The Lemon Index

All cars · Kia Telluride · 2021

2021 Kia Telluride. Advanced data.

The raw numbers: engines, recall campaign numbers, failure mileage and manufacturer communications.

Lemon Index204100 = average car
Complaints212NHTSA, first 3 years
Sold93,705U.S. model year
Per 100K sold226complaints
Year rank#1 of 3#1 = fewest complaints

Engines and drivetrains 2

EngineTransmissionDriveCity / hwy / combinedFuelFuel cost/yr
3.8L 6-cylAuto (S8)FWD20 / 26 / 23Regular$2,700
3.8L 6-cylAuto (S8)AWD19 / 24 / 21Regular$2,950

EPA test versions for this model year. Fuel cost is the EPA's current estimate, not the price in that year.

Failure mileage by system

Half of owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 800 and 16,500 miles. Median 3,200, from 40 complaints with a mileage.

SystemMedianMiddle halfComplaints
Wipers & visibility1,800400–3,10013

Mileage owners typed into their NHTSA complaint, all complaints for this model year. People report some problems late, so read it as a range.

Complaints by system

SystemShare of complaints
Wipers & visibility26%
Electrical10%
Body structure10%
Visibility10%
Automatic emergency braking8%

One complaint can name more than one system, so shares can add to more than 100%.

Severity, all complaints

TotalCrashesFiresInjuriesDeathsTows
37174708

As reported by owners to NHTSA. Not verified.

Recall campaigns 5

  • 26V430000 Jul 2026 Seats / Front Assembly / Power Adjust

    Defect. 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.

    Remedy. 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 re

  • 24V407000 Jun 2024 Seats / Front Assembly / Power Adjust

    Defect. 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.

    Remedy. 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.

  • 24V214000 Mar 2024 Power Train / Driveline / Driveshaft

    Defect. 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.

    Remedy. 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 th

  • 22V626000 Aug 2022 Trailer Hitches

    Defect. Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Telluride vehicles potentially equipped with a Genuine Kia 4-pin tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Kia dealership. Debris and moisture accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.

    Risk. A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.

    Remedy. Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will install a new fuse and a wiring harness extension. Dealers will also inspect and replace the tow hitch harness assembly, as necessary. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 12, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-3

  • 21V164000 Mar 2021 Air Bags / Air Bag/Restraint Control Module

    Defect. Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021 Telluride, K5, and Forte vehicles. The Occupant Classification and Detection System (OCS/ODS) unit may not detect the presence of a child restraint system in the front passenger seat. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

    Risk. In the event of a crash, deployment of the front passenger air bag, with a child in that seat, can increase the risk of injury to the child.

    Remedy. Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the OCS/ODS unit, free of charge. The recall began March 18, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC207.

Manufacturer communications 102

Kia filed 102 service communications for this car with NHTSA.

  • Technical service bulletin: service action: door belt line molding inspection and replacement…
  • BATTERY DEALER / CUSTOMER MODE SWITCH - This bulletin has been revised to include additional

Crash ratings by version

VersionOverallFrontSideRollover
Kia Telluride SUV FWD★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆
Kia Telluride SUV AWD★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆

Safety equipment

Electronic stabilityForward collision warningLane departure warning
StandardStandardStandard

Nearby model years

YearLemon IndexComplaintsSoldTop system
2020317397133,733Lights
202120421293,705Wipers & visibility
202221826799,891Wipers & visibility
2023158208110,765Electrical
2024223222115,504Electrical

Sources: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications; EPA fuel economy data; YouTube video titles. Complaints are owner reports, not proof of a defect.

Updated

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