One of Kia’s (KIMTF) top-selling models is the subject of a massive recall that can be very dangerous to occupants in and around the vehicle.
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2023 Kia Telluride
Kia
In conjunction with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the South Korean auto maker is recalling almost all of the 427,407 Telluride SUVs produced from 2020 to 2024.
According to NHTSA documents, Kia’s North American Safety Office started receiving complaints of Telluride vehicles moving unintentionally, as well as cars not staying parked while being shifted in park. Additionally, other customers complained about grinding noises, vibrations, and an inability to shift into other gears.
The automaker independently launched its own investigation, which eventually found that the problem is caused by an assembly error that affecting two important drivetrain parts — the intermediate shaft and right front driveshaft — that are improperly aligned, causing them to not fully engage, leading to major wear.
A Kia Telluride sports utility vehicle (SUV) at the 2022 New York International Auto Show (NYIAS)
These parts, which connect the engine and transmission to the wheels, could cause the car to roll away if exposed to such damage.
Kia states that it is aware of 16 reports of unintended vehicle movement with the Telluride, including ten warranty claims, three touchline cases and four complaints.
Affected owners of the recall will be notified by mail if their vehicle is affected. According to Kia, service techs “will install updated Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) software to automatically engage the [parking brake] to prevent unintended vehicle movement when the gear shifter is in the ‘P’ (Park) position and the engine is turned off, or when the vehicle is stopped in any gear shifter position and the driver’s door opens.”
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Letters to affected owners are due to go out by May 15. In the meantime, Kia recommends Telluride owners to manually engage the parking brake before stepping out of their vehicles.
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