Skip to content
Kia TellurideModel year report

2023 Kia Telluride Problems

Compared with other Kia Telluride years

Typical for this model

42/100 0.8× a typical year · 50 = typical

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
209filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
20,000miles, 15 complaints with mileage
Recalls
6campaigns on record
Trend
Too newThis model year is less than 4 years old, so a trend is not meaningful yet.
NHTSA crash rating
5 / 5stars overall, 2 rated versions
EPA fuel economy
23 mpgcombined, 3.8L 6-cyl FWD · 20 city / 26 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2023 Kia Telluride (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of the 2023 Telluride most often describe a digital instrument cluster that goes blank while driving, and windshields that chip and then crack far beyond the size of the impact. A recurring low-speed no-accelerate condition, mostly tied to Snow mode, and premature door trim and sunroof glass failures also appear repeatedly in the sample. Many complaints are filed within the first year and at low mileage, with the cluster and trim items reported as young as a few hundred miles.

  1. Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

    Windshield chips and cracks spread quickly

    • 39 complaints (19%)
    • median 38,200 mi at 3.5 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2023–2026

    Complaints describe windshields that take a small chip and then crack across the glass within hours or days, sometimes with no visible impact at all and even while parked. Several owners had the windshield replaced more than once in a short period, and some report the warranty claim denied as impact damage. A few also mention wiper and washer faults that reduce visibility. Often at very low mileage, many within the first year and some under 5,000 miles.

    What to check: Inspect the windshield closely in good light for chips, sand-blast pitting or repaired cracks, and ask whether the glass is original or has been replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “My windshield received the smallest of a chip. Within 3 hours the chip expanded to a full 24 inch U shaped crack (Straight down the center of the windshield and over toward the drivers side). In the past on other vehicles tiny chips were easily repaired with no resulting crack. In this case, the speed of the cracking preventing any chip repair . My issue is with the integrity of this windshield.”

    NHTSA complaint #11526573, filed 2023-06

    “New kia telluride 2023 7357 miles and i have a bought on less than a year. My windshield suddenly chip under normal driving condition and i have a dash cam in my telluride. When i park the car i saw a chip in the windshield. Then after a few hours i checked the car and the windshield started to crack then after a few hours again of checking the crack keep running and keep getting bigger and bigger, still my car is just parking and the weather is at 60s today. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11568377, filed 2024-01
  2. Electrical system

    Instrument cluster screen goes blank

    • 24 complaints (11%)
    • median 15,060 mi at 2.0 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
    • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2023–2026

    Owners describe the digital gauge cluster going dark while the vehicle is running or after startup, leaving no speedometer, fuel gauge, warning lights or blind-spot display. Several say the turn signals stop working at the same time. Complaints describe dealers unable to duplicate or repair the fault, telling owners to wait for backordered parts or a software update; a few note their vehicle was not covered by the related recall. Reported from a few hundred miles up to roughly 80,000 miles, often within the first year of ownership.

    Recall 23V2980001 related service bulletin

    What to check: Start the vehicle and watch the cluster through startup and a short drive; ask the dealer whether any cluster software update or replacement has been done, and confirm the vehicle's recall status by VIN.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Digital display is black on my 2023 Kia Telluride while vehicle is running and being driven. I am unable to see my speed or any other important safety details. This is the first time this has happened and I have not reported it yet to any dealer, independent service center, insurance representative, etc. There were no observable warning lamps messages or symptoms prior to this incident which occurred on 3/27/25 at 1741 hours.”

    NHTSA complaint #11651175, filed 2025-03

    “Our 2023 Kia Telluride's digital cluster panels (all of the screens displaying speedometer, fuel tank, safety information, and entertainment) have gone black and have remained blank for over 2 weeks. The vehicle has been inspected by the dealership, but they do not have a fix and have just told us we have to wait until Kia issues a new update. This is very dangerous to drive as there is no indication on speed, fuel left, or any other pertinent information.”

    NHTSA complaint #11569116, filed 2024-01
  3. Vehicle speed control

    No response from accelerator (often in Snow mode)

    • 20 complaints (10%)
    • median 4,500 mi at 0.8 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2023–2024

    Owners report pressing the accelerator from a stop or while turning and getting no power, with the engine revving or the vehicle feeling like it is coasting in neutral. Many tie it to Snow mode, saying switching to another drive mode restores normal response. Complaints describe dealers unable to duplicate the condition, though one was told the idle stop-and-go system was involved. Mostly reported at low mileage, from a few hundred to about 35,000 miles, and frequently in snow or winter driving.

    What to check: On a test drive, try pulling away from a stop in Snow mode and in other modes; ask whether any drivability or software updates have been applied.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “When put into Snow Mode the car won't accelerate from a stop at normal speeds. It feels like the car is stuck in neutral and I'm just coasting. It won't accelerate normally until I switch it into another driving mode like Eco. This has caused a few close calls when turning out of driveways or onto busy streets.”

    NHTSA complaint #11556966, filed 2023-11

    “I have owned the car for 2 months. For the 3rd time while pulling out into traffic the car refused to accelerate like it was having trouble with transmission(this made it dangerous for me pulling into busy traffic) For 10 to 20 seconds it would not accelerate and then finally it would operate as normal. The last time it happened when it kicked into gear the car jumped and it made a loud noise. This refusal to accelerate happened 3 different times”

    NHTSA complaint #11506042, filed 2023-02

Buying note. Check the instrument cluster and windshield condition carefully on a test drive, and confirm by VIN which open recalls, including the cluster and door trim campaigns, have actually been completed. Condition and service history matter more than mileage here, since many complaints come from low-mileage vehicles.

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.

NHTSA recorded 209 consumer complaints for the 2023 Kia Telluride. 15 of the complaints include a mileage, and 87% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 20,000 miles. Of all complaints, 6 involved a crash, 2 a fire, 4 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns and 73 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 3 Kia Telluride model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 42 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Lane departure (9), Seat belts (8), Suspension (8), Brakes (7), Air bags (5), Seats (4), Engine cooling (3), Back-over prevention (rear camera) (2), Equipment (1), Exterior lighting (1), Wheels (1).

Example complaints

Other or unknown: “My Vehicle is about 2 months old and the windshield is cracked. Its very concerning because it seems as though the windshield is very fragile and this is a huge safety issue for myself as well as others who get into my vehicle. I took my vehicle to Kia and expressed my concerns and problem and they told me that the issue was not covered by Warranty.”

NHTSA complaint #11526303, filed 2023-06

Electrical system: “after receiving my car on Friday morning 10/31 from the dealership, I drove to work, where all my dashboard lights popped on, I lost power steering, and I lost my speedometer (which is what it was in the shop for that whole week). I tried to drive it back to Kia and it completely stopped working in the middle of the road, even though it was turned on, it wouldn’t drive or change gears. Leaving me stranded in the middle of a 50 mile per an hour road. I had to call the police to help me maneuver off the road.”

NHTSA complaint #11701956, filed 2025-11

Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors): “My windshield failed. I have 2401 miles on the car and out of nowhere it had a huge crack the next day when I went to take my kids to school. It puts us at risk of shattering at any moment. It gets bigger as the days past. Yes I have reported it. It has been happening to a lot of 23 Telluride owners. No warning light or anything came on.”

NHTSA complaint #11519863, filed 2023-05

Transmission and drivetrain: “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 accelerating.. I have read many many forums stating this happens in A LOT of these models of vehicles. It is called a failing AWD coupler! I have mentioned it to the dealer but they could not replicate at the shop so I moved on. Now issue after issue is arising with this vehicle.”

NHTSA complaint #11740387, filed 2026-05

Mileage when problems were reported

87% of the 15 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 6,001 and 35,000 miles.

47%0–107%10–2533%25–500%50–7513%75–1000%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (15 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 20,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

This model year is less than 4 years old, so a trend is not meaningful yet.

2022202359202420252026
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2023 Kia Telluride. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Telluride · SUV AWD★★★★★4 / 4554 · 14.3% risk
Telluride · SUV FWD★★★★★4 / 4554 · 15.5% risk

Driver aids listed by NHTSA for the 2023 model year: forward collision warning standard on some versions, lane departure warning standard, automatic emergency braking standard on some versions.

Neighbouring years: 2022: same overall rating; 2024: same overall rating. A redesign between years can change both the car and the test.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2023 Kia Telluride version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Telluride AWD3.8L 6-cyl8-speed automatic182421$3,200
Telluride FWD3.8L 6-cyl8-speed automatic202623$2,900

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2023 Kia Telluride → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 73 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 73 bulletins →

Other model years of the Kia Telluride

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2027273,6002—22Too new to compareToo new
20251227,0003522Too new to compareToo new
20242238,4005522Too new to compareToo new
202320920,000652342 · TypicalToo new
202232736,000752351 · TypicalStable
20213733,150552349 · TypicalRising
20207776,000752384 · MoreRising

All Kia Telluride model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2023 Kia Telluride?

Owners of the 2023 Telluride most often describe a digital instrument cluster that goes blank while driving, and windshields that chip and then crack far beyond the size of the impact. The issues reported most often: Windshield chips and cracks spread quickly; Instrument cluster screen goes blank; No response from accelerator (often in Snow mode).

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2023 Kia Telluride have?

NHTSA recorded 209 consumer complaints for the 2023 Kia Telluride as of Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2023 Kia Telluride is reported most often?

Other or unknown is named most often, in 60 complaints (29% of the total), followed by electrical system with 50.

Has the 2023 Kia Telluride been recalled?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

How did the 2023 Kia Telluride do in NHTSA crash tests?

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings give the 2023 Kia Telluride 5 out of 5 stars overall, across 2 rated versions (body style and drive). Ratings from different model years are only comparable when the vehicle was not redesigned in between.

What gas mileage does the 2023 Kia Telluride get?

The EPA rates the 2023 Kia Telluride (Telluride FWD, 3.8L 6-cyl) at 23 mpg combined, 20 city and 26 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,900 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2023 Kia Telluride reported?

Among the 15 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 20,000 miles and the middle half falls between 6,001 and 35,000 miles; 87% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.