Car · Kia problems

2021 Kia Telluride problems

373 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2021 Kia Telluride. The most reported area is visibility and wipers (23% of them). NHTSA also lists 52 service bulletins and 5 recall campaigns.

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 9. Deaths: 0.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 373 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

• Other or unknown106 · 28%
• Visibility and wipers86 · 23%
• Engine and engine cooling70 · 19%
• Electrical system42 · 11%
• Body and structure33 · 9%
• Power train (transmission and drive)28 · 8%
• Forward collision avoidance22 · 6%
• Suspension20 · 5%

15 smaller areas not shown (71 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 52 repair bulletins from Kia for the 2021 Kia Telluride. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

1. TSB_CHA129_R1Received September 30, 2026

   Power train (transmission and drive)

   New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area.

2. TSB_ENG270Received September 30, 2026

   Engine and engine cooling

   Excessive engine oil consumption: This bulletin provides information on diagnosing and/or repairing a 2020-2025MY Telluride (ON) vehicle's engine, which may exhibit a symptom of excessive oil...

3. WTY049_QAReceived September 28, 2026

   Visibility and wipers

   Warranty extension campaign: question and answer (WTY049) - This document is the Question and Answer Guide containing the most frequently asked questions regarding Warranty Extension Campaign WTY049.

4. WTY045Received June 18, 2026

   Warranty extension campaign: oil filter housing gasket replacement (WTY045) - This bulletin provides information regarding the 'Warranty Extension Program (WTY045)' for the inspection and, if...

5. TSB_ELE422Received June 3, 2026

   Electrical system

   Infotainment system software update using UPDATE.KIA.COM - This bulletin provides information and service procedures for updating the infotainment systems on applicable Kia vehicles using the Kia...

6. TSB_CHA128_CLSDReceived May 23, 2026

   Power train (transmission and drive)

   4WD coupling noise/vibration logic improvement) - closed & superseded by CHA129 - this bulletin is now closed and superseded by CHA129.

7. TSB_CHA129Received May 23, 2026

   Power train (transmission and drive)

   AWD COUPLER NOISE/VIBRATION LOGIC IMPROVEMENT - This bulletin provides information to upgrade the 4-Wheel Drive '4WD' system software on some 2020-2025MY Telluride (ON) vehicles produced from...

8. WTY045_QAReceived May 1, 2026

   Engine and engine cooling

   Warranty extension campaign: question and answer (WTY045) - This document is the Question and Answer Guide containing the most frequently asked questions regarding the Warranty Extension Campaign...

Recalls

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2021 Kia Telluride. Recall repairs are free at a Kia dealer. The 3 to look at first:

1. 26V430000July 2, 2026Do not drive notice

   Seats

   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.

2. 24V407000June 6, 2024Do not drive notice

   Seats

   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.

3. 22V626000August 15, 2022Do not drive notice

   Trailer hitches

   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.

See all 5 recalls for the 2021 Kia Telluride, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your Telluride will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

Start with a diagnosis

• Diagnostic scan (check engine light)$55 to $250

Visibility and wipers 86 complaints · 23%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Engine and engine cooling 70 complaints · 19%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Electrical system 42 complaints · 11%

• Battery replacement$150 to $470
• Alternator replacement$360 to $930
• Starter replacement$280 to $740
• Battery cable replacement$100 to $340

Body and structure 33 complaints · 9%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Check a quote you got

Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

By VIN By year, make and model

VIN (17 characters, on the dashboard by the windshield or the driver door jamb)

0 of 17 characters

Look up this VIN

Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

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2021 Kia Telluride: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2021 Kia Telluride?

Of the 373 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2021 Kia Telluride, 86 (23%) name visibility and wipers, and 70 (19%) name engine and engine cooling. A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2021 Kia Telluride reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 7 of the 373 complaints as involving a crash and 4 as involving a fire. They also reported 9 injuries and 0 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2021 Kia Telluride have?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2021 Kia Telluride. Recall repairs are free at a Kia dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 52 repair bulletins for the 2021 Kia Telluride.

More

• 2024 Telluride problems
• 2023 Telluride problems
• 2022 Telluride problems
• 2020 Telluride problems
• 2021 recalls
• All Kia recalls
• Kia problems by model
• Check-engine codes

Sources

• NHTSA complaint and technical service bulletin files, checked October 29, 2026
• NHTSA recalls

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.