2027 KIA Telluride
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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Vehicles › KIA › Telluride › 2027
These records cover every 2027 KIA Telluride. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Recalls
2 recalls name the 2027 KIA Telluride. Newest first.
Kia America, Inc (Kia) is recalling certain 2027 Telluride and Telluride Hybrid vehicles. The driver seat belt emergency locking retractor may lock, causing the seat belt strap not to extend. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 209, "Seat Belt Assemblies."
Risk and remedy
Risk
A seat belt strap that does not extend can fail to restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the seat belt assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed July 31, 2026. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC372. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning June 16, 2026.
Kia America, Inc (Kia) is recalling certain 2027 Kia Telluride and 2026 Kia K4 vehicles. The rear center seat belt anchor buckle in the 2026 K4 and the third-row center seat belt anchor buckle in the 2027 Telluride may not latch properly.
Risk and remedy
Risk
A seat belt buckle that is not latched properly can fail to restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the anchor buckle assembly, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 5, 2026. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC364. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning March 20, 2026.
Owner complaints
28 complaints2 involved a crash1 injuries
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Air bags
The contact owns a 2027 Kia Telluride. The contact stated that while driving approximately 7 MPH from a stop sign another vehicle driving approximately 35 MPH crashed into the passenger’s side of the vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. The air bags in the other vehicle deployed as needed. The…
The contact owns a 2027 Kia Telluride. The contact stated that while driving approximately 7 MPH from a stop sign another vehicle driving approximately 35 MPH crashed into the passenger’s side of the vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. The air bags in the other vehicle deployed as needed. The contact’s wife who was seated on the passenger’s side of the vehicle had a concussion and injuries to the arm and chest. Medical attention was needed. The contact's son who was seated in the rear of the vehicle was emotionally traumatized by the crash. The vehicle was towed to the dealer; however, the dealer was unable to repair the vehicle. The vehicle was then towed to an auto body shop and was being processed to possibly be deemed totaled. A Police report was filed. The manufacturer was informed of the issue, and a claim was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 10,200.
- Visibility/wiper
Some film on the windshield, tried removing it with car soap, degreaser, and even a clay bar, some film is remaining and could be chemical related from factory
- Seat belts
The passenger side second row seat belt has been malfunctioning since I purchased the vehicle new. It doesn’t retract properly. I told this to my dealership at my first oil change but they said there was no recall. It had not been much of an issue with the seat only being used by my son who is of…
The passenger side second row seat belt has been malfunctioning since I purchased the vehicle new. It doesn’t retract properly. I told this to my dealership at my first oil change but they said there was no recall. It had not been much of an issue with the seat only being used by my son who is of small frame and doesn’t need a lot of slack extended. However, a larger adult recently used it and got out of the car at night in the dark. Due to the defect, the seatbelt did not retract and the vehicle door was closed with most of the belt and buckle outside the vehicle. Upon driving, it became lodged in the wheel well resulting in rips in the belt, grinding of the buckle and forcefully extending the entire seatbelt.
- Electrical system · Seats
Power seats malfunction
- Power train · Service brakes
Upon Acceleration there was a screeching noise every time. Yesterday the car would not speed up and Rpms were so high. Engine began over heating and got a message to park car and leave running, car started smoking and almost got hit trying to pull out because the car wouldn't speed up with the…
Upon Acceleration there was a screeching noise every time. Yesterday the car would not speed up and Rpms were so high. Engine began over heating and got a message to park car and leave running, car started smoking and almost got hit trying to pull out because the car wouldn't speed up with the pedal to the floor. Also Brakes grind hard stopping and make a cracking noise. Barely could make it to the dealership. They told me there was 27 new kia's in for the same problem yet no one recalled cars or warned people.
- Power train
I noticed while driving my gas model that when I pulled off from a complete stop it takes time to accelerate although the RPMS are raising. It feels like its struggling to accelerate. It is intermittent but its very noticeable. I have to press the gas pedal very slowly for it to eventually pick up.…
I noticed while driving my gas model that when I pulled off from a complete stop it takes time to accelerate although the RPMS are raising. It feels like its struggling to accelerate. It is intermittent but its very noticeable. I have to press the gas pedal very slowly for it to eventually pick up. This is a little concerning regarding safety. I really would like the transmission checked as well as any turbocharged/throttle/sensors to ensure no limp mode issues
- Unknown or other
The radiator of our 2027 Kia Telluride was punctured by some unidentified road debris. The service rep at the Kia dealership where the vehicle was towed noted that this debris barely missed a $3000+ sensor device. While investigating the likelihood of this incident occurring on such a new…
The radiator of our 2027 Kia Telluride was punctured by some unidentified road debris. The service rep at the Kia dealership where the vehicle was towed noted that this debris barely missed a $3000+ sensor device. While investigating the likelihood of this incident occurring on such a new vehicle, I found that Kia Telluride owners have been reporting similar incidents since at lease 2021. The problem is an extra wide grill that allows for such road debris to readily pass through the grill and strike whatever is behind the grill. There are third party solutions for this problem - installing screens behind the grill. I feel Kia needs to proactively address this problem through a recall, redesigning their grill, and offering to install the third party solution. We were left with a vehicle overheated on the side of an interstate after dark in a part of northern [XXX] where we were unsure of our safety, the reputation of the tow company, the reputation of the Kia dealership to which the vehicle was towed, and timeliness of repairing such an incident. We ended up having to pay insurance deductibles and rental car fees in addition to making a trip back to northern [XXX] to retrieve the repaired vehicle. The negligence on Kia's behalf of this well-known issue can easily result in a disabled vehicle for others, costing the vehicle owner's insurance claims, costly repairs and alternate travel expenses, or personal safety and injury concerns. I had a claim with Kia Customer Service (Case #XXX) but the case was inexplicably closed. I'm sharing the video the repair technician recorded during the analysis phase of our vehicle's repair ([XXX] Kia - [XXX]) - [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
- Seat belts
When all occupants in the vehicle have their safety belts on the safety belt warning alarm still sounds. I noticed it in August 2026 that it still ring . It had not been reported until today . It happens often.
- Back over prevention › Rearview system braking
When backing up the vehicle failed to alert, backed up into another vehicle that was reversing at the same time. Driver on both vehicles failed to see each other and ended up rear ending each other. The system did not function as no alert ever came up on the vehicle. Kia claims to have all the safety features to prevent this and yet it happened while backing out of the house.
- Seat belts · Seats
"While driving, my KIA Telluride 2027 hybrid sx prestige, the vehicle intermittently detects an occupant in an empty second-row passenger captain's chair and activates the rear seat-belt warning and audible chime. There is no person or object on the seat. I have video documenting the instrument…
"While driving, my KIA Telluride 2027 hybrid sx prestige, the vehicle intermittently detects an occupant in an empty second-row passenger captain's chair and activates the rear seat-belt warning and audible chime. There is no person or object on the seat. I have video documenting the instrument cluster showing the affected seat during the event. The vehicle was inspected by the Kia dealership; no diagnostic trouble code was found and the dealership was unable to reproduce the problem. The problem remains unresolved."
- Power train
2027 Kia Telluride gasoline model. On multiple occasions, while accelerating from a complete stop, the engine RPM increases but the vehicle does not accelerate normally. The condition is intermittent. During the delay, the transmission appears to engage or shift at least twice before the vehicle…
2027 Kia Telluride gasoline model. On multiple occasions, while accelerating from a complete stop, the engine RPM increases but the vehicle does not accelerate normally. The condition is intermittent. During the delay, the transmission appears to engage or shift at least twice before the vehicle begins accelerating normally. This creates an unpredictable delay when attempting to accelerate from a stopped position and is a safety concern when entering or crossing traffic. No warning light has appeared. Vehicle is scheduled for dealer inspection on September 1, 2026.
- Electrical system · Seat belts · Seats
I am reporting multiple intermittent safety and electrical issues with my 2027 Kia Telluride. The rear passenger seat on the driver’s side repeatedly detects or indicates that a person is occupying the seat when the seat is completely empty with no objects on it. When this occurs, the rear seat…
I am reporting multiple intermittent safety and electrical issues with my 2027 Kia Telluride. The rear passenger seat on the driver’s side repeatedly detects or indicates that a person is occupying the seat when the seat is completely empty with no objects on it. When this occurs, the rear seat belt warning activates and the alarm/chime repeatedly sounds as though an unbelted passenger is present. The issue is unpredictable. Sometimes it begins shortly after starting the vehicle and driving away. Other times, the vehicle operates normally and the warning suddenly activates while I am already driving. I have also experienced an Auto Hold system error/malfunction as well as other intermittent electrical/dashboard errors affecting vehicle functions and warning indicators. I am a member of a Facebook group for owners of this vehicle, and numerous owners have reported experiencing similar rear-seat detection/seat belt warning problems. I have also seen multiple reports from owners describing other electrical issues with their vehicles. This raises concern that these problems may not be isolated to my vehicle. I contacted my Kia dealership regarding these concerns and was advised that there is currently nothing they can do because there is no recall for the vehicle addressing these issues. I am concerned that an electrical, software, sensor, wiring, or control-module defect may be affecting multiple systems. The false occupant warning is especially concerning because I cannot determine whether the vehicle’s occupant and safety systems will function properly when an actual passenger is present. I am requesting that NHTSA document and investigate these issues to determine whether they represent a broader safety defect affecting the 2027 Kia Telluride.
- Electrical system · Seat belts · Seats
The vehicle randomly has seatbelt alerts for seats that are unoccupied and does not have anything on the seat.
- Seats
Purchased brand new 2/26. 5/26 driver seat locked randomly and stayed locked in unsafe position. Took to dealership they held for over one week, saw the initial problem but it fixed itself and they held it for a Week to recreate it. It is an intermittent issue, randomly locks. I picked it up and…
Purchased brand new 2/26. 5/26 driver seat locked randomly and stayed locked in unsafe position. Took to dealership they held for over one week, saw the initial problem but it fixed itself and they held it for a Week to recreate it. It is an intermittent issue, randomly locks. I picked it up and dealership told me to video it if it happens again and bring it back. Happened again 6/26 brought it back in showed video. This time it was still locked. They ordered the part but didn’t know when it would come in so I took my vehicle home. Dealership dropped contact with me, I called and emailed for status on reordered part. They ordered wrong part, wrong color, waiting for replacement. No communication again I called manager he called back told me he was asking for it from assembly line. Never heard from dealership again. Contacted Kia Customer Care to get involved, they told me dealership ordered part three times, always wrong color, waiting on Korea to get resolution. No communication again, contacted and escalated with Kia Cusotmer Care, spoke with JoAnne, she was contacting the dealership, getting a part from the assembly line. Joanne dropped communication. I’ve left voicemail and emails. No one is responding. I have a service dog, disabled veteran and four children two special needs. This vehicle was chosen specifically to transport everyone safely. We travel a lot. The loaner vehicles from dealership were not what we have and the dealership gave me grief for my service dog as “no animals allowed in rentals” but they allowed me to do it reluctantly. I need my vehicle, this one is randomly locking, making it dangerous to drive consistently and reliably. I have precious cargo with me, I do not trust it and I am requiring a replacement of the same vehicle. The lack of communication and care to fix this issue has left a huge lack of confidence in Kia as a whole.
- Electrical system · Engine · Service brakes
I bought my car in April, it is now July. My SUV has been in the shop twice for engine failures. My car will die while I’m driving, and will not restart. The check engine light, oil light and battery light come on. The brake locks up and I am unable to restart until after anywhere from 5-20…
I bought my car in April, it is now July. My SUV has been in the shop twice for engine failures. My car will die while I’m driving, and will not restart. The check engine light, oil light and battery light come on. The brake locks up and I am unable to restart until after anywhere from 5-20 minutes. It has happened a total of 7 times, the first time being one week after purchase. I have been trapped in moving traffic unable to move, trapped and stop lights that turn green and stop signs. I have 5 kids who have been stuck in the car with me when this has happened. There are always people driving behind me honking, cussing and yelling because the car has died and they are unable to mov also. The auto stop has been replaced by a local Kia dealership and it continues to happen.
- Structure
The contact owns a 2027 Kia Telluride. The contact stated that the front passenger’s seat unintendedly collapsed. The failure occurred spontaneously. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure and the failure ws not duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 3,600.
- Power train
vehicles transmission gets stuck in 5th gear. when it happens the problem is fixed after restarting the vehicle. no warning that its stuck in 5th gear. When pulling out into traffic the car is very slow to move and my concern is that someone might get hit when pulling out into traffic not…
vehicles transmission gets stuck in 5th gear. when it happens the problem is fixed after restarting the vehicle. no warning that its stuck in 5th gear. When pulling out into traffic the car is very slow to move and my concern is that someone might get hit when pulling out into traffic not knowing the vehicle is stuck in 5th gear since there are no warning light on. after inspection with KIA, after the first incident they said nothing can be diagnosed since it wasn't throwing a code or check engine light. when the car once again got stuck in 5th gear on our last vacation i drove it for around 2 hours or 120 miles in 5th gear to try and get a check engine light to come, one never came on but i recorded videos of it stuck in 5th gear at highway speeds and at a stop in a drive through. it's happened on 3 different occasions all on longer road trip and has never had a warning light come on. you can shift into park or reverse and back to drive and it goes straight into 5th gear again. i have videos available but are too large or wrong format to upload currently the car is sitting at our local KIA dealership and im not picking it up until something is done to remedy the issue.
- Engine · Power train
Apparently, they don't have a mesh screen protecting the radiator. They said a rock hit it but while driving I did not hear a rock hit it. They said the rock punctured the radiator causing it to leak radiator fluid and making vehicle undrivable. The vehicle left me stranded in the road. They took…
Apparently, they don't have a mesh screen protecting the radiator. They said a rock hit it but while driving I did not hear a rock hit it. They said the rock punctured the radiator causing it to leak radiator fluid and making vehicle undrivable. The vehicle left me stranded in the road. They took pictures of it but at a birthday party this weekend I have learned of several people having this same issue and the dealership claiming not their responsibility and we have to file insurance. Seems to me they need to put a mesh guard on the radiator to protect this from happening. Yes the Engine light came one.
- Power train
While driving the vehicle, the automatic transmission stuck in 5th gear. The paddle shifters would not operate, shifting the vehicle into neutral or park had no effect. The vehicle was being operated on a busy highway with multiple intersections, which put all passengers and the vehicle itself in…
While driving the vehicle, the automatic transmission stuck in 5th gear. The paddle shifters would not operate, shifting the vehicle into neutral or park had no effect. The vehicle was being operated on a busy highway with multiple intersections, which put all passengers and the vehicle itself in danger since accelerating in 5th gear was almost impossible. The vehicle had to be completely shut off and restarted to reset the transmission. This happened on several occasions. Additionally, the vehicle would stick in gear and lurch into a lower gear when accelerating from a complete stop. No warning lights or sounds occurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealership where it was purchased, and they were able to replicate the problem once. The vehicle problem was reported to KIA and they requested the dealer to replace the electric oil pump. The work was done and so far (3 days) the issue has not reoccurred.
- Unknown or other
This is not a safety issue, it is a XM radio that does not work because KIA decided to put a glass antenna that is weak and every time a tree exists the signal drops. They are minimizing the issue as it only occurs in certain spot, but I can tell you that if a tree exists and you go by close enough…
This is not a safety issue, it is a XM radio that does not work because KIA decided to put a glass antenna that is weak and every time a tree exists the signal drops. They are minimizing the issue as it only occurs in certain spot, but I can tell you that if a tree exists and you go by close enough the signal will drop. I loose my signal 9 times around my neighborhood which is less than 1/4 mile. If they would have told me you have a fancy car with many features, but the XM is unusable I would have bought a different car.
- Seat belts
This vehicle was sold to me on 4-6-2026 and the recall was never disclosed to me. The recall was not mentioned to me at all. I found out through another dealership in early June that the vehicle had a recall. The recall was put on the vehicle on 3-9-2026 which is almost a month before I purchased…
This vehicle was sold to me on 4-6-2026 and the recall was never disclosed to me. The recall was not mentioned to me at all. I found out through another dealership in early June that the vehicle had a recall. The recall was put on the vehicle on 3-9-2026 which is almost a month before I purchased it. I was advised that this vehicle was a stop sale vehicle so it should have never been sold to me. I reached out to the dealership who refused to take responsibility for this issue and I also reached out to Kia who admitted on a recorded line that the vehicle was a stop sale vehicle and should have never been sold yet they failed to make this right and take the vehicle back. At this point I do not want the vehicle and I need someone to make it right.
- Forward collision avoidance › Automatic emergency braking · Service brakes
Vehicle shifts into drive and reverse, but will not move freely. Feels as though brakes are locked up, but emergency brake is not on.
- Unknown or other
The satellite radio reception in my brand new Kia Telluride X Pro is terrible. It is constantly cutting out. This creates a significant distraction for the driver. Satellite radio reception problems are a well-documented and widely reported issue with the 2027 Kia Telluride. ## The Root Cause…
The satellite radio reception in my brand new Kia Telluride X Pro is terrible. It is constantly cutting out. This creates a significant distraction for the driver. Satellite radio reception problems are a well-documented and widely reported issue with the 2027 Kia Telluride. ## The Root Cause: Antenna Design The core issue appears to be a fundamental design change in the 2027 Telluride. Unlike previous models, the 2027 redesign **eliminated the traditional roof-mounted shark fin antenna**, replacing it with an antenna integrated into the rear window. Multiple owners have flagged this as the source of poor and inconsistent SiriusXM reception, calling the current signal reception method one that "just doesn't meet expectations". [facebook] [XXX] forums and owner groups: - Owners of the **2027 Hybrid SXP** report extremely inconsistent satellite reception after just four days of ownership, even on the same routes their previous 2024 Telluride handled without issue [reddit] [XXX] receptio [XXX] ) - **SX Prestige** owners describe the sig [XXX] gnal dro [XXX] pecially common on **overcast days, under tree canopy, and near overpasses** — conditions where prior Tellurides [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
- Seat belts
The third row seatbelt is folding which causes it to jam and be unusable. It has happened twice in 3 months without a solution from Kia.
- Seat belts
The second row captain's chair seatbelt buckle stalks on the 2027 Kia Telluride are abnormally tall and rigid, with an angle causing the seatbelt webbing to kink and compress at a sharp angle around any forward-facing car seat base. This compromises the seatbelt's ability to lock and distribute…
The second row captain's chair seatbelt buckle stalks on the 2027 Kia Telluride are abnormally tall and rigid, with an angle causing the seatbelt webbing to kink and compress at a sharp angle around any forward-facing car seat base. This compromises the seatbelt's ability to lock and distribute crash forces correctly in the event of a collision. The third row seatbelts are too long to achieve the required less-than-one-inch installation tightness required for a safe car seat install. Three different forward-facing harnessed car seats were tested in all available seating positions with identical results. This is not a car seat compatibility issue — the problem is consistent across all tested seats and all positions. Children who have exceeded the federal 40 lb forward-facing LATCH limit are legally required to use seatbelt installation only. The vehicle's buckle stalk design makes a safe seatbelt install impossible in any seating position, leaving no safe option for transporting a forward-facing harnessed child in this vehicle. Photographic and video documentation of the compromised installs in every seating position is available upon request. No warning lamps or prior symptoms appeared — this is a design incompatibility discovered during car seat installation.
Every KIA Telluride model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.