KIA Telluride Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data

My stepson became entangled in the left/driver-side third-row seat belt of my 2025 Kia Telluride. The seat belt webbing became wrapped/tangled around him and the seat belt retractor entered a locked condition. We were unable to create sufficient slack or otherwise release him from the restraint. The situation became a life-threatening child-entrapment emergency. Emergency services were called and responders ultimately had to CUT THE FACTORY SEAT BELT WEBBING to free the child. My safety concern is not simply that a child became tangled in a seat belt. My concern is that once this occurred, the seat belt/retractor locked in a manner that prevented us from releasing tension and freeing the child. The only available solution during the emergency was for first responders to physically cut the restraint. I have also located reports from other Kia Telluride owners describing children becoming trapped when third-row seat belts became wrapped around an occupant or seat component and subsequently locked. I am also aware of NHTSA Recall 26V356 / Kia Safety Recall SC372 involving certain 2027 Kia Telluride and Telluride Hybrid vehicles. That recall involves a driver's seat belt emergency locking retractor that may lock while the webbing is being extended. I understand that recall applies to a different model year and seating position and may have a different underlying cause. However, because my 2025 Telluride experienced a serious seat-belt retractor locking event involving a child, I am requesting that NHTSA evaluate whether this incident represents a related, broader, or separate restraint-system safety defect. This incident required emergency intervention and destruction of the factory seat belt to free a child. I believe the inability to release tension from the locked restraint presents a potentially serious child entrapment and strangulation hazard, and I am requesting that NHTSA investigate.

Large crack appeared with no impact point observed. Crack originates at the bottom edge under the hood. There is an ongoing class action regarding similar incidents involving KIA windshields.

Over the course of two days, the engine stalled when decelerating at intersections three different times. The engine died with warning lights on the dash and a message: “ Engine Off! Shift to P or N then start engine.” I had to completely stop, shift gears, and then restart the engine, then back to drive. This happened at or near intersections, creating a significant hazard for myself and others around. Dealer has not been able to identify or replicate the issue. I have safety concerns about driving the vehicle. The third time happened without auto hold or auto start/stop on.

This started May 8th and is still going on. Engine randomly shuts down while driving. Vehicle alarms and message says Engine OFF Shift to P or N then start engine. No warning, happens about once a week. Very scary when in traffic and I cannot move because my engine randomly shuts down. The dealership has had it 3 different times totaling 6 weeks and 5 days and cannot duplicate it.

Was driving with my husband and granddaughter in the car and had just left the house. Horrible, loud explosive sound like a gunshot and glass sound and glanced to make sure all glass ok and our granddaughter was safe. Could see the glass flying behind us and a car swerving behind us to miss it. Pictures are attached showing the sunroof exploded outward. No glass hanging down, no central area point of impact. Sunroof glass is covered under Kia’s 5-year/60,000-mile New Vehicle Limited Warranty; if they deem it to be spontaneous explosion or shattering. Contacted KIA Corporate. Case # XXX Under advice of KIA corporate (Crystal), we took it too the dealership I bought it from this am , [XXX], and they were very rude and dismissive; argumentative. He said it would take about 4 days to even inspect it, that they were behind. And he could rent a car to me for $40 a day. This is a new car I have had for less than 6 months! So, we took it to Boomer Kia. (after calling and they were so nice, they said come right in) He said he took pics, submitted our pics and description of story to the KIA rep that came in this afternoon, and he just called and said they will not cover it under warranty. It is in the warranty but is up to their discretion. Everything I read said this happens and that is why people are suing Kia....because they do this and dont cover and because they refuse to a recall, even though they know either the glass or the setup is faulty. I think personally the construction allows for heat to get under the glass and that is why it explodes outward. Spontaneous shattering and exploding sunroofs have been proven to occur in the 2025 Kia Tellurides due to thermal and/or structural pressure. There are numerous lawsuits, currently. Photos all over the internet that look just like mine. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

2025 Kia Telluride, rental vehicle, 29,450 miles at failure. Driving XXX W toward the [XXX] exit with my wife and two children (ages [XXX] and [XXX]), the cluster lit with simultaneous failures: electric power steering, electronic parking brake, ABS, stability control disabled, tire pressure monitoring, forward collision-avoidance, lane keeping, master warning. I photographed it. Nothing about how the vehicle drove had changed. At highway speed traveling straight, steering effort felt normal. There was no progressive degradation and no warning I could feel. I noticed a slight difference changing lanes for the exit. On the ramp itself, a banked turn taken at speed, the wheel required extreme force to turn. The loss of assist was undetectable until significant steering input was actually required, which happened mid-maneuver on an interstate ramp. I am a large, physically strong adult and forced the wheel through the turn. I do not believe a smaller, older, or weaker driver could have completed it, and a crash at that interchange seems a likely outcome for many drivers. Stopping on an interstate shoulder with two young children seemed more dangerous than continuing two miles to the airport exit, so I continued, with ABS and stability control also inoperative. The vehicle developed harsh, jerky shifting and audible clunking. In the rental return lot the wheel would not turn far enough to complete a tight turn. I shifted to reverse; the vehicle did not move, then shut down completely and would not restart. With the vehicle dead the front doors opened, but the rear doors and liftgate would not, and the windows were inoperable. My children were confined inside roughly 10-15 minutes at 86F until an employee climbed in from the front and released the rear doors from inside. The inability to open rear doors or the liftgate from outside after a total power loss is a serious defect in its own right. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

While driving, car alerted “Engine Off! Shift to P or N, then start engine”. I had to immediately pull to the side of the road and follow instructions. Due to previous unresolved issues car has had I recorded the message car was giving.

During less than 25 mph vehicle Emergency Alarm stating "Engine Off Shift to P or N Then Start Engine". This causes loss of acceleration capabilities in active traffic and forces the car to stop to clear alarm in active traffic. At no time is the engine off during the alarm and I believe this is a false alarm caused by electronics. Video of alarm in real time available upon request.

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.

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.

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.

clear coat is coming off of 2025 white kia Telluride

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.

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.