Kia Telluride Years to Avoid
Based on federal records, the Kia Telluride years to avoid are 2021, 2022, 2024: the 2021 alone has 354 NHTSA owner complaints and 94 manufacturer service bulletins on file, led by unknown or other issues. The cleanest recent records so far belong to the 2020 and 2025 model years.
Sources: NHTSA complaints, manufacturer service bulletins, recall campaigns, CarWhere verified buyer prices · Updated 2026-09-04 · By CarWhere Research
| Model year | NHTSA complaints | Service bulletins | Recall campaigns | Avg. price buyers paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020BEST | 0 | 144 | 7 | — |
| 2021AVOID | 354 | 94 | 5 | — |
| 2022AVOID | 319 | 88 | 7 | — |
| 2023 | 204 | 68 | 6 | — |
| 2024AVOID | 215 | 56 | 5 | — |
| 2025BEST | 105 | 20 | 3 | — |
| 2026 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — |
| 2027 | 20 | 3 | 2 | $50,546 (60 deals) |
Methodology: complaint counts are owner reports filed with NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation; service bulletins are manufacturer communications filed with NHTSA; counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume. Prices are averages of CarWhere verified buyer transactions (shown when 3+ deals exist for the year).
Common Kia Telluride problems by year
Across NHTSA owner complaints, the most-reported problem areas on the Kia Telluride are unknown or other, electrical system, visibility/wiper, engine. The years below carry the highest combined complaint and service-bulletin counts on federal record.
2021 Kia Telluride: 354 owner complaints, 94 service bulletins, 5 recall campaigns — most-reported areas: unknown or other, visibility/wiper, engine.
2022 Kia Telluride: 319 owner complaints, 88 service bulletins, 7 recall campaigns — most-reported areas: unknown or other, visibility/wiper, electrical system.
2024 Kia Telluride: 215 owner complaints, 56 service bulletins, 5 recall campaigns — most-reported areas: unknown or other, electrical system, visibility/wiper.
2020 Kia Telluride: cleanest recent federal record (0 complaints, 144 bulletins).
2025 Kia Telluride: cleanest recent federal record (105 complaints, 20 bulletins).
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FAQ
What are the worst years for the Kia Telluride?
Based on federal records, the Kia Telluride years to avoid are 2021, 2022, 2024: the 2021 alone has 354 NHTSA owner complaints and 94 manufacturer service bulletins on file, led by unknown or other issues. The cleanest recent records so far belong to the 2020 and 2025 model years. Counts are raw federal filings (NHTSA complaints, manufacturer communications, open recall campaigns) and are not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the best years for the Kia Telluride?
Among recent model years, the 2020 and 2025 Kia Telluride show the lowest combined complaint and service-bulletin counts on federal record.
Is the Kia Telluride reliable?
The Kia Telluride's reliability varies by model year. Across 1,217 NHTSA owner complaints on federal record, 2021, 2022, 2024 stand out as the years to avoid, while the 2020 and 2025 model years show the cleanest records — see the year-by-year table above. Counts are raw federal filings, not adjusted for sales volume.
What are the most common problems with the Kia Telluride?
The most-reported problem areas for the Kia Telluride are unknown or other, electrical system, visibility/wiper, based on NHTSA owner complaints. See the year-by-year table above for how these cluster by model year.
How do I check a specific Kia Telluride before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report for that VIN — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for the exact model year, the original window sticker where the manufacturer publishes one, and a market price check from verified buyers. One-time purchase, no subscription.
Where does this data come from?
Three federal sources — NHTSA owner complaints (ODI), manufacturer service bulletins filed with NHTSA, and open recall campaigns — plus CarWhere's verified buyer-paid transaction prices. Counts are presented raw and refreshed regularly.