2021 Kia Telluride: check engine light

Filed Oct 16, 2026 · Engine · GA

the federal safety agency Vehicle Safety Complaint – 2021 Kia Telluride I am the original owner of a 2021 Kia Telluride with approximately 78,000 miles. My vehicle has experienced recurring mechanical and drivability concerns, including an intermittent check-engine light, a previously reported camshaft-related diagnostic trouble code, and hesitation during acceleration. Of particular concern, there have been instances when I have pressed the accelerator pedal and the vehicle has hesitated before responding. This delayed acceleration creates a potential safety concern, particularly when entering traffic, merging, or navigating intersections where predictable engine response is essential. Additionally, the vehicle has exhibited rough operation while reversing and unusually harsh engine behavior when the automatic engine stop-start system engages. Despite multiple visits to a Kia-authorized dealership, including a monitored 1,000-mile oil consumption test, these concerns remain unresolved. The dealership advised that the vehicle passed the oil consumption test but subsequently recommended a dynamic engine cleaning procedure. I was informed that the technician was approximately 85% confident this procedure would resolve the issue. However, no definitive explanation of the underlying mechanical problem was provided. I have requested written documentation of the diagnostic findings and the basis for the recommended procedure. I have also opened a formal case with Kia America Consumer Affairs regarding these unresolved concerns. I am submitting this complaint because I am concerned that the recurring acceleration hesitation and related engine symptoms may indicate a safety-related defect that has not been adequately identified or resolved. I respectfully request that the federal safety agency document these concerns and evaluate whether similar complaints involving 2021 Kia Telluride vehicles indicate a broader safety issue.

Filed Sep 24, 2026 · Engine · MI

Unfortunately, beginning in June 2025, I experienced a serious engine problem. While driving, the vehicle began sputtering and stalled twice in traffic. I immediately brought it to the dealer, where I was told the engine had no oil, despite no prior warning of abnormal oil loss (no engine warning lights and no leaks). The service department added oil and initiated an Oil Consumption test. On October 4, 2025, the same problem occurred again. While driving, the Telluride began sputtering again, and the dealer again determined that the engine had no oil. I was charged for another oil change and instructed to complete another Oil Consumption test. During this process, the maintenance supervisor acknowledged that excessive oil consumption was a known and serious issue affecting Kia Tellurides and other models, and explained that engine replacement was the appropriate solution. I also observed another Telluride at the dealership undergoing the same type of engine repair. After completing the required testing, the dealer ultimately installed a rebuilt engine in my vehicle to address the excessive oil consumption problem with the original engine. I am now back in the same situation. On September 8, 2026, less than one year after the rebuilt engine was installed, my Telluride once again began sputtering while I was driving. I brought the vehicle to back to the dealer on on September 9, 2026. The service personnel again told me there was no oil in the vehicle, despite it being well within its recommended oil-change interval. More importantly, I was informed that the rebuilt engine currently installed in my vehicle is suspected of having the same excessive oil-consumption problem as the original engine. After following the instructions on yet another engine recheck and Oil Consumption test, I 've been told that the engine is burning oil at an exponential rate.

Filed Jul 28, 2026 · Electrical, Engine · KY

CATASTROPHIC FAILURE TIMELINE (13 DAYS) XXX: Delivery taken at 105,439 miles.XXX: My boyfriend noticed a cloud of smoke from exhaust as I pressed the accelerator pedal to leave the parking lot. I didn't notice because it was almost dark outside when leaving. He didn't notice again so he didn't stop me and told me when we got home. XXX (Day 12): Check Engine Light (CEL) on. Dipstick found dry. 2 quarts of oil purchased and added. Which brought the level right above the L line. Sent texts to both salesmen (Freedom and Driveway). Went to work in [XXX]. XXX (Day 13): Got home with Odometer: 106,974. Plugged Code reader into the vehicle and got Code P0597 logged at 1:04 AM. Tried both salesmen again through texts, email and or call. Have yet to get a reply from either. XXX posted review updates on both of my previous posted reviews for Freedom and Driveway. Received my first response from the Driveway review team only. XXX rear brake pads had been cutting into rotors a few days prior. I had to purchase a tool and pads to replace. XXX Documented loss of an additional 4 quarts of oil across 4 dates. XXX subscribed to Kia connect and the app also detected issue fault code P0597. And at a later date the app detected a 2nd fault code P0598 which went away a couple days later. May 14th finally got a hold of Justin Grable (GM Freedom) to discuss options. XXX trade-in is only option being given to me. DOCUMENTED DEFECTS & ROOT CAUSE Code P0597 (Thermostat Heater Control/Open): An electrical/mechanical failure that caused internal engine "hot spots." Engine Failure: Pre-existing piston ring tension loss causing catastrophic oil consumption (1 quart/wk). Consequential Damage: Chronic oil burning will poison the Catalytic Converters and foul all Oxygen (O2) Sensors. As of XXX my vehicle is now consuming 1 qt/day. ac is not working and now giving me 6 codes for engine light. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Apr 2, 2026 · Fuel system · AR

Code P0087 on a Kia Telluride indicates that the fuel rail pressure is too low. This means the engine is not receiving enough fuel, often resulting in poor acceleration, stalling, rough idle, and decreased power. It is frequently caused by a faulty high-pressure fuel pump... This is the code is threw when it stalled in busy traffic on a hill. The CEL came on at this point. Then continued to stall. Before this incident, it would periodically stall while in park, or rough idle and prolonged startup. However, this was sporadic and couldn't be recreated when taken to a mechanic. We were coming back from vacation with 5 kids in the car ranging from a baby to a 12 year old. It was towed BY Kia to the nearest dealership. They claimed the recalls were addressed and the software updates cleared the codes. I came home tonight and it almost immediately started acting up again. This is a known and recognized issue in certain other vehicles (like the Sedona) and has been given an extended warranty. I'm not sure why this isn't addressed in all their GDI vehicles with these High Pressure Fuel Pumps. I'm afraid of it dying and being stranded in the heat again with young children, as well as being hit when/if it stalls.

Filed Mar 22, 2026 · Engine · FL

I am a 2nd owner of a kia telluride and the engine failed without warning at less than 90,000 miles. No check engine light, no temp gauge, no low oil level light. No warning at all. Just failure of the "push rod bearing" ny Kia was regularly maintained and when I took it to the dealership, they told me it was down about 3.5qts of oil! Again no low oil light? It holds 7qts...9,000$ later out of my pocket after being denied a goodwill engine replacement from kia to put a new motor in. I have found many others on on-line forums who have experienced this. Please help

Filed Mar 12, 2026 · Engine · NH

The 3.8L Lambda II GDI V6 engine suffered catastrophic failure at approximately 102,000 miles. The root cause is excessive oil consumption documented by an independent repair shop well before the 100,000-mile powertrain warranty expired. At 81,207 miles, during a routine oil change, the mechanic checked oil level before draining and found nothing on the dipstick. Only about 3 quarts drained from an engine with 6.9-quart capacity, meaning nearly 4 quarts were consumed since the last change. This finding repeated at 88,408 miles, with the shop documenting it was the second time oil was critically low. Both events occurred within the powertrain warranty. Original invoices are available for inspection. At no point during ownership did the vehicle display any warning — no low oil level indicator, no low oil pressure warning, no check engine light — despite oil levels falling dangerously low on multiple documented occasions. The absence of any driver alert while the engine operated with less than half its required oil is a serious safety deficiency. The engine failed on while driving with passengers including three young children, causing complete loss of power and requiring an emergency pullover. Loss of engine power at speed creates serious crash risk. The vehicle was serviced at an authorized Kia dealer at 60,449 miles where a 60K service, multi-point inspection, and recall SC243B were performed. The dealer made no mention of oil consumption, did not reference TSB ENG222 (addressing excessive consumption across multiple Kia engine families), and did not perform an oil consumption test. Kia Consumer Affairs refused to submit a goodwill claim and closed the case, citing incomplete oil change documentation — despite the defect being documented within warranty. Excessive oil consumption in 2020-2021 Tellurides appears systemic based on numerous owner reports describing the identical pattern: extreme consumption, no dashboard warnings, and eventual engine failure.

Filed Feb 21, 2026 · Electrical, Engine · GA

After owning this Telluride for a year the engine started stalling. I took it into the nearest Oil change company, and they informed me that the oil was completely out and dry. I always stay up to date with my oil changes, so this was a huge shock. There was no light that ever came on stating an oil concern and there was no light that came on even when the engine stalled. This company sent me directly to Kia stating they have seen this several times with this vehicle and they have oil consumption issues. I went to Kia and they had me do the oil consumption test. When completed they stated I was within the "standard" oil consumption levels. I asked why the car didn't even have an oil light or engine light come on as a warning and they had no answers for me. Had a light come on I would've taken it to be looked at prior to having the engine stall on me which was a major safety issue. Fast forward, I ended up and purchased another car and gave the Telluride to my husband. I drive a lot for work and he doesn't, so it made more sense to help with the oil. We are now having to put at least 3 quarts of oil in it in between oil changes. And he has still experienced the engine puttering. Both times with our kids in the car, steering becomes difficult and he has to pull off the road. Once he turns it off and restarts, it seems to be fine. Another mechanic told us that they anticipate a recall to come out with the 2021 Telluride soon since they have already recalled previous years for the same issues. It is absurd to have to put in 3 quarts of oil in between oil changes. The fact that no warning lights have ever come on is safety concern. The car randomly stalling is a safety concern. Kia needs to do something about this before someone gets injured.

Filed Feb 4, 2026 · Engine, Transmission · OH

Component/System Failure: The engine and lubrication system appear to be malfunctioning. The vehicle has repeatedly experienced sudden engine shutdown while stopped at traffic lights and during low-speed operation. The dealership has identified oil leakage involving the oil pan and oil filter housing and has indicated there may be an internal oil leak within the engine. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Safety Risk: When the engine shuts off unexpectedly, the vehicle loses propulsion in active traffic. This creates a risk of rear-end collision and prevents immediate maneuvering out of traffic flow. The loss of engine power while stopped or moving at low speeds presents a serious safety hazard to myself and surrounding drivers. I am concerned that the suspected internal oil issue may lead to catastrophic engine failure while driving. Dealer Confirmation / Reproduction: The issue has been reported to the dealership multiple times beginning in January 2025. The vehicle has undergone multiple inspections and repair attempts, including partial fuel injector replacement, battery replacement, and an oil consumption test. The dealership has acknowledged oil leakage and has stated that replacing the oil pan gasket and oil filter housing may not resolve the suspected internal oil leak. The defect has not been permanently corrected. Inspection by Manufacturer or Others: The vehicle has been inspected multiple times by the dealership. The matter has been escalated to Kia Corporate for review. No police or insurance inspections have occurred, as no collision has yet resulted from the stalling events. Warning Lamps / Symptoms: During each stall event, the check engine light illuminates along with multiple dashboard warning lights. The stalling first began in January 2025. Oil-related concerns and possible oil loss were reported during prior service visits. The condition continues despite repair attempts.

Filed Jan 9, 2026 · Fuel system, Transmission · MA

The vehicle decelerated in the highway, from about 70mph to 40mhp with no warning, no check engine light, and no previous symptoms, sounds or other indicators. The vehicle was brought to the dealer who advised the high pressure fuel pump went bad as well as the solenoid and OCV harness, causing oil to be forced through the harness. KIA refused to cover the repairs at 74k miles and it was fixed at the owner expense, even after KIAs long history of failed high pressure fuel pumps in many other models. We were in the fast lane and were almost hit by a semi, who was thankfully able to move over at the last minute, narrowly averting the deaths of both my children, myself, my nephew and brother at aprox 4am.

Filed Jan 7, 2026 · Engine, Fuel system · MA

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. At this time, I am told there is a need for a new engine but no supporting documents or other diagnostic documentation has been shared with me and KIA at this time is refusing to resolve the issue under the powertrain warranty and the car is still under 80k miles (powertrain is until 100k) Additional Info: on Aug 5, 2025, the vehicle, with no warning lights or CEL present, the vehicle decelerated on the highway, putting me and my family in imminent danger (large truck behind us who narrowly missed hitting us) and after about 10 min the CEL came on. the vehicle would not drive above 45mph. Once the car was stopped, the CEL went off and the vehicle was diagnosed as failed high-pressure fuel pump, OCV harness, and solenoid, along with accompanying lines/gaskets/plugs and seals. After the repairs were done, I reported rattling noise to the dealer within 5 days of picking up the vehicle, when I had to bring it in for an axle joint replacement (aprox 8/12/25).

Filed Jan 2, 2026 · Engine · CA

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.

Filed Nov 19, 2025 · Engine, Transmission · GA

On 11/01/2025, while traveling on the highway traveling at a speed of 80mph, my vehicle suddenly would not accelerate beyond 60 mph. I managed to exit safely, but this created a dangerous situation for both me, my daughter and other motorists . The next day, Firestone inspected the vehicle and informed me the engine contained zero oil—yet no oil light, check-engine light, temperature warning, or sensor alerts were triggered at any point. There were no visible oil leaks, suggesting internal oil consumption, which I had reported to Kia in October of 2024. On 10/21/2024, I paid $3,300 for a flywheel/ignition repair at a Kia dealership. When I dropped off the vehicle for that repair, I specifically reported abnormal oil consumption and requested it be checked. Kia did not diagnose or remedy the concern. The combination of: -Complete oil loss -No warning indicators -Sudden loss of power and inability to accelerate -Occurring at highway speed constitutes a critical safety defect. Drivers cannot take preventative action if the vehicle provides no indication of catastrophic engine failure until it is already occurring. This defect exposes drivers, passengers, and surrounding motorists to severe risk of collision or injury. Additionally, the dealership later provided a Carfax entry simple stating "car maintenance" on 10/22/2024. No record of what was repaired, indicating inaccurate or incomplete documentation. I am requesting that the federal safety agency: -Review this incident as a potential engine safety defect. -investigate whether other 2021 Kia Telluride owners are experiencing similar catastrophic oil -loss or lack of warning indicators. -Assess whether current recalls adequately address this failure pattern. -Determine whether an additional recall or investigation is warranted.