2023 Kia Telluride problems: recalls, complaints and whether this is a year to avoid
The 2023 Kia Telluride has 207 owner complaints on record with NHTSA, which ranks it 3 of 3 Kia Telluride model years by complaint volume. That is the lowest of any year in the run — the 2020 car has 768. 6 recall entries cover this year.
Is 2023 a good year for the Kia Telluride?
The spread across this nameplate is wide: the 2020 draws 4 times the complaints of the 2023. On a run like that the model year you buy matters more than the badge, and 2023 sits near the bottom of it.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recall entries |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 219 | 5 |
| 2023 ← this page | 207 | 6 |
| 2020 | 768 | 7 |
Older years have been on the road longer and collect more complaints for that reason alone, and a year that sold in higher volume collects more while being no worse.
This retrieval holds 3 of the nameplate’s model years. 2021, 2022 are absent, which means no records came back for them — not that they were clean. The ranking above is among the years shown.
The 2023 accounts for 17% of every complaint filed against the Kia Telluride in this retrieval, which works out to 69.0 complaints per year on the road across the 3 years since it was sold new — the figure to compare against other years, because it removes the advantage a newer car gets simply from having had less time to accumulate reports.
Complaints fell against the preceding year: the 2023 carries 27% of the 2020’s reports. Some of that is age, but a drop this large between consecutive years often marks a fix.
Which recalls cover the 2023?
Air Bags
Due to a manufacturing error, the wire harnesses for the second row seat side air bags may become damaged, causing them not to deploy in the event of a crash.
Free remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace, or secure the air bag wire harnesses, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 28, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542.
Electrical System
The instrument cluster may fail to display any information…
Free remedy: Dealers will update the instrument cluster software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 26, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542.
Power Train
The intermediate shaft and right front driveshaft may not be fully engaged, which can result in vehicle roll away while in PARK.
Free remedy: Owners are advised to manually engage the emergency parking brake prior to exiting the vehicle until the recall remedy is performed.
Take the campaign number to any franchised Kia dealer. Recall repairs are free with no mileage or ownership limit, and they follow the car rather than the owner, so a used 2023 with an unrepaired campaign is a free repair you can claim. How recalls work.
Recall text is abridged from the NHTSA record. Search the campaign number at nhtsa.gov/recalls for the full notice and affected VIN ranges.
What do owners report on the Kia Telluride?
Across every Kia Telluride year, not the 2023 alone — NHTSA does not split component totals by model year.
- Unknown or Other — 209 reports
- Exterior Lighting — 175 reports
- Visibility/Wiper — 169 reports
- Electrical System — 136 reports
Which other Kia Telluride years should you compare?
← 2020 Kia Telluride · 2024 Kia Telluride → · All Kia Telluride years
If you are deciding between years, the table above is the short answer and the Kia Telluride page carries the full run with the component breakdown. Before money changes hands, run the VIN for open recalls and read the inspection checklist — ten minutes in the seller’s driveway finds most of what matters.
Check a 2023 before you commit
Affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. How this works.
ANCEL AD310 Classic OBD2 Scanner
The glovebox tool. Wired, no app, no pairing, no batteries — plug it in and it reads and clears engine codes. This is the one that saves you a diagnostic fee the first time the check engine light comes on. Its limits are honest: engine codes only, no ABS or airbag, no live graphing.
Best for: Anyone who just wants to know what the light means
Check price on AmazonBlueDriver Bluetooth Pro OBD2 Scanner
Pairs with your phone and reads far more than engine codes — ABS, airbag, transmission and HVAC on most vehicles — plus live data. The real feature is the repair reports, which map a code to the fixes that most often resolved it on your specific year, make, model and engine. No subscription.
Best for: Owners keeping a car past warranty, or checking used cars
Check price on AmazonNOCO Boost Plus GB40 Jump Starter
A lithium pack the size of a paperback that starts a car with no second vehicle and no stranger required, and charges a phone besides. It is the single most useful thing in a car emergency kit, and the reason jumper cables have become optional. Recharge it every few months.
Best for: Every car, every climate
Check price on Amazon