2021 Kia Telluride Driver assistance Problems

While driving this vehicle in route to Philadelphia airport JFK, i experienced a total malfunction of the instrument cluster. All of the warning lights continued to go on and off and were illuminating on the cluster non stop along with a audible chiming, all of wich lasted the 3 hour trip. The car is available anytime. Warning lights/alarms were not only distracting but affected the spedometer which would shut down totally. No dealer or service center has been contacted yet.

NHTSA ID

11754085

Incident

Jul 29, 2026

Bought car on a Saturday (6-20-26)and that night noticed the drive mode was broke and the forward Collison is broke and will go on and off. Dealership said they did the whole inspection on the car before they put it on the lot to sell. Also, oil was extremely low when I left the lot and had to go back for an oil change. Took it to them on 6-22 to repair and have had to call to ask about my cars status when they said they would call me. Never would get an answer as to what was going on.

NHTSA ID

11746310

Incident

Jun 20, 2026

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Telluride. The contact stated that the passenger’s side drive shaft boot was leaking. The steering and mileage were affected by the failure. While making a turn, the steering wheel was readjusting. The accelerator pedal was depressed; after the pedal was released, the pedal jerked. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who confirmed there were no open recalls associated with the VIN. The brakes were reprogrammed. The vehicle was diagnosed, and it was determined that the front boot was leaking, and the axle and tires needed to be replaced, and an alignment performed. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to another local dealer, Kia Mentor (9090 Mentor Ave., Mentor, OH 44060); who provided the same diagnosis. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed there was no warranty coverage on the vehicle. The BBB was contacted and the Attorney General. The approximate failure mileage was 81,000.

NHTSA ID

11744846

Incident

May 15, 2026

Mileage

81,000 mi

There rear parking sensors have come up with an error message. After I looked into this it looks like a wide spread problem. The Kia Dealership said it was the rear bumper harness was faulty. I am just outside of warranty and Kia is trying to charge $850 for a problem that they are well aware of and are not addressing. They are also claiming that the oil filter housing is damaged and I have only ever gone to a Kia dealership for oil changes. After researching, this also appears to be a widespread issue which they are trying to charge $450 for. These 2 issues are known defects and widely reported and Kia should be fixing these items.

NHTSA ID

11723311

Incident

Sep 22, 2025

Rear shock failure for the second time. This time in under 9 months. Front crash detection constantly goes off in cold snowy weather or rain. engine issue is frequent popping sound in exhaust and causing dirty oxygen sensors

NHTSA ID

11681146

Incident

Aug 13, 2025

Driving and trying to brake and brake pushed to floor and still not stop.I pulled over and called AAA.While waiting for AAA to arrive low brake fluid light came on.AAA driver arrived and stated bolts protecting driver side rear tire were gone and caliper on that side were left hanging.Towed to Kia Dealer and stated bolts were clearly removed.Last visit to Kia dealer was 30 days ago only for oil change not brake work.Dealer repaired caliper bolts and pistons for over 2000.Dealer had no idea why bolts came off by themselves and why it happened. There was no warning or lights going off until after brakes failed.Luckily when it happened i was only on back roads so could slow down eventually without incident but if I had been on highway not know how I would have come to a stop before crashing.Can anyone tell me why this happened and how to prevent it from ever happening to me or anyone else owning a Kia Telluride

NHTSA ID

11678936

Incident

Aug 4, 2025

On [XXX] my vehicle had a collision warning signal, then tire pressure, then brake lights and entire dash instrument panel. I parked the vehicle, then later in the evening test drove it again and the panel lit up again, in addition to the loss of the speedometer, tachometer, gear display, and drive mode display, so I immediately drove it to Courtesy Kia in Altoona, PA. On 4/18/25 Wendy Giordano of Courtesy Kia confirmed vehicle intake Courtesy Kia reset codes and was unable to replicate or diagnose a repair. The vehicle was returned on 4/23/25 despite my expressed concerns over safety. On [XXX] the vehicle again displayed the collision warning and the instrument panel lit up again, in addition to the loss of the speedometer, tachometer, gear display, and drive mode display. I got off the highway and limped the vehicle closer to my home, stopped for a brief time, and proceeded the three miles to the dealership. In this time I lost power steering, and eventually brake lights and turn signals within 1,000 feet of the dealership and was nearly collided with in front of the dealershipOn 5/12 I continued to ask status and request a loaner with no adequate follow up. I was bounced between JT, Tyler and Wendy Giordano my service advisor. Around 5/22 I called in requesting an update and was put on the phone with the service tech to describe my issues On 6/6/25 John from courtesy ford left a 2 minute long rambling voicemail, 6/3 he said he received a fax. He said he spoke to service department and I could drive the car, that I could be driving the car now. "he wasn't sure what was going on with it" They've driven it and can't find anything. Kia is looking at video, service rep there on Tuesday and find nothing wrong. I think, how long and haven't had it long. Suggest you "just drive it, I don't know" In addition I've followed up with numerous emails and calls to determine course of action and repair and haven't had a productive repair plan. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.

NHTSA ID

11667747

Incident

Apr 17, 2025

My main screen on my 2021 Telluride goes out suddenly, turning off the backup camera and collision warnings. Sometimes when I start the car it never turns on, sometimes it starts to boot and then goes out and sometimes it works for a few seconds/minutes and then turns off. Once and a while it turns on and stays on for days before going on randomly again.

NHTSA ID

11663365

Incident

May 27, 2025

Anytime going through the car wash the front and back parking sensors don’t work and gives an error. It is now permanently stuck with this error.

NHTSA ID

11633021

Incident

Dec 15, 2024

My dealer installed new software that sets the parking brake when the shifter is put in the park position. When I'm driving the car and stopped at a red light and open my door to let an insect out or spit or to make sure the door was closed completely or whatever the reason, the parking brake is set even though the car is still in drive and my foot is on the brake. This is fine. However, when I close the door, release my foot from the brake pedal and press the accelerator, the parking brake remains engaged. I feel that this can lead to safety issues if a driver is not aware of why their car will not move. They can become a traffic hazard or attempt to drive their car with the parking brake still engaged. My Kia dealer said that's the way it is and they cannot do anything to change it. I also reported this issue to Kia directly but have not yet received a reply.

NHTSA ID

11613196

Incident

Sep 6, 2024

The front bumper sensor has stopped working. This is preventing proper function of the forward collision warning and the parking collision warning. I took this to be fixed to Executive Kia of Wallinford, CT and they identified corrosion of the component as the cause of the failure. My car has had no accidents or damage to bumper so any corrosion is due to improper sealing of part, or weather proofing of bumper. An online search identified many other Kia owners dealing with this same issue. My extended warranty through Fidelity Inc sent out an inspector to review this and they are refusing to cover the cost of the fix since it is due to "corrosion." Including photos my Kia dealer mechanic sent me of the corrosion.

NHTSA ID

11610150

Incident

May 7, 2024

This vehicle was purchased back in July 2023. On multiple occasions since then, the Automatic Emergency Braking system has activated and slammed on the brakes when not needed. There have been no other cars, animals or other hazards to cause it to do so. Very dangerous that this keeps happening. Most recent and worse incident was yesterday(5/16/24). It is going to the dealer for service today. It's still under warranty and has approximately 55000 miles on it. Kia customer service help line showed little concern over incidents. We'll see what happens at the dealership today when I take it in.

NHTSA ID

11589381

Incident

May 16, 2024

Here are some basic facts on what has happened: On August [XXX] I was in my driveway, in Mt Pleasant, SC, when my car rolled down my driveway with my two kiddos inside, resulting in me reacting and getting knocked over by the driver side door and the car running over my chest. I had 5 broken ribs, 4 are now titanium, several broken bones, a punctured lung and a torn acl. There is a police report but do not have to upload right now This was reported and Kia had my car for about a month to investigate it and gave us a very brief response stating “After the preliminary investigation results indicate that the vehicle functioned as intended, no issues found with the parking mechanism.” Because of the trauma this has caused me, I made my husband make the car disappear and he sold it to a local CarMax in Charleston. This safety recall came out on March 26th saying cars rolled away and they are updating software so cars do not move with car doors open. Kia is also stating there have been 16 cases not resulting in injuries. The Kia I had is a 2021 within this range and the VIN is [XXX] . INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11587469

Incident

Aug 1, 2023

While driving the Kia Telluride, the forward collision avoidance warnings started flashing, then said it was failing, then the tire pressure system did the same, then the speedometer and tachometer failed as did the turn signals, gear shift, and lights. The car was becoming unsafe to drive. The car has been at the dealer for 3 weeks now, the dealer changed the Cluster Assembly-Instrument at at cost of $2600. Within 1/2 of leaving the dealership the same problem noted above began happening, again making the car unsafe to drive. In researching on line at the KiaTelluride forum there have been a large number of similar unsafe occurrences by other Kia Tellurides as reported by owners. This is a serious safety problem that has been noted numerous times. (I can't get my images of the 2 page dealer invoice for Cluster Assembly-Instrument $2600 that did not solve the problem to download on this form. )

NHTSA ID

11578022

Incident

Feb 26, 2024

On February 16th at about 6 AM, I was in a collision. I was first hit in the front by a pickup truck impacting my frontside, from right to left. I expected my Kia Telluride to engage it's safety features such as, Automatic Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Warning, and at the very least the Airbags, which none of them deployed at anytime during this collision. I was then rear-ended by an 18-wheeler; smashing my entire back window. The 18-wheelers' trailer that it was holding then slide down on the passenger side of my 2021 Kia Telluride. With that my vehicle was then pushed into the guardrail from the impact and power of the trailer falling on the passenger side. My vehicle has been inspected by my insurance company, Geico Inc. as they declared my vehicle a total loss. There was no warnings, or any indicators that my vehicles safety issues were compromised and the date of my vehicles last service by the dealer, Demontrond Automotive Group was October 4, 2023. I have pictures of my vehicle, where it will reflect; The damage the vehicle endured, The airbags intact; and The back window shattered.

NHTSA ID

11573224

Incident

Feb 16, 2024

There were 2 lanes going in the same direction and I was on the right. The road was turning to the right and ended up hitting a car in the lane on the right. Road conditions were wet but no puddling. I depressed the brake pedal to reduce my speed for the turn, but and I kept going as if I hadn't hit it at all. By moving from the right to the left lane, the car was going up a slight bank. There was no skidding, no rumbling from the anti-lock, just a steady forward motion. I was so caught off guard with this unusual movement of the car that I thought my brakes had locked, so I didn't bother try turning the wheel.

NHTSA ID

11570087

Incident

Dec 1, 2023

The front wiper blades get stuck when in use. This most often occurs when they are at their upper most point, but happens in a lower position as well. I had a previous issue where the left blade components had to be replaced because of stripped nuts/gears. This does not appear to be the same issue. I’ve taken it to the dealer and to another mechanic, neither of who could recreate the problem. This is quite dangerous as it impedes my visibility while driving in precipitation. The other issue is with buttons on the steering column that either do not work or miscommunication. This has been repaired/replaced but with the same issue.

NHTSA ID

11562706

Incident

Dec 27, 2023

Harness and wires damaged and chewed by woodchuck causing multiple warning lights and malfunctions including headlight; turning signal and temperature to suddenly stop working, resulting in front wiring harness replacement and repairs costing over $7k in damage.

NHTSA ID

11542412

Incident

Aug 6, 2023

TELURIDE 2021 OWNERS MANUEL, PAGE 5-64, 5-63 AND THE KIA” FEATURES AND FUNCTIONS GUIDE. “PAGE 15, SHOWS DIRECTIONS FOR USING THE FCA, OR FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE. BUT THERE IS NO SUCH SAFEY OPTION IN THE CAR. FURTHER THE DRIVERS ASSIST - - - FORWARD SAFETY OPTION, SHOW IN THE OWNERS MANUEL, IS NOT ON MY ONBORD SCREEN. THERE IS NO DISCLAIMER SUCH AS “IF SO EQUIPPED”. FOR ME THIS IS A IMPORTANT KIA FAILURE.

NHTSA ID

11542391

Incident

Sep 3, 2023

As I was driving down the highway in the rain, my check engine light came on and I was unable to accelerate my vehicle over 30mph and the speedometer stopped working. I was turning onto the road I live on, so I was able to make it home. I then shut my car off and turned it back on about 5 minutes later, and that issue was no longer happening. I had an upcoming appointment for an oil change at a Kia dealership, so I told the dealership about the issue. They told me that they hooked their computer up to the car and it was showing that there weren’t any issues showing and the only way that they would be able to see that there was an issue is if the vehicle was brought in while it was malfunctioning. Also, the mirror function on my vehicle where the side mirrors fold/unfold when locking/unlocking the vehicle, the mirror(s) don’t fold/unfold every time I press the lock/unlock button on m key fob. Another issue, my windows don’t roll/unroll when I try to use that function. I can sometimes roll the front window up/down while the rest of the windows won’t roll up/down. I then have to shut my vehicle off, open the driver door, then turn the vehicle back on. Sometimes the windows will work, sometimes they won’t. It’s an ongoing issue.

NHTSA ID

11539594

Incident

Jul 12, 2023

The contact owns a 2021 Kia Telluride. The contact stated that while engaging the Forward Collision Avoidance system per the manufacturer’s instructions, the Forward Collision Avoidance system failed to engage. The contact stated that the Forward Collision Avoidance system was inoperable. The contact stated that while driving and approaching another vehicle, the Forward Collision Avoidance failed to engage. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer several times. The dealer test-drove the vehicle and informed the contact that the Forward Collision Avoidance system was operable when the Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) mode was activated. The dealer diagnosed that no issues were found. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 9,300.

NHTSA ID

11520136

Incident

Jan 19, 2023

Mileage

9,300 mi

While in drive, the battery discharge warning was displayed inconsistently, similar to what had occurred sporadically on January 21 and January 23. Without notice, multiple indicator lights started flashing, including low tire pressure, Safety features such as check forward collision assist system, and more. Power steering failed, and ultimately had to coast into a safe location. This resulted in a tow to the dealership, where after multiple days, the dealership found that the alternator failed and replaced it under warranty. This could have negatively impacted not only my safety but the safety of others as the vehicle safety features were not operational and I lost full functionality of the vehicle such as power steering loss. All regular maintenance and satisfaction of recalls had been completed by a Kia-authorized dealership before this event.

NHTSA ID

11518162

Incident

Jan 24, 2023

While driving in a parking garage and going down a ramp to the next level, all of the lights on my dashboard popped on and the brakes stopped working. The emergency brakes failed to work, and we crashed into a wall/air conditioning unit. Luckily, we were going slow since we were in a parking garage and did not hit another car, but if we were on a highway and/ my entire family were in the car, someone could have died not only in my car but in other cars. The vehicle has been inspected by the dealership, but only after 3 weeks, and I've had to call to get any sort of communication from Kia. They have been horrible with communication. They also have not offered guaranteed reimbursement for a rental car nor have they offered a loaner. Insurance has inspected the car from a collision perspective and gave a quote on the damages. There were warning lights on as we were going down the ramp when the brakes went out.

NHTSA ID

11515156

Incident

Mar 12, 2023

Had a new transmission installed in February 2022. Now, beginning March 13, warning lights come on to check blind spot and forward collision systems. About 10 seconds after the car lurches violently. This has happened at full speed on interstate which is a huge risk for injury/death. I have video of this phenomenon.

NHTSA ID

11457490

Incident

Mar 13, 2022

On my wished a small object hit my windshield on the passenger side and within an hour it spread more by the best day it was almost on the driver side of the windshield. Second, the forward collision and lane departure lights came on. I took the SUV to Kia they said it was an issue with the camera and they where going to order the part and replace it for me. It seem I was not the only one with this issue.

NHTSA ID

11432933

Incident

Sep 12, 2021