Verified government source

NHTSA complaint #11527561

This page summarizes an official U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration owner complaint. Use the verification links below to confirm the record directly with NHTSA.

Vehicle

2023 KIA TELLURIDE

Manufacturer

Kia America, Inc.

Components

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Dates

Incident: 11/28/2022
Filed: 06/17/2023

Owner complaint summary

My Telluride has a factory trailer hitch so I COULD insert a draw bar with ball and hook up a trailer. But....no connection is there for electrical, so no lights or brakes would operate on any trailer I tried to tow!! Obviously this is a horrible SAFETY problem! NHTSA recalled the 2022 & earlier model year Tellurides because the tow wiring harness (essential for operating ANY towed trailer) was causing fires. A “stop sale” order was also issued. I purchased a 2023 model year in November 2022 expressly to tow my travel trailer. The recall was not disclosed to me, nor the fact that no wiring harness was available, or would ever be MADE available for my car. Kia advertises the 5,000 lb tow ability, shows the car in company sales literature towing heavy horse & boat trailers, lists the ability on my window sticker, and describes in detail in the owners manual how the fabulous tow system works! NHTSA had to FORCE Kia to stop selling the 2022’s but Kia has dishonestly continued to misrepresent the tow capability for the 2023’s. I have a $50,000.00 mistake sitting in my garage & Kia will not even respond to letters from me or my attorney. Can NHTSA help me?

This is an owner complaint filed with NHTSA (ODI #11527561). It is not automatically an official recall, investigation outcome, or manufacturer admission unless the complaint text itself describes one.

Official record ID (ODI): 11527561. This page is the human-readable source link used across afterwarranty. The raw JSON link proxies NHTSA's public API for machine verification; prefer this page when reading the complaint.