2021 Kia Telluride powertrain problems

Engine burns through oil at abnormal rates, sometimes losing 1.5–2.5 quarts in 1,000 miles. Owners report zero oil with no warning lights, complete loss of power on highway, and dealers confirming internal oil leaks or requiring costly engine tear-down diagnostics. Some vehicles required engine replacement at low mileage.

When: Reported across a range of mileage; one case at ~73k miles, another at 78k miles requiring motor replacement, one at ~94k miles with fast burning

Symptoms owners cite: Oil level drops rapidly despite no visible leaks; Engine shaking or rough idle after transmission replacement; Check engine light (P000A – Camshaft Position Slow Response) correlated with low oil; Sudden loss of engine power at highway speeds; No oil warning indicators illuminated before catastrophic loss; Engine smoking

Codes mentioned: P000A

Repairs/costs cited: Transmission replacement under warranty; oil consumption testing confirmed; engine tear-down quoted at $1,600; engine replacement needed at 78k miles; CPO warranty refusal citing 'Kia wide issue and recall'; flywheel/ignition repair ($3,300) did not address underlying oil issue

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Kia acknowledged oil consumption test results; some dealerships stated internal oil leak suspected but did not resolve; CPO warranty denied coverage claiming it is a known Kia-wide issue; no formal recall mentioned by Kia for this specific problem in narratives

Transmission exhibits jerky engagement at stop-and-go, delayed or absent acceleration response when pressing throttle (requiring RPM jump to 5,000–6,000 before vehicle launches forward), downshift jerk similar to manual transmission, and low-speed creep hesitation. Some vehicles have sputtered on acceleration causing highway hesitation; others have required full transmission replacement.

When: Reported within first month of ownership through 50,000+ miles; one case escalating from 40k to 56k miles requiring replacement

Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle does not gradually accelerate when merging or entering highway; RPM spike followed by forward lurch when throttle finally engages; Jerky downshifts with engine rev-down similar to manual transmission; Hesitation and jerking in stop-and-go traffic; Sputtering during acceleration; Hard shifting at low speeds and when cold; Transmission slipping with near-stall incidents; No warning lights or fault codes present

Repairs/costs cited: Dealership recommendation: reset 'adaptive values' at least 3 times with no resolution; transmission fluid flush ($250) did not resolve sputtering; one owner required full transmission replacement at 56k miles (on back order); dealers refusing repair without fault codes in PCM/ECM

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer recommended adaptive value resets after 3 months without success; no permanent fix provided; dealership stated it would not proceed without codes; one case indicated Kia HQ consultation required before dealer could act

Rhythmic vibration felt in gas pedal and front drivetrain at highway speeds. Described as oscillating, high-speed, low-tone vibration continuing through 75+ mph. AWD-specific issue confirmed by driveshaft specialists; some cases resolve with driveshaft replacement, others remain unresolved despite TSB and wheel balancing.

When: Started within first month of ownership for some; present at 27k miles for one AWD unit; affects multiple model years from 2020 onward

Symptoms owners cite: Rhythmic vibration at 60–75 (or 55–70) mph felt in gas pedal and front of drivetrain; High-speed, low-tone oscillating vibration; Vibration more pronounced in sport mode (transmission-related)

Repairs/costs cited: Kia TSB 099 exists for this issue; driveshaft specialist indicated problem would worsen and affect other vehicle areas; some owners traded vehicle at $6k loss rather than continue fighting; wheel re-balancing and road force balancing attempted without success; driveshaft/AWD coupler replacement resolved issue for some but not others

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Kia TSB 099 issued but warranty only covers through 60k miles; Kia refused recall despite knowing production lots with the issue; some dealerships replaced driveshafts/AWD couplers, others ignored complaints; known issue acknowledged but piecemeal approach rather than universal TSB

Low-speed turning (35 mph or less) or stop-and-turn maneuvers produce binding or slipping in rear wheels with clunking noise from rear. Occurs across multiple model years. Early failures reported; replacement parts failing again around same mileage after repair.

When: One case at 27k miles (problem suspected starting at 15k miles); issue present across 2020 and subsequent model years

Symptoms owners cite: Binding or slipping feel in rear wheels; Clunking noise from rear during low-speed turns or stop-and-turn; Loss of traction/power when needed during turning

Repairs/costs cited: Kia has released multiple TSBs on this issue; early 2020 model recalled; replacement parts failing again around same mileage

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Multiple TSBs issued across four model years; 2020 model recalled early but same issue persists on newer model years; no reliable permanent solution; Kia has not issued wider recall to address across all affected model years

Engine shuts off unexpectedly while vehicle is stopped or moving at low speeds, causing sudden loss of propulsion and creating rear-end collision risk. Check engine light illuminates during stall events. Dealership identified oil leakage from oil pan and oil filter housing with suspected internal oil leak that may not be resolved by gasket/housing replacement alone.

When: Started January 2025; multiple occurrences with repeated repair attempts

Symptoms owners cite: Engine shuts off at traffic lights or low-speed operation; Check engine light and multiple dashboard warning lights illuminate during stall; Loss of propulsion in active traffic

Repairs/costs cited: Partial fuel injector replacement, battery replacement, and oil consumption test performed; oil pan gasket and oil filter housing replacement may not resolve internal oil leak; defect not permanently corrected despite multiple attempts

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Matter escalated to Kia Corporate; dealership acknowledged oil leakage but stated housing replacement may not resolve suspected internal leak

Oil filter housing constructed of plastic cracks, causing major oil leak with no warning light indication. Leak can stream oil without detection, creating fire risk or major engine damage if not noticed immediately.

When: Occurred during parking at discovery

Symptoms owners cite: Major oil leak streaming from vehicle; No warning lights on dashboard; Large puddle of oil under parked vehicle

Repairs/costs cited: Local mechanic identified plastic housing as the root cause and noted this is a common problem they see; plastic housing is inferior to metal alternatives

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Closest Kia dealership acknowledged this is a known problem but Kia has not issued a recall; no action taken

High-pressure fuel pump failed along with solenoid and OCV harness, forcing oil through harness. Caused sudden deceleration from highway speed (70 mph down to 40 mph) with no warning lights or prior symptoms.

When: Occurred at 74k miles

Symptoms owners cite: Sudden deceleration from ~70 mph to 40 mph on highway; No check engine light or warning indicators; No prior symptoms or sounds

Repairs/costs cited: High-pressure fuel pump, solenoid, and OCV harness required repair; owner paid out of pocket due to Kia refusal

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Kia refused to cover repairs at 74k miles despite known history of failed high-pressure fuel pumps in other models

Vehicle surges at idle without notice, RPM jumping from normal ~500 to 1,000 or higher, requiring heavy brake pressure to control. Dealership unable to duplicate and no fault codes thrown.

When: Started around 82k miles; persisted through 103.5k miles

Symptoms owners cite: RPM surges from ~500 to 1,000+ without notice; Vehicle acts like 'a race horse wanting to get out of the gate'; Requires constant heavy brake pressure when stopped

Repairs/costs cited: No diagnostic performed; dealership could not duplicate despite owner reporting at multiple service visits

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Kia issued case number for potential warranty coverage determination after 100k mile mark

Vehicle suddenly loses ability to accelerate beyond 30 mph on highway or enters reduced-power state with check engine light and non-functioning speedometer. Issue resolves after restart but recurs intermittently.

When: Occurred while driving in rain; intermittent thereafter

Symptoms owners cite: Check engine light illuminates; Unable to accelerate beyond 30 mph; Speedometer stops working; Issue resolves after vehicle restart but recurs intermittently

Repairs/costs cited: Dealership computer showed no fault codes; dealership stated they cannot diagnose without vehicle malfunctioning during inspection

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No action taken; dealership unable to diagnose transient issue

Side mirror fold/unfold function via key fob fails intermittently; window operation fails intermittently requiring vehicle power cycle to restore function. Not consistently reproducible.

When: Ongoing issue

Symptoms owners cite: Mirror fold/unfold does not occur every time lock/unlock button pressed; Windows will not roll up/down; sometimes works, sometimes does not; Requires vehicle shutdown and restart to restore window function

Repairs/costs cited: No repair attempted; dealership unable to diagnose

Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No response documented