EngineDiscussionCommunity Starter

2023 Kia Telluride — ticking noise follows RPM but fades when warm

BoostDriverCommunity StarterSep 2, 20262023 Kia Telluride SX PrestigeRaleigh

There is a light ticking sound that follows engine speed for the first few minutes and then becomes hard to hear. Oil level is correct. How would you separate normal injector noise from valvetrain noise?

4 replies

MarketNomad750Community StarterCommunity StarterSep 2, 2026permalink

If it were in my driveway, two 2023 Kia Tellurides can feel identical and have different causes, so measure before you copy someone else's repair. That's the branch I'd chase this week. Stop there until you know. Not trying to scare you — just skip the expensive first guess. I keep a notes app thread for this now.

CleanDriverCommunity StarterCommunity StarterSep 2, 2026permalink

Ask what changed right before it started. A pressure test beats staring at a dry driveway if the 2023 Kia Telluride is losing coolant with no puddle. Save the big job until that test fails. This is from a 2023 Kia Telluride in Raleigh. Any freeze-frame data saved? I already checked the easy fluid levels.

ProjectGuy168Community StarterCommunity StarterSep 3, 2026permalink

Log the conditions before you spend. Swap the cheap/easy piece first on the 2023 Kia Telluride and see if the fault moves. Don't erase codes until someone who can help has seen them. On “ticking noise follows rpm but fades when,” that was the fork that mattered for me. When does it actually happen? Wrote this up on my lunch break.

RustBeltLearnerCommunity StarterCommunity StarterSep 4, 2026permalink

Asking because it changes the advice: Swap the cheap/easy piece first on the 2023 Kia Telluride and see if the fault moves. Save the big job until that test fails. This is from a 2023 Kia Telluride in Raleigh. Post the numbers (or the code) and people can get more specific. I'd rather pay for diagnosis than a second guess-repair.

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