TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: DATC HEATER OPERATION LOGIC IMPROVEMENT - This bulletin provides information to upgrade the air condition (AIRCON) software logic on certain 2020-2023MY Telluride (ON) vehicles equipped with Dual Air Temperature Control (DATC), produced from January 9, 2019 through June 6, 2023. The affected vehicles may exhibit temporarily reduced heater performance in cold climates, especially during prolonged idle operation or coasting.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2023 Kia Telluride visibility problems
moderate 27 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $350 · see visibility across all vehicles →
Complaints
27
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$350
What stands out
Owners have filed 27 visibility complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering visibility on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: REAR HVAC CONTROL CLIP REPLACEMENT (SA534) - This bulletin provides information to replace the rear Heating Ventilation and Air Condition (HVAC) control assembly retaining clips on some 2022-2023MY Telluride (ON) vehicles produced from August 1, 2022 through May 03, 2023. The affected vehicles are equipped with a metal retaining clip which can create a rattling sound while driving on rougher road conditions. New plastic retaining clips will be installed to help rectify this rattling noise concern.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of 2023 Kia Tellurides report widespread windshield cracking that is notably different from their experience with other vehicles. Small road debris—pebbles, dime-sized impacts—initiate chips that spread across the entire windshield within hours or days, often while the vehicle is parked and untouched. Cracks appear spontaneously with no observed impact whatsoever. Once a chip forms, it becomes unrepairable, forcing full windshield replacement at approximately $2,500 each. Multiple owners report 2–3 replacements within 18 months of ownership; some replacements needed as early as 486 miles or 2,400 miles. Dealers have denied warranty claims, attributing cracks to impact when photographic evidence shows otherwise.
Sunroof glass has also failed catastrophically. One owner's panoramic sunroof shattered while parked with no external disturbance; another's exploded with a gunshot-like noise while driving at highway speed, neither with any visible debris strike. Owners express serious safety concern: if sunroof failure had occurred during highway driving, glass could have shattered into the second-row seating area.
A handful of owners also report windshield washer fluid output insufficient to clear debris effectively, one right-side wiper failure during heavy rain, and one case of a dark shadow or haze across 3/4 of the windshield when low-beam headlights are on—visibility improves on high beams.
Same Kia Telluride visibility reports on nearby years: 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2024 · 2025
Failure modes owners describe
Windshield spontaneous cracking and rapid propagation
Windshield cracks without visible impact or with minimal impact from small road debris (pebbles, chips). Once initiated, cracks spread rapidly across the glass over hours or days, often becoming unrepairable. Multiple owners report cracks appearing while vehicle is parked with no external disturbance.
When: Typically within first 6,000 miles; some as early as 486 miles or 2,400 miles; one case within first 1,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Spontaneous chip or crack in windshield appearing without observed impact; Rapid crack propagation spreading across windshield over hours to days; Cracks forming while vehicle is parked; Very small road debris (pebbles, dime-sized chips) causing full windshield cracks; Cracks too large to repair after initial damage
Repairs/costs cited: Windshield replacement required; costs cited as approximately $2,500 per replacement. Multiple owners report 2–3 windshield replacements within 18 months of ownership.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer inspections often attribute cracks to impact despite lack of visible evidence. One warranty claim denied based on photos; another claim denied after 6-week process. One owner reported dealer stated nothing is wrong. No TSBs or recalls mentioned.
Sunroof spontaneous failure and shattering
Panoramic sunroof glass shatters or explodes unexpectedly while parked or while driving, with no external impact or debris strike observed. Glass remains largely intact within sunroof frame or explodes outward.
When: While parked and while driving at highway speeds; one case reported during normal highway driving
Symptoms owners cite: Sunroof glass shatters spontaneously without external impact; Loud popping or gunshot-like noise at moment of failure; Golf ball-sized hole with surrounding glass remaining in frame or shattering outward; No visible evidence of rock or debris strike
Repairs/costs cited: Sunroof replacement required. Owners express safety concern that if failure occurred while driving, glass could shatter into passenger cabin.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer inspection suggested rock impact despite no visible evidence. No recalls or TSBs mentioned.
Windshield washer fluid system insufficient output
Windshield washer fluid dispenses poorly or with insufficient volume, failing to effectively clear debris and water from windshield during driving. Reduces visibility, especially in poor weather or heavy rain.
When: Unspecified timing during ownership
Symptoms owners cite: Washer fluid output insufficient to clear windshield; Ineffective cleaning of windshield during rain or road debris accumulation; Reduced visibility while driving
Repairs/costs cited: Owner took vehicle to service; dealer claimed nothing is wrong and system performs as new.
Right windshield wiper sudden failure
Windshield wiper on right side suddenly stopped functioning while in use, parking itself in normally stowed position mid-drive during heavy rain. Owner notes if driver-side wiper had failed, forward visibility would have been lost instantly.
When: During heavy rain driving; timing and mileage not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Right windshield wiper suddenly stopped operating mid-wipe; Wiper parked in normally stowed position; Failure occurred while driving in heavy rain
Dark shadow/haze across windshield with low-beam headlights
Dark shadow or haze appears across approximately 3/4 of windshield when driving at night with low-beam headlights activated. Visibility improves when switching to high beams, suggesting optical or coating issue with windshield.
When: When driving on dark streets with no ambient lighting
Symptoms owners cite: Dark shadow or haze visible across 3/4 of windshield; Issue appears only with low-beam headlights on; Visibility improves with high-beam headlights
Synthesized from 27 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 2 most recent
While driving on the highway, windshield was hit by a small pebble on the driver side. What was an initially a very small chip started to spread over half the windshield creating visibility issues and negating the ability to repair the chip in the windshield.
The rear panoramic sunroof shattered without reason. It left about a golf ball-size hole in the middle and shattered the rest into small pieces that remained intact in the sunroof. The shade was open. The vehicle was parked and not disturbed when the incident occurred. If the vehicle were moving when this happened, the glass almost definitely would have shattered into the vehicle and landed on…
Had visibility trouble with your 2023 Kia Telluride?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the visibility problem on the 2023 Kia Telluride?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 27 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $350 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the visibility typically fail?
Based on the 27 complaints filed, visibility issues most often appear around 38,200 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $350 for visibility repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to visibility?
No active recalls currently cover visibility issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2023/Kia/Telluride.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.