KIA Telluride Engine Problems
Owners have filed 334 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the KIA Telluride across 7 model years. The 2020 model year has the most (152). The words owners use most often: “oil consumption” (19% of reports).
- 334engine complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $5,150typical repair cost reported by owners
- 45%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Oil consumption: mentioned in 65 of 334 complaints (19%)
- Engine off: mentioned in 20 of 334 complaints (6%)
- Filter housing: mentioned in 19 of 334 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine repair on the KIA Telluride at $5,150, and half of them between $1,950 and $12,400.
Based on 13 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2025–2026), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 27 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 334 complaints, 1 mention a crash, 12 a fire, 1 an injury.
KIA Telluride engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 Telluride | 2 | 8% | — |
| 2025 Telluride | 45 | 38% | 22,000 |
| 2024 Telluride | 15 | 7% | 10,000 |
| 2023 Telluride | 23 | 11% | 20,000 |
| 2022 Telluride | 30 | 9% | — |
| 2021 Telluride | 67 | 18% | 76,500 |
| 2020 Telluride | 152 | 20% | 75,500 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Engine and engine cooling:engine:hard parts internal/mechanical
Model years: 2024
Problem: 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.
Risk: A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash. A hole in the engine block increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: 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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
I have this 2020 telluride and itâs consuming a lot of oil I have to add a quart of oil every 600 miles. I was wondering if there is any open recalls for this.
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. Suddenly the rpms shot all the way up and then dropped to nothing and I was forced to coast off the freeway, thankfully we were by an exit. The vehicle had zero power and…
Vehicle is shutting down while driving or idling.
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.
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. Took it to a KIA dealer and kept it for a few days and just stated they couldn't duplicate the issue…
Frequently asked questions
Do all KIA Tellurides have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 334 owner complaints about engine for the KIA Telluride. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the KIA Telluride engine?
Yes: 1 safety recall list engine. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix engine problems on the KIA Telluride?
Owners report a typical cost of $5,150 (half paid between $1,950 and $12,400), from 13 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine problems on the KIA Telluride?
The most frequent phrase is “oil consumption”, in 65 of 334 complaints, followed by “engine off” (20).
Other KIA Telluride problems
- Visibility/wiper problems (349)
- Electrical System problems (295)
- Exterior Lighting problems (209)
- Power Train problems (178)
- Structure problems (157)
See all KIA Telluride problems.