2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid Owner Complaints

OEM equipment failure / severe safety hazard: I purchased a new 2027 Kia Telluride on March 14, 2026, equipped from the factory with 21-inch alloy wheels and Kumho Majesty X Solus TA92 tires (size 265/45 R21). In exactly 6 months of ownership, 4 tires across 3 different wheel positions have suffered sudden blowouts or structural sidewall failures under ordinary driving conditions. Timeline of Failures: April 11, 2026 (Rear Passenger): Sidewall failure following a low-speed curb bump. Replaced with an identical OEM Kumho tire on April 25 ($521.33). June 1, 2026 (Rear Driver): Sudden, catastrophic blowout while driving routine commute route through town at normal municipal speeds; no severe pothole or road hazard involved. Replaced with an identical OEM Kumho tire on June 4 ($406.43). July 2026 (Rear Driver): The brand-new replacement tire installed in June developed an unrepairable sidewall air leak within 6 weeks of installation. Certified technicians confirmed structural failure of the sidewall cords. September 14, 2026 (Front Passenger): Catastrophic blowout during normal daily city commute. The vehicle is currently disabled on a temporary spare. Pattern & Hazard: This vehicle curb weight exceeds 4,500 lbs, yet Kia fitted it with an ultra-low-profile 45-series tire designed for grand-touring comfort rather than structural impact resistance. Standard pavement seams, highway expansion joints, and ordinary municipal road imperfections repeatedly cause the tire sidewall to bottom out against the 21-inch alloy rim, causing internal ply fractures, sidewall leaks, and instantaneous blowouts. Identical OEM replacements fail within weeks under normal driving. Having 4 tire failures across 3 wheels in 6 months—leaving only 2 intact tires today—demonstrates an inherent design/equipment defect that poses a continuous risk of high-speed highway loss of vehicle control. Kia must address the suitability of this 21-inch wheel/tire configuration.

NHTSA ID

11764321

Incident

Apr 11, 2026

I went for a test drive of this 2027 Kia Telluride X-line Hybrid at Gateway Kia of Warrington PA ([XXX]). After turning the ignition on and attempting to drive, the car didn't respond. When it did respond, it then drove extremely rough, shuddering hard in and out of gear. It then started to drive normally, only to fail again and not exceed 5 mph. We had to turn the car completely off and then restart it. This fixed the problem temporarily but then the issue would repeat. I floored the pedal repeatedly and the car didn't respond multiple times. This happened at an intersection of a busy road. I was attempting a left turn and the car wouldn't respond, putting myself and others in danger of an accident. I was able to crawl across the dual lane road to a parking lot. Turned car off and restarted it. The issue repeated at another intersection, again not responding, followed by shuddering, and then driving slowly. The check engine light would come on and then go off upon a fresh restart, only to come on again when the power would surge. My research indicated that this is: - Limp Mode Activation: When the car did not accelerate, the car's main computer (ECU) detected a severe glitch. It intentionally cut off power to protect the engine and hybrid battery. - Hybrid Power Transition Glitch: Hybrid vehicles rely on complex software to seamlessly shift between the electric motor and the gasoline engine. If the software or the physical clutch fails to coordinate these two power sources when you demand sudden acceleration, it can cause the vehicle to shake or lag violently. - Transmission "Gear Hunting" or Slipping: The hard shuddering in and out of gear points toward an issue with the transmission's torque converter or dual-clutch transmission engagement system. When it cannot decide which gear to use or slips, it can feel like driving over severe potholes. This issue is increasingly showing up in online forums, so I know I am not alone. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552

NHTSA ID

11760849

Incident

Aug 4, 2026

The 2027 Kia Telluride's battery continues to deplete after being inactive for a period of 6 to 48 hours. implying that I am compelled to repeatedly jump over this vehicle. This poses a significant safety hazard and concern for me as an amputee and female. I will be left stranded if the car is left uncranked overnight while traveling away from home. The dealership does not possess a solution for this issue.

NHTSA ID

11760527

Incident

Aug 29, 2026

An incorrect vehicle sensor installed in the driver seat assembly can cause locking and sensor miscommunications, triggering false alarms or failure-to-retract warnings.

NHTSA ID

11756813

Incident

Aug 1, 2026

The contact owns a 2027 Kia Telluride. The contact stated that while the contact's daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine overheating warning light illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The vehicle was later towed to a dealer, where it was diagnosed with oil in the coolant line. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was being repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200.

NHTSA ID

11749316

Incident

Jun 27, 2026

Mileage

200 mi

My windshield on the 2027 Telluride cracked with a small rock that almost sounded like a bug instead of a rock. My other cars have gotten hit with rocks that sound 10 time loader and the windshield does not crack. I think KIA is still putting windshield that are not safe on their new cars. I am certain that anything hits this windshield will cause it to crack again. I am hoping that it was just a one of, but time will tell.

NHTSA ID

11748431

Incident

Jul 3, 2026

Rear passenger door latch failure on my brand-new 2027 Kia Telluride Hybrid. The vehicle has had this issue since the moment we drove it off the lot. The rear door opens, but the latch mechanism does not properly reset or disengage, so the door will not close and securely latch. This is a serious safety defect, not a minor inconvenience. A rear passenger door that cannot reliably close and stay latched creates an obvious risk of the door opening unexpectedly while driving, which could result in passenger ejection, injury, or a collision hazard to other vehicles on the road. The problem appears concentrated in the rear doors and is not consistent with a child-lock issue. This should be treated as an urgent safety-related defect in the latch, actuator, or related door mechanism.

NHTSA ID

11746673

Incident

May 29, 2026

EV shut down

NHTSA ID

11738310

Incident

May 16, 2026