Kia Telluride Recall Issued for Nearly Half a Million Vehicles That May Roll Away While in Park

Recall comes after numerous reports by owners of the Kia Tellurides rolling away due to a defect, which may cause severe injuries for vehicle occupants or bystanders

Federal highway safety officials have announced a Kia Telluride recall impacting than more than 427,000 SUVs, due to a defect that may allow the vehicles to roll away while the shifter is in the Park position.

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced the Kia Telluride recall on March 27, warning owners that the intermediate shaft and right front driveshaft may not be fully engaged when the vehicle is parked, which can increase the risk of a roll away incident.

If a parked Kia Telluride begins to rollaway, it can pose significant danger to both occupants and those nearby, potentially resulting in serious and life-threatening injuries, especially if the vehicle gains momentum or enters busy traffic areas without a driver to control it.

The recall announcement warns that the intermediate shaft and right front driveshaft may not be fully engaged due to suspected improper assembly by the supplier. Over time, partial engagement can cause damage to the intermediate shaft splines. Damaged shaft splines may result in unintended vehicle movement while in Park if the parking brake is not engaged.

Kia first became aware of this issue April 12, 2022, when their safety office discovered numerous customer complaints of the vehicle not holding while in park. The investigation revealed an issue with the intermediate shaft and right front driveshaft, which required a safety recall to be issued. At the time of the recall announcement, no injuries or crashes have been reported in relation to the recall.

The recall includes approximately 427,407 model year 2020 through 2023 and certain 2024 model year Telluride vehicles manufactured from January 9, 2019, through October 19, 2023.

Until a recall remedy is performed, Kia is advising all owners to manually engage the parking brake before exiting the vehicle. Dealers will update the electronic parking brake software and replace any damaged intermediate shafts as necessary, free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed May 15, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia’s number for this recall is SC303. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.