Kia Telluride Battery Drain Lawsuit: 2020–2026 Electrical Problems
Owners of 2020 through 2026 Kia Telluride SUVs may want to pay attention to a newly filed class action lawsuit alleging that an electrical defect can repeatedly drain the vehicle’s 12-volt battery—even when the Telluride is turned off.
The lawsuit, Brenman v. Kia America, Inc., was filed on June 3, 2026, in the United States District Court for the Central District of California. The plaintiff alleges that certain Tellurides suffer from a “parasitic drain defect” that can leave owners with dead batteries, vehicles that will not start, repeated jump-starts, and potentially malfunctioning electrical or safety systems.
The allegations have not been proven, and the lawsuit is still in its early stages. However, Telluride owners experiencing repeated battery or electrical problems should document each repair visit carefully.
The Problem: Kia Telluride Batteries Allegedly Drain While Parked
Modern vehicles continue to use a small amount of electricity after the engine is shut off. Various electronic modules remain powered temporarily before entering a low-power or “sleep” state.
According to the lawsuit, the problem with certain 2020–2026 Kia Tellurides is that one or more electrical components allegedly fail to properly enter that sleep state. The complaint claims this can create an excessive parasitic electrical draw that continues pulling energy from the vehicle’s 12-volt battery after the Telluride has been turned off.
The lawsuit specifically alleges that an Electronic Control Module, or ECM, and other portions of the electrical system may fail to properly regulate electrical consumption. As a result, the battery can allegedly discharge much faster than it should.
For an owner, the first indication of a problem may simply be a warning message or a vehicle that suddenly refuses to start.
CarComplaints reports that some owners have encountered a warning stating that the battery is discharging because of an external electrical device. The lawsuit contends that these warnings can occur even when no external device is actually responsible for the drain.
What Does the Kia Telluride Lawsuit Allege?
The proposed class action covers current and former purchasers and lessees of 2020 through 2026 Kia Tellurides.
According to the complaint, the alleged defect can affect the vehicle both when it is parked and while it is being driven. The plaintiffs contend that the problem may cause batteries to unexpectedly lose power, leaving occupants stranded and requiring an external power source to restart the vehicle.
The complaint goes further and alleges that an unstable electrical supply could potentially interfere with components such as the speedometer, alternator, power steering, hazard lights, or other vehicle systems.
The lawsuit also alleges Kia knew or should have known about the battery-drain problem for years. According to the complaint, consumer complaints submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration allegedly placed Kia on notice of the issue by at least 2021. The plaintiffs also contend that ordinary vehicle-development testing should have revealed excessive battery drain before the vehicles were sold.
Kia has not been found liable for these allegations, and there has been no determination that every 2020–2026 Telluride contains the alleged defect.
The Plaintiff’s Kia Telluride Battery Problems
The circumstances alleged by the named plaintiff illustrate the type of problem Telluride owners may encounter.
Plaintiff Marc Brenman purchased a certified pre-owned 2021 Kia Telluride in June 2021. According to the complaint, he began seeing a dashboard message in approximately fall 2025 indicating that the battery was discharging to an external device.
He replaced the battery, but the problem allegedly continued.
The complaint describes one incident in which the Telluride was parked with the headlights, interior lights, and other user-operated equipment turned off. Several hours later, the plaintiff allegedly could not unlock the vehicle using the key fob. After manually opening the vehicle, he discovered the battery was completely dead.
According to the lawsuit, that battery had been installed only approximately two months earlier. The plaintiff had to jump-start the Telluride using an external power source.
He later took the vehicle to a Kia dealership. According to the complaint, the dealership tested the battery, alternator, starter, drive belts, and terminals and found them to be in good condition, yet the source of the recurring battery drain was allegedly not identified or repaired.
That type of repair history can be particularly frustrating because replacing a battery may temporarily get the vehicle operating again without addressing whatever is causing the battery to discharge.
Is There a Kia Telluride Battery Drain Recall or TSB?
At this time, there does not appear to be a NHTSA safety recall specifically addressing the parasitic battery-drain defect alleged in the Brenman lawsuit.
That distinction is important.
Kia has issued other recalls involving Telluride electrical components. For example, NHTSA announced a separate 2026 recall involving approximately 462,000 model-year 2020–2024 Tellurides because a front power-seat motor could potentially operate continuously, overheat, and create a fire risk. Dealers are instructed to install an electronic fuse assembly as the remedy.
That power-seat recall is a separate issue from the battery-drain allegations in the new class action lawsuit.
Telluride owners experiencing dead batteries should therefore not assume that an existing recall will automatically correct their problem. Owners should ask the Kia dealership to document the battery-drain complaint and determine whether any applicable software updates, technical service bulletins, service campaigns, or diagnostic procedures apply to the vehicle.
Symptoms of a Possible Kia Telluride Battery Drain Problem
Owners experiencing the alleged defect may notice one or more of the following symptoms:
A Telluride may repeatedly have a dead or severely discharged 12-volt battery after sitting parked. The vehicle may require frequent jump-starts, even after the battery has recently been replaced. Drivers may also receive warnings that the battery is discharging because of an external electrical device.
Other reported or alleged symptoms include electrical systems behaving unpredictably, the key fob failing to unlock the vehicle because of insufficient battery power, dashboard or instrument-related electrical problems, difficulty starting the engine, and batteries that fail substantially earlier than expected.
The lawsuit further alleges that electrical instability could potentially cause more serious symptoms while driving, including stalling or problems involving electrically dependent vehicle systems. Those allegations remain disputed and have not been established by a court.
What Should California Kia Telluride Owners Do?
California consumers experiencing repeated battery or electrical problems should create a clear repair record. A dealership saying that it “could not duplicate” a problem does not necessarily mean the repair visit is irrelevant. What matters is that the consumer presented the vehicle for repair and accurately reported the concern.
Save every Kia repair order, even if the dealership says no problem was found.
Make sure the repair order specifically states that the battery is repeatedly draining, the vehicle will not start, or a battery-discharge warning appears.
Photograph or record dashboard warning messages when possible.
Keep receipts for replacement batteries, towing, roadside assistance, diagnostic charges, or portable jump starters.
Return the vehicle to an authorized Kia dealership if the problem continues rather than repeatedly replacing the battery without documenting the underlying complaint.
Check whether any recalls, service campaigns, software updates, or technical service bulletins apply to the vehicle.
If the Telluride has been presented for repeated warranty repairs or has spent substantial time at the dealership, consider speaking with a California lemon law attorney before accepting a trade-in or other resolution that may affect your rights.
California’s lemon law can potentially apply when a manufacturer cannot repair a substantial defect within a reasonable number of opportunities during the applicable warranty period. Eligibility depends on the individual vehicle’s purchase history, warranty coverage, repair dates, mileage, and other circumstances.
A class action lawsuit and an individual California lemon law claim are also very different. An owner experiencing repeated problems does not necessarily need to wait years for a class action lawsuit to conclude before investigating whether individual warranty or lemon law remedies may already be available.
Contact Valero Law
If your Kia Telluride repeatedly suffers from dead batteries, battery-discharge warnings, electrical problems, repeated jump-starts, or unsuccessful dealership repairs, keep your repair records and contact Valero Law.
We represent California consumers with defective vehicles and can review your repair history to determine whether your Kia Telluride may qualify for relief under California’s lemon law.
Contact Valero Law for a free consultation about your Kia Telluride battery or electrical problems.