51 complaints reported

2021 Kia Telluride VISIBILITY/WIPER

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
51
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Feb 2026

Windshield developed a multipronged crack that does not resemble a normal road hazard crack. After having tried a mobile windshield repair, the results are not successful as the cracks seem segmented and will not accept normal repair. Files include a photo of outside and inside vehicle pic of windshield.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2021 KIA TELLURIDE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Apr 2025
May 2025

Sun roof opened and will not close. Wind detector became stuck causing window not to close

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2021 KIA TELLURIDE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: May 2025
Sep 2024

Track for sunroof broke and will not properly open or close. I was able to close it back but will not touch until the part can be repaired/replaced.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2021 KIA TELLURIDE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Sep 2024
Aug 2024

Windshield cracked all the way across from a tiny rock. So small that I didn’t even see it when it happened.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2021 KIA TELLURIDE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Aug 2024
Aug 2024

Came outside and windshield had spontaneously cracked. No chip. No spider web. The windshield had just had several huge cracks in the middle of the windshield in front of the driver. The glass just fractured. Spontaneously. In my driveway. Not sure if due to temperature -- i had driven for an hour with the AC keeping the car comfortable at 70 degrees and parked, in my driveway, in the sun, and yes, it is 98 degrees outside. But whatever the reason, windshield just cracked! KIA dis-owning the problem. Despite many people here complaining of same problem.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2021 KIA TELLURIDE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jul 2024
Feb 2024

There was no visible crack or i dictation there was damage or an issue with the windshield and all of the sudden there is a 2 foot long crack going from the middle to the driver side of the windshield causing it to have to be replaced vs. if there was a chip indication I could just have that repaired. I am the only driver and never heard anything that would cause the crack

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2021 KIA TELLURIDE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Feb 2024
Jun 2023

Windshield cracked overnight with no visible chips or damage to windshield

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2021 KIA TELLURIDE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2023
Jun 2023

2021 Kia Telluride. Driving home from work 6/8/23. Small crack developed in the windshield on passenger side lower corner. Has spread quickly across windshield. Left message with service department of local KIA dealership in Murfreesboro Tennessee inquiring about Kia "Customer Satisfaction Initiative" concerning windshield cracking. No call back after 8 days. Left email on KIA Corporate Customer Service Website on 6/12/23 inquiring about windshield "Customer Satisfaction Initiative". No response from Kia after 6 days. The Kia Web Site claims they will respond to inquiries within 48 hours but have not. Because this defect affects driver visibility I would consider this a safety issue.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2021 KIA TELLURIDE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Aug 2023
May 2023

The front windshield is pitting. There are many divots in the windshield. I purchased the car brand new and have noticed new marks over the 2 years of ownership.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2021 KIA TELLURIDE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: May 2023
Apr 2023

My windshield has suffered a crack and several knicks from road debris hitting it. The windshield does not seem as resistant to damage from small pebbles/road debris as it should be.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2021 KIA TELLURIDE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jul 2023
Jan 2023

As I was driving down the interstate heading to a doctor’s appointment the unexpected happened with my Kia Telluride. My Telluride is a 2021 and only had roughly 37,000 miles on it, and I believe it is important to notate that I’ve never had any issues with this car since purchasing it. However, on this particular day, as I was driving down the interstate the entire window located on the drivers side at the rear back seat shattered. I thought someone may have hit me but as I pulled over there was no evidence of any damage besides the window shattering. There was no sign of rocks, material, or anything that would have caused the shatter. I called the police prior to examining the vehicle who stated that the window appeared to have shattered at its own discretion and therefore they could not file a police report. I did however pay to have the window replaced, and pay to have glass removed from every inch of my car as the glass shattered everywhere. The biggest concern was that the chunks of glass/shatters were mostly in my one year old daughters car seat. The police stated that if she was in her car seat at the time of the window “explosion” she would have been severely injured or even possibly death due to the large amount of glass. As a driver of the vehicle, I myself had pieces of glass fly into my arms while I was driving, but I thank God my Duaghter was not in the car with me that day. Not only is this harmful to the driver or passengers but also harmful to other drivers as it could have caused an accident. I am still nervous to this day about having my kids in my telluride as I never know if the window may shatter. This is a worry I never had before and believe this is worth investigating. I never had any signs, warning lights, or any warning of this event, as I was simply driving, heard a loud boom and realized the window had shattered and glass was everywhere.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2021 KIA TELLURIDE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2023
Nov 2022

The molding on the left side of the windshield, driver's side repeatedly came lose and impaired my vision when turning left.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2021 KIA TELLURIDE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2021
Nov 2022

We were sitting in the a parking lot (not driving), and heard a loud pop. The windshield had spontaneously cracked. There were no chips prior. The entire windshield had to be replaced. I had to pay $563 (insurance deductible) to have it replaced.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2021 KIA TELLURIDE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2021
Oct 2022

Tiny rock, not visible to me but heard a soft tink sound, hit the windshield causing tiny chip and a huge crack from near the top of the drivers side to the bottom near the wipers. No reason for a tiny pebble to completely crack a windshield.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2021 KIA TELLURIDE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2022
Jul 2022

Upon driving my new vehicle for approximately 5 months, the windshield got chipped. I took this to an individual and had this sealed. Last week, after driving my Telluride for about a year, the windshield began to crack in a different spot. The crack has grown and grown and now encompasses most of the windshield.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2021 KIA TELLURIDE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Aug 2022
Jun 2022

The windshield cracked without getting hit by a foreign object. It happened overnight while parked in a garage. It wasn't there the day before or I would have noticed it because it was so visible. It cracked from the very top and spread down around the rearview mirror and spread across and you can't feel the crack either from inside or outside, it is very smooth and you can only see a line.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2021 KIA TELLURIDE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2022
Jun 2022

Windshield cracked about 7 inches in diameter with no point of impact.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2021 KIA TELLURIDE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2022
Apr 2022

Windshield appeared to have 6 inch crack in windshield, even though no rock or chip were noticed. Crack grew to an 18inch crack within 1 day. Crack will likely spread across entire windshield and inhibit visibility. This was 1 year to the day of purchasing the vehicle. Brought it to the dealers attention, and they are aware of the issue with 2020 models, but didn't have guidance from KIA on 2021 models.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2021 KIA TELLURIDE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: May 2022
Mar 2022

The windshield of the car cracked on its own. There were no chips in the windshield and nothing hit the windshield of the car but it cracked while driving and continued to grow significantly in a very short period of time affecting visibility.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2021 KIA TELLURIDE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2021
Mar 2022

The windshield began to crack on the edge of the glass and spread across the entire windshield for no apparent reason. Nothing impacted the windshield like a rock or debris during driving. This happened overnight and then continued to spread, again, for no apparent reason. I have had windshield repair technicians look to see if I am missing something and they also agreed there were no chips or anything obvious that would start the crack on the windshield.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2021 KIA TELLURIDE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Feb 2022
Feb 2022

Windshield cracked without reason

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2021 KIA TELLURIDE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Feb 2022
Jan 2022

Sustained small rock chip in lower left of windshield. After a few miles formed a crack that extended half way across windshield. Research shows that Kia claimed 2020 vehicle issues and would replace windshields for no charge. They will not for 2021 Kia Telluride. I feel they have a quality issue in the windshield of the model I own, yet they refuse to take ownership if the issue. I see forums with owners having the exact same issue. I have owned vehicles for over 50 years and have never seen a windshield crack as easily as these.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2021 KIA TELLURIDE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2022
Dec 2021

While driving, small amount of snow fell from roof on to windshield and was unable to see the road clearly. Wipers were unable to lift the small about of snow to clear the windshield. Luckily I was not on a busy road an was able to stop. After clearing the small amount of snow the wipers were able to function.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2021 KIA TELLURIDE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Dec 2021
Dec 2021

A tiny rock hit the windshield going 30 miles an hour. The crack has consistently grown every day. My whole windshield has to be replaced. I've never had a vehicle that has such a weak windshield. This car is only 11 months old. The crack is horizontal and affects my view if the road because it's right in the middle.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2021 KIA TELLURIDE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Oct 2021
Nov 2021

The front windshield cracked. There was no known hit by an object and the windshield has cracked on the passenger side and continues to grow. Visibility is reduced due to this crack and it is a known issue in the 2020 model year and it appears to be continuing in the 2021 model year. The windshield will need replacement.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2021 KIA TELLURIDE, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Oct 2021

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2021 Kia Telluride has 51 VISIBILITY/WIPER complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.