319 of the 1,945 complaints about the Kia Telluride (16.4%) concern Engine, making it the model's second-largest problem area. That share is 0.7× the Engine share across all tracked vehicles.
319Complaints · Engine
16.4%Share of complaints
0.74×vs. all vehicles
187Last 12 months
4.4%Share involving a crash or fire
1Related recalls
Analysis
By model year, Engine complaints peak with the 2020 model (144, 19% of that year's complaints) and are lowest for the 2024 model (18). 187 Engine complaints were filed in the last 12 months versus 67 in the 12 months before — the pace is rising.
Owners most often describe: “oil”, “engine”, “consumption”, “quarts” and “housing”. 14 of these reports (4.4%) describe a crash or fire, with 2 injuries and 0 deaths mentioned.
1 recall campaign relates to this area, most recently campaign 24V077000 (2024-02-07, model years 2024).
The engine failed catastrophically and caught fire while I was driving. The vehicle was towed to the Kia dealership, where it remains available for inspection upon request.
Engine · 2026-07-29 · ODI 11753450 · Fire
The vehicle had been throwing different Electrical Codes for several months around August through December 2025. The last code it through was an engine management system error.
Engine · 2026-07-07 · ODI 11748732 · Fire
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.
Engine · 2026-08-31 · ODI 11760914
Aug 1 2026 While going to the store, we were waiting at the traffic light to make a left turn, as we were making the left turn and entering the store parking lot an audible alarm sounded which surprised us and then a message appeared that stated "Engine Off!
Engine · 2026-08-30 · ODI 11760727
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".
Engine · 2026-08-30 · ODI 11760732
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".
Engine · 2026-08-30 · ODI 11760734
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Related recalls
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:HARD PARTS INTERNAL/MECHANICAL Campaign 24V077000 · 2024-02-07 · Model years: 2024
Summary: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2024 Telluride vehicles. The engine valve springs may break while driving, which can result in a loss of drive power and possibly create a hole in the engine block.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the engine sub-assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 5, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC296.
Why modern engines burn oil, and what owner complaints revealThe design choices that make many recent engines consume oil, the warning signs owners describe, what counts as normal, and which tracked models draw the most engine complaints right now.
Frequently asked questions
How common are Engine problems on the Kia Telluride?
319 of the 1,945 complaints about the Kia Telluride (16.4%) concern Engine, making it the model's second-largest problem area. That share is 0.7× the Engine share across all tracked vehicles.
Which Kia Telluride model years have the most Engine complaints?
By model year, Engine complaints peak with the 2020 model (144, 19% of that year's complaints) and are lowest for the 2024 model (18).
Is there a recall for Kia Telluride Engine problems?
1 recall campaign relates to this area, most recently campaign 24V077000 (2024-02-07, model years 2024).