Kia K5 and Telluride Models Face Extensive Trim Detachment Issue, Requiring Protracted Fixes for Over 300,000 Vehicles
Kia is currently facing a significant quality control challenge concerning its popular 2023-2025 K5 and Telluride models. Over 300,000 vehicles are affected by an issue where exterior trim pieces are prone to detachment. This widespread problem, echoing similar concerns seen with other manufacturers, has prompted separate recall campaigns for both models. The root cause appears to be a flaw in the adhesive application, leading to a potential safety hazard as trim components could detach while the vehicles are in motion. Vehicle owners are advised to prepare for a considerable waiting period, as Kia's proposed solution will not be implemented for several months, with notifications to dealers and customers scheduled for late September, meaning repairs are not expected to begin until October at the earliest.
The issue manifests differently across the two affected models. For the Kia K5 (model years 2023-2025), approximately 100,063 units are impacted by loosening and detaching C-pillar garnish plates, which are located on the rear window trim. This progressive delamination, exacerbated by wind resistance, could lead to complete detachment. Kia first became aware of this problem in November 2023, issuing a service action for the 2024 K5. However, due to ongoing reports, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation intervened in May of the current year. Following further discussions and data analysis in June and July, it was revealed that over 4,000 unique incidents had been reported since the initial service action.
The situation is even more extensive for the Kia Telluride, with an estimated 201,149 vehicles from the 2023-2025 model years experiencing a similar problem. In this case, the door belt molding face plate is detaching. Reports of this issue on the Telluride began as early as June 2023. Notably, despite the widespread nature of these defects across both models, Kia has confirmed that no accidents or injuries have been directly attributed to the detaching trim components.
Addressing these concerns, Kia has yet to finalize a concrete remedy, indicating that the solution is still under development. While the recalls have been formally announced, the actual implementation of fixes will take time. Dealers are slated to receive written notification regarding the recalls on September 23rd, with vehicle owners expected to be informed via first-class mail just three days later. This timeline suggests that repairs will not commence until early October, leaving a substantial window during which affected vehicles could still experience the trim detachment problem. Kia's internal recall numbers for these issues are SC346 for the K5 and SC346 (which seems to be a typo in the original text, usually recalls have distinct numbers, though it might indicate a shared underlying cause or recall campaign reference) for the Telluride. Despite these setbacks, both the K5 and Telluride continue to be strong performers for Kia, with recent sales figures showing impressive growth. In July, K5 sedan sales climbed to 5,879 units, an increase from 4,713 the previous year, while Telluride sales saw a 15% jump, reaching 10,411 units, highlighting their market popularity even amidst these recall challenges.