-
Hint: Use a descriptive title for your new message
If you're looking for help and want to draw people in who can assist you, use a descriptive subject title when posting your message. In other words, "I need help with my SUV" could be about anything and can easily be overlooked by people who can help. However, "I need help with my transmission" will draw interest from people who can help with a transmission specific issue. Be as descriptive as you can. Please also post in the appropriate forum. The "Lounge" is for introducing yourself. If you need help with your leather interior, please post in the Interior section - and so on... This message can be closed by clicking the X in the top right corner. -
Kia Telluride Design Flaw
- Thread author eddiefast
- Start date
septimius72
Member
- Joined
- May 3, 2021
- Messages
- 47
- Reaction score
- 23
- Points
- 8
interesting observation --
should definitely be one of those things that are reported to KIA corporate, that they can perhaps address it later?
whatthewhat
Member
- Joined
- Feb 27, 2021
- Messages
- 87
- Reaction score
- 71
- Points
- 18
A number of people on the facebook group had expensive repairs because of rocks coming through the openings. It is probably a small number and luck of the draw. Any car will have a risk of damage from rocks bouncing in, particularly radiators . Whether the Telluride is more at risk because of some component placements besides the radiator is unknown.
Westchesterkia
Member
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2021
- Messages
- 43
- Reaction score
- 59
- Points
- 18
That is a hideous joke of a solution, if someone did want a proper solution they would design something that mounts behind, because that looks like some sort of side of the road fix at a gas station
______________________________
Agreed.. i seen this video the other day and was like is this a joke...so im like not sure if true or not
KML
Well-known member
WOW! Seems like some the "newbie's" here know better then most. Would love to hear, or better yet, see your solution to this known Telluride issue. If you own a Telly, show us a pic of your radiator after 1 year of driving it.
Jurassic3k
Active member
- Joined
- Mar 20, 2021
- Messages
- 178
- Reaction score
- 112
- Points
- 43
I would never do this to my car! That is hideous! And I wouldn't really classify it as a design flaw....maybe he should build one to cover the front windshield while he's at it since rocks and birds are funneled to it...lol
DIY grill screens for AC condenser / radiator protection
DIY Upper grille mesh rock screen/bug guard installed
DIY Upper grille mesh rock screen/bug guard installed
______________________________
I'm definitely going to get these and do this when I get my Telly. There is a thread where people were losing their A/C due to a rock hitting a part that is exposed in the lower opening. I don't mind the way these look at all, and protecting the radiator and other parts from flying debris and just plain keeping them out of the engine compartment speaks to me as a good trade-off.
My thoughts... It does not look clean enough. Great idea, but there needs to be a better way to attach. Don't want to see the zip ties.
Tellmeride
FOUNDING MEMBER
- Joined
- Mar 13, 2019
- Messages
- 1,092
- Reaction score
- 1,035
- Points
- 113
I have had driven and owned and leased many vehicles, sports, sedan, coupe, suv... none had this type of fence. Never had an instance where a rock caused damage to the cooling system warranting a ($1,800) repair. Besides, this is making a very nice vehicle looking like a junkyard special. Just my .02 
Last edited:
arattle
Well-known member
Agreed. I remember driving my RX-8 and people on the forums were covering up oil coolers back in 2004. Never once had any issue. Same with the next two brand new cars, and the current ride has a grill opening in 2" slats in front of the radiator.I have had driven and owned and leased many vehicles, sports, sedan, coupe, suv... none had this type of fence. Never had an instance where a rock caused damage to the cooling system warranting a ($1,800) repair. Besides, this is making a very nice vehicle looking like a junkyard special. Just my .02
______________________________
Westchesterkia
Member
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2021
- Messages
- 43
- Reaction score
- 59
- Points
- 18
lowpost50
Member
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2019
- Messages
- 91
- Reaction score
- 63
- Points
- 18
Most people on the forum dislike this retrofit, personally I think it's a good idea. Because you never had any damage to your radiator or condenser doesn't mean it cant happen.
I bought them, they they look fine. I travel on I95 in the mid Atlantic everyday, and they are doing a ton of construction on the highway. So the chances of stones hitting those vital areas are good.
I bought them, they they look fine. I travel on I95 in the mid Atlantic everyday, and they are doing a ton of construction on the highway. So the chances of stones hitting those vital areas are good.
Came back from a 1300 miles trip and looked at the radiator while washing my car. Bunch of cooling fins got bent from hitting debris. I am not sure if anything can prevent it and if that something to be concerned. This means more will get bent with more road trips. Will this compromise cooling system? Never looked at this area on any car before.
KML
Well-known member
This thread and many others discuss installing mesh grill guards.
Some people think it’s stupid to install the guards but it’s your call. Based on your pic, I’m glad I elected to purchase and installed the mesh guards the same week I got my Telly.
______________________________
Last edited:
It's not a beautiful solution, however, mounting the screen behind would make it more likely to trap leaves. It's not a great idea. Also, getting behind the grill is a massive PITA.
I've had to replace AC condensers because of the same "flaw". They do get hit by rocks and they do get damaged, though I've seen cars that were worse than the Telluride.
AC could be a problem but what about the radiator? Eventually, more fins will be bent from hitting even small objects. Doesn’t air need to go through those soft metal fins to cool the radiator? City driving probably ok but I bought the car mainly for road trip. Never thought about this before.
Hmm, all good questions begging good answers! May I use an analogy? Two well trained long distance runners running the same course and time--one wearing a mask (just a very light and thin mask) and the other without. Who will gas out first? Our Tellys are designed with big engine and to run 60, 70, 80 miles per hour for many hours. Wouldn't the engineers who designed our Tellys already weighed the pros and cons of exposed radiators (to avoid overheated engines) versus a slightly unexposed radiators protected from hurtling debris and potentially causing harms to radiators and condensers? What is the acceptable ratio (number of cars overheating due to slightly obstructed radiators versus exposed radiators leading to bent fins/leaking radiators and condensers that may also cause overheating due to radiator leak)? Wouldn't wire/plastic mesh obstruct cooling air when needed the most--heavy traffic, long distance driving with AC? Again, I'm not to criticize (and in fact, I also think protecting my Telly's radiator and condenser is a good and common sense action) but I also want to know more before I deviate from its original intended design. My two cents. Thanks!
