# Kia Telluride airbag warning light: complaints, recalls and what to do **Verdict:** Drive to a shop this week - **Owner complaints:** 8 - **Most complaints:** 2023 (4) - **Related recalls:** 2 - **Verdict:** This week ## Quick answer NHTSA has 8 owner complaints about the airbag warning light on the Kia Telluride (2015-2026 models), most for the **2023** model year (4). There are **2 recalls** for related parts; check yours by VIN. Drive to a shop this week: The car is mechanically safe to drive, but the airbags may not deploy in a crash, so get it diagnosed soon rather than ignoring it. ## Kia Telluride airbag warning light complaints by model year | Model year | Complaints mentioning the airbag light | All complaints that year | Share | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2020 | 1 | 777 | 0% | | 2021 | 1 | 374 | 0% | | 2023 | 4 | 213 | 2% | | 2025 | 2 | 124 | 2% | Counts are complaints filed with NHTSA whose description mentions this light. They show where owners have had trouble, not a failure rate: popular years collect more complaints simply because more cars are on the road. ## Kia Telluride recalls related to the airbag warning light **[23V035000](https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=23V035000)** (2023 models, reported 2023-01-29): Air bags that do not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash. **Remedy:** Dealers will inspect and replace, or secure the air bag wire harnesses, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 28, 2023. **[21V164000](https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=21V164000)** (2021 models, reported 2021-03-11): In the event of a crash, deployment of the front passenger air bag, with a child in that seat, can increase the risk of injury to the child. **Remedy:** Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the OCS/ODS unit, free of charge. The recall began March 18, 2021. Recall repairs are free at any Kia dealer. Enter your 17-character VIN at [nhtsa.gov/recalls](https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls) to see whether yours is still open. ## What Kia Telluride owners report - "The Collision Center (Caliber Collision in Minnetonka, MN), stated that the pre-scan did NOT show any error messages relating to the airbags. We told them immediately that we were not comfortable with this information and that we wanted further investigation. We have also requested the 'Black Box' be pulled to..." -- owner of a 2025 Kia Telluride, complaint filed 2026 - "My 2023 Kia Telluride has been subject to at least 8 separate NHTSA recalls, including SC181 (seat belt/child restraint), SC194 (trailer brake light/cruise control), SC207 (airbag OCS/ODS), SC262 (side airbag wire harness), SC303 (driveshaft/rollaway risk), SC316 (power seat motor fire risk), SC347 (door trim..." -- owner of a 2023 Kia Telluride, complaint filed 2026 - "I expected my Kia Telluride to engage it's safety features such as, Automatic Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Warning, and at the very least the Airbags, which none of them deployed at anytime during this collision. I was then rear-ended by an 18-wheeler; smashing my entire back window. The 18-wheelers' trailer..." -- owner of a 2021 Kia Telluride, complaint filed 2024 Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly cleaned for reading. They are owners' own accounts and have not been verified. ## What the airbag warning light means The airbag or SRS light means the airbag computer found a fault and may have turned off some or all airbags. The car drives normally, but you may not have airbag protection in a crash. Common causes include a loose connector under a seat, a worn clock spring in the steering wheel, and a seat belt buckle sensor. Have it diagnosed soon and check for open airbag recalls. The most common causes, on any make: 1. **Loose or damaged connector under a seat** (common) 2. **Worn clock spring in the steering wheel** (common) 3. **Passenger occupant sensor fault** (less common) 4. **Seat belt buckle or pretensioner fault** (less common) Full causes, what to do and how to reset it: [Airbag (SRS) warning light](/warning-lights/airbag). ## Frequently asked questions ### Is there a recall for the Kia Telluride airbag light? Yes. NHTSA lists 2 related recalls (23V035000, 21V164000) covering 2021-2023 models. Recall repairs are free; check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is open. ### Which Kia Telluride years have the most airbag light complaints? In NHTSA's database the 2020, 2023 and 2025 Telluride model years have the most complaints mentioning the airbag warning light, with 4 for 2023. Complaint counts reflect how many cars were sold as well as how often problems happen. ### Is it safe to drive a Kia Telluride with the airbag light on? Drive to a shop this week. The car is mechanically safe to drive, but the airbags may not deploy in a crash, so get it diagnosed soon rather than ignoring it. Do not try to repair airbag parts yourself, because an accidental deployment can cause serious injury. ### How do I check if my Kia Telluride has an open recall? Enter the 17-character VIN from your dashboard or registration at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or ask any Kia dealer. Open recalls are fixed free of charge, even if you are not the first owner. ## Sources - [NHTSA: Vehicle safety complaints and recalls (api.nhtsa.gov)](https://www.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa-datasets-and-apis) - [NHTSA: Check for recalls by VIN](https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls) ## Other Kia Telluride warning lights - [ABS warning light](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/abs/kia-telluride): 10 complaints - [Battery (charging system) warning light](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/battery/kia-telluride): 12 complaints - [Brake warning light](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/brake/kia-telluride): 25 complaints - [Check engine light](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/check-engine/kia-telluride): 95 complaints - [Coolant temperature warning light](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/coolant-temperature/kia-telluride): 27 complaints - [Oil pressure warning light](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/oil-pressure/kia-telluride): 38 complaints - [Power steering warning light](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/power-steering/kia-telluride): 31 complaints - [Traction control light](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/traction-control/kia-telluride): 16 complaints ## Airbag (SRS) warning light on other models - [Subaru Forester](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/subaru-forester): 280 complaints - [Nissan Altima](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/nissan-altima): 250 complaints - [Ford Explorer](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/ford-explorer): 205 complaints - [Nissan Rogue](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/nissan-rogue): 163 complaints - [Honda Accord](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/honda-accord): 90 complaints - [Jeep Wrangler](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/jeep-wrangler): 88 complaints - [Ram 1500](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/ram-1500): 77 complaints - [Volkswagen Tiguan](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/volkswagen-tiguan): 75 complaints - [Jeep Cherokee](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/jeep-cherokee): 71 complaints - [Chevrolet Traverse](https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/chevrolet-traverse): 69 complaints ## Kia Telluride - [Kia Telluride specs and mpg by year](https://diagxcar.com/vehicles/kia-telluride) --- Source page: https://diagxcar.com/warning-lights/airbag/kia-telluride Updated: 2026-11-04 General information, not a substitute for a qualified mechanic.