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2025 Kia Telluride Unexpected Engine Shutdown Problems
Class Action Investigation
Lemberg Law is launching a class action investigation into an unexpected engine shutdown defect affecting 2025 Kia Telluride vehicles. Owners report the engine shutting off without warning while driving, accompanied by an alarm and a dashboard message reading “Engine Off! Shift to P or N, then start engine.” The defect has occurred at intersections, on bridges, and at highway speeds, creating a serious and immediate safety risk.
I’m Sergei Lemberg, a consumer protection attorney who has spent more than two decades representing vehicle owners in lemon law and defect cases. This is not the first time we have looked at the 2025 Kia Telluride. When we wrote our overview of common problems with the 2025 Telluride in April 2026, engine stalling was already emerging as the most frequently reported issue. The complaints have continued to come in since then, and the pattern has become clear enough that we decided to launch a dedicated investigation.
What follows is based on those complaints and our ongoing research into this issue.
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What’s the Problem with the 2025 Kia Telluride?
On 2025 Kia Telluride vehicles, the engine shuts off without warning while the vehicle is in motion. An audible alarm sounds and the dashboard instructs the driver to shift to Park or Neutral and restart the engine. The failure has occurred at intersections, on bridges, and at highway speeds. Dealers have repeatedly been unable to reproduce it.
Owners report the same symptoms:
- Engine shuts off suddenly without warning while driving
- Audible alarm sounds at the moment of failure
- Dashboard displays “Engine Off! Shift to P or N, then start engine”
- No advance warning lights or symptoms before shutdown
- Issue recurs after dealer inspection and repair attempts
- Dealers consistently unable to reproduce the failure
What are Owners Experiencing?
Here is what Telluride owners are reporting:
“While driving, car alerted “Engine Off! Shift to P or N, then start engine”. I had to immediately pull to the side of the road and follow instructions. Due to previous unresolved issues car has had I recorded the message car was giving.”
“Twice I was making a right hand turn through a green light and an alarm sounded and the dash displayed an ”Engine Off” message. I was able to pull over and restart the car. I took it to the dealership but they were not able to replicate the incident. They told me that they tightened a few connections and sent me on my way. About three weeks later, I was driving straight at about 45mph and it shut off again. Fortunately I was again able to safely pull over and restart the car. This time I recorded it. I will return it to the dealership ASAP. I am afraid this will happen again while I am on the freeway or in heavy traffic and I won’t be as lucky as I have been.”
“The engine randomly turns off and I get a warning that says Engine Off! Shift to P or N, then start engine This happened recently as my mother in law was making a left hand turn on a busy intersection. If there were other cars coming she would’ve been hit. There are no prior warnings or indications that the car is having any issues. The car has been inspected by the dealership, which has been unable to reproduce the issue.”
Is There a Recall, TSB, or Federal Investigation?
At this time, there is no formal safety recall covering the unexpected engine shutdown defect in the 2025 Kia Telluride.
Kia has not issued a public technical service bulletin or recall addressing this issue. Owners are relying on dealer visits to seek resolution, with little success. The fact that dealers cannot reproduce the failure does not mean it is not happening. Multiple owners have documented the failure on video only to still receive no resolution.
What Can You Do?
If you own a 2025 Kia Telluride and have experienced an unexpected engine shutdown, here are the steps to take:
- Document every incident with dates, mileage, speed, and road conditions.
- If you can do so safely, record the dashboard warning message when the failure occurs.
- Save all repair orders and service invoices, including documentation of any dealer inability to reproduce the issue.
- File a complaint with NHTSA at www.nhtsa.gov. The volume of complaints filed can support a formal federal investigation.
Get a Free Case Evaluation
If you own a 2025 Kia Telluride and have experienced an unexpected engine shutdown, we can help. We will evaluate whether you have a lemon law claim or may be part of our class action investigation. There is no cost and no obligation.
Our firm works on a contingency-fee basis. You do not pay legal fees unless a recovery is obtained.
If your vehicle has experienced this defect, your experience matters. It may help clarify the scope of this issue and support ongoing consumer investigations.
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About the Author:
Sergei Lemberg is an attorney focusing on consumer law, class actions related to automotive issues, and personal injury litigation. With nearly two decades of experience, his areas of practice include Lemon Law (vehicle defects), Debt Collection Harassment, TCPA (illegal robocalls and texts), Fair Credit Reporting Act, Overtime claims, Personal Injury cases, and Class Actions. He has consistently been recognized as the nation's "most active consumer attorney." In 2020, Mr. Lemberg represented Noah Duguid before the United States Supreme Court in the landmark case Duguid v. Facebook. He is also the author of "Defanging Debt Collectors," a guide that empowers consumers to fight back against debt collectors and prevail, as well as "Lemon Law 101: The Laws That Lemon Dealers Don't Want You to Know."
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