2025 Kia Telluride Owner Complaints

The brand new 2025 Kia Telluride I’m leasing has repeatedly stalled and immediately stopped without warning while driving. When this happens, you lose control of the vehicle, cannot steer and must shift into park. All while hoping no one slams into you and also keeping your fingers crossed that it starts again. This has happened at least 12 times from May 2026 to October 2026. The vehicle has been to the dealer for “repairs” three different times. However they have never been able to recreate the problem and therefore have not been able to fix it. I’m extremely worried that when this happens again it could result in an accident. I have contacted the manufacturer and dealership multiple times asking that they make this right. They have offered no options to replace or buy back the vehicle

NHTSA ID

11775773

Incident

Oct 23, 2026

Multiple times while driving I'm getting an alert on the dash about engine off. The dashboard alarms go off and it says, "Enging OFF! Shift to P or N. then start engine". This has happened 4x while driving in the past month. Each time, I was driving about 25 mph. The service/dealer is unable to replicate or understand what's going on. I've read that this has been a complaint by a number of Kia telluride owners. This is incredibly alarming for the enging to just shut down WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA ID

11775441

Incident

Oct 30, 2026

Formal Safety Complaint – 2025 Kia Telluride I am filing a formal safety complaint regarding my 2025 Kia Telluride due to ongoing mechanical issues that have now escalated to a serious and potentially life-threatening situation. Multiple warning lights are illuminating on my dashboard, and the engine is now shutting off while I am actively driving the vehicle. This is completely unacceptable and puts my safety and the safety of others on the road at risk. I have already made multiple attempts to address ongoing mechanical issues with this vehicle, including a persistent shudder while driving. Despite seeking assistance from Kia dealerships and involving the companies responsible for my vehicle’s accessibility conversion, the issues remain unresolved and have now escalated. My Telluride has been converted with a rear-entry wheelchair ramp through Freedom Motors, but I have been advised that the conversion is unrelated to the drivetrain concerns. I need Kia to take these complaints seriously and conduct a thorough investigation into the vehicle’s mechanical and electrical systems. I purchased this vehicle expecting it to be safe and reliable, especially given that it is an accessible vehicle used to accommodate my family’s needs. Instead, I am now dealing with a vehicle that is shutting off while in motion, which creates an extremely dangerous situation. I am requesting immediate escalation to Kia Consumer Affairs, a comprehensive safety inspection, and a clear resolution to these ongoing problems. I also want this complaint formally documented due to the severity of the safety concerns. I should not have to fear that my engine will shut off while I am driving a vehicle I recently purchased. This is a serious safety issue, and I expect Kia to take responsibility, investigate the cause, and provide a prompt resolution before someone gets hurt.

NHTSA ID

11774167

Incident

Sep 19, 2026

Vehicle: 2025 Kia Telluride, VIN [XXX] Description: While driving, the engine shuts off without warning. An alarm sounds and the dash reads “Engine Off! Shift to P or N, then start engine.” Power steering and power brakes are lost until the engine restarts. This has happened 5 times: [XXX]: about 25 mph in creeping traffic. [XXX]: low speed, slowing down on a slight downhill. [XXX]: three times within minutes on [XXX]. The first was in creeping traffic while slowing, the second while changing into a slower lane, and the third while slowing for merging traffic. Traffic was on all sides, and losing steering and brakes nearly caused a collision. Every event happened at low speed or while slowing, braking or changing lanes. There was no warning beforehand. Kia case number [XXX]. The vehicle is going to for warranty diagnosis at a dealership INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11773724

Incident

Oct 24, 2026

The car shuts down and displays the same message a lot of the other complaints are saying. Engine shut off, please put in P or N and restart engine. It shuts down while driving! I have 2 kids under [XXX] and I bought this for safety. It seems Kia is aware of this issue and none of the dealerships across the U.S. have a fix for it yet. And they keep sending the vehicles back out on the roads since they can’t fix it! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11772272

Incident

Oct 19, 2026

Engine shut off while idling. Had to shift into Park and restart engine.

NHTSA ID

11771932

Incident

Oct 18, 2026

The sunroof on my 2025 telluride spontaneously exploded this morning. It sounded like a gunshot went off. No other vehicles were around and wasn’t near anything that could fall on the vehicle

NHTSA ID

11771310

Incident

Oct 15, 2026

I have a 2025 Kia Telluride, purchased in Jan 2025. Almost right away, I started having issues with my windshield wipers where they wouldn't work when the lever was pushed - in any setting (High, low, intermittent, etc.). The rear wipers have always worked. After several visits and holding onto my car for several weeks, this was fixed in February 2025, by replacing the wiper motor, by a Kia service center at a dealership. Things were fine for a year and a half. They stopped working again in August 2025. Again, I took it to a Kia dealership where they were able to replicate the problem and also replaced the motor. Now, on October 11th, they did not work on a rainy night when I went to use them.

NHTSA ID

11770469

Incident

Oct 11, 2026

Vehicle is shutting down while driving or idling.

NHTSA ID

11770236

Incident

Oct 1, 2026

2025 Kia Telluride engine shut down on highway in construction zone with no shoulder. Engine shut off, alarms sounded and it displayed to put the vehicle in park or neutral and restart. I had to coast to an exit ramp. Vehicle did restart and seems to be intermittent.

NHTSA ID

11770102

Incident

Oct 8, 2026

The airbag warning light came on at about 4,000–4,500 miles in July 2026. The selling dealer found active code B142900 and a damaged yellow SRS connector under the driver-side second-row seat. The green wire is pulled out of the terminal, with exposed copper. The connector is hanging loose under the seat, in the path of the seat frame. The dealer wiring diagram identifies it as connector F49, Rear Side Airbag LH. The failed connector is still on the vehicle and available for inspection. Dealer case 26238900 was opened July 7, 2026 and closed July 8. Techline said it only handles engines, transmissions, and high-voltage batteries, and directed the warranty question to the service manager, DPSM, and warranty department. The dealer did not issue a written warranty decision, called the damage owner-caused, and quoted a main-harness replacement above $6,000. This is the same second-row driver-side side-airbag circuit recalled under SC262 / NHTSA 23V-035 for harness damage from seat-frame contact during normal seat movement. The SRS light is still on at 6,182 miles, so that airbag will not deploy. A warranty review was submitted to Kia Customer Care Center on October 1, 2026. No crash, fire, or injury. Photos of the pulled wire, the under-seat location, and the F49 diagram are attached.

NHTSA ID

11768254

Incident

Jul 7, 2026

On XXX, I picked up a rental vehicle from the Budget Car Rental branch at [XXX] (SJC) for a family trip. On XXX, while driving through a remote mountain area near [XXX], the rear tire suffered a catastrophic and sudden pressure failure, dropping instantly to 0 PSI. Upon inspecting the failed tire, I discovered severe, pre-existing mechanical negligence: the entire inside edge of the tire tread was completely bald with structural steel belts and cords fully exposed. Most shockingly, upon inspecting the vehicle's keys, I discovered that the rental agency had full, documented prior knowledge of this dangerous defect. The words "Tires Bald" were explicitly handwritten by the fleet maintenance team directly onto the corporate barcode key tag attached to the key fob. The rental agency negligently bypassed their own safety tag and deployed an illegal, unroadworthy vehicle into commercial service. This gross safety violation directly endangered my family, including my [XXX] father, [XXX] mother, and wife, while navigating winding mountain passes in Yosemite National Forest at night. A high-speed blowout under these conditions could have easily resulted in a fatal rollover accident. The rental company has since admitted absolute fault by fully refunding the rental contract (Budget Confirmation: XXX/ Costco Travel Confirmation: XXX). I am filing this official safety report because renting out a vehicle with documented bald tires and exposed steel belts constitutes an extreme public safety hazard and a violation of federal vehicle safety standards. Photographic proof of the tire cords, dashboard system warnings, and the "Tires Bald" corporate key tag are attached to this report for investigation. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11768170

Incident

Sep 26, 2026

The contact owns a 2025 Kia Telluride. The contact stated that while driving uphill at 55 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle lost power. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed; however, the diagnostic result was unknown. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on several occasions. The approximate failure mileage was 22,000.

NHTSA ID

11766970

Incident

Sep 10, 2026

Mileage

22,000 mi

The engine randomly turns off and I get a warning that says "Engine Off! Shift to P or N, then start engine" This happened recently as my mother in law was making a left hand turn on a busy intersection. If there were other cars coming she would've been hit. There are no prior warnings or indications that the car is having any issues. The car has been inspected by the dealership, which has been unable to reproduce the issue.

NHTSA ID

11766464

Incident

Sep 19, 2026

My 2025 Kia Telluride has experienced repeated, unresolved engine stalling/shutdown while driving. The defect began as stalling at low speeds approaching stops and has escalated to the vehicle shutting off completely while traveling at 45–50 miles per hour on public roads. When the engine shuts off at highway speeds, power steering and power brakes are lost, creating an immediate life-threatening situation for the driver and any passengers. The dealership has made multiple repair attempts across two separate phases of this defect without success. Despite the ongoing safety hazard, the dealer has pressured me to return my rental vehicle and accept the car back without verified resolution of the stalling issue. Kia America Customer Service has been unresponsive to the urgency of this situation. The vehicle remains unrepaired and unsafe for highway operation. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this defect, review whether a safety recall is warranted, and add this complaint to the record for the 2025 Kia Telluride VIN [XXX]. I am aware that other 2025 Telluride owners have reported similar stalling and unexpected shutdown issues to NHTSA. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11765128

Incident

Sep 17, 2026

We purchased a new 2025 Kia Telluride 17 days ago. Just three days after purchasing the vehicle, I experienced a serious and potentially dangerous failure while driving in heavy traffic in downtown Chicago. The dashboard suddenly lit up, an alarm began sounding, and the following warning appeared: “Engine Off! Shift to P or N and then start engine.” I was forced to pull off the road in VERY congested downtown traffic, put the vehicle in park, turn it off, and restart it. I immediately contacted the dealership. The next day, I took the vehicle to the dealership for an unrelated detailing issue and asked them to check out the car to address what had happened. I was told it was likely a computer fluke and that I would need to wait to see if it happens again. The next day, the exact same thing happened while merging onto the interstate on a tight onramp in congested traffic. This time, I had significant difficulty getting safely to the side of the road and came extremely close to being struck by another vehicle. Again, I had to put the vehicle in park, turn it off, and restart it. The following day, I returned the Telluride to the dealership. It has been there for over a week. They seem to know this is a common issue with Tellurides but they've indicated that KIA has not provided guidance on addressing this specific issue. As a result, they could only respond to the code that was generated- which indicates an electrical control issue. I've contacted KIA and I'm waiting to hear if they can provide a fix that can guarantee I'm not put into another dangerous situation. If an older person or teenager had been in the situations I had been in, I can nearly guarantee there would've been a very serious and potentially fatal accident. Please help us address this issue!

NHTSA ID

11764163

Incident

Sep 3, 2026

My 2025 Kia Telluride is subject to safety recall SC362A / NHTSA Recall 26V105 involving the front seatback assemblies. On March 24, 2026, I left the vehicle with an authorized Kia dealer for the recall repair. The dealer documented “REMEDY NOT AVAIL” and also documented that the vehicle would remain at the dealer until the recall was performed. As of September 14, 2026, the vehicle remains unrepaired and NHTSA’s VIN recall lookup still shows this recall as unrepaired. The vehicle has therefore been unavailable for approximately 174 days because Kia has not provided and completed the recall remedy. I am requesting that NHTSA review Kia’s failure to provide this safety recall remedy within a reasonable period of time

NHTSA ID

11764126

Incident

Mar 24, 2026

Component: Factory forward panoramic sunroof glass, 2025 Kia Telluride, VIN [XXX]. On XXX at ~8:18 a.m. ET, [XXX], ~59 mph, the glass shattered with a loud bang. No object was seen hitting the roof. Sunshade open. Vehicle/photos available. Original glass may not have been kept after dealer/insurance repair (State Farm; return set XXX). Safety risk: Highway-speed failure with a [XXX] in the front passenger seat. Glass entered the cabin and fell on driver [XXX] and the child. Noise like a gunshot. Risk of startle, cuts, blocked vision, and loss of control. Driver kept the lane and exited at [XXX]. No injuries. Not safe to keep driving. Confirmed: One-time shatter, documented by photos. Calavan Kia West received the vehicle XXX. A Kia assessor inspected it and warranty was denied, citing two lower-windshield marks I had already seen the day before when I washed the car. Those marks are on a different panel and do not explain the roof bursting. No written denial or assessor report. State Farm is replacing the glass. Inspections: Kia assessor at Calavan Kia West. State Farm claim opened. Police not called. I photographed the roof at [XXX], before the tow. Warnings: None. No lamps, messages, cracks, or rattles beforehand. First sign was the sudden bang and shattered glass. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11763836

Incident

Aug 18, 2026

There have been two individual episodes of this occurring. While actively driving the entire vehicle shuts off and begins to Coast and will not respond to pressing the accelerator. This happened once in our driveway in March. This happened again about 3 weeks ago while driving on the interstate and had to cross multiple lanes of traffic in order to make it to the shoulder. Very unsafe situation with no warning

NHTSA ID

11763637

Incident

Sep 3, 2026

I purchased this new vehicle in March of 2026. The vehicle has 6,800 miles. While idle, I started to get a warning the engine was overheating with the ac only blowing hot air while the engine smelt like it was overheating. This put me at risk of being stranded in the heat with my toddler and new born or the vehicle malfunctioning in the highway.

NHTSA ID

11763075

Incident

Sep 9, 2026

The engine just quit when making a brake stop. The RPM went to zero. The car did restart but failed a second time after a few feet of travel and the brakes were applied. There are at least two occasions when the issue occurred within the past two days.

NHTSA ID

11761899

Incident

Sep 1, 2026

The infotainment displayed information at the home screen is so close to the left side of the screen that when you are driving, the steering wheel and my hand covers it, so if you want to see it, you need to bend a little to the right, taking the eyes off the road and more important things. The infotainment screen design has a lot of room in the middle of the screen, but somebody with very low brain, had to be a designer, decided it was better to put everything stacked up to the left

NHTSA ID

11761004

Incident

Aug 31, 2026

When driving, the vehicle will randomly shut off. Every warning light and alarm goes off. A message displays on the dash to put the vehicle on P or N to turn it back on. This happens unexpectedly. It's happened about 16 times on the road and 2 times on the highway. This is a huge safety issue. We notified Kia in February of 2026, it's gone to the service department three times for this specific issue, but they are unable to recreate it and no codes are stored for them to see what it is. We have recorded the vehicle acting up once it's shut off. This is very dangerous that a new vehicle randomly shuts off, and no one knows what is causing it. Now, it's at the shop for the fourth time. This time the Kia engineers have asked the service shop to replace the engine harness along with some sensors and send it to them. We have recordings from Kia Corporate stating they dont know what it is. We even have a service tech stating that there are others with this issue but no solution has been uncovered.

NHTSA ID

11760914

Incident

Aug 20, 2026

XXX While returning home, we just turned right onto [XXX] heading south, an audible alarm sounded which surprised us and then a message appeared that stated "Engine Off! Shift to [XXX], then start engine". This same problem had just occurred not 10 minutes earlier while crossing the bridge into [XXX] from [XXX]! Again, once I was able to refocus my attention to the road, I was then able to turn on my hazard signals, stop the car (no power brakes), shift to Park and restart the car. With this occurrence we were fortunate there was no traffic on the street at the time. We were traveling at about 30mph. This was the 3rd occurrence of this problem within 30 days and then again the second occurrence within 10 minutes on the same day! This is really unnerving to have your engine turn off suddenly and without any warnings! Just a sudden audible alarm, followed by a message, completely out of the blue! I cannot imagine what will happen should this occur at higher speeds? Or in heavier traffic? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11760734

Incident

Aug 29, 2026

XXX While returning home, we were crossing a 2 lane bridge between [XXX] and [XXX] heading south, an audible alarm sounded which surprised us and then a message appeared that stated "Engine Off! Shift to P or N, then start engine". Once I was able to refocus my attention to the road, I was then able to turn on my hazard signals, stop the car, shift to Park and restart the car. This all happened with traffic behind us and passing us in the opposite lane. There was no shoulder for us to use to get out of the way. I should also mention we were traveling a slight incline up as we were crossing the bridge. This was the second time this has happened and again it forced my attention away from the road so that I could address this issue. Fortunately, this all occurred at low speed, approx 30-35mph. Also, luckily I was able to get my hazard signals on quickly to avoid being rear ended by the sudden occurrence of this issue. I cannot imagine what would have happened if I had been on the interstate going 70+ mph. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11760732

Incident

Aug 29, 2026