Model year 2021 · Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD, Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
2021 Kia Telluride: recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings
EPA rates the 2021 Kia Telluride at 21–23 mpg combined across 2 versions. NHTSA lists 5 safety recalls and 373 owner complaints for this model year. Its best NHTSA overall crash-test rating is 5 out of 5 stars.
Safety recalls
5
EPA combined mpg
21–23
NHTSA overall rating
5/5
Recall file dated Oct 28, 2026 · EPA file dated Sep 29, 2026 · updated Oct 28, 2026, 7:36 AM EDT
Check your own car: enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls for that exact vehicle, and contact a Kia dealer to schedule the repair — safety recall repairs are free. The list below covers the whole model year, so not every recall applies to every car.
2021 Kia Telluride recalls
NHTSA's recall file lists 5 safety recalls for the 2021 Kia Telluride, newest first.
Seats: Front assembly: Power adjust
NHTSA 26V430000Reported Jul 2, 2026Park outside
Filed by
Kia America, Inc. (manufacturer recall no. SC374)
Units affected
462,869 (estimate)
Problem
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2024 Telluride vehicles. The front power seat motor may overheat due to a stuck power seat slide knob or an improper recall 24V407 repair, which can result in a fire while parked or driving.
Risk
A fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy
Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will install an electronic fuse assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 13, 2026. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC374. This recall replaces NHTSA recall number 24V407. Vehicles already repaired under the previous recall will need to have the new remedy completed. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning July 17, 2026.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2024 Telluride vehicles. The front power seat motor may overheat due to a stuck power seat slide knob, which can result in a fire while parked or driving.
Risk
A fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy
Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will install a bracket for the power seat switch back covers and replace the seat slide knobs, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 30, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC316.
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.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Telluride vehicles potentially equipped with a Genuine Kia 4-pin tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Kia dealership. Debris and moisture accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.
Risk
A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy
Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will install a new fuse and a wiring harness extension. Dealers will also inspect and replace the tow hitch harness assembly, as necessary. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 12, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC247.
Air bags: Sensor: Occupant classification: Front passenger and 1 more component
NHTSA 21V164000Reported Mar 11, 2021
Filed by
Kia America, Inc. (manufacturer recall no. SC207)
Components
Air bags: Sensor: Occupant classification: Front passenger; Air bags: Air bag/restraint control module
Units affected
142 (estimate)
Problem
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021 Telluride, K5, and Forte vehicles. The Occupant Classification and Detection System (OCS/ODS) unit may not detect the presence of a child restraint system in the front passenger seat. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Risk
In the event of a crash, deployment of the front passenger air bag, with a child in that seat, can increase the risk of injury to the child.
Remedy
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the OCS/ODS unit, free of charge. The recall began March 18, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC207.
Recall summaries are written by NHTSA from manufacturers' defect reports. Dates are when NHTSA received the report.
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2021 Kia Telluride fuel economy by version
EPA city/highway/combined estimates for each engine, transmission and drive combination. Annual fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year (55% city, 45% highway) at EPA's current fuel-price assumptions; your cost will vary.
Source: FuelEconomy.gov (U.S. DOE and EPA), file dated Sep 29, 2026. Each version links to its FuelEconomy.gov record.
EPA estimates come from standardized lab tests so cars can be compared fairly; real-world mileage depends on speed, weather, load, tires and driving style.
2021 Kia Telluride crash-test ratings
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the tested versions. More stars mean a lower chance of serious injury in that type of crash. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
2021 Kia Telluride NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Tested vehicle
Overall
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Rollover risk
Forward collision warning
2021 Kia Telluride SUV AWD
5 stars
4 stars
5 stars
4 stars
14.3%
Standard
2021 Kia Telluride SUV FWD
5 stars
4 stars
5 stars
4 stars
15.5%
Standard
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program), checked Oct 26, 2026.
Star ratings compare vehicles of similar size and weight; a frontal rating for a large pickup is not directly comparable with one for a small car.
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2021 Kia Telluride owner complaints
Owners have filed 373 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Kia Telluride, most recently on Oct 19, 2026. 7 mention a crash, 4 a fire, 9 injured people and 0 deaths. These are unverified reports; a complaint is not proof of a defect.
Most-cited components in 2021 Kia Telluride complaints
Component named in complaints
Mentions
Unknown or other
105
Engine
68
Visibility/wiper
64
Electrical system
41
Structure: Body
33
Power train
27
Suspension
20
Forward collision avoidance: Warnings
16
Service brakes
14
Visibility: Sun/moon roof assembly
12
Source: NHTSA consumer complaint files (complaints received since January 1, 2015). One complaint can name several components.
