2020 KIA TELLURIDE — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
5/5
Safety Rating
823
Owner Complaints
6
Recalls
105
Service Bulletins
1
Investigation
Overview of the 2020 KIA TELLURIDE
The 2020 KIA TELLURIDE has received a total of 823 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It earned an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program crash tests. There have been 12 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS, SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST. 105 technical service bulletins have been issued by Kia America, Inc. for this model year. The most commonly reported problems involve the Exterior Lighting (172 complaints), Visibilitywiper (134 complaints), and Unknown Or Other (125 complaints).
Recalls for the 2020 KIA TELLURIDE
NHTSA has recorded 12 recalls for the 2020 KIA TELLURIDE, potentially affecting up to 1,781,678 vehicles.
Recall 24V148000 — EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
| 35,031 vehicles affected
Defect: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2020 Telluride vehicles. The high beam headlights may fail.
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.
View full details →Recall 24V148000 — EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
| 35,031 vehicles affected
Defect: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2020 Telluride vehicles. The high beam headlights may fail.
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.
View full details →Recall 24V407000 — SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST
| 462,869 vehicles affected
Defect: 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: 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...
View full details →Recall 24V214000 — POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
| 427,407 vehicles affected
Defect: 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: 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....
View full details →Recall 24V214000 — POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
| 427,407 vehicles affected
Defect: 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: 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....
View full details →Recall 22V626000 — TRAILER HITCHES
| 36,417 vehicles affected
Defect: 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: 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....
View full details →Recall 22V626000 — TRAILER HITCHES
| 36,417 vehicles affected
Defect: 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: 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....
View full details →Recall 20V436000 — FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL
| 86,921 vehicles affected
Defect: 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...
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....
View full details →Recall 20V436000 — EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS
| 86,921 vehicles affected
Defect: 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...
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....
View full details →Recall 20V436000 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
| 86,921 vehicles affected
Defect: 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...
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....
View full details →Recall 19V594000 — SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
| 30,168 vehicles affected
Defect: 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...
View full details →Recall 19V594000 — SEAT BELTS:FRONT
| 30,168 vehicles affected
Defect: 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...
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 2020 KIA TELLURIDE
823 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2020 KIA TELLURIDE. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
Most Recent Complaints
Engine oil is disappearing in my 2020 Kia Telluride. This has been occurring for an extended period of time ( Since 2020) Early on, I was not driving frequently and did not immediately recognize the severity of the issue. However, about a year ago, when my work required significantly more driving, I began noticing that a large amount of oil was missing between checks, at times approximately half of the engine’s oil capacity. I initially suspected the plastic oil filter housing, which can crack or leak if it is over torqued during oil changes. To address that potential issue, I purchased an aluminum oil filter housing and had it installed. While that repair resolved one concern, it did not stop the ongoing oil loss. At times, when I check the dipstick, there is little to no oil registering, indicating the engine is operating on residual oil. When I remove the oil filler cap, smoke is visible coming from the opening. There are no signs of external leakage, no oil on the ground, and no oil leaking under the engine. This strongly suggests the engine is consuming oil internally. This is a serious safety concern. If the oil level drops unexpectedly while driving, the engine can suffer sudden damage, lose power, stall, or fail without warning. Because I regularly travel for work between Florida and Georgia, including highway driving, I now carry bottles of oil in the vehicle and feel compelled to monitor and top off oil frequently out of concern that the engine could fail or stall while driving, potentially leading to a crash, injury, or loss of life. Based on my research, I understand I am not the only Kia Telluride owner experiencing this type of abnormal oil consumption or unexplained oil loss.
Engine oil is disappearing in my 2020 Kia Telluride. This has been occurring for an extended period of time ( Since 2020) Early on, I was not driving frequently and did not immediately recognize the severity of the issue. However, about a year ago, when my work required significantly more driving, I began noticing that a large amount of oil was missing between checks, at times approximately half of the engine’s oil capacity. I initially suspected the plastic oil filter housing, which can crack or leak if it is over torqued during oil changes. To address that potential issue, I purchased an aluminum oil filter housing and had it installed. While that repair resolved one concern, it did not stop the ongoing oil loss. At times, when I check the dipstick, there is little to no oil registering, indicating the engine is operating on residual oil. When I remove the oil filler cap, smoke is visible coming from the opening. There are no signs of external leakage, no oil on the ground, and no oil leaking under the engine. This strongly suggests the engine is consuming oil internally. This is a serious safety concern. If the oil level drops unexpectedly while driving, the engine can suffer sudden damage, lose power, stall, or fail without warning. Because I regularly travel for work between Florida and Georgia, including highway driving, I now carry bottles of oil in the vehicle and feel compelled to monitor and top off oil frequently out of concern that the engine could fail or stall while driving, potentially leading to a crash, injury, or loss of life. Based on my research, I understand I am not the only Kia Telluride owner experiencing this type of abnormal oil consumption or unexplained oil loss.
Oil consumption is excessive causing the vehicle to stall out, exhaust smoke and loose power. Upon several recommendations from the service shop, money has been dumped into repairs that has not resolved the issue. Now, I am adding oil every other week with no oil leaks. I am afraid I will keep dumping unnecessary money into this issue; however, I am more concerned I may eventually stall out on the interstate, highway, or unsafe area.
Car is burning over 2 quarts of oil every 1000 miles with no leaks, stalls at stop signs and lights. Engine needs to be recalled. No warning lights.
Safety Rating for the 2020 KIA TELLURIDE
The 2020 KIA TELLURIDE received an overall safety rating of 5 out of 5 stars from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).
| Test Category | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall Rating | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Frontal Crash | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Side Crash | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Rollover | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Safety ratings are based on controlled crash tests conducted by NHTSA. A 5-star rating indicates the highest level of occupant protection.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 2020 KIA TELLURIDE
Kia America, Inc. has issued 105 technical service bulletins (TSBs) for the 2020 KIA TELLURIDE. TSBs are notices sent by manufacturers to their dealers describing a known issue and the recommended repair procedure.
TSB_CHA128 — POWER TRAIN
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: 4WD COUPLING NOISE/VIBRATION LOGIC IMPROVEMENT - This bulletin provides information to upgrade the 4-Wheel Drive “4WD” system software on certain 2020-2022MY Telluride (ON) vehicles produced from January 9, 2019, through September 1, 2022. The affected vehicles may exhibit a noise, vibration, shudder, and/or chattering from the 4WD...
TSB_TRA089_R1 — POWER TRAIN
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: TCM MIL ON DTC P074100 LOGIC IMPROVEMENT - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides the procedure to improve the logic of the Transmission Control Module (TCM)...
WTY040_QA — SUSPENSION
WARRANTY EXTENSION CAMPAIGN: QUESTION AND ANSWER (WTY040) - This document is the Question and Answer Guide containing the most frequently asked questions regarding the Warranty Extension Campaign WTY040.
SC301_TSB — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: WSS SOFTWARE UPGRADE (SC301) - This bulletin provides information to update the Wheel Speed Sensor (WSS) software on certain 2020-2024MY Telluride (ON) vehicles manufactured from January 9, 2019 through March 10, 2024.
SC301_DPSM — SERVICE BRAKES
VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: DEALER PARTS & SERVICE MANAGERS MEMO (SC301) - This document is the announcement to the dealer Parts and Service Managers that Kia is conducting a Voluntary Service Campaign on all 2020-2023 MY and certain 2024 MY Telluride vehicles manufactured from January 9, 2019 through March 10, 2024.
SC301_QA — SERVICE BRAKES
VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: QUESTION AND ANSWER (SC301) - This document is the Question and Answer Guide containing the most frequently asked questions regarding the Voluntary Service Campaign SC301.
WTY030_OWNR_R1 — EXTERIOR LIGHTING
WARRANTY EXTENSION: OWNER RE-NOTIFICATION - This document is the owner re-notification advising that Kia is extending the New Vehicle Limited Warranty coverage for the halogen headlamp assembly in certain 2020 MY Telluride LX/S/EX vehicles from 5 years / 60,000 miles to 15 years / 150,000 miles, whichever comes first, starting...
TSB_CHA113_R1 — SUSPENSION
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: REAR SHOCK ABSORBER ASSEMBLY NOISE - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information to replace the rear self-leveling shock insulator and locking nut on some 2020-2021MY...
TSB_BOD319 — STRUCTURE
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: SUNROOF WIND DEFLECTOR ARMS AND MECHANISM PARTS REPLACEMENT - This bulletin provides information to perform a partial replacement of the sunroof wind deflector and mechanism arms on some 2019-2022MY Telluride (ON) vehicles produced from February 15, 2019 through January 19, 2022. The affected vehicles may experience the...
WTY030_TSB_R1 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: HALOGEN HEADLAMP REPLACEMENT - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information associated with the 'Halogen Headlamp High Beam Warranty Extension Program' (WTY030) to replace the affected...
Showing 10 of 105 technical service bulletins.
NHTSA Investigations for the 2020 KIA TELLURIDE
NHTSA has opened 1 investigation into potential safety defects in the 2020 KIA TELLURIDE.
Other Model Years of the KIA TELLURIDE
- 2020 KIA TELLURIDE (current)
- 2021 KIA TELLURIDE — 360 complaints
- 2022 KIA TELLURIDE — 363 complaints
- 2023 KIA TELLURIDE — 249 complaints
- 2024 KIA TELLURIDE — 270 complaints
- 2025 KIA TELLURIDE — 44 complaints
Other KIA Models
- KIA SORENTO — 13,451 total complaints
- KIA OPTIMA — 10,045 total complaints
- KIA SOUL — 7,147 total complaints
- KIA SPORTAGE — 6,540 total complaints
- KIA FORTE — 3,450 total complaints
- KIA SEDONA — 3,334 total complaints
- KIA SEPHIA — 3,080 total complaints
- KIA RIO — 1,784 total complaints