch. I went to pick it up on 6/18 and the issue was still there. Again I have the service manager telling me it’s a “feature” and all Tellurides do this. Except the loaner I had for 3 weeks was the same year and model and did NOT do it. Also my car didn’t do this for the first 8 months I owned it. They swapped a piece from the loaner I had and put it on my car because the loaner wasn’t leaking. Swapping this piece did not fix the issue. They have no idea how to fix it and they never actually opened a tech line case with Kia. Confirmed this with Kia Consumer Affairs.
On June 3, 2026, my 2025 Kia Telluride was struck by a minor piece of road debris. Rather than cracking, spiderwebbing, or chipping as federally regulated safety glass is engineered to do under FMVSS No. 205, the laminated windshield suffered a catastrophic structural and material failure. The minor piece of road debris fully pierced and put a hole entirely through the laminated safety glass, penetrating directly into the passenger cabin. This failure put my safety and the safety of my passengers at immediate, life-threatening risk. Had the projectile been slightly larger, it could have struck the driver or front-seat passenger at highway speeds, causing severe injury or death due to the safety glass failing to prevent cabin penetration. The vehicle is currently grounded and undrivable. The component has been inspected and confirmed by an authorized Kia dealership service department, where the Service Manager formally inspected the damage and stated he had "never seen anything like this before where something went through the glass." The vehicle is currently available for inspection upon request. There were no warning lamps, symptoms, or messages prior to the catastrophic failure of the glass.
I bought this car in August 2025 and I have already gotten three cracks in the windshield. This seems very off compared to all the other cars I’ve owned, which most have had none or maybe one small crack from debris off the road. This could cause a problem cracking so easily that I’m afraid if it hits just right, I won’t be able to see at all while driving. It is available upon request. I have not taken it to the dealership to be “reproduced” no warning signs or signals in the car
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 5 of 7):
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.
This vehicle (VIN: [XXX] ) has suffered repeated catastrophic engine shutdowns and complete loss of propulsion power while in motion. The dashboard displayed "Engine off! Shift to P or N, then start engine." This has occurred so many times the owner lost count, requiring multiple tows to Kia of Beavercreek. Following one incident, Service Manager Brad personally assured the owner's wife, looking her directly in the eye, that the repair was successful and the vehicle was safe. Within 48 hours of pickup, the identical shutdown recurred. The vehicle was towed back a second time. The dealership now states they cannot duplicate the condition, leaving this life-threatening defect unresolved. Delivery has been officially refused due to imminent risk of collision or serious injury. Kia America case open: No. [XXX]. Ohio Attorney General case open: No. [XXX]. This vehicle is an active, unaddressed public safety hazard requiring immediate federal investigation. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Multiple times while driving vehicle with shut off and light will flash on dash. Everytime take vehicle to deal to check always told that it can’t be duplicated everything is working. Started happen last summer and happen about 5 times since then. Last time it happen was in march took it to the dealer and they crash the car and still couldn’t figure out what causing it. Car been in the shop for about 3 months now.
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.
I lease a 2025 Kia Telluride. This vehicle has experienced three serious safety failures around the one year mark, all with young children in the car. Incident 1: accelerator failure and inability to shift gears approaching a freeway on-ramp — transmission was replaced. Incident 2: complete loss of steering control, brakes would not fully engage, and vehicle moved without accelerator input — dealership found nothing wrong and returned the vehicle with no explanation. Incident 3: accelerator failure and failure to shift in active traffic — another vehicle nearly rear-ended us — dealership said there was a belt loose that can cause issues sometimes. Kia Financial Services, as legal owner, has refused early lease termination despite these documented safety failures. The root cause of a loss-of-steering and brake-failure event has never been identified.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 5 of 7):
Front and passenger seats may fail to restraint occupants. I was told there is no remedy for this. I've expressed this is a major safety concern for the driver. As a disabled veteran I need the safety of knowing my seat is functioning Properly
The contact owns a 2025 Kia Telluride. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V105000 (Seats). The local dealer and the manufacturer were contacted and informed the contact that parts for the recall repair were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure.
The contact owns a 2025 Kia Telluride. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V105000 (Seats); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
We first heard about the recall and it was listed on NHTSA on 2/23/2026. Today is 2/22/2026, and we have not received any information from Kia. I attempted to call Kia numerous times. It lists that there is a safety malfunction with the front seats, which could be dangerous if the vehicle is involved in a collision. This is a safety issue, not a convenience issue, and needs to be addressed by Kia emergently. It has already been 2 months since the recall date, and there is ZERO information from Kia
The contact owns a 2025 Kia Telluride. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V105000 (Seats). The local dealer was contacted. The contact called another dealer, Gunter Kia (1900 S State Rd 7, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33317); and was informed that the part for the recall repair was on back-order. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 5 of 6):
The contact owns a 2025 Kia Telluride. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, road debris damaged the A/C condenser. The contact stated that the front grill setup failed to adequately protect the part from road debris. The dealer was contacted and determined that there was a hole in the A/C condenser. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and denied the warranty coverage due to the condenser being damaged by an external force. The manufacturer advised the contact to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 7,000.
Friday, March 13, 2025, at approximately 11:50 AM PST while driving on Interstate 5 northbound, heard a loud explosion like a gunshot, with no vehicles in close proximity, then hearing the rush of wind, opened the interior sunroof cover, discovered the sunroof glass shattered.
The contact owns a 2025 Kia Telluride. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V494000 (Structure) and requested to be removed from the recall distribution list. The local dealer was contacted, and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.
There is excessive noise coming from both passenger and driver side windows. It sounds like the windows are opened. The dealer said all seals are good but the windows aren't fully sealed.
The lower opening in the front grille allows road debris to damage the A/C condenser. This repair has an average cost of 2500.00 to 2800.00
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 5 of 6):
My vehicle was purchased XXX - VIN #[XXX] - on 6 or more occasions, the while driving on the highway with cruise control on at 70 mph, the cruise control feature suddenly applied the brakes bringing the vehicle sometimes down to 48 mph for a few seconds and then re-engages the cruise control to 70 mph. This happens with no obsticals, vehicles, or other interference in front, however, there have been vehicles behind and this is a huge safety issue as it could cause a rear-end collision. My vehicle had been returned to the dealer, the first time for a week, they could not duplicate the issue, the vehicle was returned to me. On XXX I brought my vehicle again to the dealership for the same reason as the cruise control continues to disengages for no reason. The dealership has finally been able to duplicate the issue. The dealership still has my vehicle, not for 34 consecutive days. Kia tech line has been involved and now reports that it is not Kia's issue and they have denied fixing the vehicle and indicate that it a 3rd party issue referring to satellite and internet issues. The dealership has now disabled the satellite connection feature and wants me to try the car out to see if the issue continues. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Purchased vehicle 1/18/2025; first and only owner. Occurrence = Engine Shut off, alarm sounded and warning lights flashed; Error: "Engine off, shift to N or P, Then start engine." Had to shift to Neutral and Push Start to restart engine. -During March: occurred 2 times, both times worked after shifting to Neutral. -4/1-4/3: occurred 1 time, worked after shifting to Neutral. -4/16: occurred 1 time, had to stop and shift to Park to restart engine! -Kia of LaGrange 4/23/26: could not replicate issue; no error codes found -Kia of Newnan 4/29/26: left vehicle for 2-4 days and they didn’t have time to check it, so we picked it up because we needed a vehicle. -May 5: occurred 3 times on same road; only got pics. Then occurred 1 time after stopping and different trip, got video. All occurrences worked after shifting to neutral. -May 11: occurred 1 time and got picture only, worked after shifting to neutral. -Kia of LaGrange 5/15/26: replaced low pressure fuel pump and provided 2026 Sorrento for vehicle. -May 19: occurred 1 time and got video, worked after shifting to neutral. -Kia of LaGrange 5/21-6/3: could not replicate after driving 100 miles and provided 2026 Sorrento for vehicle I have video from May 5 & May 19, but could only upload pictures.
on 5 different occasions over the last month, I have had the car go into an engine shut off and said put it into P or N and restart while I am driving on the road!! 05/10-was going to a stop sign and going 5-20 mph. 05/17-happened twice that day, both driving around town 10-30 mph. 05/26- happened driving around town going around a curve 5-20 mph. 05/27 getting off the interstate and getting ready to stop and it happened again. This last time I had 20 cars around me and my car was going into this with all my lights flashing and that popping up. It is such a hazard to be driving this vehicle. The dealership could not find an issue last time I took it in. I just bought this car a little over a month ago. SO disappointing and scary.
On at least 3 occasions in the past nine months, when the cruise control was ON, the adaptive cruise control feature suddenly applied the brakes on our 2025 Kia Telluride. The last incident happened in May when there was NO vehicle in front of or on either side of our vehicle. Another time the brakes were suddenly applied while attempting to pass a vehicle at about 70 mph. As soon as our vehicle entered the passing lane, the brakes suddenly slowed our vehicle down to 45-50 mph, almost causing a rear end collision with another vehicle approaching our vehicle in the passing lane at a high speed. This only happens when the vehicle is in the cruise control mode and we ARE NOT applying the brakes. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The dealer was NOT able to reproduce the problem. We reported this to Kia Customer Care - Case #XXX on or about Feb. 21, 2026. Customer care orally responded to our report, denying any software or design problem. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I am reporting multiple life-threatening safety defects with my 2025 Kia Telluride. The vehicle has experienced Sudden Unintended Acceleration, where it accelerates to excessive speeds without driver input. During these episodes, the braking system fails to respond, only allowing the vehicle to stop once its internal safety systems intervene. Additionally, the vehicle suffers from unpredictable stalling and power loss; the engine frequently shuts off upon parking—followed by the electrical system cycling back on without the motor—and the vehicle consistently struggles to start in the morning. These recurring mechanical and electrical failures pose an immediate danger to myself and others on the road.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 5 of 5):
My vehicle was purchased XXX - VIN #[XXX] - on 6 or more occasions, the while driving on the highway with cruise control on at 70 mph, the cruise control feature suddenly applied the brakes bringing the vehicle sometimes down to 48 mph for a few seconds and then re-engages the cruise control to 70 mph. This happens with no obsticals, vehicles, or other interference in front, however, there have been vehicles behind and this is a huge safety issue as it could cause a rear-end collision. My vehicle had been returned to the dealer, the first time for a week, they could not duplicate the issue, the vehicle was returned to me. On XXX I brought my vehicle again to the dealership for the same reason as the cruise control continues to disengages for no reason. The dealership has finally been able to duplicate the issue. The dealership still has my vehicle, not for 34 consecutive days. Kia tech line has been involved and now reports that it is not Kia's issue and they have denied fixing the vehicle and indicate that it a 3rd party issue referring to satellite and internet issues. The dealership has now disabled the satellite connection feature and wants me to try the car out to see if the issue continues. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
On at least 3 occasions in the past nine months, when the cruise control was ON, the adaptive cruise control feature suddenly applied the brakes on our 2025 Kia Telluride. The last incident happened in May when there was NO vehicle in front of or on either side of our vehicle. Another time the brakes were suddenly applied while attempting to pass a vehicle at about 70 mph. As soon as our vehicle entered the passing lane, the brakes suddenly slowed our vehicle down to 45-50 mph, almost causing a rear end collision with another vehicle approaching our vehicle in the passing lane at a high speed. This only happens when the vehicle is in the cruise control mode and we ARE NOT applying the brakes. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. The dealer was NOT able to reproduce the problem. We reported this to Kia Customer Care - Case #XXX on or about Feb. 21, 2026. Customer care orally responded to our report, denying any software or design problem. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
While driving on the highway under normal conditions (clear weather, no nearby vehicles within approximately 1,000 feet), I heard a sudden loud “bang,” immediately followed by a large crack forming across the windshield. There was no visible debris impact, and no external cause could be identified at the time. Based on similar reports involving this issue in other vehicles, this appears to be a potential structural or manufacturing defect rather than road damage. While using adaptive cruise control in clear weather and with no traffic present, the vehicle will randomly decelerate as if detecting a vehicle ahead when none exists. This results in sudden, unnecessary braking without warning or indication. The issue has occurred multiple times and creates a significant safety risk, particularly at highway speeds where unexpected deceleration could lead to a rear-end collision.
While driving at highway speed and the adaptive cruise control engaged, the vehicle applied the brakes without driver input. The vehicle slowed gradually over several seconds even though there was no vehicle, pedestrian, or obstacle present in front of the vehicle. Road and environmental conditions were clear and normal, including clear weather, dry roadway, and unobstructed lane of travel. Traffic was flowing normally, and there was no lead vehicle. The driver was attentive and did not press the brake pedal. The braking occurred without any warning, alert, or collision indication and resulted in an unexpected reduction in speed, creating a risk of a rear-end collision from following traffic and on one occasion road rage (which has occurred due to this condition) as the driver thought I "brake checked" him. The vehicle has been inspected by the local Kia dealership (Spitzer Kia of Mansfield) and they could not replicate the condition. Kia has also been notified and a case number assigned (25773402) but with no resolution. This issue has occurred multiple times under similar highway driving conditions, indicating repeatable uncommanded braking behavior. Additionally, KIA issued a “Voluntary Service Campaign” for 2024 Kia Telluride’s on July 31, 2025 for the same vehicle behavior. Unexpected braking at highway speeds creates sudden speed differentials and increases the risk of rear-end collisions, even when deceleration is gradual. The driver has limited ability to anticipate or prevent the event. No warning lights, audible alerts, or collision warnings were displayed. CONCLUSION The vehicle exhibits repeatable false or uncommanded activation of the automatic braking system during highway driving, consistent with a potential defect in the AEB/FCA system. This condition poses a safety risk to vehicle occupants and surrounding traffic and should be reviewed by NHTSA
Front lights gets foggy when it gets hand wash, contacted the dealership and they are willing to replace the “Gasket” because the headlights must have “ventilation”. While driving with nobody in front the collision warning went off non stop, the road was completely clear.
Of 5 reports about this part, 1 involved a crash and 0 a fire.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 5 of 5):
While braking in slow traffic at about 11-15 mph, the vehicle hit a pothole/road irregularity and the ABS appeared to activate. The brake pedal vibrated, but the steering wheel also began shaking rapidly left and right. Braking effectiveness was greatly reduced. Even with firm brake pressure, the vehicle did not slow as expected and continued toward stopped traffic ahead. The brake pedal pushed back against my foot. I tried to steer around the vehicle in front of me, but the steering wheel vibration interfered with my steering input and made the vehicle difficult to control. A rear-end collision was avoided only after I shifted the transmission into Park, which brought the vehicle to a stop. All driver assistance systems were off, including adaptive cruise, lane keeping, highway driving assist, and steering assist. This occurred during normal low-speed braking, not aggressive or high-speed driving. I have had similar but less severe ABS behavior before when braking over potholes, bridge joints, or rough pavement, with excessive ABS activation and reduced braking performance. Dashcam footage is available showing the pothole/road irregularity, vehicle speed, steering/hand vibration, my avoidance attempt, and the near-collision. This appears to involve unexpected ABS activation, reduced braking effectiveness, and steering interference during routine low-speed braking, creating a serious safety hazard.
I was driving my brand new 2025 Kia Telluride that was purchased from the dealership 3 weeks before the incident. The engine died while driving approximately 40 mph on a flat road. The engine died and then there was a loud beeping and a flashing alert on the dashboard in the circle where the righthand indicator camera view appears that said, “Engine Off-Shift to P or N then start engine.” This occurred at about 7:30 pm on May 19, 2026 with about 40% full tank of gas. The automatic engine auto-stop feature was on at the time. The car had been running for about 3 minutes before the engine died. The power steering was also affected. Once I pulled over and put the car in park the engine started again as normal and there were no alerts on the dash or when I checked the Kia app. I dropped the car at the dealership the following morning, they have had it for 6 days so far and let me know that their diagnostics and test drives did not reveal any issues or defects with the vehicle.
I lease a 2025 Kia Telluride. This vehicle has experienced three serious safety failures around the one year mark, all with young children in the car. Incident 1: accelerator failure and inability to shift gears approaching a freeway on-ramp — transmission was replaced. Incident 2: complete loss of steering control, brakes would not fully engage, and vehicle moved without accelerator input — dealership found nothing wrong and returned the vehicle with no explanation. Incident 3: accelerator failure and failure to shift in active traffic — another vehicle nearly rear-ended us — dealership said there was a belt loose that can cause issues sometimes. Kia Financial Services, as legal owner, has refused early lease termination despite these documented safety failures. The root cause of a loss-of-steering and brake-failure event has never been identified.
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.
The contact rented a 2025 Kia Telluride. The contact stated that there was damage to the rear bumper upon retrieval. While using lane assist, traveling around a curve at 55 MPH, the steering wheel was pushing and pulling, and failed to turn and continued going straight; the vehicle crossed the highway and crashed into a ditch. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact sustained injuries to his back and had bruises, but no medical assistance was provided. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The air bags deployed. There was no reported fire. A police report was filed. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The rental company was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified OF THE FAILURE. The failure mileage was approximately 33,000. The VIN was not available.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 4 of 4):
Twice I was making a right hand turn through a green light and an alarm sounded and the dash displayed an ”Engine Off” message. I was able to pull over and restart the car. I took it to the dealership but they were not able to replicate the incident. They told me that they tightened a few connections and sent me on my way. About three weeks later, I was driving straight at about 45mph and it shut off again. Fortunately I was again able to safely pull over and restart the car. This time I recorded it. I will return it to the dealership ASAP. I am afraid this will happen again while I am on the freeway or in heavy traffic and I won’t be as lucky as I have been.
Purchased vehicle 1/18/2025; first and only owner. Occurrence = Engine Shut off, alarm sounded and warning lights flashed; Error: "Engine off, shift to N or P, Then start engine." Had to shift to Neutral and Push Start to restart engine. -During March: occurred 2 times, both times worked after shifting to Neutral. -4/1-4/3: occurred 1 time, worked after shifting to Neutral. -4/16: occurred 1 time, had to stop and shift to Park to restart engine! -Kia of LaGrange 4/23/26: could not replicate issue; no error codes found -Kia of Newnan 4/29/26: left vehicle for 2-4 days and they didn’t have time to check it, so we picked it up because we needed a vehicle. -May 5: occurred 3 times on same road; only got pics. Then occurred 1 time after stopping and different trip, got video. All occurrences worked after shifting to neutral. -May 11: occurred 1 time and got picture only, worked after shifting to neutral. -Kia of LaGrange 5/15/26: replaced low pressure fuel pump and provided 2026 Sorrento for vehicle. -May 19: occurred 1 time and got video, worked after shifting to neutral. -Kia of LaGrange 5/21-6/3: could not replicate after driving 100 miles and provided 2026 Sorrento for vehicle I have video from May 5 & May 19, but could only upload pictures.
This vehicle (VIN: [XXX] ) has suffered repeated catastrophic engine shutdowns and complete loss of propulsion power while in motion. The dashboard displayed "Engine off! Shift to P or N, then start engine." This has occurred so many times the owner lost count, requiring multiple tows to Kia of Beavercreek. Following one incident, Service Manager Brad personally assured the owner's wife, looking her directly in the eye, that the repair was successful and the vehicle was safe. Within 48 hours of pickup, the identical shutdown recurred. The vehicle was towed back a second time. The dealership now states they cannot duplicate the condition, leaving this life-threatening defect unresolved. Delivery has been officially refused due to imminent risk of collision or serious injury. Kia America case open: No. [XXX]. Ohio Attorney General case open: No. [XXX]. This vehicle is an active, unaddressed public safety hazard requiring immediate federal investigation. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Headlights does not display full visibility. It seems as if the headlights are cut off with blind spots. Headlights doesn't have full visibility. Headlight projection is not 100 percent. Dealership technician have said Kia doesn't have a fix for it. When its very dark outside their are blind spots. Vehicle smokes from the exhaust. Upon acceleration it feels rough with trembling effect.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 4 of 4):
The contact owns a 2025 Kia Telluride. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a loud sound coming from the sunroof glass before the glass shattered. There was no impact on the sunroof glass to cause the failure. Small glass fragments fell into the second and third row seats. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 22,000.
The contact owns a 2025 Kia Telluride. The contact stated that the windshield had significantly cracked without impact. The contact stated that the crack appeared to have started from underneath the seal at the bottom of the driver's side of the windshield. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where the contact was was informed that the vehicle could be repaired a a price lower than the insurance company estimate. The contact was awaiting a response from the dealer's finance department. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 35,000.
The contact owns a 2025 Kia Telluride. While driving 70 MPH, the contact heard an abnormal sound like a gunshot coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact became aware that the sunroof glass had exploded. The vehicle was immediately driven to the residence. Upon inspection of the vehicle, the contact discovered that the glass from the sunroof had exploded outward and there were several shards of glass in the rear of the vehicle. The contact placed a canopy over the vehicle to prevent water from entering the vehicle. The dealer was notified of the failure, and the contact was informed to file a claim with the Insurance Provider. The contact refused and stated that the failure was a manufacturer’s defect. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 1,470.
The contact owns a 2025 Kia Telluride. The contact stated while driving approximately 61-62 MPH, the sunroof exploded without impact. There was no injury sustained. There was an abnormally loud sound coming from the vehicle. The local dealer was contacted, who confirmed there was no coverage for the sunroof glass. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 5,899.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 3 of 3):
While braking in slow traffic at about 11-15 mph, the vehicle hit a pothole/road irregularity and the ABS appeared to activate. The brake pedal vibrated, but the steering wheel also began shaking rapidly left and right. Braking effectiveness was greatly reduced. Even with firm brake pressure, the vehicle did not slow as expected and continued toward stopped traffic ahead. The brake pedal pushed back against my foot. I tried to steer around the vehicle in front of me, but the steering wheel vibration interfered with my steering input and made the vehicle difficult to control. A rear-end collision was avoided only after I shifted the transmission into Park, which brought the vehicle to a stop. All driver assistance systems were off, including adaptive cruise, lane keeping, highway driving assist, and steering assist. This occurred during normal low-speed braking, not aggressive or high-speed driving. I have had similar but less severe ABS behavior before when braking over potholes, bridge joints, or rough pavement, with excessive ABS activation and reduced braking performance. Dashcam footage is available showing the pothole/road irregularity, vehicle speed, steering/hand vibration, my avoidance attempt, and the near-collision. This appears to involve unexpected ABS activation, reduced braking effectiveness, and steering interference during routine low-speed braking, creating a serious safety hazard.
While driving about 35 MPH, the vehicle began to alarm and stated "the engine is off; pull over, put in park or neutral, and restart the car". I pulled over and found that the engine had indeed turned itself off in the middle of driving. When the engine turns off, both the braking vacuum system and the power steering go off, making it harder to brake and steer to safety. If I were going highway speeds, this would be a serious safety situation. I don't know exactly what caused the engine shut off, but it seems like a malfunction of the auto stop/start feature, which I had switched off during the incident (so the car should never turn off). The Kia website gives instructions on what to do in this situation [XXX] ), which would imply it is a known issue. There are forums of people reporting the same issue with 2025 Tellurides. My vehicle has not been inspected since the incident, but because it is electrical and there is no engine code, there is likely no evidence a mechanic could find. There were no warnings prior to or after the event. The vehicle has only 1650 miles on it. I expect it to happen again, and I will attempt to produce a video to document. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I am reporting multiple life-threatening safety defects with my 2025 Kia Telluride. The vehicle has experienced Sudden Unintended Acceleration, where it accelerates to excessive speeds without driver input. During these episodes, the braking system fails to respond, only allowing the vehicle to stop once its internal safety systems intervene. Additionally, the vehicle suffers from unpredictable stalling and power loss; the engine frequently shuts off upon parking—followed by the electrical system cycling back on without the motor—and the vehicle consistently struggles to start in the morning. These recurring mechanical and electrical failures pose an immediate danger to myself and others on the road.
Of 2 reports about this part, 1 involved a crash and 0 a fire.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 2 of 2):
On Sunday January 18th 2026, my daughter and I were involved in a multi-car accident in St Paul, MN on WB I-94. The weather was very cold and windy and it was snowing lightly. Traffic was moving slowly at about 40-45 miles per hour due the possible icy road conditions. A 2020 GMC Terrain, driven by a [XXX] male, was driving at excessive speeds and weaving in an out of traffic when he struck the back of a semi which in turn caused the vehicle in front of our vehicle to hit him and then we struck that vehicle traveling at approximately 40 to 45 miles per hour. There was no time to respond it happened so quickly. Neither my nor my daughters air bags deployed nor did either of your seatbelts lock. I was able to grasp the steering wheel and brace but my daughter flew forward and hit her head on the dash board. The vehicle was towed to Caliber Collision Center in Minnetonka, MN on 1/19/2026. The collision representative questioned the airbags not deploying as well as confirming that the seatbelts did NOT LOCK at the time of impact. We were very concerned as well. The Collision Center (Caliber Collision in Minnetonka, MN), stated that the pre-scan did NOT show any error messages relating to the airbags. We told them immediately that we were not comfortable with this information and that we wanted further investigation. We have also requested the 'Black Box' be pulled to provide information at the time of the accident. We filed a claim with KIA CUSTOMER CARE. They took my statement and said we would hear from someone within the next 5-7 business days. It has been a month and we have gotten NO WHERE WITH KIA. They claim they are looking into it yet the Collision Center has heard NOTHING from KIA. The damages total over $21,000 and the vehicle repairs have almost been completed. We have told them we are NOT comfortable picking up our vehicle with UNRESOLVED SAFETY CONCERNS. KIA CORPORATION HAS FAILED US AND WE WANT ANSWERS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
We have a 2025 KIA Telluride and in the second row seats the right hand seat receiver you have to grab it and hold it up tight to insert the seat belt. You have to be strong to do this. We went to Billion KIA in Rapid City SD toi get it fixed and they can't fix it. So they called KIA Corp and KIA said it is not a design flaw and they won't fix it. Someone could get hurt or killed in an accident. Thank you for any help.
Of 2 reports about this part, 1 involved a crash and 0 a fire.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 2 of 2):
The driver screen are all blacked out, when I start my car in the morning, cannot see the speed, fuel gauge and all ADAS functions not working. Car is only a month old with only around 430 miles.
The contact rented a 2025 Kia Telluride. The contact stated that there was damage to the rear bumper upon retrieval. While using lane assist, traveling around a curve at 55 MPH, the steering wheel was pushing and pulling, and failed to turn and continued going straight; the vehicle crossed the highway and crashed into a ditch. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact sustained injuries to his back and had bruises, but no medical assistance was provided. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The air bags deployed. There was no reported fire. A police report was filed. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The rental company was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified OF THE FAILURE. The failure mileage was approximately 33,000. The VIN was not available.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 2 of 2):
Front lights gets foggy when it gets hand wash, contacted the dealership and they are willing to replace the “Gasket” because the headlights must have “ventilation”. While driving with nobody in front the collision warning went off non stop, the road was completely clear.
Headlights does not display full visibility. It seems as if the headlights are cut off with blind spots. Headlights doesn't have full visibility. Headlight projection is not 100 percent. Dealership technician have said Kia doesn't have a fix for it. When its very dark outside their are blind spots. Vehicle smokes from the exhaust. Upon acceleration it feels rough with trembling effect.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 1 of 1):
While braking in slow traffic at about 11-15 mph, the vehicle hit a pothole/road irregularity and the ABS appeared to activate. The brake pedal vibrated, but the steering wheel also began shaking rapidly left and right. Braking effectiveness was greatly reduced. Even with firm brake pressure, the vehicle did not slow as expected and continued toward stopped traffic ahead. The brake pedal pushed back against my foot. I tried to steer around the vehicle in front of me, but the steering wheel vibration interfered with my steering input and made the vehicle difficult to control. A rear-end collision was avoided only after I shifted the transmission into Park, which brought the vehicle to a stop. All driver assistance systems were off, including adaptive cruise, lane keeping, highway driving assist, and steering assist. This occurred during normal low-speed braking, not aggressive or high-speed driving. I have had similar but less severe ABS behavior before when braking over potholes, bridge joints, or rough pavement, with excessive ABS activation and reduced braking performance. Dashcam footage is available showing the pothole/road irregularity, vehicle speed, steering/hand vibration, my avoidance attempt, and the near-collision. This appears to involve unexpected ABS activation, reduced braking effectiveness, and steering interference during routine low-speed braking, creating a serious safety hazard.
Of 1 reports about this part, 1 involved a crash and 0 a fire.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 1 of 1):
On Sunday January 18th 2026, my daughter and I were involved in a multi-car accident in St Paul, MN on WB I-94. The weather was very cold and windy and it was snowing lightly. Traffic was moving slowly at about 40-45 miles per hour due the possible icy road conditions. A 2020 GMC Terrain, driven by a [XXX] male, was driving at excessive speeds and weaving in an out of traffic when he struck the back of a semi which in turn caused the vehicle in front of our vehicle to hit him and then we struck that vehicle traveling at approximately 40 to 45 miles per hour. There was no time to respond it happened so quickly. Neither my nor my daughters air bags deployed nor did either of your seatbelts lock. I was able to grasp the steering wheel and brace but my daughter flew forward and hit her head on the dash board. The vehicle was towed to Caliber Collision Center in Minnetonka, MN on 1/19/2026. The collision representative questioned the airbags not deploying as well as confirming that the seatbelts did NOT LOCK at the time of impact. We were very concerned as well. The Collision Center (Caliber Collision in Minnetonka, MN), stated that the pre-scan did NOT show any error messages relating to the airbags. We told them immediately that we were not comfortable with this information and that we wanted further investigation. We have also requested the 'Black Box' be pulled to provide information at the time of the accident. We filed a claim with KIA CUSTOMER CARE. They took my statement and said we would hear from someone within the next 5-7 business days. It has been a month and we have gotten NO WHERE WITH KIA. They claim they are looking into it yet the Collision Center has heard NOTHING from KIA. The damages total over $21,000 and the vehicle repairs have almost been completed. We have told them we are NOT comfortable picking up our vehicle with UNRESOLVED SAFETY CONCERNS. KIA CORPORATION HAS FAILED US AND WE WANT ANSWERS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 1 of 1):
The driver screen are all blacked out, when I start my car in the morning, cannot see the speed, fuel gauge and all ADAS functions not working. Car is only a month old with only around 430 miles.
Many crash/fire reportsSome crash/fire reportsNo crash/fire in reports
Color = how serious (crash/fire involvement) · number = how many (share of all this car's reports). Tap any part to read real owner complaints.
Source: NHTSA — Owner Complaints · re-checked about every 24 hours
Crash-Test Safety Ratings
Official U.S. government 5-star crash-test results.
How to read these stars
These come from the government physically crash-testing this vehicle — front, side, and rollover — and scoring it 1 to 5 stars. Ratings are per body style, so a sedan and its coupe twin can differ. If a vehicle shows no rating, it usually means the government never tested that exact configuration — untested is not the same as unsafe, and we'll never blur that line.
2025 Kia Telluride SUV FWD
Source: NHTSA — 5-Star Safety Ratings · re-checked about every 24 hours
Fuel Economy (MPG)
Official EPA estimates — the real numbers, not the brochure.
20–22Combined MPG
18–20City MPG
23–26Highway MPG
$2,800–$3,100Est. fuel cost / yr
Across 2 official EPA configurations · Fuel: Regular. Pick an engine/trim above for exact numbers.
Source: U.S. EPA / DOE — fueleconomy.gov · re-checked about every 24 hours