After Two Engine Replacements in One Month, a Kia Telluride Proprietor Says Kia Provided Simply $138 in Compensation, “This Entire Expertise Has Been Very Disturbing,” She Wrote, After Spending Over $222 on Rental Vehicles Whereas Repeated Oil Leaks Went Unfixed

For a lot of consumers, the Kia Telluride has represented one of many strongest values within the three-row SUV market. However for one proprietor, the expertise deteriorated so badly that she in the end offered the car and publicly warned others. Her story is just not a couple of single failure, however a cascade of breakdowns, miscommunication, and what she describes as dismissive therapy from each the dealership and Kia company.

“I offered my Telluride. Good riddance. Good luck to those that have one.

Replace. Right here is the e-mail I despatched to the director.  This was in December.

The final picture is the letter from Kia Buyer Service. Their goodwill ‘provide’.”

The issues started round a routine 75,000-mile service go to in October. The proprietor reported a loud clunking noise coming from the engine, a priority critical sufficient that technicians carried out diagnostic testing the identical day. In accordance with her account, the engine failed that check and required full alternative, a restore estimated to take two weeks or extra. At no level, she says, was there any indication the restore could be accomplished sooner, nor was a loaner car supplied.

Kia Telluride: Stance & Proportions 

• The Telluride’s extensive stance and boxy proportions translate into robust inside area utilization, notably within the second row, whereas making the car really feel substantial on slim streets.
• Suspension tuning favors consolation and stability over sportiness, delivering a composed trip on lengthy freeway drives however noticeable physique roll when pushed by way of corners.
• Inside structure emphasizes clear bodily controls and logical display placement, lowering reliance on contact inputs for frequent driving duties.
• Third-row entry and seating are usable for adults on shorter journeys, although cargo area tightens rapidly when all rows are occupied.

As a result of the dealership acknowledged it didn’t present loaners, the proprietor rented a car out of pocket. Anticipating an extended restore, she pay as you go for 2 weeks of rental time and insurance coverage. Then, unexpectedly, she acquired a voicemail simply days later informing her that the Telluride was already repaired and prepared for pickup. Whereas which may sound like excellent news, it triggered a brand new drawback: the rental settlement was now misaligned, leading to increased every day costs and non-refundable insurance coverage prices that had been not wanted.

The state of affairs worsened within the weeks that adopted. Oil leaks endured, prompting a return go to in late October, throughout which the supplier reportedly changed the oil pan bolt and washer. When the leak continued, the Telluride was introduced again once more in November. This time, the prognosis was a failed freeze plug, and the conclusion was stark: the alternative engine itself was faulty and wanted to get replaced once more.

Including to the frustration, the proprietor famous an inconsistency in how assist was dealt with. Throughout the November engine alternative, she was offered a loaner car. Throughout the October alternative, she was not. For a single dad or mum on a restricted funds, the inconsistency mattered. Transportation was not an inconvenience, she mentioned, however a monetary pressure.

The documentation she later shared paints an in depth image of the ripple results. Rental costs, insurance coverage charges, misplaced time, and repeated service visits accrued, whereas reimbursement expectations had been difficult by conflicting info between the dealership, Kia Buyer Affairs, and third-party insurers. In her correspondence, she emphasised that she had adopted steering as given, solely to be penalized when circumstances modified with out warning.

When Kia America finally responded, the decision was transient and last. The letter acknowledged the inconvenience and supplied $138.61 as a “gesture of goodwill,” contingent upon the proprietor accepting it as full settlement of the declare. The letter additionally pointed to BBB Auto Line arbitration as the one remaining escalation path. For the proprietor, the provide was not simply inadequate however insulting, given the scope of the ordeal.

By December, she had reached her breaking level. The Telluride was offered. In her phrases, “Good riddance.” The ultimate message was not written in anger a lot as exhaustion. She didn’t declare that each Telluride is problematic, nor did she deny that warranties technically coated the most important repairs. As a substitute, her criticism centered on course of, communication, and what she felt was an absence of accountability when issues went improper repeatedly.

Tales like this resonate as a result of they expose the hole between guarantee protection on paper and possession expertise in actuality. An engine alternative could also be “coated,” however misplaced time, rental logistics, and inconsistent assist nonetheless land squarely on the proprietor. For a lot of buyers, the Telluride stays an interesting car. However as this case illustrates, reliability is barely a part of the equation. How a producer responds when issues fail could in the end matter simply as a lot because the failure itself.

Picture Sources: Kia Media Middle

Noah Washington is an automotive journalist based mostly in Atlanta, Georgia. He enjoys masking the newest information within the automotive trade and conducting evaluations on the newest automobiles. He has been within the automotive trade since 15 years outdated and has been featured in outstanding automotive information websites. You’ll be able to attain him on X and LinkedIn for suggestions and to comply with his automotive protection.