Kia bulletin TSB_CHA129
Kia filed this with NHTSA as a service bulletin dated May 23, 2026, about the power train. It names 6 model years (2020–2025). 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: AWD COUPLER NOISE/VIBRATION LOGIC IMPROVEMENT - This bulletin provides information to upgrade the 4-Wheel Drive ‘4WD’ system software on some 2020-2025MY Telluride (ON) vehicles produced from January 08, 2019 through December 17, 2025. The affected vehicles may exhibit a noise and/or a vibration, shudder, jerking, binding, or chattering sensation while turning at low speeds (10MPH – 15MPH). This concern may be caused by decreased oil friction within AWD coupling due to continuous vehicle operation in harsh conditions (high/low ambient temperatures, extended duration / distance driving).
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id |
|---|---|---|---|
| TSB_CHA129 | Service bulletin | May 23, 2026 | 11032906 |
The summary is NHTSA’s abstract of the document, as filed under 49 CFR 579.5; the full text comes from the manufacturer or a dealer. 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. Quote it 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 TSB_CHA129 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 TSB_CHA129 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 TSB_CHA129 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 6 model years: 2025 Kia Telluride, 2024 Kia Telluride, 2023 Kia Telluride, 2022 Kia Telluride, 2021 Kia Telluride, 2020 Kia Telluride. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.