2020 Kia Telluride problems, complaints & recalls

2020 Kia Telluride recalls (7)

• Recall 26V430000Jul 2, 2026462,869 vehiclesPark outside
  SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST

  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.

  Risk: 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.

• Recall 24V407000Jun 5, 2024462,869 vehiclesPark outside
  SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST

  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.

  Risk: 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.

• Recall 24V214000Mar 20, 2024427,407 vehicles
  POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT

  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.

  Risk: 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.

• Recall 24V148000Feb 26, 202435,031 vehicles
  EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

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

  Risk: 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.

• Recall 22V626000Aug 15, 202236,417 vehiclesPark outside
  TRAILER HITCHES

  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.

  Risk: 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.

• Recall 20V436000Jul 28, 202086,921 vehicles
  ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING · EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS · 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."

  Risk: 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.

• Recall 19V594000Aug 13, 201930,168 vehicles
  SEAT BELTS:FRONT · 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."

  Risk: 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.

NHTSA defect investigations

• PE23002Opened Jan 27, 2023Closed Apr 17, 2024led to recall 24V148

  Complete Loss of High Beams

  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 n…

NHTSA 5-Star safety ratings

Recent 2020 Kia Telluride complaints

Excerpts of the newest owner complaints, lightly cleaned of personal details. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

1. Filed Oct 7, 2026CAEngine

   I am reporting a potential safety defect involving excessive engine oil loss and persistent oil leakage on my 2020 Kia Telluride, VIN [XXX]. The vehicle currently has approximately 100,367 miles. It has been experiencing significant oil loss, approximately one quart of engine oil per week. I am concerned that this amount of oil loss is abnormal and creates a potential safety hazard if the engine loses sufficient oil while the vehicle is being driven. The vehicle has also had…

   NHTSA complaint #11769606 · source
2. Filed Oct 7, 2026NYBody & Structure

   This afternoon i noticed that my 2020 Kia Telluride paint has and continues to peel in large chunks in my driveway. All was good this morning and then all of the sudden large pieces of paint started to break away. Near the windshield hood area.

   NHTSA complaint #11769498 · source
3. Filed Oct 6, 2026ILEngineOther / UnknownSuspension

   I am filing this safety report regarding my 2020 Kia Telluride, which currently has approximately 133,000 miles. The vehicle is experiencing severe internal oil consumption, burning through multiple quarts of engine oil rapidly between normal service intervals without triggering any dashboard warning lights, creating a high risk of sudden engine failure or stalling at highway speeds. Additionally, the vehicle is losing coolant at an accelerated rate, risking severe engine…

   NHTSA complaint #11769481 · source
4. Filed Oct 2, 2026GALighting

   LED running light of driver's side headlamp assembly inoperable On 10/14/24 BOTH headlamp assemblies were under recall warranty and replaced at Sons Kia in McDonough GA. On 10/8/25 I returned to Sons Kia for service and to have the LED checked on the driver's side as it was no longer operable, less than a year after replacement. I was advised there was no warranty on the LED running light but only the halogen bulb. They priced this headlamp assembly replacement cost at…

   NHTSA complaint #11768480 · source
5. Filed Oct 1, 2026NCEngineOther / UnknownSuspension

   Purchased vehicle 8/31/2021 - 32k miles 10/18/21 - first mention of oil consumption (opened case with Kia) 2023,2025,2026. 3 more cases filed and DENIED with Kia customer care. Filed BBB claim, filed BBB anutoline claim, also hired lemon lawyer. Kia offered $6k to go away (I declined). *July 18,2026 Kia finally diagnosis and recommends engine replacement. Bore scope was used to discover scoring on cylinders from significant oil consumption. Vehicle is now smoking at take off…

   NHTSA complaint #11768414 · source
6. Filed Oct 1, 2026AZVisibility & Wipers

   1. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The panoramic sunroof glass spontaneously failed while the vehicle was being driven on the interstate at approximately 70 mph. A very loud bang, comparable to the sound of a gunshot, was heard from the roof area. After safely pulling over, we observed that the sunroof glass was bowed upward/outward and had a large crack extending from the driver’s side toward the passenger’s…

   NHTSA complaint #11768348 · source
7. Filed Oct 1, 2026MIEngine

   On September 24th, 2026, while traveling with my family in my 2020, KIA, Telluride, the vehicle began experiencing an unusual engine vibration approximately 200 miles into our trip. About five miles later, I exited the freeway and stopped to inspect it. Once stopped, the engine began knocking loudly. I checked the engine oil and coolant levels; both appeared normal, and the temperature gauge was at its usual reading. After waiting about five minutes, I restarted the vehicle,…

   NHTSA complaint #11768310 · source
8. Filed Sep 30, 2026NJEngine

   Vehicle is burning a significant amount of oil leading to it becoming dry. I am seeing a lot of people complaining about this issue but there has not been a recall sent out.

   NHTSA complaint #11768097 · source

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Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation public data, as of Oct 11, 2026. Complaints are submitted by owners and are not verified by NHTSA or by us; a complaint does not prove a defect exists. View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov Methodology