VehicleVerdict

2021 Kia Telluride transmission problems

The 2021 Kia Telluride has 25 transmission complaints filed with NHTSA — 6% of the year's total, and down from the prior model year.

25

Transmission complaints

6%

Share of year

0

Crash-involved

1

Related recalls

Transmission complaints by year

Telluride transmission complaints by model year69 complaints2020: 69 complaints2021: 25 complaints2022: 23 complaints2023: 21 complaints2024: 12 complaints2025: 7 complaints2027: 1 complaints
Telluride transmission complaints by model year. Red bars are years to avoid.

Related recalls

24V214000TransmissionMarch 20, 2024 · 427,407 units

Defect

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.

Consequence

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.

Common questions

How many transmission complaints does the 2021 Kia Telluride have?

NHTSA has 25 complaints about the 2021 Kia Telluride transmission — 6% of all complaints filed for that model year.

Are there recalls for the 2021 Kia Telluride transmission?

Yes — 1 NHTSA recall campaign for this model year is tied to the transmission: 24V214000.

Related

Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.

Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.