2021 Kia Telluride Engine
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
No oil in engine can cause fire. Meineke in walkertown inspects the vehicle. No lights or warnings. Vehicle just started running funny. Problem confirmed by Meineke in walkertown. They claim it is a consumption issue because there are no leaks.
The checked engine light came on with Code: P219C00. Vehicle was taken to the Kia Perris dealership for maintenance inspection. This happened after the vehicle had to be taken back to dealership for an oil leak post oil change service. The issue has been reported by multiple owners on Reddit. Seems like a manufacturer issue that should be addressed.
Bought the vehicle in February. The vehicle is burning oil too fast. In 1 week 5 qts. I don't drive much as I work from home. Kia dealer wants thousands of dollars. I paid for extended warranty.
First there are holes in the block from a rod bearing coming off. It was leaking oil and started on fire. There are many recalls and law suits regarding this matter and we shouldn’t be on the hook for putting a new engine in.
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Telluride. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the check engine warning light had previously illuminated; however, the warning light then turned off independently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 63,000.
1. The engine consumed oil to where it soaked up all the oil in the engine likely as part of a piston ring failure. We have had it at the shop for the last 9 weeks, and cost to replace engine is $10,500 and because extended warranty explicitly wrote this out of the contract as this is a known issue and Kia has stated as such, but not a recall yet so nothing they will do to help. It is available for inspection, but we need the car back so likely not going to drag on much longer. 2. Yes, as no warning lights on the car came on, nothing out of the ordinary other than it just started acting weird and I took it in to get looked at, and was told there was no oil in the engine at all and this is known issue and engine is blown and we have to pay out of pocket to fix. This is extrememly alarming as we have 3 small kids that ride in that car daily and could have caught fire or broke down on the road at any point. 3. We have been told repeatedly by Kia and the extended warranty provider, JM&A, this is a known issue and many cases have been reported this year alone. 4. No, just the Kia dealership where we bought it. 5. There were no warning signs at all. No low oil light or notification came on at all leading us to believe there was a major problem.
We own a 2021 Kia Telluride which we bought new, have changed the oil as expected and had the 100,000 mile check completed. It now has about 116,000 miles and has been a great and safe car, until now. On a random trip home, traveling on a busy highway, we had to pull over because we suddenly lost power. Our children were in the car and this was very dangerous on a very busy highway. We had it towed to our local garage and was told it was down 3-4 quarts of oil which wrecked the engine and we would need a new one! There were no warning lights for the engine or the oil at all. We are currently having the engine replaced at our very hefty expense as we have no other choice. I see this is quickly becoming an issue with the 21 Telluride and I hope that Kia will do something about it!
The last two times I have been due for an oil change my car has been completely empty. It is 4 years old and burning 4/5 quarts of oil between oil changes. Yesterday for example, my oil notification came on, today I start my car and my engine light came on, check the oil and nothing. Put 2 quarts of oil in it so I can make it to the mechanic tomorrow. This should not be happening on a 4 year old vehicle
Excessive Oil usage to the point of no oil on dip stick yet engine doesnt alert to low oil or pressure. Engine started sputtering and stalling which is why we even checked. Oil changes are done on normal basis. This seems to be a common complaint on the Internet now that I am looking into this. This car is 4 years old and should not be having engine trouble.
On or about December 2024, we noticed a hesitation or sputtering in the performance of our Kia. I contacted Ancira Kia who reviewed the vehicle, which displayed no warning lights. Since they couldn’t duplicate the issue, nothing could be done. On or about [XXX], the vehicle’s cooling fan engaged on its own while parked in the garage and revved up extremely high. This was the second time this had happened. Ancira Kia couldn’t duplicate the problem although they mentioned another customer was experiencing the same problem. A few days later, I was advised to bring the vehicle in for a sensor replacement. So far, the problem hasn’t recurred but I won’t know if it’s fixed until it never happens again. On [XXX], while traveling from Del Rio to San Antonio, TX, we stopped at a rest area. There were no warning lights visible and no performance issues noted until this time. When we started the vehicle to leave, we noticed a slight knocking that went away when we put the vehicle in drive. After our next stop, we noticed the knocking noise again when we started the vehicle and the noise dissipate when we drove. After the next stop the noise appeared to be louder so we decided to stop for lunch and let the vehicle cool down so we could check the oil. When we checked the oil, we saw there was no oil marking the dip stick. I took the vehicle to Ancira Kia who also found no oil marking the dip stick. The engine was ruined and needed to be replaced. None of the Telluride’s warning systems illuminated. No check engine or oil pressure lights lit up. This is a catastrophic failure of the Telluride which placed my husband and I in severe danger. We could have been injured and possibly killed had the engine seized while we traveled on the highway between Del Rio and San Antonio, Texas (150 miles). My vehicle is meticulously maintained at Ancira Kia. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
March 7th my engine light came on while pulling out, in reverse, of a parking spot. My engine light also turned off on March 7th later in the day. Between then and now, it came on and went off a few times, but my car seemed fine. On April 1, the light reappeared again while backing out of a parking spot. My car was not working like normal. It was shaking a bit and seemed kinda stuck, but also very slowly moving in reverse. Shaking stoped once I put it in drive but the engine light stayed on. I took it to my mechanic and the code given was “internal engine failure”. He told me should be under warranty, so I called the dealership. Service guy told me no active recalls and also that I was outside of the warranty. I have 118,800 miles. Vehicle is less than 4 years old. I am waiting to hear back from my mechanic as to how much repairs should be. I don’t know if he is thinking I need a whole new engine or just a part.
While driving under normal conditions the engine started making a weird sound. Shortly after the power steering wend out and the dash, lights and infotainment system went dark. The engine shut off completely and will not go back on. This is after bringing the car in for continuous issues and always being told they are resolved and the car is fine.
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Telluride. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and turned off, there was smoke coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the engine located on the rear driver's side had caught on fire. The vehicle was extinguished by the Fire Department. A fire report was filed, and a fire report number was not provided. The cause of the failure was not yet been determined. A Police report was not filed. There were no occupants at the time of the failure. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
Engine oil pan gasket and oil filter housing have failed shy of couple hundred miles of manufacturer warranty
I am the original owner of our 2021 Kia Telluride and we follow the manufacturers recommendations and ensure our oil is changed every ~10K miles. Our Kia was recently serviced at Nationwide Kia in Timonium Maryland in April 2024 and had the oil changed. As I was driving today, [XXX] the Oil Pressure Warning Light came on. When I pulled over, I checked the dipstick and it was below the low level. I immediately put in 5 quarts of oil and the light remains on. I contacted Kia and will be taking the car in for them to assess; however, I am urging that a recall for this issue is addressed. This is a common problem that others are having as well. This could have caused significant issues as I work in the inner city of Baltimore and breaking down would not be a good thing for a [XXX] Please ensure Kia does the right thing and issues a recall for this issue. Thank you INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Since November 2023, the car's engine has been burning oil. There are no leaks in the driveway. On January 8th (87,000 miles), I took the Kia Telluride for service at Mission Viejo Kia for a Check Engine light. They said the car had low oil and indicated that the cause was a leaking oil housing. They completed an oil change and added new oil. On February 19th (90,000 miles), the AC drain was clogged and water was entering the passenger side inside the vehicle. In addition to this fix, Mission Viejo Kia noted that the oil level was down to 1/2 quart. This was only 3000 miles since the last oil change. On April 6th (95,000) completed another oil change at Ramona Tire, where I was getting new brakes. They did note very low oil. June 24th (96,600 miles), the Telluride started rattling and stalling at lights. Upon inspection, Mission Viejo Kia determined it was due to low oil again. July 9th (98,000 miles) I inspected the oil dipstick and saw barely any oil. I took it to Mission Viejo Kia and it is currently awaiting direction from Kia Corporate for the next steps. This was only 2000 miles after the most recent oil change. There was no oil leaking in the driveway. My research has shown that Kia Tellurides and other Kia/Hyundia are experiencing rapid oil consumption. This eventually could lead to engine failure and catalytic converter failure. Class action suits have been filed and dismissed recently. My 100,000 mile warranty is coming up. This complaint is to document the issues I have been experiencing for any possible future action.
Excessive engine oil usage. No low engine oil level. Engine overheating.
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.
My car started having an oil leak on [XXX] of 2023 which is the date reported to Mark Martin Kia. They replaced the oil pan on [XXX] 2024 and said that the issue was fixed. I drove it home, and the next day oil was still coming from my engine. I took it back and they said that the housing was what was leaking. The tech told me that 10k parts were on backorder so I'd have to keep putting oil in until the part arrives. Over a month went by of me having to pour oil in. [XXX] was when they fixed it. [XXX] my engine is no longer functioning. Major nock. Needs replaced! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Telluride. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH there was a loud rattling sound that came from under the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact then pulled over safety. The contact stated there were parts of the vehicle that fell onto the highway. When the contact was on the side of the vehicle they checked under the hood, and located smoke and fire from the engine. The contact exhausted the flames with liquid from a nearby driver. The CHP and fire arrived on the scene; however, the fire was extinguished by the time of their arrival. There was no CHP report filed that the contact was aware of. There were no injuries or medical treatments needed. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer and diagnosed two pistons came from the engine, and it was a catalytic failure. The vehicle currently was being repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 15,000.
When starting in the cold (approx 30 degrees F or less), the Kia has a very high pitch squeal. The sound appears to be coming from inside the engine and is NOT a pulley or slipping belt. There is a lot of discussion about this issue on the web, and Kia has not issued any resolution to any of the customers who have complained and taken to dealers. This link is not my car but is the same noise - if necessary, I too have my own video I can share. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-68J5bocqVxzPLIDpabmgd_St6CMoxky/view Note: Dealer was able to replicate, and has a video of the issue from us, but has stated that they do not know how to fix.
On cold mornings when the temperature falls below thirty degrees, the car emits a loud screeching noise from the area of the throttle body. I had the belts and pulleys checked at my last oil change (two weeks ago) and they were fine. It it’s distinctly coming from the area of the air intake and throttle body. The high pitched squeal will last for about 10 seconds and stop. By the time the vehicle gets to the dealer, it has warmed up or the temperature has gone above 30.
As I started the car, it began to shake and shudder while idling. And the check engine light turned on. I could smell the unburied gas inside the car.
021 KIA TELLURIDE, FEBRUARY 13, 2021. TEMPERATURES ARE SINGLE DIGITS OR BELOW AND GOT WORSE AS THE WEEK WENT ON. STARTED THE ENGINE AND A LOUD SQUEAL OR WHISTLING NOISE CAME FROM THE TOP OF THE ENGINE. LAST ABOUT 30 SECONDS THEN SLOWLY STOPS. ENGINE ALSO STARTS TO SOUND LIKE IT HAS MORE POWER ONCE NOISE STOPS. BEEN GOING ON FOR THE LAST 8 DAYS. BELTS AND PULLEYS SEEM TO BE WORKING FINE AND CANNOT SEE ANY ISSUES. SOUND LIKE IT IS COMING FROM UNDER THE ENGINE COVER BUT DO NOT WANT TO REMOVE COVER CAUSE TOO COLD AND DO NOT WANT TO JEOPARDIZE WARRANTY STIPULATIONS. CONTACTED MIDWEST KIA IN WICHITA, KANSAS. SENT THEM A VIDEO AND THEY THINK IT IS A VACUUM LEAK OF SOME KIND. MIDWEST KIA SAID THEY CANNOT REPORT IT TO KIA UNTIL THEY CAN SEE THE CAR BUT WE ARE 2 HOURS AWAY AND CANNOT GET OFF WORK TO TAKE IT AND NEED OUR CAR FOR WORK. I OWN A MORTUARY AND HAVE FUNERALS AND MY WIFE IS A TEACHER AND CANNOT GET SUBSTITUTES DO TO COVID. I SAID BASED ON MY RESEARCH IT SOUNDS LIKE INTAKE MANIFOLD. ON THE KIA FORUMS, MANY PEOPLE EXPERIENCING THESE VERY COLD TEMPS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME NOISE AND ENCOURAGED ME TO REPORT THE ISSUE. I FEEL IT IS COLD RELATED AND HOPE KIA LOOKS INTO THIS PROBLEM. THIS ONLY HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR HAS BEEN SITTING FOR SEVERAL HOURS. IF WE USE IT OFF AND ON WITHOUT SITTING TOO LONG THE NOISE DOES NOT HAPPEN. CAR RUNS GREAT ONCE THE NOISE STOPS.
MY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON ON THE FIRST COLD MORNING. WHEN THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, IT STARTED SPITTING AND SPUTTERING AND IDLED FUNNY. I SHUT IT OFF.
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The 2021 Kia Telluride has 25 Engine complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.