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2023 Kia Telluride

Buyable, but go in with open eyes: this car has specific known issues to check before money changes hands.

Recalls, complaint breakdown & inspection checklist — a shareable PDF

192 owner complaints · 6 recalls · data verified July 10, 2026 · source: NHTSA

Cautionwillitcar.com

Why caution?

Has a "park it / park outside" recall — the most serious kind. Verify the fix was done before buying.

6 recall campaigns (1 safety-critical) — confirm every one shows "remedy completed" on the seller's VIN.

The math, shown

Full methodology →
Complaint volume (40%)66
Severity (30%)68
Recall load (20%)45
Trend (10%)61

Complaints filed per year

Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.

20222026

The road ahead

What breaks on a 2023 Kia Telluride, plotted where owners report it happening.

030k mi60k mi90k mi120k miVisibility & wipers~2k mi · 37 reportsEngine~12k mi · 20 reports

Also reported (mileage varies): Electrical system (46) · Transmission & drivetrain (21) · Speed control (14) · Body & structure (14)

Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint — a rough guide, not a schedule.

Electrical system

24%

46 complaints · 22 in the last 2 years

Multiple times over the course of six months the vehicle would turn itself and all electric components off while being driven, with no warning. The car would then refu…

Visibility & wipers

19%

37 complaints · typically near 2k mi · 10 in the last 2 years

I was driving 20 mph when I heard a loud crack, shortly after I noticed my windshield had a huge crack toward the bottom that has gotten progressively worse and affect…

Transmission & drivetrain

11%

21 complaints · 6 in the last 2 years

Ever since purchasing this 2023 Kia telluride I have felt a skipping or thumping feeling when making a turn from a stop sign or a light, at a slower speed, then accele…

Engine

10%

20 complaints · typically near 12k mi · 12 in the last 2 years

Multiple times over the course of six months the vehicle would turn itself and all electric components off while being driven, with no warning. The car would then refu…

Recalls (6)

Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.

Park itSeats · 26V430000

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2024 Telluride vehicles. The front power seat motor may overheat due to a stuck power seat slide knob or an improper recall 24V407 repair, which can result in a fire while parked or driving.

Risk: A fire increases the risk of injury.

Fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will install an electronic fuse assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 13, 2026. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC374. This recall replaces NHTSA recall number 24V407. Vehicles already repaired under the previous recall will need to have the new remedy completed. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning July 17, 2026.

Structure · 25V494000

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

Risk: A detached trim piece can become a road hazard for other vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: 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.

Park itSeats · 24V407000

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2024 Telluride vehicles. The front power seat motor may overheat due to a stuck power seat slide knob, which can result in a fire while parked or driving.

Risk: A fire increases the risk of injury.

Fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will install a bracket for the power seat switch back covers and replace the seat slide knobs, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 30, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC316.

Power Train · 24V214000

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2024 Telluride vehicles. The intermediate shaft and right front driveshaft may not be fully engaged, which can result in vehicle roll away while in PARK.

Risk: A vehicle roll away increases the risk of a crash or injury.

Fix: Owners are advised to manually engage the emergency parking brake prior to exiting the vehicle until the recall remedy is performed. Dealers will update the electronic parking brake software and replace any damaged intermediate shafts as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 15, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC303.

Electrical System · 23V298000

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage Plug-in Hybrid, Niro Hybrid, Niro Plug-in Hybrid, Soul, and Telluride vehicles equipped with a digital instrument cluster containing a 4.2" LCD screen.  The instrument cluster may fail to display any information when the vehicle is started.  As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 101, "Control and Displays," and 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."

Risk: A blank instrument cluster display will not show critical information, such as tire pressure, warning messages, and warning lights, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will update the instrument cluster software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 26, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC270.

Air Bags · 23V035000

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Telluride vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the wire harnesses for the second row seat side air bags may become damaged, causing them not to deploy in the event of a crash.

Risk: Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.

Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace, or secure the air bag wire harnesses, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 28, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC262.

Before you hand over money

Verify the recall work was done

NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.

Free NHTSA VIN check

Get a pre-purchase inspection

A $150–$250 independent inspection of this exact 2023 Kia TELLURIDE beats every score on the internet, including ours.

What to ask for

Not set on the 2023? See how every Telluride model year scores →

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What owners say

Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score — if they disagree, that’s worth knowing.

The fine print: this verdict is computed from public NHTSA complaint and recall records for the 2023 Kia Telluride as a model, not for any individual car. A well-maintained example of an “Avoid” can outlast a neglected “Buy”. Informational only — always get a professional pre-purchase inspection.