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Your vehicleHome›Kia›Telluride› 2021
Active NHTSA advisory: park outside and away from structures until repaired. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and see the recall details below.
Kia · Large SUV

2021 Kia Telluride

Gas
Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD
2 EPA-rated configurations
Data refreshed 2026-10-26
F
Safety Signal
52 / 100 from the NHTSA recall record
Counts recalls, not crash safety — this vehicle earned 5 of 5 stars from NHTSA. A much-recalled best-seller scores low here; see the methodology.
Recalls3 critical 5
Complaints7 crash · 4 fire · 9 injured reported 373
Crash ratingNHTSA overall 5★
Fuel economybest combined, EPA 23 mpg
2027202520242023202220212020

The 2021 Kia Telluride is sold in the U.S. as a gas large SUV with 2 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Telluride FWD, is EPA-rated at 23 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for this model year, 3 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of F. Owners have filed 373 complaints, most often about the visibility/wiper. NHTSA crash-tested it at 5 stars overall.

Kia Telluride — photograph via Wikimedia Commons
Kia Telluride (2019 generation) · Photo: MercurySable99 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Specs & fuel economy

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov
ConfigurationPowertrainDriveEngine / motorCityHwyCombAnnual fuel*
Telluride FWDGasFWD3.8L 6-cyl202623$2,900
Telluride AWDGasAWD3.8L 6-cyl192421$3,200

*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year at EPA reference fuel and electricity prices. fueleconomy.gov record ids: 42664, 42668.

Emissions & certification

Source: EPA emission certificates
ConfigurationSmog ratingEmission standardWhere it can be sold newSmartWay
Telluride AWD, Telluride FWD5 / 10California LEV-III ULEV70 / Federal Tier 3 Bin 70All 50 states (federal, all altitudes); California and states following California standards—

Certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S.

The smog rating scores tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and is comparable only within a model year. The standard is the federal bin or California tier the configuration was certified to. Both come from the EPA certificate behind the window sticker.

Specifications filed with NHTSA

Source: NHTSA vPIC

Dimensions Exterior

Body styleSport Utility Vehicle [SUV]/Multipurpose Vehicle [MPV]
GVWR classClass 1D: 5,001 - 6,000 lb (2,268 - 2,722 kg)

Engine Basics

Cylinders6
Displacement3.8 L

Engine Output

Horsepower291 hp

Fuel Economy

FuelGasoline

Seating

Seat rows3
Seating capacity8 seats

Transmission

Drivetrain4x2
TransmissionAutomatic
Transmission speeds8

Driver assistance

Standard: Adaptive cruise control, Anti-lock brakes, Backup camera, Blind-spot monitoring, Electronic stability control, Forward collision warning, Lane departure warning, Lane keeping assist, Parking assist, Pedestrian automatic emergency braking

Filed by the manufacturer with NHTSA under the federal vehicle-identification rule and decoded from the VIN pattern — not a manufacturer press kit, so it describes the configurations we could identify rather than every trim (seen: EX, LX, S, SX). Figures for the trim you are looking at may differ.

Dimensions & weight

Source: Transport Canada
Length196.9 in
Width (body, without mirrors)78.3 in
Height69.3 in
Wheelbase114.2 in
Track, front66.9 in
Track, rear66.9 in
Curb weight4,343 lb
Weight distribution, front/rear57/43

Measured by Transport Canada for its Canadian Vehicle Specifications database, which covers the North American versions of each model — here one configuration: 4-door SUV. Where a range is shown, those versions differ. Width is the body without mirrors, which is why it can read narrower than a brochure figure. Before we used it we checked it against the US manufacturer press kits we hold (27 Sep 2026): wheelbase agreed within 1% on every vehicle we could compare, length on 98%, and the curb weight fell inside the manufacturer's range on 96%. Source dataset. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Licence.

Also on file Beside the 2021 Telluride
Other years The 2027 Telluride Recalls Kia recalls
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Factory warranty running out?

The 2021 Kia Telluride is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. What an extended plan does and does not cover is worth reading before a dealer quotes you one.

What to check before you buy →

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

Recalls (5)

Source: NHTSA recall database
!critical

Seats

SC374
Park outside 462,869 vehicles 20% reported repaired
Problem Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2024 Telluride vehicles. The front power seat motor may overheat due to a stuck power seat slide knob or an improper recall 24V407 repair, which can result in a fire while parked or driving. Risk A fire increases the risk of injury. Fix Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will install an electronic fuse assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 13, 2026. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC374. This recall replaces NHTSA recall number 24V407. Vehicles already repaired under the previous recall will need to have the new remedy completed. Vehicle Identification
Filed with NHTSADefect report PDFOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDFChronology PDFDealer notice PDF
NHTSA campaign 26V430000 reported Jul 2, 2026 Kia America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
!critical

Seats

SC316
Park outside 462,869 vehicles 85% reported repaired built Jan 9, 2019 – May 29, 2024
Problem Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2024 Telluride vehicles. The front power seat motor may overheat due to a stuck power seat slide knob, which can result in a fire while parked or driving. Risk A fire increases the risk of injury. Fix Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will install a bracket for the power seat switch back covers and replace the seat slide knobs, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 30, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC316.
Filed with NHTSADefect report PDFOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 24V407000 reported Jun 5, 2024 Kia America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Power Train

SC303
427,407 vehicles 86% reported repaired
Problem 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. Risk A vehicle roll away increases the risk of a crash or injury. Fix 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.
Filed with NHTSAOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 24V214000 reported Mar 20, 2024 Kia America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
!critical

Trailer Hitches

SC247
Park outside 36,417 vehicles 82% reported repaired
Problem Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Telluride vehicles potentially equipped with a Genuine Kia 4-pin tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Kia dealership. Debris and moisture accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire. Risk A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury. Fix Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will install a new fuse and a wiring harness extension. Dealers will also inspect and replace the tow hitch harness assembly, as necessary. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 12, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC247.
Filed with NHTSADefect report PDFOwner letter PDFRemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 22V626000 reported Aug 15, 2022 Kia America, Inc. the full filing, and every vehicle covered →
▲high

Air Bags

SC207
142 vehicles 97% reported repaired
Problem Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021 Telluride, K5, and Forte vehicles. The Occupant Classification and Detection System (OCS/ODS) unit may not detect the presence of a child restraint system in the front passenger seat. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection." Risk In the event of a crash, deployment of the front passenger air bag, with a child in that seat, can increase the risk of injury to the child. Fix Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the OCS/ODS unit, free of charge. The recall began March 18, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC207.
Filed with NHTSARemedy instructions PDF
NHTSA campaign 21V164000 reported Mar 11, 2021 Kia Motors America the full filing, and every vehicle covered →

These are vehicle campaigns — the ones the automaker filed against this model. NHTSA also records equipment recalls, filed by a parts maker against a component (a tyre, a child seat, an aftermarket part), and those are not listed here or counted above. nhtsa.gov/recalls shows both for a VIN.

Whether any of this applies to one specific Telluride

A campaign covers a build range, not a model year, so two identical-looking cars from 2021 can differ. Both of these check a VIN against the manufacturer’s own list, free, in about ten seconds. Kia publishes its own lookup because federal rule 49 CFR 573.15 requires it to, and to keep it current to within seven days.

NHTSA VIN check →Kia’s own VIN lookup →

Hear about a recall before the letter does

The manufacturer’s letter is the last step of a recall: it has up to 60 days after filing to mail owners, at the address on the registration. We email you the day NHTSA posts a recall on the 2021 Kia Telluride, with what to do next. Nothing else, ever — no newsletter, no marketing, one-click unsubscribe in every message.

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Parts & accessories for the 2021 Kia Telluride

Search by fitment on eBay Motors — OEM take-offs, aftermarket, and the trim pieces dealers no longer stock. The listing and the price are the seller's.

Find parts for this Telluride →

Owner complaints

Source: NHTSA complaint database
373complaints filed

7 involved a crash · 4 a fire · 9 injuries · 0 deaths reported

41 per 10,000 built · Kia reported 91,953 Telluride built (its Early Warning production report to NHTSA)

Filed per year: 2020: 17 · 2021: 52 · 2022: 35 · 2023: 36 · 2024: 72 · 2025: 61 · 2026: 100

Most-cited components

Unspecified 105
Visibility/Wiper 87
Engine → 70
Electrical System 42
Structure 33
Power Train 28

In depth: engine problems →

In owners' own words

Filed with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, one per problem area. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed.

Bought Kia Telluride 2021 in dec 2020, its windshield broke it self which appears to be frame stress related issue, dealership engineers came to the same conclusion. I researched more and found the same reported issues on year 2019 and 2020 Telluride.
Visibility/Wiper at 1,850 miles Apr 2, 2021 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11406093
While driving this vehicle at 65-70mph a high-speed low-tone oscillating vibration can be heard and felt and continues through 75mph
Power Train Mar 2, 2021 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11398728
021 Kia Telluride, february 13, 2021. Temperatures are single digits or below and got worse as the week went on. Started the engine and a loud squeal or whistling noise came from the top of the engine. Last about 30 seconds then slowly stops. Engine also starts to sound like it has more power once noise stops.
Engine Feb 15, 2021 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11396323
I recently drove my new 2021 Telluride sx to my cabin in ga. And found a major issue with the headlights while driving through the backwoods. The visibility using the LED headlights and high beams are terrible and pose a danger.
Exterior Lighting at 1,500 miles Nov 19, 2020 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11375446
While driving the vehicle on a rural highway, taking my children to school, I heard a loud pop noise coming from the top of the car. At the time this happened, the vehicle was on a straight section of the highway moving at approximately 55 MPH.
Structure at 2,200 miles Nov 3, 2020 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11372907
Last week the front collision warning and lane departure warning illuminated on the dash and today the windshield has a crack in it, nothing has hit the windshield it was parked in the driveway. 2021 s model 2800 miles on the clock
Electrical System at 2,800 miles Oct 30, 2020 NHTSA owner report · ODI 11372396

Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.

Reported by Kia itself: 11 death-or-injury claims on this model year in its quarterly Early Warning reports to NHTSA (49 CFR 579.21): 12 injured, as claimed, not verified — about 12 per 100,000 built. Every Telluride model year, by year and system → Dated and by system, they are exhibit F of the defect dossier.

When owners reported it

Reported at 4k

miles, typically

Half the 36 owner reports with an odometer reading on file fall between 2,000 and 17,000 miles. That is when problems get reported, which is not the same as when they start — and not a failure rate, because nobody knows how many of these cars never had a problem at all.

under 10k 25
10k–20k 3
20k–30k 1
30k–40k 0
40k–50k 0
50k–60k 0
60k–70k 3
70k–80k 1
80k–90k 1
90k–100k 2
100k–150k 0
150k + 0

Median mileage by component

ComponentReportsMedian milesVs same age
Visibility/Wiper162,8000.19×

Vs same age is this model year’s median for the system divided by the median of every 2021-model-year complaint about the same system, all makes: under 1× means owners of this car reported it at lower mileage. Here, owners reported earlier than same-age vehicles: visibility/wiper (0.19×). Which systems go early across the whole fleet: the component study.

Across 2020–2021 model years the Kia Telluride ranks 9 of 79 nameplates in the odometer-at-first-complaint study: owners reported problems at 0.39× the mileage of vehicles the same age (median 6,398 miles against a fleet 23,512).

Odometer readings as filed by owners with NHTSA. Readings under 100 or over 400,000 miles are dropped as data entry rather than history, and a component needs at least 12 readings before a median is shown for it.

Crash ratings

Source: NHTSA NCAP
ConfigurationOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover risk
SUV AWD★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆14%
SUV FWD★★★★★★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆16%

NHTSA New Car Assessment Program. Standard driver-assist: forward collision warning, lane departure warning, automatic emergency braking.

Service bulletins & campaigns

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications
Extended coverage on file 3 filings by the manufacturer with NHTSA naming this model year

The term and the vehicles it covers are the manufacturer’s, as NHTSA’s summary of each filing states them; a dealer checks one particular car by its VIN. Every Kia warranty extension (28) → · Every warranty extension on file, all makes →

Communicationsfiled with NHTSA 102
Most recentmanufacturer date 2026-09-25
Kindsas classified by NHTSA 72 service bulletins, 18 warranty extensions, 6 emissionss

Most often about: Electrical System, Engine, Forward Collision Avoidance, Power Train, Equipment.

  • TSB_ENG270 Service bulletin
    2026-09-25 · Engine
  • TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: EXCESSIVE ENGINE OIL CONSUMPTION: This bulletin provides information on diagnosing and/or repairing a 2020-2025MY Telluride (ON) vehicle's engine, which may exhibit a symptom of excessive oil consumption. Follow the flowchart on page 2 in this procedure to repair a vehicle exhibiting excessive oil consumption.
  • WTY049_OWNR Warranty extension
    2026-09-25 · Visibility/Wiper
  • WARRANTY EXTENSION CAMPAIGN: OWNER NOTIFICATION (WTY049) - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia is extending the New Vehicle Limited Warranty coverage to owners for specific repairs related to the front sunroof wind deflector on certain 2020-2022 MY Telluride vehicles manufactured from January 9, 2019 through July 27, 2022. For these specific model & model years, Kia will exte
  • TSB_CHA129_R1 Service bulletin
    2026-09-23 · Power Train
  • TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: AWD COUPLER NOISE/VIBRATION LOGIC IMPROVEMENT (Revision 1) - 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 upgrade the 4-Wheel Drive ‘4WD’ system software on some 2020-2025MY Telluride (ON) vehicles produced from January 08, 20
  • WTY045_TSB Warranty extension
    2026-06-04 · Engine
  • TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: WARRANTY EXTENSION CAMPAIGN: OIL FILTER HOUSING GASKET REPLACEMENT (WTY045) - This bulletin provides information regarding the ‘Warranty Extension Program (WTY045)’ for the inspection and, if necessary, replacement of the oil filter housing gasket on certain 2020–2025 MY Telluride (ON) vehicles produced from January 9, 2019, through June 12, 2025. Under this program, th
  • TSB_ELE422 Service bulletin
    2026-05-28 · Electrical System
  • TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM SOFTWARE UPDATE USING UPDATE. KIA. COM - This bulletin provides information and service procedures for updating the infotainment systems on applicable Kia vehicles using the Kia Navigation Updater available at update.kia.com. The software update may improve system performance, enhance existing features, and apply the latest operating software for sup
  • TSB_CHA128_CLSD Service bulletin
    2026-05-23 · Power Train
  • TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: 4WD COUPLING NOISE/VIBRATION LOGIC IMPROVEMENT) - CLOSED & SUPERSEDED BY CHA129 - This bulletin is now closed and superseded by CHA129. This bulletin provides information to upgrade the 4-Wheel Drive ‘4WD’ system software on certain 2020-2022MY Telluride (ON) vehicles produced from January 09, 2019 through September 01, 2022. The affected vehicles may exhibit a noise an
  • TSB_CHA129 Service bulletin
    2026-05-23 · Power Train
  • TECHNICAL 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 sp
  • SC357_OWNR Emissions
    2026-02-21 · Electrical System
  • VOLUNTARY EMISSIONS SERVICE CAMPAIGN: OWNER NOTIFICATION (SC357) - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia is conducting a Voluntary Emissions Service Campaign to improve the emissions software logic in the Electronic Control Module (ECM) for 2020-2025 MY Telluride vehicles to ensure compliance with emissions regulations.

A service bulletin is the manufacturer telling its dealers how to diagnose or repair a known condition. It is not a recall, not a finding that the vehicle is defective, and the work is not automatically free — though a bulletin is often what a dealer works from when you describe a symptom, so quoting the document number can save a diagnosis. The count is every communication filed; the list shows the most recent, one entry per campaign, because a single campaign is usually filed as several documents on the same day. The summaries are NHTSA's; the full documents come from the manufacturer.

Diagnostic trouble codes on file

Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications and complaints

Codes documented against this model year in the federal record. A code appearing here does not mean this vehicle will set it — it means the code is part of this nameplate-year's documented history.

CodeWhat it meansMost often filed underWhere it appears
P000AManufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Engine1 owner report
P0087
P0087 on Kia →		Fuel rail pressure is below what the system commanded.Fuel/Propulsion System · Fuel pump →1 owner report
P0597Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Electrical System · Battery →1 owner report
P0598Manufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Electrical System · Battery →1 owner report
P061BManufacturer-defined — the meaning is set by the automaker, not the standard.Engine1 owner report

Generic codes (the second character is 0 or 2) mean the same thing on every vehicle sold in the United States. Manufacturer-specific codes (1 or 3) mean whatever the automaker assigned, and no honest source can define them for you — which is why the ones here carry the evidence instead of a definition. A code is a link when enough separate federal documents name it across the catalogue to be worth a page of its own; the rest are listed here, where the vehicle is the context that makes them mean something.

Affiliate disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links. If you request a quote or buy through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Nothing on this page changes because of it.

At the New York inspection station

Source: New York State DMV

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2021 Kia Telluride failed the emissions check on 2.3% of first inspections — close to the 1.9% for every 2021 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.4% (every 2021 vehicle: 1.5%).

New York inspections 2.3%

failed emissions

2,779 initial inspections of 2,726 vehicles.

MeasureThe 2021 TellurideEvery 2021 vehicleBehind it
Failed the emissions check2.3%1.9%2,772
Failed the safety inspection1.4%1.5%2,779
Air-bag warning lamp stayed lit0.18%0.19%2,779
Miles driven a year12,67710,343odometer at inspection
Average odometer66,78354,681odometer at inspection

New York’s emissions test on these model years is an on-board diagnostics check: it fails a car whose check-engine light is on or whose self-tests have not finished. First inspections only, so a car that failed and came back is counted once; private and special plates, not taxis, livery or commercial plates. A rate appears only where at least 200 inspections stand behind it. “Every 2021 vehicle” is every 2021 model-year car, SUV and pickup inspected in the same window, all makes. This is the state’s record of test results, not a reliability score by itself. Source: New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, Vehicle Inspections (data.ny.gov, Open NY terms).

Telluride by model year

all years, side by side →
Year Safety Recalls Complaints
2027 C 3 43 35 mpg2025 C 3 122 22 mpg2024 F 5 223 Park outside2023 F 6 209 Park outside2022 F 7 327 Park outside2021 this page F 5 373 Park outside2020 F 7 776 Park outside

Common questions about the 2021 Telluride

Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kits

Does the 2021 Kia Telluride have any recalls?

NHTSA has posted 5 recall campaigns for the 2021 Kia Telluride, 3 of them rated critical. The most serious on file is 26V430000, covering Seats. There is an active park outside advisory — act on it before driving. Check your own VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a recall applies to specific build ranges, not every car.

How safe is the 2021 Kia Telluride?

NHTSA gave the 2021 Kia Telluride 5 stars overall in its New Car Assessment Program tests — 4-star frontal crash, 5-star side crash, 4-star rollover. WhichTrim also grades it F (52/100) on its recall record, which is a different question from crash protection.

What is the fuel economy of the 2021 Kia Telluride?

Across the 2 EPA-rated configurations of the 2021 Kia Telluride, the best EPA combined figure is 23 mpg. Figures are the EPA's own, per configuration, and every one is listed above.

What are the dimensions of the 2021 Kia Telluride?

Transport Canada measured it at 196.9 in long, 78.3 in wide (body, without mirrors), 69.3 in tall, on a 114.2 in wheelbase. Curb weight: 4,343 lb. Those are its measurements of the North American versions; every figure is in the table above.

What do owners complain about on the 2021 Kia Telluride?

Owners have filed 373 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Kia Telluride, most often about unspecified, visibility/wiper, engine. Of those, 7 involved a crash, 4 a fire, 9 reported injuries. Complaints are unverified owner reports, so treat the pattern as a signal and the individual report as an anecdote.

How clean is the 2021 Kia Telluride?

The EPA smog rating for the 2021 Kia Telluride is 5 out of 10. That score covers tailpipe pollutants other than greenhouse gases, and it only compares vehicles within the same model year. It is certified for all fifty states, so it can be registered new anywhere in the U.S. Its configurations were certified to different standards — California LEV-III ULEV70, Federal Tier 3 Bin 70 — which the table above lists per configuration.

Are there service bulletins for the 2021 Kia Telluride?

The manufacturer has filed 102 service bulletins and related communications with NHTSA for the 2021 Kia Telluride, most often covering electrical system, engine, forward collision avoidance. The most recent is dated 2026-09-25. A bulletin is not a recall: it is the repair procedure a manufacturer sends its dealers for a condition it knows about, and the work is not automatically paid for. It is still worth knowing — if the symptom matches, quoting the bulletin number at the service desk can save a diagnosis. The document numbers and summaries are listed above.

How does the 2021 Kia Telluride do at state inspection?

In New York’s inspection lanes over the 12 months to Oct 10, 2026, the 2021 Kia Telluride failed the emissions check on 2.3% of first inspections — close to the 1.9% for every 2021 model-year vehicle inspected; and the safety inspection on 1.4% (every 2021 vehicle: 1.5%). The figures are New York State DMV’s own inspection records, first inspections only, and the table above sets each one against every vehicle of the same model year.

What we hold, and what an empty row means

Paid vehicle-history reports will not tell you the difference between “nothing happened to this car” and “we never received that record” — both of the big two say as much in their own help pages. Most of what is on this page comes from complete federal registers, so we can tell you which is which, row by row.

DataHeldSourceWhat it covers — or what empty means
Fuel economy & configurations2 configurationsEPA certification recordsEvery configuration the EPA certified for sale, with its own test figures.
Emission certificates2 configurationsEPA emission certificatesSmog rating, standard and the sales area that decides where the car can be sold new.
Recalls5NHTSA recall campaignsA complete federal register: every campaign covering this model year, with severity and advisory flags.
Owner complaints373NHTSA complaint databaseAlso complete, but unverified: these are reports owners filed, not findings. Counts scale with how many were sold.
Crash ratings2 testedNHTSA NCAPOnly the configurations NHTSA chose to crash-test, which is never all of them.
Service bulletins102NHTSA manufacturer communicationsEverything the manufacturer told its dealers about a defect or malfunction, short of a recall.
InvestigationsnoneNHTSA Office of Defects InvestigationNo defect investigation has been opened.
Driver-assist crash reportsnoneNHTSA Standing General Order 2021-01No report has been filed. Only entities named in the order report, and only crashes they hear of — so this is also what an unequipped car, or a manufacturer without telematics, looks like.
Specifications filed with NHTSA11 fieldsNHTSA vPIC, decoded from VIN patternsWhat the manufacturer filed under the federal VIN rule — a configuration, not the full trim ladder.
Measured dimensions7 fieldsTransport Canada, Canadian Vehicle SpecificationsLength, width, height, wheelbase, track and curb weight, measured on the North American versions.
Trims, pricing & equipmentnoneManufacturer press kitWe have not transcribed a press kit for this model year yet. This is our gap, not the manufacturer's — the one row here where an empty cell means we are behind.

Rebuilt nightly; this page was generated 2026-10-26. Every figure above is traceable to the source named beside it, and the JSON for this page carries the same values with their identifiers.

Where to go next

pages beside this one
Other years The 2027 Telluride The Telluride model year with the cleanest record on file — grade C, 3 recalls.Recalls Every Kia recall on file All campaigns filed against Kia vehicles, newest first, with the manufacturer's own number.Recall Watch Watch this Telluride by VIN Give it the VIN and you hear the night a campaign is filed — from $29 a month for a lot, free for ten.

Sources & method

Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). The most serious recall counts in full and each further one counts 85% of the one before, because a vehicle sold in millions is recalled more often than a rare one without being more dangerous — and because a flat subtraction bottomed the scale out, scoring a vehicle with 22 recalls within a point of one with six. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Read it as what it counts: recall campaigns on the federal record, weighted by severity. The damping reduces the sales bias by roughly 40% but does not remove it: like our complaint counts, this is not normalized by how many were sold, so a best-seller still scores somewhat worse than an obscure model with the same real risk. NHTSA crash ratings, do-not-drive and park-outside advisories, and the crash, fire, injury and death counts in owner complaints are reported separately on every page and never blended into the letter — a vehicle can hold five stars and a poor letter at once, and where that happens we say so rather than leave you to notice. Because the scale subtracts from a clean sheet, a model year too new to have been recalled, complained about or bulletined scores full marks on an empty record; we label those grades provisional rather than present them as earned.

EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records. Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed nightly.

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