There are 8 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2023 Kia Telluridein NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
KIA/HYUNDAI INSPECTED AND FOUND CYLINDER 2 TO NOT FIRE ALONG WITH OIL LEAKING FROM LOWER 02 SENSOR. ENGINE BLOCK HAS HOLE, CYL 2 PISTON AND ROD ARE NO LONGER WITH/IN ENGINE. THIS OCCURED WHILE ACCELERATING ON THE FREEWAY ALL OF A SUDDEN VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING THEN LOST THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE IT WAS VERY SCARY BEING STUCK ON THE FREEWAY WAS ALMOST HIT MULTIPLE TIMES.
The engine’s serpentine belt started to fail prematurely. In cold weather, the engine’s belt would scream for 1 to 5 minutes when warming up the engine (under no load and not moving). The belt had less than 40,000 miles on it (when Kia expects it to go 80,000 miles).
The engines mounting bolts failed. Engine nearly fell out of the car according to the dealer mechanic.
MY 2023 TELLURIDE HAS 50K MILES ON IT, AND WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING MY DAUGHTER TO SCHOOL SHE NOTICED THAT THE AIR CONDITIONING WASNT WORKING. SO I LOOKED ONLINE AND SAW THAT IT MAY BE A COUPLE THINGS. MAJOR COMPLAINT WAS THAT KIA WAS NOT COVERING THERE WARRANTY FOR THERE CONDESOR THAT FAILS BECAUSE THEY CLAIM A ROCK HITS IT. SO I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY CONFIRMED MY NIGHTMARE, THAT IT WAS A ROCK AND THAT IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER THE 100K WARRANTY. IT IS MY FEELING THAT THIS IS A DEFECT IN THE MANUFACTURING OF THE VEHICLE IF YOU FIND MAY DIFFERENT TELLURIDES ONLINE, WITH VARIATION OF MILES ON THEM AND THEY ALL FAIL, AND THE COMPANY CHARGES ITS CUSTOMERS $1800 TO FIX IT. PLEASE HELP
The contact owns a 2023 KIA Telluride. The contact stated the vehicle was experiencing heating system failures. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer on three occasions for heating and cooling failures. The dealer replaced an unknown sensor and the thermostat; however, the heat became inoperable. The contact stated that the heat was only operable while driving, and the vehicle would blow cool air while idling. The contact stated that the heat was barely warming up the vehicle while driving. The contact stated that the failure had caused the windows to be foggy, which reduced the road's visibility while driving. The vehicle was taken to a Kia Dealer, where an unknown sensor and the thermostat were replaced, but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 35,000.
The contact owns a 2023 Kia Telluride. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, she was flagged down by another driver who informed her that there was a fire near the rear exterior of the vehicle. The contact merged to the shoulder of the road and discovered that the fire had extinguished on its own. No warning lights were illuminated. A fire and police report was not filed. No injuries were reported. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where the inspection was being performed. The was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000. The VIN was not available.
I bought my car on August 28, 2023 (2023 Kia Telluride EX AWD) with 8 miles on it. I took it in in November for an oil change. That was around 7500 miles. Then i started hearing a ticking noise and immediately went to the dealership to report it on or around December 1, 2023. The initial testing of my engine was an entire week. I had to pay for a rental out of my pocket until Kia approved for a rental. I was told that my Engine had metal shavings in it and they had to check the transmission also. The engine had to be replaced. I was told it was on National Backorder and I wouldn't have my car back before February. I complained to corporate and for some reason my engine was there the following week. It was frustrating having a brand-new Kia Telluride EX AWD and the engine goes bad. This is my 5th Kia and the first incident I had with a Kia.
The contact owns a 2023 Kia Telluride. The contact stated that the second-row seat belts failed to operate as designed. The alarms failed to engage when the seat belts were buckled or unbuckled. While there was a child using a car seat on the second row of seats, the seat belt was unbuckled, and there was no alarm to alert the occupants. While driving at unknown speeds, the information screen displayed went blank for approximately an hour. While refueling, the fuel gauge displayed that there was no fuel in the tank. The contact checked the fuel and noticed it was not depleted. While driving in hot temperatures, the engine overheated. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the thermostat needed to be replaced. The mechanic informed the contact that the driver's seat randomly failed to stay in position. The mechanic repaired the driver's seat and thermostat. Additionally, the contact stated that the children failed to meet the weight requirements. The mechanic was unable to duplicate the other failures. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 120.
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026