Brake complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
I bought my car in April, it is now July. My SUV has been in the shop twice for engine failures. My car will die while I'm driving, and will not restart. The check engine light, oil light and battery light come on. The brake locks up and I am unable to restart until after anywhere from 5-20 minutes. It has happened a total of 7 times, the first time being one week after purchase. I have been trapped in moving traffic unable to move, trapped and stop lights that turn green and stop signs. I have 5 kids who have been stuck in the car with me when this has happened. There are always people driving behind me honking, cussing and yelling because the car has died and they are unable to mov also. The auto stop has been replaced by a local Kia dealership and it continues to happen.
Upon Acceleration there was a screeching noise every time. Yesterday the car would not speed up and Rpms were so high. Engine began over heating and got a message to park car and leave running, car started smoking and almost got hit trying to pull out because the car wouldn't speed up with the pedal to the floor. Also Brakes grind hard stopping and make a cracking noise. Barely could make it to the dealership. They told me there was 27 new kia's in for the same problem yet no one recalled cars or warned people.
While driving about 35 MPH, the vehicle began to alarm and stated "the engine is off; pull over, put in park or neutral, and restart the car". I pulled over and found that the engine had indeed turned itself off in the middle of driving. When the engine turns off, both the braking vacuum system and the power steering go off, making it harder to brake and steer to safety. If I were going highway speeds, this would be a serious safety situation. I don't know exactly what caused the engine shut off, but it seems like a malfunction of the auto stop/start feature, which I had switched off during the incident (so the car should never turn off). The Kia website gives instructions on what to do in this situation [redacted] ), which would imply it is a known issue. There are forums of people reporting the same issue with 2025 Tellurides. …
While braking in slow traffic at about 11-15 mph, the vehicle hit a pothole/road irregularity and the ABS appeared to activate. The brake pedal vibrated, but the steering wheel also began shaking rapidly left and right. Braking effectiveness was greatly reduced. Even with firm brake pressure, the vehicle did not slow as expected and continued toward stopped traffic ahead. The brake pedal pushed back against my foot. I tried to steer around the vehicle in front of me, but the steering wheel vibration interfered with my steering input and made the vehicle difficult to control. A rear-end collision was avoided only after I shifted the transmission into Park, which brought the vehicle to a stop. All driver assistance systems were off, including adaptive cruise, lane keeping, highway driving assist, and steering assist. …
The contact owns a 2024 Kia Telluride. The contact stated that while driving at 5 MPH, the contact enabled the snow traction feature. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal and the vehicle lost motive power. The contact stated that the failure had occurred twice. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 4,201.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? I put the car in park, then turned off the vehicle, and removed my seatbelt. The car then began rolling back on its own. When I hit the break, it did not work to stop or slow the vehicle. Instead, the break hit the floor, and was "floppy". The car then crashed. The vehicle appears to have experienced a "roll-away event" despite being in Park and off. (a term I learned from the prior 2024 Telluride recall, my VIN was not included). The brake pedal went to the floor and did not stop or slow the vehicle as expected, and felt "floppy" with no normal resistance. The electronic parking brake / brake actuator did not appear to engage (no sound, no holding force). How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? …
The contact owns a 2023 Kia Telluride. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the brake light illuminated and was flashing. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer for a repair on the wheel speed sensor and parking brakes. After retrieving the vehicle, the EPB warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the local dealer, but the dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer on eight occasions for the parking switch, a software reset, and other unknown repairs. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure persisted, and the vehicle became inoperable. The contact stated that the brakes had seized. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, who was covering the cost of the repairs. The dealer informed the contact about signing a waiver. The vehicle was not repaired. …
I was driving on the service road of the freeway, driving approximately 40 mph when my main screen started flashing warnings. I was only able to catch 2 before the screen shut off. One was saying front collision sensors not working and the other said side sensors not working then the screen where the radio was went black. Then my brake pedal locked up, the car lost all power steering. The car started to just roll and I was able to pull into a side parking lot and the car died. I was not able to start the vehicle and called roadside assistance and had my vehicle towed to the car dealership. This was during rush hour traffic with multiple vehicles in the road. I was terrified as my vehicle was slowly starting to stop moving and there were multiple cars surrounding me while I lost all brake function and power steering. …
Frequently asked questions
Which Kia Telluride years have brake problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2020 (16), 2022 (16), 2021 (14), 2024 (12) and 2023 (7) model years. Brake complaints make up 2% of all complaints for the 2020.
Is there a recall for Kia Telluride brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for any Kia Telluride model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Kia Telluride brake problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 35,000 miles; 63% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the electrical (2 mentions), followed by the antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip › wheel speed sensor/tone ring (1).
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.