Kia Telluride oil consumption problems

Filed Nov 3, 2026 · Seats, Transmission · TN

While operating the vehicle, severe unaddressed oil consumption has led to powertrain concerns and potential engine failure. Additionally, the vehicle is subject to unresolved safety recall 24V‑407 regarding the power seat motor fire hazard. Despite bringing the vehicle to the dealership for routine maintenance and presenting these safety and mechanical issues, the service department has failed to provide necessary repairs or authorize a safe replacement/loaner vehicle, leaving the vehicle a safety concern.

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 Oct 14, 2026 · Engine · CA

I have this 2020 telluride and it’s consuming a lot of oil I have to add a quart of oil every 600 miles. I was wondering if there is any open recalls for this.

Filed Oct 9, 2026 · Engine · MI

I was attempting to accelerate on the freeway and the rpms kept going up but it felt like the engine didn't want to shift gears. Suddenly the rpms shot all the way up and then dropped to nothing and I was forced to coast off the freeway, thankfully we were by an exit. The vehicle had zero power and we were unable to move it off the road, despite assistance from passersby. The wheels were locked in place and would not move until the tow truck driver showed up and looked something up online to manually force the car into neutral. (Though it was displayed as being in neutral) This is a 2021 vehicle bought brand new and has been properly maintained. Approximately 2-3 weeks before this, my husband randomly checked the oil and it was about 2qts low. It was filled and seemed to be running perfectly fine so we didn't give it another thought until this happened but now we're wondering if this particular engine is prone to the excessive oil consumption that has been noted in several other kia motors.

Filed Oct 7, 2026 · Engine · CA

I am reporting a potential safety defect involving excessive engine oil loss and persistent oil leakage on my 2020 Kia Telluride, VIN [XXX]. The vehicle currently has approximately 100,367 miles. It has been experiencing significant oil loss, approximately one quart of engine oil per week. I am concerned that this amount of oil loss is abnormal and creates a potential safety hazard if the engine loses sufficient oil while the vehicle is being driven. The vehicle has also had repeated oil leaks, including an oil pan leak and timing cover leak. I have taken the vehicle to Kia for repairs multiple times, but the oil-related problems have continued. This has required me to continually monitor and add engine oil to prevent the oil level from becoming dangerously low. I specifically brought the vehicle to Kia because of the excessive oil consumption and ongoing leaks. However, the dealership has told me that they will not perform an oil-consumption test until the existing oil leaks are repaired. Kia Customer Care also opened case #[XXX], but I was subsequently told that Kia could not provide assistance because the vehicle is outside the standard warranty period. I am concerned that the underlying cause of the excessive oil loss has not been properly diagnosed. I am also concerned about the possibility of engine damage or engine failure if the vehicle continues losing oil at this rate. Kia has also issued a 2026 warranty extension concerning an engine oil-filter-housing gasket leak on certain 2020–2025 Telluride vehicles. I have asked Kia to determine whether my vehicle is affected by this condition and whether the current oil leaks are related, but I have not received a satisfactory resolution. I am asking the federal safety agency to review this complaint along with other complaints involving 2020 Kia Tellurides experiencing excessive oil consumption and/or recurring engine oil leaks to determine whether there is a potential safety defect or broader pattern that warrant INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION AC

Filed Oct 6, 2026 · Engine, Suspension · IL

I am filing this safety report regarding my 2020 Kia Telluride, which currently has approximately 133,000 miles. The vehicle is experiencing severe internal oil consumption, burning through multiple quarts of engine oil rapidly between normal service intervals without triggering any dashboard warning lights, creating a high risk of sudden engine failure or stalling at highway speeds. Additionally, the vehicle is losing coolant at an accelerated rate, risking severe engine overheating. Furthermore, the suspension system has been a recurring safety nightmare; the shocks have failed and been replaced twice, and a critical structural defect caused the tires to rub directly against suspension components while driving, prematurely destroying the tires and severely compromising vehicle stability and steering control. I do not feel safe driving this car or transporting my kids everyday. When I spoke to Kia customer service, I was told they could not do anything despite being just under 100,000 miles at the time.

Filed Oct 5, 2026 · Engine · MI

On September 4, 2026, my son was driving our 2021 Kia Telluride on the highway at approximately 70 mph with cruise control engaged when the vehicle suddenly began making a clicking noise, followed by a catastrophic engine failure. We observed no oil-pressure warning or other advance dashboard warning before the failure. The sudden failure at highway speed created a significant safety risk. I am the original owner. The vehicle had approximately 115,000 miles at the time of failure. Its most recent oil change was performed on June 4, 2026, at 112,613 miles, approximately 2,400 miles before the incident. The servicing Kia dealership reported that the engine had a hole in it and essentially no oil remaining. The oil filter and drain plug were in place, and the dealership reported no external oil leak that explained the missing oil. An oil-filter-housing leak had previously been repaired in January 2026. The cause of the oil loss and engine failure has not been conclusively established. I am concerned about possible excessive internal oil consumption and the absence of an advance warning before catastrophic failure. I request that the federal safety agency investigate whether this condition affects other Tellurides and creates a risk of sudden engine failure or loss of propulsion at highway speed. Kia denied my initial request for goodwill repair assistance. The case has been escalated, but remains unresolved. The vehicle and failed engine are available for inspection through the servicing dealership.

Filed Oct 1, 2026 · Engine, Suspension · NC

Purchased vehicle 8/31/2021 - 32k miles 10/18/21 - first mention of oil consumption (opened case with Kia) 2023,2025,2026. 3 more cases filed and DENIED with Kia customer care. Filed BBB claim, filed BBB anutoline claim, also hired lemon lawyer. Kia offered $6k to go away (I declined). *July 18,2026 Kia finally diagnosis and recommends engine replacement. Bore scope was used to discover scoring on cylinders from significant oil consumption. Vehicle is now smoking at take off (112k miles), current open case with Kia customer care again. Requesting buyback or settlement for the 3rd time in 5 years. Still paying $600 a month Safety concern: on a trip out of state vehicle dash lit up every icon and went dead in the middle of a packed 4 lane highway , started with power steering, no lights, no horn , couldn't roll window down.(video avail) Vehicle towed to dealership. Had replaced battery 2 times already. This has happened twice and my family was in the vehicle once on the large highway, very scary no one knew we were broke down bc we had no way to show it. People blowing and zooming by mad. Low oil light doesn't exist on this vehicle, I've been bone dry with no indication EVER. I now ride around with a 5 quart jug of oil and funnel in the back of my car since 72,000 miles. This should be illegal. Rear suspension: 4 times the rear suspension has been replaced (7 times in the shop to be fixed one time over 30 days) and has never been fixed , now making the same knocking noise it's always made. The car is a lemon and Kia knows it and will not stand behind their product. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THIS VEHICLE, kia has been notified numerous times in every avenue and every way I could communicate, they say "we will call you with an update when we have one" that call NEVER happens.

Filed Sep 24, 2026 · Engine · OH

My 2020 Kia Telluride experienced progressive and severe engine oil consumption that ultimately required a full engine replacement. Beginning well before the failure, the vehicle required frequent manual oil top-offs between scheduled changes, including on longer trips. No low-oil warning light, check-engine light, or oil-pressure warning ever illuminated to alert of critically low oil levels. In late March 2026 an independent service center replaced the engine oil filter housing and related gasket after an oil leak was observed; an axle damaged by oil spray was also replaced at that time. Shortly afterward the manufacturer issued a warranty extension covering oil-filter-housing gasket leaks on 2020–2025 Tellurides, extending coverage to 15 years/180,000 miles for that specific condition. Despite the housing/gasket repair, the excessive oil consumption continued. Several weeks later the vehicle lost power and broke down while being driven. It was towed to an authorized Kia dealership. Technicians inspected the vehicle, confirmed heavy oil consumption (noting the engine had been requiring large amounts of oil nearly weekly with no external ground leaks observed), and diagnosed catastrophic internal engine damage. They recommended complete engine replacement at a quoted cost exceeding $13,000. The dealership also inspected the oil-filter housing area under the recent warranty extension but determined the engine damage itself fell outside that limited coverage. The oil-consumption problem and resulting engine failure create a clear safety risk: sudden loss of power or stalling can occur without any dashboard warning, potentially while the vehicle is in motion on public roads. The failed engine and related components remain available for inspection. The condition has been confirmed by both an independent service center and an authorized Kia dealership. Similar oil-consumption and engine-damage reports have been widely noted among other owners of the same model.

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.