The 2023 Telluride Towing Saga - Adding some data and pictures, and it's not great news

[confused.owner]

Not looking forward to this. Taking delivery end of this month on my 23 EX, no tow package on it. My 22 didn’t make the cut off date, and they had a tow package. So now I’ll be at the mercy of the dealer service techs. I’ve wired my own stuff before, but this Can-Bus stuff isn’t really up my alley, especially on a $45k brand new car. Perhaps more info will be out in the interim!

If I were you, I would refuse taking possession of this vehicle until everything is sorted out AND they install a hitch and harness for you. Do not settle for a 4-pin if that is not suitable for you. This is, of course, assuming that towing is a priority for you and your family. If it is not a priority, the vehicle seems pretty legit minus the false advertising of towing. Had I known all of this beforehand, it would have completely been a deal breaker. At the moment I have zero use for this vehicle other than running errands around town.

 

[Class action]

I didn't even know they came with a hitch / harness. If they did, I would think that would be a very specific / special order not worth waiting on. I don't recall ever going to a new car lot and seeing a hitch on any of the new vehicles of any brand. Maybe they do, but I've never noticed. That being said, I think you just need the x-line or x-pro that come with the leveling package. I specifically found an x-line because I needed the towing and as a bonus they have better entry and exit lines for back roads. Right now, I'd be pretty angry with the salesman if I were you. They should know better and should have been able to address your inquiries. What part of the country are you from that makes it so difficult to find one of these vehicles? A couple weeks ago I found mine semi-local (40 miles) and they had a few for me to choose from. Maybe since you've been waiting so long to actually get your order in, perhaps you can expand your search parameters and make a day trip to go pick an x-line or x-pro up. I think since dealers don't take any up front money to put in an order, it makes it easy for someone to back out, which is great for someone needing a vehicle in a pinch. Hope you find one...and soon!

we bought our 2021 new with factory hitch and harness. ex awd

 

[Areyouserious]

we bought our 2021 new with factory hitch and harness. ex awd

I found out today that I purchased a Kia Telluride ex clone to tow my camper, which I live in and I can’t tow anything because of this issue. Someone mentioned “starting the return process.” My dealership refuses to let me return the car. Advice?

 

[LarryJordan]

Larry - All of the schematics and pinouts that I've posted are straight from the Kia Global Information System. Maybe have your installer purchase access like I did:

https: // kiatechinfo.snapon.com /

While waiting for you guys to figure out a full towing system harness, I have created an interim solution for tail lights only. I connected a 12v plug to a 4-pin wiring harness (vehicle side version) and just plug it into the 12v power outlet in the storage area. The 12v plug has its own 10A fuse and the vehicle plug circuit has a 20A fuse under the vehicle hood. Both will protect the vehicle circuits.

You just have to be sure and connect the black plug lead (vehicle ground) to the white (trailer ground) lead on the 4-pin harness wiring; connect the red (vehicle hot) lead from the plug to the brown lead on the 4-pin harness. Leave the yellow and green leads on the 4-pin harness unconnected.

The results will keep me from getting a sheriff citation when towing my fishing boat until I get a full towing harness.

______________________________

 

[confused.owner]

I found out today that I purchased a Kia Telluride ex clone to tow my camper, which I live in and I can’t tow anything because of this issue. Someone mentioned “starting the return process.” My dealership refuses to let me return the car. Advice?

Hang in there. I do have my vehicle back after 3 days in the shop, but I threw my back out this morning and haven't been able to hook up my trailer and ensure everything works. Hopefully I'll be able to inspect all of the handy work and take pictures for this audience in the morning. I talked to the installer this morning and he was unable to use anything from that white harness provided in the jack storage compartment (pictured previously). He had to go into each tail light for left and right functionality and brake lights. He also mentioned that he had to run special wiring for the break controller functionality. Again, I've not had an opportunity to test all of it as of yet, but he sounded confident it will all works. This is a KIA subcontractor, so it is all warranted. I'll take as many pictures and notes as possible to help this group ASAP. If my back is decent in the morning, I'll take my camper on a little trip to ensure everything is functioning properly. I use on of those Curt Echo wireless trailer brake controllers. I know it should work just fine because it is the same one I had on my Jeep Wrangler that I just traded in on this nightmare. Fingers crossed.

 

[Areyouserious]

I found out today that I purchased a Kia Telluride ex clone to tow my camper, which I live in and I can’t tow anything because of this issue. Someone mentioned “starting the return process.” My dealership refuses to let me return the car. Advice?

Sounds like the 2023 isn’t set up like the previous years. I mistakenly paid $10,000 over MSRP for a decent car to drive around town in. Unfortunately, I live in a camper. When I took my car to have the hitch put on, paid for by Kia, the man scratched his head and said “there’s no wiring. Nothing.” Kia dealership then told me that what I need is on at least three month back order. I bought the Telluride to tow. And it doesn’t. Now they are suggesting I do an after market. But I’m after it will void something on my warranty and would keep me from taking part in a class action suit if one comes along.

 

[mcl821]

Hang in there. I do have my vehicle back after 3 days in the shop, but I threw my back out this morning and haven't been able to hook up my trailer and ensure everything works. Hopefully I'll be able to inspect all of the handy work and take pictures for this audience in the morning. I talked to the installer this morning and he was unable to use anything from that white harness provided in the jack storage compartment (pictured previously). He had to go into each tail light for left and right functionality and brake lights. He also mentioned that he had to run special wiring for the break controller functionality. Again, I've not had an opportunity to test all of it as of yet, but he sounded confident it will all works. This is a KIA subcontractor, so it is all warranted. I'll take as many pictures and notes as possible to help this group ASAP. If my back is decent in the morning, I'll take my camper on a little trip to ensure everything is functioning properly. I use on of those Curt Echo wireless trailer brake controllers. I know it should work just fine because it is the same one I had on my Jeep Wrangler that I just traded in on this nightmare. Fingers crossed.

Where are you located? Sounds promising from what you said, and that vendor/tech should sell his proprietary knowledge to Kia

 

[confused.owner]

Long story short, I finally have my 2023 Telluride towing my camper trailer WITH a brake controller working. I was not able (or willing) to dig around too deep into the work that was put into this effort, but I can say for sure that the "provided" white harness in the rear tow jack compartment was NOT used at all (pic #1). Also, the harness located in the compartment under the left rear area that is accessible from underneath the vehicle was not touched either (pic #2). This is the compartment area where previous models were wired in with that over the counter wire harness from eTrailer. It seems that the installer wired a harness, of which I cannot see a part number (pic #3), into the left rear tail light and I do see two wires coming in from the right tail light. I have to assume this harness would be easy to find, but I just can't make out the part number from picture I took and I really don't want to take it all apart again. This is where the left and right blinkers tie in, along with all of the other basic stuff like tail lights and running lights. You can see from image #1 that he ran a blue and red wire towards the front of the vehicle that is used for the break controller. I have no idea where this actually ties in up front, but I have to assume the red wire is likely wired into the battery / fuse panel and the blue one goes somewhere else related to the brakes (possibly same panel). I don't really know if this post will help anyone or not since I do not have all the answers. I do know that this is all absolutely absurd and I would not recommend doing this work as DIY. This does seem like you could really get yourself in trouble. I was in a hurry to pick up my vehicle on Friday evening, but I do plan to have the dealer provide me with all the necessary paperwork to back up a possible future claim. None of this really feels right to me, so I want to make sure I am protected without having to make a ton of phone calls in the future.

______________________________

 

[2020Telly]

Long story short, I finally have my 2023 Telluride towing my camper trailer WITH a brake controller working. I was not able (or willing) to dig around too deep into the work that was put into this effort, but I can say for sure that the "provided" white harness in the rear tow jack compartment was NOT used at all (pic #1). Also, the harness located in the compartment under the left rear area that is accessible from underneath the vehicle was not touched either (pic #2). This is the compartment area where previous models were wired in with that over the counter wire harness from eTrailer. It seems that the installer wired a harness, of which I cannot see a part number (pic #3), into the left rear tail light and I do see two wires coming in from the right tail light. I have to assume this harness would be easy to find, but I just can't make out the part number from picture I took and I really don't want to take it all apart again. This is where the left and right blinkers tie in, along with all of the other basic stuff like tail lights and running lights. You can see from image #1 that he ran a blue and red wire towards the front of the vehicle that is used for the break controller. I have no idea where this actually ties in up front, but I have to assume the red wire is likely wired into the battery / fuse panel and the blue one goes somewhere else related to the brakes (possibly same panel). I don't really know if this post will help anyone or not since I do not have all the answers. I do know that this is all absolutely absurd and I would not recommend doing this work as DIY. This does seem like you could really get yourself in trouble. I was in a hurry to pick up my vehicle on Friday evening, but I do plan to have the dealer provide me with all the necessary paperwork to back up a possible future claim. None of this really feels right to me, so I want to make sure I am protected without having to make a ton of phone calls in the future.

This is pretty standard for those of us that have the 2020. The red likely goes to a self resetting breaker (or maybe a dedicated fuse) near the battery and the blue goes into the cabin for the brake controller. You will be fine. Enjoy!

 

[confused.owner]

This is pretty standard for those of us that have the 2020. The red likely goes to a self resetting breaker (or maybe a dedicated fuse) near the battery and the blue goes into the cabin for the brake controller. You will be fine. Enjoy!

That's honestly good to know that is also used to suck in 2020 as well. I guess 2021 and 2022 models made it easier to complete this task but also landed KIA in a lawsuit over fire hazards. Kinda makes sense.

 

[Breiner83]

Long story short, I finally have my 2023 Telluride towing my camper trailer WITH a brake controller working. I was not able (or willing) to dig around too deep into the work that was put into this effort, but I can say for sure that the "provided" white harness in the rear tow jack compartment was NOT used at all (pic #1). Also, the harness located in the compartment under the left rear area that is accessible from underneath the vehicle was not touched either (pic #2). This is the compartment area where previous models were wired in with that over the counter wire harness from eTrailer. It seems that the installer wired a harness, of which I cannot see a part number (pic #3), into the left rear tail light and I do see two wires coming in from the right tail light. I have to assume this harness would be easy to find, but I just can't make out the part number from picture I took and I really don't want to take it all apart again. This is where the left and right blinkers tie in, along with all of the other basic stuff like tail lights and running lights. You can see from image #1 that he ran a blue and red wire towards the front of the vehicle that is used for the break controller. I have no idea where this actually ties in up front, but I have to assume the red wire is likely wired into the battery / fuse panel and the blue one goes somewhere else related to the brakes (possibly same panel). I don't really know if this post will help anyone or not since I do not have all the answers. I do know that this is all absolutely absurd and I would not recommend doing this work as DIY. This does seem like you could really get yourself in trouble. I was in a hurry to pick up my vehicle on Friday evening, but I do plan to have the dealer provide me with all the necessary paperwork to back up a possible future claim. None of this really feels right to me, so I want to make sure I am protected without having to make a ton of phone calls in the future.

What are you towing and how much does it weight? Going thru mountains?

 

[mcl821]

This is pretty standard for those of us that have the 2020. The red likely goes to a self resetting breaker (or maybe a dedicated fuse) near the battery and the blue goes into the cabin for the brake controller. You will be fine. Enjoy!

Yeah, this looks pretty standard for every vehicle I’ve ever had wired, and never had an OEM hitch or plug. The pic looks like a Curt brand converter. I’m curious if the 23 has a dedicated fuse for the trailer hitch wiring? (Mine arrives end of this month).

My local Uhaul will install hitch and wiring for $550, also using a Curt converter. I’m in no rush for the wiring until spring time, so may just see what the dealer has to offer in the spring time and keep the work under warranty for a $45k vehicle.

______________________________

 

[LarryJordan]

Yeah, this looks pretty standard for every vehicle I’ve ever had wired, and never had an OEM hitch or plug. The pic looks like a Curt brand converter. I’m curious if the 23 has a dedicated fuse for the trailer hitch wiring? (Mine arrives end of this month).

My local Uhaul will install hitch and wiring for $550, also using a Curt converter. I’m in no rush for the wiring until spring time, so may just see what the dealer has to offer in the spring time and keep the work under warranty for a $45k vehicle.

There are 3 trailer fuses under the hood of my SX X-line with the tow option (they may be there on all trim packages). The owner’s manual shows the diagram in section 8, page 8-48.

However, these fuses will do nothing for you unless you can find the circuits that they protect. My U-Haul installer who installed the Draw-Tite hitch on my 2023 last month says there is no trailer hitch wiring harness plug anywhere under the back of the vehicle. My local hitch installer later took all of the trim panels off in the luggage area (sides & bottom) and he found no trailer hitch harness plug anywhere under those trim panels.

Good luck with your own wiring…and let us know how you do it.

 

[Areyouserious]

There are 3 trailer fuses under the hood of my SX X-line with the tow option (they may be there on all trim packages). The owner’s manual shows the diagram in section 8, page 8-48.

However, these fuses will do nothing for you unless you can find the circuits that they protect. My U-Haul installer who installed the Draw-Tite hitch on my 2023 last month says there is no trailer hitch wiring harness plug anywhere under the back of the vehicle. My local hitch installer later took all of the trim panels off in the luggage area (sides & bottom) and he found no trailer hitch harness plug anywhere under those trim panels.

Good luck with your own wiring…and let us know how you do it.

The 2023 has no wiring harness. You can have Kia order one, they are on at least 3 month back order. I feel the dealership wasn’t transparent about this, given the fact I was buying it to tow my camper. Best of luck.

 

[Class action]

Here's Kia's response. No hurry, no help
�

Kia-Customer-Care@kiausa.com​	Dec 12, 2022, 9:04 PM (2 days ago)
to BILL.BELLOW1

Your Case Number: 15206463
VIN: 5XYP3D
Dear William,
Thank you for contacting Kia Customer Service about the tow hitch package for your 2023 Telluride.
Unfortunately the tow hitch packages are not available for the 2023 Tellurides at this time and we do not have an ETA on when they will become available. We can only suggest that you refer to your Kia Dealership which may recommend aftermarket solutions.
We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused and be assured we are currently working on a way to resolve this issue and will provide any updates as soon as they become available to all of our Telluride customers.
If you have any further questions, please call us at 800-333-4542 (option 2, 5) and provide your case number

Sincerely,
Kia America

 

[confused.owner]

Here's Kia's response. No hurry, no help
�

Kia-Customer-Care@kiausa.com​	Dec 12, 2022, 9:04 PM (2 days ago)
to BILL.BELLOW1

Your Case Number: 15206463
VIN: 5XYP3D
Dear William,
Thank you for contacting Kia Customer Service about the tow hitch package for your 2023 Telluride.
Unfortunately the tow hitch packages are not available for the 2023 Tellurides at this time and we do not have an ETA on when they will become available. We can only suggest that you refer to your Kia Dealership which may recommend aftermarket solutions.
We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused and be assured we are currently working on a way to resolve this issue and will provide any updates as soon as they become available to all of our Telluride customers.
If you have any further questions, please call us at 800-333-4542 (option 2, 5) and provide your case number

Sincerely,
Kia America

I'm guessing a lawsuit will follow. I'm sure KIA is expecting some sort of action against this false claim of theirs.

______________________________

 

[tyger23]

Just as an update on the Canadian part for the Palisade - I'm still waiting on them to ship the part. Apparently it is on backorder. ETA for shipment is just after Christmas. That being said - it looks promising the more I read about it.

 

[2020Telly]

Just as an update on the Canadian part for the Palisade - I'm still waiting on them to ship the part. Apparently it is on backorder. ETA for shipment is just after Christmas. That being said - it looks promising the more I read about it.

I'm not surprised. The numbers for North American sales between the Palisade and Telluride are pretty comparable, but Hyundai makes and sells more Palisade because they don't just export to the NA market. So I would expect Hyundai parts that work on the Kia to show up first. I bought my 2020 in February of 2019 and it took a few months before I could get the OEM tow harness and that was still a few months ahead of the aftermarket choices that are available now. Given the 2023 is a totally new part for the harness, I suspect Kia didn't want to hold up deliveries for delayed parts availability for an add-on.

 

[LarryJordan]

Just as an update on the Canadian part for the Palisade - I'm still waiting on them to ship the part. Apparently it is on backorder. ETA for shipment is just after Christmas. That being said - it looks promising the more I read about it.

Thanks for the update. I checked the white plug in the jack box, and the voltages match the F45 pinout diagram and wiring diagram you uploaed. I can see why my hitch installer concluded the white plug is not for hitch wiring. You have to have a smart harness and converter downstream to convert the F45 signals into trailer light voltages. I hope the Palisade harness works the same in the Telly23. Otherwise, it could be a long wait for a Kia harness.

 

[nlm4501]

I have a 2022 SX AWD with factory installed self leveling and towing package that I had special ordered and waited 7 months for. My car was in a pretty severe accident in March of this year when it was a couple of months old and less than 2000 miles. Heartbreaking to say the least. To make a long story short my car was towed to my dealer for repair at their shop. I have bought cars there for years and they know me and they let my sales guy know about my car. He immediately ordered me a new one as he knows I didn't want a car that had been in an accident. He told me I would never make the cut for a 2022 but first in their line when factory would accept 2023 special order builds .. they are a high volume Kia dealer. Anyhow the order has never been accepted because they are not building with factory installed towing packages and don't know when they will. This is a result of the fire issue and recall on Kia Port installed towing packages NOT 7 pin factory installed. My dealer checked yesterday and was advised my order is on hold with no build date in site. I have kept my 2022 as I must have a towing package not optional. Am super disappointed and my dealer DOES NOT recommend any after market packages and have told me they cannot install anything that would not void warranty on a 2023 model. My dealer is also unhappy with the situation as KIA is not responsive to them either. I'm going to check with Hyundai to see status on Palisade with tow package. Bummer as Telluride is my first choice.