I usually do my homework before buying a car, but you wouldn’t know that from my current situation lol. I leased a brand new Telluride in January 2024. The day after I got it home, I noticed that the A-pillar on the driver’s side seemed to be sagging and it looked like the clips weren’t properly connected. Since the dealership is about 35-40 miles away and the only closer one has bad reviews, I decided to wait before taking it back for repair. Fast forward about 5-6 weeks and I saw that the trim on the driver’s side rear door was peeling back, right underneath the window at the top. I made an appointment to take it in the next week. Within that short time, the trim was peeling back like you’d expect on an older vehicle that had been out in bad weather for years.
After the dealership checked my car, they said the clips on the A-pillar were broken and needed to be ordered (fine, no big deal). They had to order the trim for the door too because they don’t keep it in stock. Then they told me that my vehicle was one of the lucky ones affected by the engine valve springs recall. Two weeks later, I took my car back to have all these items fixed. They gave me a rental car and kept my Telluride for over a week. When I picked it up, I noticed that the trim on the driver’s side door was starting to peel back as well. The service manager looked it over, said he would order it, and contact me when it arrived. He mentioned they’ve had to replace a lot of trim on Tellurides and thought it might be a factory issue. Fast forward another 5 weeks and the trim for the driver’s door hasn’t come in yet, but I noticed the trim on the passenger side front door was starting to come off too. Within that same week, I received a letter from Kia saying that my wheel speed sensor might need replacing due to moisture corrosion. They will check this when I bring the car in for the trim repair. I sent photos of the new trim issue to the dealer and they ordered the passenger side trim, but seeing how long the driver’s side took, it will probably be a while.
This past weekend, I read a news article stating there is now another recall for the Telluride related to the front power seat motor, which could cause a fire. The letters will be sent out on July 30 and dealers are getting notified shortly. My vehicle has only 4600 miles on it, hasn’t even had its first oil change, and so many problems have already come up. I’d be careful before making a purchase. I understand some people haven’t had issues at all, and maybe I’m just unlucky or my car is just one of the bad ones, but I’ve honestly never had this many problems with a new vehicle.
Many cars have recalls. The last time someone shared something similar, one comment had a list of recalls for other brands, but I’m too lazy to do that right now. Just saying, it’s not just Tellurides.
@Brenner
It’s not just Tellurides, but I gotta say, the Telluride has had the most recalls of the cars I’ve owned and I’ve only had it for 3 months. Still, I really like it.
On the other hand, I got my 2024 Telluride in April and have had absolutely no issues with it. Just had my first oil change and they took care of the seat recall while I was there. No big deal.
It seems like you just got unlucky with the A-pillar and the trim issues. I had one trim piece come off and it took a week for parts to arrive and about 30 minutes to put it back on. Recalls are common, especially for newer models. I would wait and see. This forum often shares positive experiences, but you seem to have had bad luck.
After 12 years of leasing Lexus, I got my 2024 Telluride in November. I had issues with the GPS, and after many service trips, they finally agreed the entire info unit needed replacing. Then I had the engine recall; it took months to get the new engine in (finally last week), but I refused to give them my car until the new parts arrived.
Now there’s another recall for the power seat.
That all said, the car is a pleasure to drive! It has every option and tech feature you could want. Lexus is way behind on tech but has better service and reliability.
Also, I just got a Kia EV6 last month for in-town driving and installed a charger in my garage. I LOVE it!
The Telluride is our travel ride (and also rolls the friends and family around). It’s super comfy!
I wouldn’t buy another. I own a 2024 SX Prestige X-Line and I’m really frustrated with it. The AWD coupler makes a boom sound in the back when I turn left from a stop. I have taken it to the dealer twice, but they say they can’t replicate the noise even though it’s very noticeable. The first time they claimed one shock was faulty and replaced it. A shock fails on a 2024 model? Seriously? Now the ride is rough and bumpy. Is there a fix? Is there something I can adjust in the cluster? I really don’t know. With all the oil changes, diagnostic visits, recalls, and shock installation, I’ve wasted a lot of time at the dealer without a car. I’m very disappointed with Kia. I used to support the brand and loved my Optima, but now I don’t think they have good quality control anymore. For the price I paid, I could have bought other brands that are much more reliable and better quality. I’m really not happy. I’d recommend staying away from Kia.
Help. One car. Chain reaction accident! My Telluride has been waiting 2 months for parts. Airbag? No visible damage to the vehicle. Airbags are out and I need to restart the car. No rental car from insurance or Kia. We’re a one-car family, and my baby’s sick with pneumonia. $800 a month is unpaid for the rental. Please help.
You have what’s called a lemon. Look into your state’s lemon laws and how they apply to your purchase or lease, along with your time limits. You might want to get legal advice about your options for getting a replacement vehicle or at least a fair value for the one you have. Yes, it can take a while, but you could end up with a better vehicle in the end, no matter which brand or model. This happened to us with a Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk. After 24 months of legal work with our lawyers and Jeep/Chrysler, we received an equivalent new model and turned in the old one. The newer model had no issues for us. This experience was in California. Remember, laws are different in every state.
Option B: Keep it and let it build character. We have a 2022 KIA EXP Nightfall that we custom ordered from the factory and we’ve had only a couple of recalls related to the tow hitch, parking sensor, and the power seat motor, but other than that, it runs great.