TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE ACTION: REAR HVAC OPERATION INSPECTION AND REPLACEMENT (SA544) - This bulletin provides information to inspect the rear heater control operation on certain 2024MY Telluride (ON) vehicles produced from June 13, 2023 through July 24, 2023, which may exhibit abnormal communication with the AVN head unit, causing the touchscreen controls to be inoperative when attempting to adjust the heating ventilation air conditioning (HVAC) settings. It is possible that during assembly, the affected vehicle may have a rear Heater & A/C Control Unit installed with the incorrect software.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2024 Kia Telluride visibility problems
moderate Owners of the 2024 Kia Telluride have filed 25 NHTSA complaints about the visibility at roughly $350 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See visibility across all vehicles →
Complaints
25
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$350
| Model year | visibility complaints |
|---|---|
| 2020 Telluride | 135 |
| 2021 Telluride | 74 |
| 2022 Telluride | 84 |
| 2023 Telluride | 27 |
| 2024 Telluride (this page) | 25 |
| 2025 Telluride | 18 |
What stands out
Owners have filed 25 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.
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners describe two distinct windshield failure patterns. First, spontaneous cracking with no impact: glass develops cracks while parked in garages, during low-speed parking lot driving, or simply from activating defrost and wipers—often within days to weeks of purchase and at mileage under 300 miles. These cracks typically start at edges or trim lines and spread across the windshield within hours. Second, extreme fragility under minor impact: small rocks or road debris that strike at highway or moderate speeds cause immediate shattering and rapid crack propagation spanning the entire windshield in 15 minutes to 24 hours. Owners report this severity is unprecedented compared to other vehicles they have owned. Glass repair technicians confirm the windshield material is thin. Multiple owners reference an ongoing class action lawsuit against Kia for defective windshields (previously filed for 2019–2022 models), noting the issue appears unresolved in 2024 units. Dealerships confirm no recall exists for 2024 model year and report supply delays sourcing replacement windshields. One owner also reported spontaneous sunroof explosion while driving. A washer hose failure—cracked brittle plastic at the firewall connection—caused internal leakage and loss of washer function within two days of refill, and was attributed to normal temperature fluctuations and vibration.
Same Kia Telluride visibility reports on nearby years: 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2025
Failure modes owners describe
Windshield spontaneous cracking—no impact
Windshield develops cracks without any known impact or external force. Owners report cracks appearing while parked in garage, while driving at low speed on flat surfaces, or immediately after activation of defrost/wipers. Some cracks initiate at edges near trim or A-pillars and spread rapidly across the glass.
When: Within days to weeks of delivery; as early as 3 days parked, or within 2 weeks of purchase; at low mileage (under 300–7,500 miles)
Symptoms owners cite: Single horizontal or vertical crack line, often starting at edge or trim; Rapid spreading after initial appearance (within hours to overnight); No visible impact point or external damage; Sometimes accompanied by popping noise while parked or at low speed; Crack may appear spontaneously when defrost/wipers activated
Repairs/costs cited: Windshield replacement required. Some owners note Kia windshields are thin. OEM replacement available but subject to availability delays.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Class action lawsuit referenced for 2019–2022 model years; 2020 letters to owners mentioned. Dealerships report no recall for 2024 model year. Some dealerships unable to source 2024 windshields promptly.
Windshield fracture from minor rock/road debris impact
Windshield struck by small rocks or road debris at highway or moderate speeds. Impact causes localized shattering and rapid crack propagation across windshield, often spreading to full width within minutes to hours. Owners report this does not occur with other vehicles at similar frequency or severity.
When: Occurs during highway driving or at 20–45 mph; within 15 minutes to 24 hours of impact, crack can span entire windshield
Symptoms owners cite: Small chip or bullet-sized hole at impact site; Immediate shattering or spiderweb pattern at impact; Rapid crack propagation (U-shaped or across full width); Spreads while driving or during subsequent driving; Obstructs driver's field of vision
Repairs/costs cited: Windshield replacement at glass repair facilities (e.g., Safelite); OEM Kia windshield replacement. Glass technician noted the glass is thin.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealers confirm windshield is thin, no recall. Class action lawsuit mentioned as related to manufacturer negligence in windshield material quality.
Sunroof spontaneous explosion
Sunroof suddenly exploded while vehicle in motion. No prior warning signs. Other Kia Telluride owners report same issue online.
When: Occurred while driving children to practice; no mileage stated
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden explosion of sunroof glass; No prior warnings or issues
Windshield washer hose internal leak
Ribbed plastic section of windshield washer hose cracked and separated at connection point near firewall. Described as manufacturing defect in brittle plastic prone to fracturing under normal temperature fluctuations or minor vibrations. Washer fluid reservoir drains internally; no external spills visible but accumulates behind front-right wheel well liner. Eliminates windshield washer function, creating hazardous blind spot.
When: Fluid reservoir nearly empty within 2 days of refill
Symptoms owners cite: No washer fluid spray from nozzles when activated; Washer reservoir quickly empties despite recent refill; Puddle of washer fluid behind front-right wheel well liner; Crack and separation in ribbed plastic hose section
Repairs/costs cited: Hose replacement required. Single assembly runs from reservoir through engine bay to front and rear nozzles.
Synthesized from 25 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 3 most recent
The windsheild easily cracks. Less than 1000 miles and it cracked.
Within a week of taking delivery of my car after purchase the lower right corner of my windshield developed a 16" crack. To my knowledge, my windshield had not been struck by any object and I had only driven it 300 miles since picking it up. The crack is a safety issue as it limits or inhibits visibility through the windshield.
I parked in a covered parking garage for about two hours. When I came out there was a crack about a foot long on my passenger side windshield. The crack quickly spread over the next couple of hours while driving almost double the size. There was not a rock that hit my car and it looks like tiny hold in my windshield very strange looking and then spread quickly. I believe my windshield is…
Had visibility trouble with your 2024 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 2024 Kia Telluride?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 25 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?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
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/2024/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.