Kia bulletin SA648
Kia filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated Jun 26, 2026, received Jun 18, 2026, about the power train — 2 documents under this number: TSB_TRA116_R1, TSB_TRA116. It names 1 model year (2027). A service bulletin is not a safety recall: it is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a condition, and whether the work is paid for depends on the warranty in force. Quoting the number at a service desk can save a diagnosis.
What the bulletin says
Source: NHTSA's summary of the manufacturer's communicationTECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SERVICE ACTION: TRANSAXLE ASSEMBLY REPLACEMENT (SA648) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information to replace the transaxle assembly on certain 2027MY Telluride Hybrid (LQ2 HEV) vehicles produced from February 02, 2026, through March 20, 2026. The affected vehicles may exhibit a rough 3rd → 4th gear upshift and/or 5th → 4th gear downshift accompanied by an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp with DTC P073500 stored.
Documents filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id | At NHTSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TSB_TRA116_R1 | Service bulletin | Jun 26, 2026 | 11034231 | not yet checked |
| TSB_TRA116 | Service bulletin | Jun 3, 2026 | 11033995 | not yet checked |
The summary is NHTSA’s abstract of the document, as filed under 49 CFR 579.5. One communication is usually filed as several documents — the bulletin, a dealer notice, an owner letter — and the number on any of them finds this page. A PDF link is shown only once NHTSA’s own server has been seen to serve that document; the rest are checked over the following nights. Quote the number at a service desk; it is what the dealer’s system is keyed on.
Model years it names
Source: as the manufacturer filed themA vehicle page’s bulletin list shows the newest few communications filed against that model year; the count there is every one.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR 579.5Is Kia SA648 a recall?
No. A service bulletin is a manufacturer communication filed with NHTSA under 49 CFR 579.5; a safety recall carries an NHTSA campaign number (two digits, a letter, six digits) and a federal duty to repair for free. Check the vehicle’s recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or on its page here.
Is the SA648 repair free?
Not automatically. A service bulletin describes how to diagnose or repair a condition; who pays depends on the warranty in force, any extension, and the dealer. Quoting the number can save a diagnosis either way.
Which vehicles does SA648 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 1 model year: 2027 Kia Telluride. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.