Kia Telluride overheating problems

Filed Nov 4, 2026 · Acceleration, Fuel system · NV

Kia installed voluntary safety recall on my car - SC357 ECM SW UPGRADE (VESC). I drive up and down steep mountain roads. Previous to this installation when I downshifted the transmission it would slow down the car. After the installation, going down two or more gears, the car now speeds up instead of slowing down. It shows on the gas mileage indicator that the mileage is going down instead of up. It would be expected that the gas mileage would increase instead of decrease. The accelerator is not being used when this occurs. It would appear that the car's computer system is causing fuel to be added to the engine to accelerate the car at lower speeds. This is especially dangerous going downhill when a downshift is expected to slow the car. It causes increase use of brakes which can cause the brakes to overheat. I have been able to avoid overheating the brakes but this is not a safe situation. Supporting the theory that the car is using fuel to accelerate in lower gears is the fact that my gas mileage has decreased about 1.5 to 2 miles per gallon on a tank full of gas.

Filed Oct 17, 2026 · Seats · GA

1. Incident & Vehicle Identification •Vehicle: 2020 Kia Telluride •Owner Name: [XXX] •Contact Phone: [XXX] •Kia Customer Care Case Number: XXX •the federal safety agency Safety Recall Number: 26V430 2. Description of Safety Hazard & Manufacturer Reimbursement Refusal Plaintext COMPLAINT REGARDING MANUFACTURER NON-COMPLIANCE WITH 49 CFR § 573.13 (REIMBURSEMENT FOR PRE-NOTIFICATION REMEDIES) STATEMENT OF FACT & CHRONOLOGY: 1. In XXX, my 2020 Kia Telluride experienced a dangerous, uncommanded driver's power seat failure. The seat drifted to the full-forward position without user input and the switch/assembly became stuck, preventing adjustment. 2. I took the vehicle to an authorized Kia dealership to address this safety hazard. The dealership diagnosed the issue and performed repairs out-of-pocket. 3. Subsequent to my repair, Kia issued an official the federal safety agency Safety Recall concerning the driver's power seat switch/fuse assembly, warning owners that the switch could stick, overheat, and cause a vehicle fire. 4. I submitted my repair receipt and dealership invoice to Kia for reimbursement under the federal General Reimbursement Plan. 5. On September 25, 2026, Kia Customer Care formally denied my claim (Case #26382986), stating: "Per the invoice received, the electronic fuse assembly was not installed. Reimbursement request denied." REGULATORY VIOLATION UNDER FEDERAL LAW: Under 49 CFR § 573.13(d)(2)(v)(A), federal safety standards stipulate that a manufacturer's reimbursement plan MUST cover repairs that addressed "the defect or noncompliance that led to the recall OR A MANIFESTATION OF THE DEFECT OR NONCOMPLIANCE." Kia is violating federal regulations by imposing an arbitrary constraint requiring the dealership's pre-recall repair invoice to match the specific part number or component description identified in the subsequent recall, rather than recognizing that the repair INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Oct 8, 2026 · Electrical, Engine · AZ

Vehicle was sitting all night and entered the garage in the morning and found the radiator fan at full speed. Car was not running, so backed it out, turned it off and the fan turned back on. Took it to a KIA dealer and kept it for a few days and just stated they couldn't duplicate the issue, although I couldn't get them to tell me technically what they checked. I kept the car parked outside for fear there might be an electrical issue and something overheats. Then was recently out and came out to my vehicle to find the fan running again. This time took multiple videos and it now consistently doing it. Took it home for the evening and disconnected the battery, and in the morning as soon as I reconnected the battery the fan started up to full speed again. Dropped it off to another KIA dealership and it was still doing it and showed it to the service advisor and gave him the videos. They are currently looking at it now. Also, there were never any warning lights or alarms that anything was wrong. There are so many postings out there on this issue on forums, FB, Telluride sites, etc., that I'm shocked there isn't at least a KIA TSB on this problem.

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 Sep 19, 2026 · FL

The radiator of our 2027 Kia Telluride was punctured by some unidentified road debris. The service rep at the Kia dealership where the vehicle was towed noted that this debris barely missed a $3000+ sensor device. While investigating the likelihood of this incident occurring on such a new vehicle, I found that Kia Telluride owners have been reporting similar incidents since at lease 2021. The problem is an extra wide grill that allows for such road debris to readily pass through the grill and strike whatever is behind the grill. There are third party solutions for this problem - installing screens behind the grill. I feel Kia needs to proactively address this problem through a recall, redesigning their grill, and offering to install the third party solution. We were left with a vehicle overheated on the side of an interstate after dark in a part of northern [XXX] where we were unsure of our safety, the reputation of the tow company, the reputation of the Kia dealership to which the vehicle was towed, and timeliness of repairing such an incident. We ended up having to pay insurance deductibles and rental car fees in addition to making a trip back to northern [XXX] to retrieve the repaired vehicle. The negligence on Kia's behalf of this well-known issue can easily result in a disabled vehicle for others, costing the vehicle owner's insurance claims, costly repairs and alternate travel expenses, or personal safety and injury concerns. I had a claim with Kia Customer Service (Case #XXX) but the case was inexplicably closed. I'm sharing the video the repair technician recorded during the analysis phase of our vehicle's repair ([XXX] Kia - [XXX]) - [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Sep 9, 2026 · Engine · SC

I purchased this new vehicle in March of 2026. The vehicle has 6,800 miles. While idle, I started to get a warning the engine was overheating with the ac only blowing hot air while the engine smelt like it was overheating. This put me at risk of being stranded in the heat with my toddler and new born or the vehicle malfunctioning in the highway.

Filed Aug 11, 2026 · Seats · TX

I am submitting this complaint regarding a serious safety concern involving my Kia Telluride and the recalled front power seat motor/fire hazard. We are parents of three children, and this vehicle is used to transport our family. We are extremely concerned about the potential for a vehicle fire caused by the defective seat motor and the fact that the issue has not been adequately remedied. Kia has previously issued a recall addressing the potential for the front power seat motor to overheat, melt, and potentially cause a fire. Despite the previous recall and attempted remedy, Kia has now issued another recall concerning the same or substantially similar safety issue. This raises serious concerns regarding the effectiveness of the original remedy and whether affected vehicles were actually made safe after the initial recall repair. According to information from the federal safety agency, vehicles affected by this issue have experienced incidents involving melted seat motors and seat fires. the federal safety agency has also advised owners of affected vehicles to park outside and away from structures because of the potential fire risk. As parents of three children, we find this particularly alarming. A vehicle fire is an extremely serious safety hazard, and the possibility of a fire developing in or around the seating area presents an unacceptable risk to our family. If a fire were to occur while our children were passengers, evacuating three children from the vehicle could be extremely difficult and dangerous. Our concern is not simply that the vehicle requires a repair. Our concern is that a known safety defect has already been subject to a recall and remedy, yet the safety issue has apparently continued or required another recall. Consumers who complied with the original recall should be able to reasonably rely on the manufacturer and its authorized repair facilities to have corrected the safety defect. 2024 Telluride 5XYP3DGC6RG524189

Filed Jul 10, 2026 · Electrical · IN

My vehicle has the radiator fan that will not shut off. It stays running until the battery goes dead. I have taken it in to dealership and get the can not reproduce answer as well as maybe its this or that, you will have to leave it here. In doing research this is a known issues with the relay being built in to the PCB fuse block. The block shorts or sticks and the whole thing needs to be replaced. Very pricey. Lots of owners have or had the same issue. In speaking to an independant repair facility I was told this could be a fire risk yet again. The unit could overheat from running at full speed constantly or the wiring could catch fire. Kia will not recognize the situation, and wants to throw parts at it at owners cost. I have to unplug the fan when parked to stop this from occurring.

Filed Jul 2, 2026 · Engine · CO

My 2025 Kia Telluride has experienced seven engine overheating events across three separate incidents, all under identical conditions: air conditioning on while climbing in altitude on Colorado mountain highways. Incident 1 (XXX: Driving from [XXX] to [XXX]. Engine temperature gauge reached H and the "Engine Overheated" warning displayed. Pulled over and allowed engine to cool. Vehicle taken to Kia dealership; diagnostics found no fault. Incident 2 (XXX): Driving to [XXX]. Vehicle overheated twice on the same trip. Dealership kept vehicle for multiple days; reported no issues found. Incident 3 (XXX): Driving to [XXX]. Vehicle overheated FOUR times during the trip, including in an area with no cellular reception. Occupants included an infant and a [XXX]. Had the engine failed completely, we would have been stranded with no ability to call for emergency assistance. The failure is consistent and reproducible in real-world conditions (sustained grade + AC load) but has not been reproduced by dealership diagnostics performed at the shop. No fault codes were reportedly stored. The pattern is consistent with a cooling system deficiency under high load (cooling fan circuit, condenser airflow, or thermostat), and similar complaints from other Telluride owners describe the same scenario with dealers unable to replicate. Safety concern: repeated loss of propulsion capability on steep mountain grades, risk of engine failure and stranding in remote areas without cell coverage, with young children aboard. Two dealer service visits have not resolved the defect. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Jun 22, 2026 · Electrical, Engine · UT

The engine cooling fan activates at high speed and runs continuously for an extended period — in one instance, overnight — after the vehicle has been turned off, locked, and left unattended. This has occurred on multiple occasions. No warning lamps or messages appear before or during the event. The vehicle gives no indication anything is wrong; the fan simply runs at full speed on its own, without the ignition on, for hours at a time. The component involved is the engine cooling fan and/or its control module. Based on owner community research, the likely cause is a faulty signal being sent to the Engine Control Module, which triggers the fan to run even when the vehicle is not overheating and is fully shut off. The component is available for inspection. Safety risk: The vehicle is parked in an attached garage. An electrical component running uncontrolled and unattended for hours inside an enclosed structure attached to a residence poses a credible fire hazard. A bedroom is located directly above the garage. This is not an inconvenience — it is a fire risk to occupants of the home. The problem has been reported to an authorized Kia dealer on multiple occasions. The dealer was unable to replicate the condition during the service visit and did not perform a repair. The defect is intermittent in nature, which makes dealer replication difficult, but video documentation of the fan running with the vehicle off and unattended exists for multiple incidents. The vehicle has not been inspected by police or insurance representatives. No warning lamps illuminate during or prior to the event. The fan simply activates after shutoff with no prior symptoms. VIDEO LINK of both incidences: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)