348 of the 2,014 complaints about the Kia Telluride (17.3%) concern Engine, making it the model's second-largest problem area. That share is 0.8× the Engine share across all tracked vehicles.
348Complaints · Engine
17.3%Share of complaints
0.78×vs. all vehicles
193Last 12 months
4.0%Share involving a crash or fire
1Related recalls
Analysis
193 Engine complaints were filed in the last 12 months versus 84 in the 12 months before — up 130%.
14 of these reports (4.0%) 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 year 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
I was attempting to accelerate on the freeway and the rpms kept going up but it felt like the engine didn't want to shift gears.
Engine · 2026-10-09 · ODI 11770117
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.
Engine · 2026-10-09 · ODI 11770102
Vehicle was sitting all night and entered the garage in the morning and found the radiator fan at full speed. Car was not running, so backed it out, turned it off and the fan turned back on.
Engine · 2026-10-08 · ODI 11769911
I am reporting a potential safety defect involving excessive engine oil loss and persistent oil leakage on my 2020 Kia Telluride, VIN [XXX]. The vehicle currently has approximately 100,367 miles.
Engine · 2026-10-07 · ODI 11769606
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 revealDesign choices linked to oil consumption in recent engines, the warning signs owners describe, what counts as normal, and which tracked models currently have the highest engine share in their complaints.
