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2025 Kia Telluride: problems, recalls and reliability

3 recalls and 116 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is engine (28% of complaints).

Data updated weekly · 24 new complaints in the last 90 days · latest recall Feb 2026

3
recalls
116
owner complaints
2
fire reports
18,000
typical failure mileage, mi

All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.

NHTSA crash testOverall ★★★★★Front ★★★★★Side ★★★★★Rollover ★★★★★
5-star NHTSA overall safety ratingWeak spot: engine (28%)2 fire reportsProblems reported early (median 18,000 mi)

Common problems

Computed from 116 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.

Engine (engine mechanics)28% · 40 complaints
Electrical System (battery, wiring, electronics)13% · 19 complaints
Visibility/Wiper (windshield, wipers, defroster, mirrors)11% · 16 complaints
Seats6% · 8 complaints
Power Train (transmission, axles, driveline)5% · 7 complaints
Steering (steering wheel, rack, power assist)5% · 7 complaints
“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.”Owner report · Engine · Sep 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.”Owner report · Engine · Sep 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.”Owner report · Engine · Sep 2026
Show 7 more owner reports
“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”Owner report · Engine · Sep 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.”Owner report · Engine · Sep 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”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Aug 2026
“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.”Owner report · Visibility/Wiper · Aug 2026
“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.”Owner report · Engine · Aug 2026
“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.”Owner report · Engine · Aug 2026
“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.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Aug 2026

When filing, owners marked a crash in 3 of these complaints and injuries in 5 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.

Recalls - 3 campaigns

Temporary/emergency spare tire (tires)25V745000 · Oct 2025

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 Telluride and 2026 Sorento vehicles. The vehicles are equipped with an incorrect spare tire which, when installed, can impair the anti-lock braking system (ABS) and the traction control system (TCS). As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

Remedy: Dealers will replace the spare wheel and tire assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 3, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC355. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning November 13, 2025.

Exterior trim (structure)25V494000 · Jul 2025

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Telluride vehicles. The door belt molding trim can delaminate and detach from the vehicle.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the belt molding trim assemblies as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 19, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC347.

Recliner (seats)26V105000 · Feb 2026

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 Telluride vehicles, equipped with power front seat(s). Due to a manufacturing error, the driver and passenger seat back frame assemblies may fail to properly restrain occupants in a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the front seat back frame assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning April 24, 2026. Owners may contact Kia Customer Service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC362. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on March 9, 2026.

Specifications

Factory options offered for the 2025 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.

Engines3.8L
FuelGasoline
Drive type4WD/4-Wheel Drive/4x4 · 4x2

How other years compare

Counts are not adjusted for time on the road here - see all Telluride years ranked fairly for the age-adjusted comparison.

Check your exact Telluride by VIN

Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.

Open VIN decoder

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2025 Kia Telluride reliable?

NHTSA has 116 owner complaints and 3 recall campaigns on record for the 2025 Kia Telluride. The most complained-about area is engine (28% of complaints).

At what mileage do 2025 Kia Telluride problems usually appear?

Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 18,000 miles or less.

Does the 2025 Kia Telluride have open recalls?

3 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning tires. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.