YearToAvoid

2023 Kia Telluride Electrical System Problems

NHTSA lists 50 electrical system complaints for the 2023 Kia Telluride, 24% of all 207 complaints filed for the year. The most common failure is the digital instrument cluster going blank, and Kia issued recall 23V298000 covering the electrical system.

Electrical System complaints
50
24% of 207
Crashes reported
3
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
19,500 mi
Related recalls
1

Typical electrical symptoms owners report

  • Instrument cluster display goes completely black or blank, sometimes repeatedly within days or weeks of each other.
  • Loss of gauge display coincides with other systems shutting off, including turn signal audio, forward collision avoidance, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, and blind spot warning.
  • Warning chimes and safety-system alerts (forward safety, rear cross traffic, blind spot, AWD) appear and disappear after restarting the vehicle.
  • Factory-installed trailer hitch lacks a working electrical connection, so trailer lights and brakes do not function.
  • A tow hitch harness module was linked to a fire risk from humidity and dirt intrusion.
  • Fuel gauge readings drop to zero unexpectedly and take several days to self-correct.

When 2023 Kia Telluride electrical complaints were filed

First complaint Dec 16, 2022, latest Aug 10, 2026.

2023 Kia Telluride electrical system complaints: complaints filed per month4Dec 2022May 2023Sep 2023Apr 2024Mar 2025Nov 2025Mar 2026Aug 2026
50 complaints filed with NHTSA from Dec 2022 to Aug 2026; peak Dec 2025 (4).

Electrical System recalls for the 2023 Kia Telluride

  1. NHTSA 23V298000Apr 26, 2023Electrical System108,936 vehicles

    Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel

    Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage Plug-in Hybrid, Niro Hybrid, Niro Plug-in Hybrid, Soul, and Telluride vehicles equipped with a digital instrument cluster containing a 4.2" LCD screen.  The instrument cluster may fail to display any information when the vehicle is started.  As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 101, "Control and Displays," and 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."

    Risk: A blank instrument cluster display will not show critical information, such as tire pressure, warning messages, and warning lights, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will update the instrument cluster software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 26, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC270.

Electrical System complaints by Telluride model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 2020233 (31%)
  2. 202149 (13%)
  3. 202275 (23%)
  4. 202350 (24%)
  5. 202447 (22%)
  6. 202523 (20%)

Frequently asked questions

How many electrical system complaints does the 2023 Kia Telluride have?
NHTSA lists 50 electrical system complaints for the 2023 Telluride, which is 24% of the 207 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2023 Kia Telluride's electrical system?
Yes. Recall 23V298000, reported April 26, 2023, covers a digital instrument cluster issue and applies to the 2023 Telluride along with several other Kia models; the remedy is a free software update.
At what mileage do electrical problems typically show up on the 2023 Telluride?
The median mileage at failure for electrical system complaints is 19,500 miles.
Have the electrical problems caused crashes or fires?
NHTSA data shows 3 crashes and 1 fire associated with electrical system complaints on the 2023 Telluride, with no reported injuries.
Is the electrical system worse on the 2023 Telluride than other model years?
The 2023 Telluride's electrical complaints make up 24% of its total complaints, close to 2022's 23% and 2024's 22%, but lower than 2020's 31% share.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.