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Many customers view mid-size household SUVs as dependable automobiles for prolonged intervals of time. They do not merely present fulfilling rides and enticing styling, as patrons usually anticipate their automobiles to have the ability to endure years of each day commutes, prolonged street journeys, and varied seasonal modifications with out creating long run stress associated to proudly owning the car. As extra excessive mileage items attain their closing levels of use, many homeowners are actually questioning if the reliability of some of these automobiles proceed to carry true over time. That is very true for Kia extra particularly.
That is the priority I got here throughout in an in depth submit within the “KIA Telluride Complaints Group” on Fb from Brad Mac at present, whose expertise together with his spouse’s 2020 Kia Telluride highlights how shortly confidence in a car can erode as soon as reliability questions start stacking up.
Brad wrote, “Properly, I am new to the group however I feel I discovered the appropriate group. My spouse has a 2020 Kia Telluride at 112k miles and it is the most important POS I’ve ever seen as a car. Scrolling by way of among the posts on right here, it seems to be like now we have the identical points. I seen the three.8L engine consumes oil prefer it’s nothing. Each 5k miles, I ended up placing in a thicker viscosity oil additive to cut back the oil consumption.
Simply after I thought I solved the difficulty, I began noticing oil stains within the driveway after a large chilly entrance got here by way of the place my spouse’s SUV is. Properly, after I regarded beneath the hood, I noticed a variety of oil residue coming from the oil filter housing. Doing the analysis, Kia, of their infinite knowledge, determined to make the half out of plastic which may fail over time on account of altering climate situations. How silly have they got to be to make a part out of plastic?
Anyhow, I ordered a metallic one and I’m praying it will repair it. I am so uninterested in this car, and I want we may commerce it in however she’s upside-down mortgage clever on it and I completely refuse to get into one other Kia. In worry of this factor not lasting one other 30-50k, I ended up beginning a month-to-month subscription from CarShield as an prolonged guarantee on the powertrain and transmission, so it does not turn into one huge paperweight. I’ve began telling family and friends to remain distant from Kia. They could look good, however they’re nothing however hassle.”
When Oil Consumption and Materials Decisions Collide Over Time
The first motive for Brad’s concern about his Telluride is the mixture of two elements which are usually interdependent: oil use by the engine and part put on. Along with common oil use as an engine ages, Brad believes that his Telluride’s 3.8-liter V6 tends to eat extra oil than most individuals would anticipate for an proprietor to have to observe. Nevertheless, what’s much more regarding is that the extreme oil consumption had masked one other problem, which was not obvious till the car was uncovered to chilly temperatures.
When an engine is uncovered to chilly climate, seals might contract and plastic elements may be burdened. The extreme oil residue that Brad discovered across the oil filter housing was indicative of a extra major problem. Due to the plastic part, the housing might warp or crack because of the stresses of excessive temperature biking and fluctuating temperatures over time.
Many house owners discover one of these discovery notably disturbing for a number of causes. First, it is not introduced as a singular catastrophic occasion. Second, the car experiences a sequence of seemingly minor issues that frequently erode belief. Brad selected to put in a metallic oil filter housing as a proactive measure to switch the unique plastic unit. That is reflective of an rising variety of homeowners who consider that they should “out-engineer” their car as a way to set up a way of safety concerning potential reliability considerations.
A Sample That Some Homeowners Say Goes Past One Automobile
Past the bodily or mechanical features, Brad’s story demonstrates how reliability issues can shortly flip into monetary ones. As a result of Brad is “the other way up” on his automobile mortgage, he has fewer choices now that he misplaced belief within the reliability of his car. It was this strain from being unsure about the way forward for the automobile that prompted Brad to purchase prolonged warranties on the engine and transmission as a lot for defense as for peace of thoughts. It is a defensive transfer many homeowners make once they really feel the long-term outlook of their car has develop into unsure. Tales like this aren’t remoted both. Now we have seen related considerations floor from different Telluride homeowners coping with severe engine-related issues, particularly when repeated failures depart homeowners pissed off with how producers reply as soon as the guarantee clock begins ticking.
Brad’s expertise additionally feeds right into a broader dialog about whether or not early Telluride fashions are extra vulnerable to long-term points than initially believed. Whereas many homeowners report optimistic experiences, others describe a sample of repeated failures that stretch past regular put on and tear, together with reviews of safety-related incidents tied to mechanical issues homeowners say they weren’t beforehand warned about, resembling a Telluride that fully burned to the bottom after a recall problem went unnoticed.
What stands out in these accounts is not only the severity of the problems, however how unprepared homeowners usually really feel once they come up. Automobiles which are marketed as dependable household haulers carry a better expectation of transparency, particularly when identified drawback areas emerge over time.
What Different Homeowners Are Saying
Brad’s submit shortly drew responses from different Telluride homeowners, a lot of whom shared experiences that strengthened his considerations, although from barely completely different angles.
David Fateman supplied a cautionary word based mostly on his personal possession expertise, saying, “Our 2020 Telluride was superior after Kia lastly changed the engine. Steer clear of the early Tellurides.”
His remark displays a typical theme amongst homeowners who say the car carried out effectively solely after main elements had been changed, elevating questions on how a lot disruption homeowners ought to fairly anticipate in the course of the lifespan of a car.
Misty Chybrzynski Woody shared a much more intensive checklist of points, writing, “I’m on my third oil housing unit, second engine, third alternator, second starter, and second headlight meeting unit. Identical factor with the upside-down mortgage. These individuals actually are like ‘are available, we’ll get you in a brand new automobile and mix the loans.’ I’d by no means ever purchase one other automobile from them! The dangerous half is customer support and accountability! I needed to almost combat everybody to get the stuff mounted!”
Her expertise highlights how repeated repairs can erode belief not simply within the car, however within the help, construction meant to resolve these issues.
William Farr targeted on one other recurring frustration, saying, “The worst factor about it’s the dealership mechanics say there’s nothing fallacious with it or it is your fault. I obtained so fed up I’ve misplaced about $18,000.”
That sense of dismissal may be as damaging because the mechanical points themselves, particularly when homeowners really feel their considerations are being minimized slightly than investigated.
Taken collectively, these feedback paint an image of possession experiences that fluctuate broadly however share a typical thread of homeowners feeling trapped between ongoing issues and restricted choices for decision. Even seemingly minor points can develop into tipping factors when confidence is already shaken, as seen in different Telluride-related complaints involving unresolved passenger seat failures that homeowners say sellers dismissed as regular.
My Ideas on This Case
I consider what’s most compelling about Brad’s expertise is not only the plastic oil filter housing, nor his car’s extreme oil consumption, however the speedy shift from routine upkeep to steady watchfulness. In the present day’s automobiles are extra sophisticated than these of previous many years and, though financial savings by way of cheaper supplies and design effectivity could also be quantifiable, they’ll create an unappealing notion once they fail sooner or later years after buy.
On a bigger scale, tales resembling this emphasize that longevity and reliability are in the end extra essential than an preliminary impression. Whereas many had been praising Hyundai/Kia for the Telluride’s look, function content material, and worth, true possession relies upon chilly morning begins, miles pushed, and the way producers reply to points as they develop. If homeowners have to proactively change components and/or buy prolonged warranties to supply themselves with some measure of safety, it is one thing that producers ought to take critically, no matter who the automobile maker is likely to be.
Key Takeaways
- Monitor oil ranges persistently, particularly on higher-mileage automobiles the place consumption might improve progressively.
- Take note of materials decisions in vital engine elements if failures are reported frequent. Plastic components could also be extra prone to long-term put on and temperature modifications.
- Issue long-term possession prices into buy selections, not simply preliminary worth or guarantee protection.
- Doc all points early and completely, as patterns matter when searching for help or escalation.
Inform Us Your Story
Have you ever skilled oil consumption or surprising part failures along with your car because it aged?
And in case you personal or beforehand owned a Kia Telluride, did your long-term expertise stay as much as what you anticipated whenever you first purchased it?
Do not hesitate to share your ideas in our feedback under.
Aram Krajekian is a younger automotive journalist bringing a recent perspective to his protection of the evolving automotive panorama. Comply with Aram on X and LinkedIn for each day information protection about automobiles.
Picture sources: Kia’s gallery and the “KIA Telluride Complaints Group” Fb group.
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