by Small Details, Big Problems
Sometimes the smallest components can cause the biggest problems. In the case of the Kia Telluride, it turned out to be wires located behind the rear pillar trim. Unlike other vehicles like Jeep or BMW, Kia did not require Herculean efforts to fix the fault, but they decided to approach the issue thoroughly.
Meet Emily L.
Emily L. is a Kia technician who loves her Mazda Miata and is meticulous about her work. During a pre-delivery inspection of a new Telluride with only 10 miles on it, she noticed that the left turn signal was blinking too fast, and the rear taillights, marker lights, and license plate lighting were not working.
Troubleshooting the Fault
After a series of tests, Emily found that one of the wires had a resistance of 0.1 Ohms instead of the normal value, indicating a short to ground. The wire ran from the left rear taillight to the ICCU.
Photo of Emily L.
The very next day, a second Telluride appeared with the same symptoms. After disassembling part of the interior near the taillight, Emily found the cause in both vehicles: a section of wires pinched behind the housing of the left rear pillar. The pinching was strong enough to damage the insulation, causing the ground wire to contact the power wires and trigger errors.
Twelve Hours of Repair
Interestingly, simply freeing the wires completely restored functionality. However, Kia decided not to limit itself to a quick repair but to replace the entire floor harness. This job required removing the seats, carpets, trim, and a significant portion of the interior. The first time, it took about 12 hours.
For comparison, repairing the damaged section using connectors and heat shrink tubing would have taken less than an hour. While this method could introduce additional resistance and cause new errors, it would most likely have permanently solved the problem. Kia’s official approach, although excessive, guarantees long-term reliability and eliminates any risks of future short circuits in the same spot.
Costly Caution
While such a requirement from the automaker may frustrate technicians and is undoubtedly costly, it demonstrates a commitment to ensuring the flawlessness of the vehicles. It also serves as a reminder of how a small production oversight can turn into a large-scale repair in modern, electronics-laden vehicles.
Kia’s approach shows that reliability often requires greater expense at the production and maintenance stages. It also highlights how crucial attention to detail is, especially in an era where cars are becoming increasingly complex. Such decisions, although not always understandable from a time-efficiency standpoint, can prevent more serious problems in the future, preserving customer trust in the brand.
