2022 Kia Telluride transmission & drivetrain problems

Related recalls

• Recall 24V214000Mar 20, 2024427,407 vehicles
  POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT

  Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2024 Telluride vehicles. The intermediate shaft and right front driveshaft may not be fully engaged, which can result in vehicle roll away while in PARK.

  Risk: A vehicle roll away increases the risk of a crash or injury.

  Remedy: Owners are advised to manually engage the emergency parking brake prior to exiting the vehicle until the recall remedy is performed. Dealers will update the electronic parking brake software and replace any damaged intermediate shafts as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 15, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC303.

What owners say

1. Filed Sep 22, 2026ILTransmission & Drivetrain

   The AWD coupler is shuttering and making the vehicle shake on turns . It is a common issue with KiA awd systems which is why I don’t understand why it’s not a recall! It puts people’s life’s at risk because upon accelerating at an intersection the binding does not let the full acceleration of the vehicle to take place . I have not yet got it serviced because it’s a pricey job . I just bought the vehicle last month and the warranty expired at the beginning of this month ! How…

   NHTSA complaint #11766138 · source
2. Filed Aug 26, 2026OKSteeringTransmission & Drivetrain

   Our 2022 Telluride is binding when turning at low speed or accelerating on the highway we took it to our trusted mechanic, he believes it to be the all-wheel-drive coupling unit and that is a common failure point with these vehicles. I called our local Kia dealership and stated that the mechanic told me they need to check the firmware for the ECU to see if that may fix the issue. The dealership stated that they were just gonna have to replace the all-wheel-drive coupling…

   NHTSA complaint #11759775 · source
3. Filed Aug 6, 202612,000 miPATransmission & Drivetrain

   The contact owns a 2022 Kia Telluride. The contact stated that while stopped on several occasions, the Auto START/STOP feature was activated, and the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was able to restart without any further issues. The vehicle was taken to a dealer on three separate occasions; however, the failure was not duplicated. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 12,000.

   NHTSA complaint #11755180 · source
4. Filed Jun 10, 2026ILSteeringTransmission & DrivetrainWheels & Tires

   The vehicle experiences a recurring mechanical failure where the electronic AWD coupling/rear axle locks up and binds when accelerating through turns. This creates an immediate safety hazard by altering steering dynamics and causing vehicle hesitation or severe wheel hop in intersection turns. A certified Kia dealership has already fully replaced the entire factory AWD Coupling assembly twice: first under the original warranty on July 16, 2024 at 48,054 miles, and again…

   NHTSA complaint #11743123 · source
5. Filed Jun 8, 202671,000 miNJTowedAirbagsElectrical SystemTransmission & Drivetrain

   The contact owns a 2022 Kia Telluride. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed at night, the side view mirror's blind-spot system generated phantom alerts while there was no object nearby. Additionally, the headlights inadvertently fluctuated between dim (low beam) and extremely bright (high beam) settings. The instrument cluster displayed that the vehicle unintendedly switched to Smart Drive Mode but failed to display the transmission gears. The trunk…

   NHTSA complaint #11742649 · source
6. Filed May 22, 2026MIElectrical SystemEngineTransmission & Drivetrain

   This is supplemental evidence for NHTSA Safety Complaint #11739200 UNIFIED SUPPLEMENTAL EVIDENCE PACKET SEE UPLOADED FILE

   NHTSA complaint #11739546 · source
7. Filed May 21, 2026MIElectrical SystemEngineTransmission & Drivetrain

   The vehicle began showing serious safety related symptoms before the engine failed. These included engine knocking, repeated sensor failures, the speedometer and odometer blacking out while driving, the navigation screen going dark, and the entire instrument cluster malfunctioning. These issues caused loss of speed information, loss of vehicle status, and loss of navigation visibility, creating unsafe driving conditions. Despite these warning signs, the engine later failed…

   NHTSA complaint #11739200 · source
8. Filed Mar 21, 2026NCTransmission & Drivetrain

   Catastrophic rear differential failure at highway speed following recent warranty repair. Vehicle previously brought to Kia dealership for rear differential knocking noise. Warranty repair performed and vehicle returned. Within one week, original noise returned with additional whirling/ grinding sound.While traveling approximately 70 mph on the highway, vehicle experienced a sudden loud bang and immediate abrupt stop in traffic. At the time of failure, wife and two children…

   NHTSA complaint #11726106 · source
9. Filed Jan 6, 2026FLEngineTransmission & Drivetrain

   The oil filter housing cracked on the car, causing all the oil to leak out. In researching this, I have found that this is a common problem with the Kia Telluride and Kia Sorrento. The problem is that the oil filter housing is made of cheap plastic and not durable material such as aluminum or steel. This allows the oil filter housing to easily crack under stress. In speaking with the dealership, this is not an uncommon problem. I feel that this should be covered under the…

   NHTSA complaint #11709092 · source
10. Filed Nov 24, 2025ALElectrical SystemFuel, Hybrid & EV PropulsionTransmission & Drivetrain

    The vehicle intermittently fails to shift gears and loses acceleration without warning, creating a serious safety hazard. The problem began in October 2024 when the check-engine light first appeared and has continued since. Despite multiple repair attempts by the Kia dealership—including replacement of the fuel pump, fuel pressure sensors, and ECU—the root cause remains undiagnosed, and the defect persists. When the vehicle was brought back in August 2025, the dealer’s…

    NHTSA complaint #11701231 · source
11. Filed Nov 21, 2025SCEngineTransmission & Drivetrain

    Borescope inspection of the engine shows multiple signs of internal mechanical failure involving oil control, piston ring integrity, coolant intrusion, and cylinder wall damage. Excessive oil buildup is visible above the oil control ring, far beyond what is expected at 59k miles. Cylinder walls show heavy polishing where cross-hatching should be visible, indicating loss of lubrication and abnormal wear. Carbon deposits are extremely thick; in several areas carbon has flaked…

    NHTSA complaint #11700897 · source
12. Filed Oct 13, 2025NCTransmission & Drivetrain

    The Telluride has developed a shimmy. At first, the shimmy was noted at lower speeds, around 35 to 45 mph while under minimal load such as going uphill and slightly accelerating. The car was taken to the dealership. The tires were balanced. We were told no other problems. A month later, same thing, same result. We just took a 2700 mile trip. The shimmy is apparent at higher speeds and in all transmission modes of operation.

    NHTSA complaint #11693102 · source

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation public data. Complaints are submitted by owners and are not verified by NHTSA or by us; a complaint does not prove a defect exists. View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov Methodology