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2020 Kia Telluride

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Telluride years

Owner complaints for the 2020 Kia Telluride are substantially higher than the model-year median of 215.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

194 reports with mileage · 564 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Exterior Lighting. Review the 183 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 142 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Visibility/wiper. Review the 135 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

8 crash reports9 fire reports8 injury reports

Engine complaints

142 reports
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Mileage unknown · Dec 21, 2025
Engine

Around Dec 13 the cooling fan started running by itself while the vehicle was in the garage for a few hours with the engine shut off, so, engine is cold.. What we do in this circumstance is starting and shutting the engine, that takes car of the situation until it happens again, sometimes right away or a few hours later or next …

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Around Dec 13 the cooling fan started running by itself while the vehicle was in the garage for a few hours with the engine shut off, so, engine is cold.. What we do in this circumstance is starting and shutting the engine, that takes car of the situation until it happens again, sometimes right away or a few hours later or next day. I can't identify a relay that controls the fan. So, at this point we don't know how to resolve this problem.

NHTSA ODI #11706387

Mileage unknown · Dec 9, 2025
Engine

Plastic oil filter housing cracked causing all oil to leak out. If not noticed would have blown engine while driving. Brought to dealership and not covered under warranty

NHTSA ODI #11703954

Mileage unknown · Dec 8, 2025
Engine

Engine oil consumption issue. Engine is run dry due to overconsumption of oil, increasing likelihood of cracked engine block or engine fire. Secondary issue includes increased fuel consumption/ decreased MPG. First oil consumption test reflected 60% of oil used 1,000 miles after oil change.

NHTSA ODI #11703737

Mileage unknown · Dec 6, 2025
EngineStructureUnknown Or Other

Several oil housing changes. I’m not the first owner, the oil housing has been changed once already and I’m going to have to do it a second time, the car is only 5 years old. I’ve only owned the vehicle 2 years. The dealership did no diligence to check it, I went to the dealership for years and due to negligence with my oil chan…

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Several oil housing changes. I’m not the first owner, the oil housing has been changed once already and I’m going to have to do it a second time, the car is only 5 years old. I’ve only owned the vehicle 2 years. The dealership did no diligence to check it, I went to the dealership for years and due to negligence with my oil changes and recalls I stopped going, now I’m having to pay out of pocket for issues they’ve caused. I thought I messed up my car and had a part dragging at the bottom, when I took it in to the dealership they said it was previously not bolted down properly. I had a recall, I was told 3 times my lights were connected and I was “good to go” each time I got in and the car said my lights were not connected. After this I never came back! Not sure if it’s the dealership issue or on the car for my oil housing leak.

NHTSA ODI #11703416

Mileage unknown · Dec 5, 2025
Engine

I just recently purchased this vehicle used. I live in northwest Indiana and as soon as the temperature went below 40 degrees I developed an oil leak. In searching this topic this is a known issue with these vehicles but a widespread recall has not been issued. All owners of these vehicles as well as the Hyundai Pallisades have …

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I just recently purchased this vehicle used. I live in northwest Indiana and as soon as the temperature went below 40 degrees I developed an oil leak. In searching this topic this is a known issue with these vehicles but a widespread recall has not been issued. All owners of these vehicles as well as the Hyundai Pallisades have this issue due to having a plastic oil filter housing. This has been diagnosed by a non dealer certified repair facility already. The part is only around $60.00 but the labor to install is very high. Upon contacting Kia they informed me that I would have to bring it in to the dealership for diagnosis at a cost of $180.00 and then go from there for them to determine if they will "goodwill" the repair. I feel that in a situation like this either a recall should be issued, a class action should be created to reimburse all owners that have had these repairs done. It will not affect owners in states with warm climates. Can someone please research this and discover the amount of complaints online associated with this and get back with me? am already $5000.00 into repairs for known issues on these vehicle including rear suspension that is also a known issue but no recalls have been issued.

NHTSA ODI #11703194

Mileage unknown · Dec 5, 2025
EngineFuel/propulsion System

Engine light continues to come on and the vehicle sputters a lot while driving, it seems like it doesn't want to go. I have to give it more gas like I'm pushing it and when breaking the left front wheel wobbles when I'm trying to come to a stop I have to hold the wheel extra firm

NHTSA ODI #11703158

Mileage unknown · Dec 4, 2025
Engine

I purchased this vehicle with 109,000 miles on it. After driving for about a month, I noticed a noise and took it in for an inspection. I was told there was no oil in the vehicle and to take it to Kia. Kia told me that was a known issue the the oil consumption and wanted to start testing. I have an extended warranty but I am hav…

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I purchased this vehicle with 109,000 miles on it. After driving for about a month, I noticed a noise and took it in for an inspection. I was told there was no oil in the vehicle and to take it to Kia. Kia told me that was a known issue the the oil consumption and wanted to start testing. I have an extended warranty but I am having to come out of pocket $5000 before a claim can even be started and I have only owned it for 5 months.

NHTSA ODI #11703029

Mileage unknown · Dec 2, 2025
Engine

I was driving down the road and the engine started suddenly making a loud knocking noise. The car was immediately pulled over and put in park and towed to mechanic shop. Mechanic shop stated there was no oil on the engine dipstick and the engine was ruined due to lack of oil. No oil leaks were found. The car is kept in the gara…

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I was driving down the road and the engine started suddenly making a loud knocking noise. The car was immediately pulled over and put in park and towed to mechanic shop. Mechanic shop stated there was no oil on the engine dipstick and the engine was ruined due to lack of oil. No oil leaks were found. The car is kept in the garage and there is no oil on garage floor that would indicate a leak. The car was maintained with full synthetic oil changes every 6,000 miles. There was no indicator light on dash to alert to an oil problem. I called Kia to report concern, as there is a class action lawsuit for this engine issue in other models, but was told there was no lawsuit or recall with the specific model of engine in my car.

NHTSA ODI #11702605

Mileage unknown · Nov 12, 2025
EnginePower Train

After 8 months of trips to the shop telling them the engine was bad, and spending thousands to do things it didn’t need trying to get warranty to cover engine, kia finally agreed it had issues. Tore it down and piston rings are bad. There was carbon build up despite regular maintenance and they are telling me warranty won’t repl…

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After 8 months of trips to the shop telling them the engine was bad, and spending thousands to do things it didn’t need trying to get warranty to cover engine, kia finally agreed it had issues. Tore it down and piston rings are bad. There was carbon build up despite regular maintenance and they are telling me warranty won’t replace

NHTSA ODI #11699056

Mileage unknown · Nov 8, 2025
Engine

My 2020 Telluride started burning excessive oil at 65,000 miles. When the car runs out of oil, it stalls electrical systems such as the ABS and power steering. My car has run out of oil, including during dealer initiated oil consumption tests, 4 times. One of these times I was stopped on a hill. I rolled into traffic, unable to …

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My 2020 Telluride started burning excessive oil at 65,000 miles. When the car runs out of oil, it stalls electrical systems such as the ABS and power steering. My car has run out of oil, including during dealer initiated oil consumption tests, 4 times. One of these times I was stopped on a hill. I rolled into traffic, unable to brake or steer! Kia will not admit to this defect in their engines in spite of the thousands of people who have had issues. The Telluride has the same engine as the Hyundai Palisade. Hyundai produced a service bulletin related to oil consumption issues with this engine. Kia has not. My personal car, most recently, burned through 7 quarts of oil in 2,800 miles!

NHTSA ODI #11698343

Official recalls

7

26V430000 · Seats:front Assembly:power Adjust

Jul 2, 2026

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2024 Telluride vehicles. The front power seat motor may overheat due to a stuck power seat slide knob or an improper recall 24V407 repair, which can result in a fire while parked or driving.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A fire increases the risk of injury.

Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will install an electronic fuse assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 13, 2026. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC374. This recall replaces NHTSA recall number 24V407. Vehicles already repaired under the previous recall will need to have the new remedy completed. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning July 17, 2026.

24V407000 · Seats:front Assembly:power Adjust

Jun 5, 2024

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2024 Telluride vehicles. The front power seat motor may overheat due to a stuck power seat slide knob, which can result in a fire while parked or driving.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A fire increases the risk of injury.

Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will install a bracket for the power seat switch back covers and replace the seat slide knobs, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 30, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC316.

24V214000 · Power Train:driveline:driveshaft

Mar 20, 2024

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2024 Telluride vehicles. The intermediate shaft and right front driveshaft may not be fully engaged, which can result in vehicle roll away while in PARK.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A vehicle roll away increases the risk of a crash or injury.

Remedy: Owners are advised to manually engage the emergency parking brake prior to exiting the vehicle until the recall remedy is performed. Dealers will update the electronic parking brake software and replace any damaged intermediate shafts as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 15, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC303.

24V148000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights

Feb 26, 2024

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2020 Telluride vehicles. The high beam headlights may fail.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Inoperable high beam headlights may reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Dealers will inspect and repair or replace the high beam headlights, as necessary free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 9, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC299.

22V626000 · Trailer Hitches

Aug 15, 2022

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Telluride vehicles potentially equipped with a Genuine Kia 4-pin tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Kia dealership. Debris and moisture accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will install a new fuse and a wiring harness extension. Dealers will also inspect and replace the tow hitch harness assembly, as necessary. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 12, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC247.

20V436000 · Electrical System:wiring; Exterior Lighting:brake Lights; Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control

Jul 28, 2020

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2020 Telluride vehicles equipped with Smart Cruise Control (SCC). When a trailer is connected to the vehicle, the trailer brake lights will not illuminate when the SCC applies the brakes. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Inoperative trailer brake lights can fail to warn other drivers that the vehicle is slowing, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional wire harness to the main fuse box to signal the trailer brake lights, free of charge. The recall began September 10, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC194.

Additional source detail variants (3)

Forward Collision Avoidance: Adaptive Cruise Control

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2020 Telluride vehicles equipped with Smart Cruise Control (SCC). When a trailer is connected to the vehicle, the trailer brake lights will not illuminate when the SCC applies the brakes. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

Consequence: Inoperative trailer brake lights can fail to warn other drivers that the vehicle is slowing, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional wire harness to the main fuse box to signal the trailer brake lights, free of charge. The recall began September 10, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC194.

Exterior Lighting:brake Lights

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2020 Telluride vehicles equipped with Smart Cruise Control (SCC). When a trailer is connected to the vehicle, the trailer brake lights will not illuminate when the SCC applies the brakes. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

Consequence: Inoperative trailer brake lights can fail to warn other drivers that the vehicle is slowing, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional wire harness to the main fuse box to signal the trailer brake lights, free of charge. The recall began September 10, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC194.

Electrical System:wiring

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2020 Telluride vehicles equipped with Smart Cruise Control (SCC). When a trailer is connected to the vehicle, the trailer brake lights will not illuminate when the SCC applies the brakes. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

Consequence: Inoperative trailer brake lights can fail to warn other drivers that the vehicle is slowing, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional wire harness to the main fuse box to signal the trailer brake lights, free of charge. The recall began September 10, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC194.

19V594000 · Seat Belts:front; Seat Belts:rear/other

Aug 13, 2019

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2020 Telluride vehicles. The seat belt assemblies in the front passenger, second, and/or third row seats may not tightly secure a child restraint system in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: If a child seat is not properly secured, there is an increased risk of injury to the occupant in a crash.

Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles and replace any incorrect seat belt assemblies. The repair will also include replacing the driver's seat belt which has a non-U.S. specified label, with a U.S. specification seat belt. The repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began August 30, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC181.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Seat Belts:rear/other

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2020 Telluride vehicles. The seat belt assemblies in the front passenger, second, and/or third row seats may not tightly secure a child restraint system in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Consequence: If a child seat is not properly secured, there is an increased risk of injury to the occupant in a crash.

Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles and replace any incorrect seat belt assemblies. The repair will also include replacing the driver's seat belt which has a non-U.S. specified label, with a U.S. specification seat belt. The repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began August 30, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC181.

Seat Belts:front

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2020 Telluride vehicles. The seat belt assemblies in the front passenger, second, and/or third row seats may not tightly secure a child restraint system in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Consequence: If a child seat is not properly secured, there is an increased risk of injury to the occupant in a crash.

Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles and replace any incorrect seat belt assemblies. The repair will also include replacing the driver's seat belt which has a non-U.S. specified label, with a U.S. specification seat belt. The repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began August 30, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC181.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

PE23002 · Complete Loss Of High Beams

Opened Jan 27, 2023 · Closed Apr 17, 2024

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting:headlights

On January 27, 2023, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE23002 to investigate allegations of loss of high beams with no warning and no re-engagement resulting in reduced visibility at night in the 2020 Kia Telluride. The investigation revealed that the halogen bi-function projector beam, used in vehicles built between January 2019 and November of 2019, is composed of one halogen bulb light source that provides light for both low beam and high beam. The heat generated by the halogen bulb will inflict damage to the gear mechanism and as a result the shutter’s electric motor will no longer be able to move the shutter to the open position to reveal the high beams. A loss of high beams, prevents the driver from having proper distance illumination, therefore increasing the risk of a crash. On February 24, 2024, Kia filed recall 24V-148 for certain MY 2020 Kia Tellurides. The recall remedy provides an inspection of the high beam shield gear mechanism and will either apply a clip to secure the shield gear to the shaft or replace the headlamp assembly with one that is resistant to heat damagefrom the halogen bulb. In view of the recall action being taken by Kia, ODI is closing this Preliminary Evaluation. The agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.