2021 Kia Telluride Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often write about glass failure — sunroof panels and windshields — and many of those complaints come in within the first few thousand miles. Later in life, at higher mileage, complaints shift to the engine, including oil consumption and engine failure reports. A smaller group describes driveline vibration at highway speeds and door or window trim problems.

1. 1
   Body and structure

   Sunroof glass shatters or sunroof jams open

   • 100 complaints (27%)
   • median 3,100 mi at 0.5 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $5,000 (median of 13 quotes)
   • filed 2020–2026

   Complaints describe a loud pop or explosion-like noise followed by the sunroof panel breaking, sometimes while driving at highway speed with nothing overhead. Other owners report the sunroof guide or plastic wind deflector breaking so the panel will not close, and pieces of trim or glass coming loose. Dealers are described as attributing the breakage to outside impact or as telling owners the whole sunroof assembly must be replaced; several owners say the work was not covered under warranty. Mostly reported on low-mileage vehicles, often under about 10,000 miles, and frequently at highway speeds.

   5 related service bulletins

   What to check: Open and close the sunroof fully and watch the track and wind deflector for cracks or binding; ask whether the roof panel shows any prior replacement. Ask whether the warranty extension for the front sunroof wind deflector applies to the vehicle.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While driving at highway speeds on the highway, we heard a loud crack and our sunroof burst open and showered us with temped glass. It was very startling and caused my wife to veer into the opposite lane momentarily. The sunroof burst open in an upward fashion. Nothing hit the sunroof glass. The weather was clear. Outside temperature was approximately 55 degrees fahrenheit.”

   NHTSA complaint #11407693, filed 2021-04, 4,400 miles

   “We were driving at about 45-50mph on a straight, smooth, road when we heard a loud pop or thud and then glass fell in on the driver and front passenger plus some on the second row, where my 2 year old daughter was seated. The front sunroof panel had exploded or shattered somehow. We were on a section of road with nothing overhead. Our Telluride only had 190 miles on the odometer when this happened.”

   NHTSA complaint #11388701, filed 2021-01, 190 miles
2. 2
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Windshield chips spread into long cracks

   • 66 complaints (18%)
   • median 2,350 mi at 0.2 yrs old (14 state mileage)
   • filed 2020–2026

   Owners describe small chips or minor impacts that turn into long cracks within hours or days, sometimes with no impact visible at all. Some report cracks starting at the edge of the windshield or appearing after the vehicle sat parked in cold or snowy weather. Complaints say dealers treated the damage as outside influence and declined to cover replacement. Reported very early in ownership, typically within the first few thousand miles.

   What to check: Inspect the windshield edges and the full glass surface for chips or repaired cracks, and ask whether the windshield has been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “We purchased our 2021 Telluride november 14th and less than 24 hours later a chip appeared or was minor beyond something we recognized when we purchased it since it was dark when we left the dealership on the front windshield and within seconds escalated to a full blown crack greater than 6 inches when we were turning down a road where there were no other vehicles or outside influences around. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11383133, filed 2020-12, 100 miles

   “Brand new with only 772 miles on vehicle and the first rock to hit windshield caused quarter size crack on windshield. An I literally mean first time a pebble hit windshield since I drove it off the lot. Was driving 62mph on freeway when I heard a small tick and looked and immediately went really? I have had two chips on my previous 8 vehicles and both time the noise made startled me and this I only heard it cause my radio was off.”

   NHTSA complaint #11354323, filed 2020-09, 772 miles
3. 3
   Engine

   Engine oil consumption and engine failure

   • 72 complaints (19%)
   • median 76,500 mi at 4.8 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $10,500 (median of 9 quotes)
   • filed 2021–2026

   Complaints describe the check engine light coming on, the engine running rough or losing power, and in some cases stalling or smoking. Owners report being told the engine needed replacement, and some mention the oil level was low shortly after an oil change. Others report oil leaks traced to the oil filter housing area. Typically reported at higher mileage, commonly from around 60,000 miles upward.

   7 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check the oil level and look for leaks around the oil filter housing; ask for service records showing oil changes and whether the oil consumption diagnostic and oil filter housing warranty programs were applied.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Car was being driven when it began to slow down. Pulled over and smoke was coming from under the car. Car would not start again. Once at dealership, found there was catastrophic engine failure due to a rod that put 7 holes in the engine. Also, car was low on oil despite an oil change less than 60 days prior to this incident.”

   NHTSA complaint #11609944, filed 2024-08

   “On 12/24/25 the vehicle experienced the very same issue, on the highway, with my family in the car, coming from Christmas Eve festivities. The car decelerated and NO cel (check engine light) ever came on. when transporting to dealer, the car began rough idling like it wanted to die, but still no CEL. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11709402, filed 2026-01
4. 4
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Vibration at highway speeds

   • 14 complaints (4%)
   • median 50 mi at 0.2 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2020–2026

   Owners describe a strong shake or low-frequency vibration felt through the vehicle at roughly 55-77 mph, sometimes most noticeable when accelerating uphill. Complaints say wheel balancing helped only briefly, and that dealers were unable to resolve it; some mention driveshaft or coupling replacement. Reported across mileage ranges, from vehicles with very few miles to well-used examples.

   Recall 24V214000

   What to check: Drive the vehicle at highway speed on the test drive, including a uphill acceleration, and ask whether the driveshaft and tires have been serviced or replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I drove my brand new Telluride off the lot with 11 miles on it. Before I gained speeds over 50mph my vehicle would jerk as it changed gears and the RPM increased. After I stopped at stop signs or red lights and then began to accelerate again, the car would jerk, the engine would rev up and no acceleration would happen. If I kept pressing the gas, eventually the car would jerk again, catch the gear and drive. This happened every single time I would stop and go again. Over speeds of 50-60mph I did not have this problem.”

   NHTSA complaint #11414682, filed 2021-05, 11 miles

   “There is a known issue with tellurides and hyundai palisade vehicles right now with excessive vibration when speeds reach 55mph - 70mph. Kia consumer assistance and dealers are not being helpful. They road forced balanced my wheels and sent me home...I told them it's not fixed and now they want me to take it back. There are multiple people on forum/messaging board with the same problem. Kia replaces driveshafts/awd couplers on some which resolves the issues but ignores others. They need a TSB to fix this universally. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11383704, filed 2020-12, 50 miles
5. 5
   Body and structure

   Door window trim and window binding

   • 14 complaints (4%)
   • median 5,800 mi at 0.6 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2021–2026

   Complaints describe exterior door trim and belt weatherstrip coming loose, and windows that stick partway open or will not roll up at highway speed. Some owners report the dealer could not duplicate the issue or described it as normal operation. Reported from a few thousand miles to around 19,000 miles.

   1 related service bulletin

   What to check: Operate every window at speed if possible and inspect the outside belt trim on all four doors for lifting or gaps.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have 2 issues going on with my vehicle. The trim on the outside of my doors is coming off which I know was a recall for some telluride vehicles about this old. Also ive been having some electrical issues/hot smell like something is burning if the heated seats get turned on.”

   NHTSA complaint #11729468, filed 2026-04

   “When driving the vehicle at highway speed the passenger nad drivers window flexes and will not always rollup. The window flexes enough that it contacts the door gaskets and it assumes there is a pinch point and roll the window down. The only way to correct this is slow down to less than 55 miles and hour or fiddle with the windows to try and get the back pressure reduced. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11413536, filed 2021-04, 8,500 miles

Buying note. Check the sunroof and windshield carefully and ask for proof that any open seat-motor and driveshaft recalls were completed. On higher-mileage examples, review oil change records and check the oil level and oil filter housing for leaks before purchase.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.