Kia Telluride Class Action Summary
- Who filed it: Marc Brenman v. Kia America Inc., filed in 2026, U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
- Case number: 8:26-cv-01428
- Who is affected: 2020-2026 Kia Telluride owners and lessees, nationwide
- What is the defect: A defective electronic control module allegedly lets the 12-volt battery drain while the vehicle is off and causes uneven power delivery while driving
- Litigation status: Newly filed complaint as of July 2026. No class certification or settlement yet, and no claim deadline exists.
- Think you have this issue? Contact The Margarian Law Firm for a free case evaluation. California owners: your individual claim may be worth more than a class payout.
What does the lawsuit claim?
Kia America Inc., the company responsible for selling and distributing Kia vehicles in the United States, is the defendant in a new class action lawsuit reported by Top Class Actions. Plaintiff Marc Brenman alleges that certain 2020-2026 Kia Telluride SUVs are equipped with a defective electronic control module, a small onboard computer that regulates the flow of electricity between the 12-volt battery, alternator, power steering, radio and other components, that fails to properly manage that flow.
According to the complaint, the result is what Brenman calls a “Parasitic Drain Defect”: the battery continues to draw power after the vehicle is shut off, which can cause premature battery failure, uneven power delivery while driving, and, in some cases, a stalled engine or loss of power steering and speedometer function while the vehicle is in motion.
Brenman claims Kia has known about the issue since at least 2021, through consumer complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the automaker’s own pre-release testing, but has not issued a recall or informed consumers. He says his own 2021 Telluride began showing battery discharge warnings in the fall of 2025, that replacing the battery did not resolve the problem, and that a Kia dealership was unable to identify the cause when he brought the vehicle in for service.
The lawsuit seeks class certification, damages, fees, costs, and a jury trial, and alleges fraud, fraudulent omission, breach of express warranty, breach of implied warranty, and unjust enrichment, as stated in the complaint.
Sources: Top Class Actions | U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
Who is covered by this lawsuit?
Brenman is seeking to represent a proposed nationwide class defined as:
- 2020-2026 Kia Telluride owners and lessees, in the United States
The number of vehicles or class members has not yet been confirmed.
What happens next in this case?
There is no class certification or settlement yet. Cases like this often take a year or more to reach that stage, if they get there at all. If you’re unfamiliar with how a case like this typically proceeds, how class action lawsuits work walks through each stage from filing to a possible settlement.
For questions about your legal rights and whether an individual claim may serve you better than this class action, contact The Margarian Law Firm.
Could your individual claim be worth more than this class action?
Class actions exist to give large groups of consumers a path to compensation when individual claims might otherwise be too small to litigate alone. That does not mean the eventual class payout, whenever it arrives, is the best outcome for every affected owner.
This case has not reached a settlement, and it may be a year or more before it does, if it gets there at all. If you have already experienced battery drain, a dead battery, dashboard warning lights, or related electrical problems in your Telluride, and paid out of pocket for repairs or been denied warranty coverage, you do not have to wait on this lawsuit to find out where you stand. A California lemon law claim moves on its own timeline and is based on your specific vehicle and repair history, not a class-wide average.
Reach out to The Margarian Law Firm to discuss your specific situation.
If you later receive a class notice about this case, you will generally have three options: stay in, opt out, or object, and the deadlines in that notice are firm. Joining or opting out of a class action explains what each choice means before you decide.
Does your situation qualify? A quick self-check
- Have you experienced battery drain, a dead or failing battery, dashboard warning lights, or power steering or speedometer problems with your Kia Telluride?
- Have you taken your vehicle to the dealer for this issue without a lasting fix?
- Did you pay out of pocket for repairs, or was a warranty claim denied?
- Is your vehicle still within Kia’s manufacturer warranty period?
- Are you a California resident, or did you purchase or lease the vehicle in California?
If you answered yes to any of the above, you may be entitled to compensation under California’s lemon law, potentially more than this class action would pay. Contact The Margarian Law Firm for a free case evaluation.
If your vehicle qualifies, California law requires the manufacturer to pay your attorney fees, meaning representation typically costs you nothing out of pocket.
What California’s lemon law actually covers
Frequently asked questions
1- Is my Kia Telluride included in this class action?
The proposed class covers 2020-2026 Kia Telluride owners and lessees nationwide, regardless of state. Whether you have a stronger option than waiting on the class action depends on your specific repair history.
2- What does this lawsuit allege exactly?
The complaint alleges that a defective electronic control module allows the Telluride’s 12-volt battery to drain while the vehicle is off, and can cause uneven power delivery, dashboard and headlight issues, or a stall while driving. Kia allegedly knew of the issue since 2021 and did not disclose it or issue a recall.
3- Do I have to do anything to join the class action?
Generally, no. Most class actions are structured so that qualifying owners are automatically included unless they later opt out; the class action FAQ covers the general mechanics. For this case specifically, there is no notice or claim form yet, since no settlement has been reached.
4- Should I wait for the class action to resolve, or talk to an attorney now?
If you have already experienced the battery drain issue and incurred costs, you do not need to wait. Reviewing your situation now costs nothing and does not affect your ability to also participate in the class action later if that turns out to be the better path.
5- Can I still file an individual lemon law claim if I am part of this class?
In many cases, yes, at least until a settlement is reached and you are asked to make a choice. An attorney can walk you through the timing and whether opting out to preserve an individual claim makes sense for your situation.
6- What is the difference between a class action payout and a lemon law claim?
A class settlement, if one is ever reached, is typically divided among a large group of class members, which can shrink an individual’s share considerably. A California lemon law claim is evaluated on your specific vehicle, repair history, and out-of-pocket costs, and can include a full refund or replacement plus attorney fees paid by the manufacturer.
7- When will this case be resolved?
There is no way to predict a timeline this early. The case is currently a newly filed complaint, meaning it has not yet reached class certification, let alone a settlement.
8- How much could a settlement pay me?
No settlement exists yet, so there is no payout figure to report. Class action settlements, if and when they happen, are typically divided among all class members, which can result in a modest individual share compared to a successful individual claim.
Standard Legal Disclaimer
The information in this post is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Every case is evaluated on its individual merits, and outcomes vary based on the manufacturer, the defect, repair history, and other factors. Attorney fees in qualifying lemon law cases are paid separately by the manufacturer upon a successful outcome under California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act (California’s core lemon law statute). Contacting The Margarian Law Firm does not create an attorney-client relationship.
Official sources and further reading
- Top Class Actions article
- Other outlets: ClassAction.org (“Class Action Lawsuit Says 2020-2026 Kia Telluride SUVs Plagued by ‘Parasitic’ Battery Drain Defect”)