Kia Telluride Complaints (2020)

777 consumer complaints on file.

#11773544October 25, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Batter drainage issue. Have paid for a new battery and I just bought the car 09/14/2026
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11772143October 19, 2026
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I am reporting a serious safety concern involving my 2020 Kia Telluride SX with approximately 129,000 miles. The vehicle began experiencing delayed starting followed by a very strong gasoline odor. I also heard a hissing sound that continued after the engine was turned off. Due to safety concerns, I had the vehicle towed to a repair facility rather than continuing to drive it. The repair shop subsequently confirmed a significant fuel leak with gasoline spraying and pooling underneath the vehicle, reportedly extending from the front toward the rear. I am extremely concerned about the potential fire hazard this condition presents especially because I had been operating the vehicle before discovering the severity of the leak. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate whether this fuel-system failure represents a broader safety issue affecting 2020 Kia Telluride vehicles.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11771825October 17, 2026
SEATS
1. Incident & Vehicle Identification •Vehicle: 2020 Kia Telluride •Owner Name: [XXX] •Contact Phone: [XXX] •Kia Customer Care Case Number: XXX •NHTSA Safety Recall Number: 26V430 2. Description of Safety Hazard & Manufacturer Reimbursement Refusal Plaintext COMPLAINT REGARDING MANUFACTURER NON-COMPLIANCE WITH 49 CFR § 573.13 (REIMBURSEMENT FOR PRE-NOTIFICATION REMEDIES) STATEMENT OF FACT & CHRONOLOGY: 1. In XXX, my 2020 Kia Telluride experienced a dangerous, uncommanded driver's power seat failure. The seat drifted to the full-forward position without user input and the switch/assembly became stuck, preventing adjustment. 2. I took the vehicle to an authorized Kia dealership to address this safety hazard. The dealership diagnosed the issue and performed repairs out-of-pocket. 3. Subsequent to my repair, Kia issued an official NHTSA Safety Recall concerning the driver's power seat switch/fuse assembly, warning owners that the switch could stick, overheat, and cause a vehicle fire. 4. I submitted my repair receipt and dealership invoice to Kia for reimbursement under the federal General Reimbursement Plan. 5. On September 25, 2026, Kia Customer Care formally denied my claim (Case #26382986), stating: "Per the invoice received, the electronic fuse assembly was not installed. Reimbursement request denied." REGULATORY VIOLATION UNDER FEDERAL LAW: Under 49 CFR § 573.13(d)(2)(v)(A), federal safety standards stipulate that a manufacturer's reimbursement plan MUST cover repairs that addressed "the defect or noncompliance that led to the recall OR A MANIFESTATION OF THE DEFECT OR NONCOMPLIANCE." Kia is violating federal regulations by imposing an arbitrary constraint requiring the dealership's pre-recall repair invoice to match the specific part number or component description identified in the subsequent recall, rather than recognizing that the repair INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11771544October 16, 2026
ENGINE
hi- I bought a used Kia Telluride (2020) and after 2 months it stalled out and after 2 different mechanics and a Kia dealership telling me it was fixed- it was not. The car basically had no oil left with zero light or warning. after doing some research, there are tons of people complaining of the same issue. the engine is essentially ruined and needs to be replaced and Kia is not addressing this as an issue. my care has stalled out 3 times with my children in it at dangerous intersections. Kia is not taking responsibility of this- having to check oil every 3 days is not normal but Kia thinks it is I guess. The blue smoke coming from my exhaust is a serious problem. A local news station just reported on this of a woman needing an engine replacement and Kia not covering it, but after the news got to them they now are. We need this issue addressed as it is NOT SAFE and Kia needs to put a recall on this immediately- like 5 years ago this should have been addressed! I am not stuck with a car I still owe money on and have to figure out how to pay for a new engine!? KIA needs to do something- this is a safety issue! see article below! [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11771024October 14, 2026
ENGINE
I have this 2020 telluride and it’s consuming a lot of oil I have to add a quart of oil every 600 miles. I was wondering if there is any open recalls for this.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11770105October 9, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, AIR BAGS
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Telluride. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the air bag warning light illuminated. The dealer was contacted by phone and made aware of the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with an electrical bleeding between the wiring harness. The contact was informed that the wiring harness needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the failure was an expensive out-of-pocket repair. The manufacturer was contacted by phone and made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 119,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11769498October 7, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11769606October 7, 2026
ENGINE
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 repeated oil leaks, including an oil pan leak and timing cover leak. I have taken the vehicle to Kia for repairs multiple times, but the oil-related problems have continued. This has required me to continually monitor and add engine oil to prevent the oil level from becoming dangerously low. I specifically brought the vehicle to Kia because of the excessive oil consumption and ongoing leaks. However, the dealership has told me that they will not perform an oil-consumption test until the existing oil leaks are repaired. Kia Customer Care also opened case #[XXX], but I was subsequently told that Kia could not provide assistance because the vehicle is outside the standard warranty period. I am concerned that the underlying cause of the excessive oil loss has not been properly diagnosed. I am also concerned about the possibility of engine damage or engine failure if the vehicle continues losing oil at this rate. Kia has also issued a 2026 warranty extension concerning an engine oil-filter-housing gasket leak on certain 2020–2025 Telluride vehicles. I have asked Kia to determine whether my vehicle is affected by this condition and whether the current oil leaks are related, but I have not received a satisfactory resolution. I am asking NHTSA to review this complaint along with other complaints involving 2020 Kia Tellurides experiencing excessive oil consumption and/or recurring engine oil leaks to determine whether there is a potential safety defect or broader pattern that warrant INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION AC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11769481October 6, 2026
ENGINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER, SUSPENSION
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 overheating. Furthermore, the suspension system has been a recurring safety nightmare; the shocks have failed and been replaced twice, and a critical structural defect caused the tires to rub directly against suspension components while driving, prematurely destroying the tires and severely compromising vehicle stability and steering control. I do not feel safe driving this car or transporting my kids everyday. When I spoke to Kia customer service, I was told they could not do anything despite being just under 100,000 miles at the time.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11768480October 2, 2026
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
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 $1169. I believe Kia should accept responsibility of the failure of the new assembly that they sent a recall for and replace this one assembly at no charge to the customer. Kia Customer Service stated this was under warranty but denied by dealership service manager
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11768310October 1, 2026
ENGINE
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, but the knocking became worse with each start. I stopped running the engine and had the vehicle towed to a Kia service center. The vehicle had approximately 99,350 miles. The shop has described the engine problem as a “catastrophic failure.” The cause and specific failed components are cannot be identified in this kind of failure. This sudden failure during freeway travel with my family created a serious safety concern and I am sure this needs to notified so that it doesn't happen to anyone who own's the same car. There are particles of metal shavings found in Oil filter which concludes engine failure with no explanation. Only option I am given is get the engine swap which is ~70% of the total cost of the car. Kia support just says since the car is out of warranty they cannot do anything about it. This is a serious durability issue. I totally understand that the car warranty was reduced for the 2nd owner, but first user could also get this problem on the freeway and can be dangerous for everyone driving in the car as i am still under 100,000miles. I am trying to spread awareness, Kia already acknowledges that consuming 1qtz of oil every 1000 miles is normal, which means the engine has a issue that Hyundai/Kia needs to fix before more family starts facing this with even worse situation than ours. Please look into this so that they can acknowledge fix the problem and opens a recall for fixing it.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11768348October 1, 2026
VISIBILITY/WIPER
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 side and toward the front of the vehicle. The glass remained intact within the sunroof frame but was visibly damaged. The vehicle and sunroof assembly are available for inspection upon request. The damaged sunroof glass should also be retained and made available for inspection, if possible. 2. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The failure occurred unexpectedly while traveling at approximately 70 mph on an interstate. The sudden, extremely loud bang startled us and created an immediate safety concern while the vehicle was traveling at highway speed. The sunroof glass also bowed significantly upward and developed a large crack. An unexpected failure of overhead glass while traveling at highway speed presents a potential safety hazard to the occupants. We were also concerned about the possibility of glass breaking further or pieces of glass becoming detached and creating a hazard for the occupants or other motorists. 3. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? At this time, the failure has not been reproduced or independently confirmed by a Kia dealer or independent service center. The damaged sunroof is available for inspection. 4. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? To date, the vehicle and sunroof failure have not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives. A claim has been submitted to insurance company.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11768414October 1, 2026
ENGINE, SUSPENSION, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
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 (112k miles), current open case with Kia customer care again. Requesting buyback or settlement for the 3rd time in 5 years. Still paying $600 a month Safety concern: on a trip out of state vehicle dash lit up every icon and went dead in the middle of a packed 4 lane highway , started with power steering, no lights, no horn , couldn't roll window down.(video avail) Vehicle towed to dealership. Had replaced battery 2 times already. This has happened twice and my family was in the vehicle once on the large highway, very scary no one knew we were broke down bc we had no way to show it. People blowing and zooming by mad. Low oil light doesn't exist on this vehicle, I've been bone dry with no indication EVER. I now ride around with a 5 quart jug of oil and funnel in the back of my car since 72,000 miles. This should be illegal. Rear suspension: 4 times the rear suspension has been replaced (7 times in the shop to be fixed one time over 30 days) and has never been fixed , now making the same knocking noise it's always made. The car is a lemon and Kia knows it and will not stand behind their product. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE IN THIS VEHICLE, kia has been notified numerous times in every avenue and every way I could communicate, they say "we will call you with an update when we have one" that call NEVER happens.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11768097September 30, 2026
ENGINE
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.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11767667September 29, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Everything with paint that everyone else with the pearl color is dealing with flaked all off .. electrical my seat caught on fire ... lighting headlights constantlyfail have changed multiple.. I can keep going on but there isnt enough time or room
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11767757September 29, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Plastic part of sunroof mechanism snapped, causing the whole sunroof to jam and not be able to close properly. Not only does this put interior damage of the car at risk, it puts a driver and passengers at risk in the case of inclement weather.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11766642September 24, 2026
ENGINE
My 2020 Kia Telluride experienced progressive and severe engine oil consumption that ultimately required a full engine replacement. Beginning well before the failure, the vehicle required frequent manual oil top-offs between scheduled changes, including on longer trips. No low-oil warning light, check-engine light, or oil-pressure warning ever illuminated to alert of critically low oil levels. In late March 2026 an independent service center replaced the engine oil filter housing and related gasket after an oil leak was observed; an axle damaged by oil spray was also replaced at that time. Shortly afterward the manufacturer issued a warranty extension covering oil-filter-housing gasket leaks on 2020–2025 Tellurides, extending coverage to 15 years/180,000 miles for that specific condition. Despite the housing/gasket repair, the excessive oil consumption continued. Several weeks later the vehicle lost power and broke down while being driven. It was towed to an authorized Kia dealership. Technicians inspected the vehicle, confirmed heavy oil consumption (noting the engine had been requiring large amounts of oil nearly weekly with no external ground leaks observed), and diagnosed catastrophic internal engine damage. They recommended complete engine replacement at a quoted cost exceeding $13,000. The dealership also inspected the oil-filter housing area under the recent warranty extension but determined the engine damage itself fell outside that limited coverage. The oil-consumption problem and resulting engine failure create a clear safety risk: sudden loss of power or stalling can occur without any dashboard warning, potentially while the vehicle is in motion on public roads. The failed engine and related components remain available for inspection. The condition has been confirmed by both an independent service center and an authorized Kia dealership. Similar oil-consumption and engine-damage reports have been widely noted among other owners of the same model.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11766500September 23, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY, ENGINE
I am the original owner of a 2020 Kia Telluride that was purchased new in December 2019 and currently has approximately 98,000 miles. The vehicle has been routinely serviced, including regular maintenance performed through authorized Kia dealerships. Recently, the vehicle developed a serious apparent engine problem. An independent repair facility inspected the engine oil and found it was very low and visible metallic particles/shavings in the oil. The oil also appeared abnormally burned. The repair facility found no evidence of an external oil leak and advised that the vehicle should not be driven because of the condition of the engine oil and presence of metal. I had the vehicle towed to an authorized Kia dealership rather than continue operating it. There were NO Engine or warning lights indicating low oil. The vehicle is currently awaiting diagnosis by Kia under the 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. I am concerned that the presence of metal in the engine oil indicates an internal engine component failure that could result in sudden engine seizure, loss of propulsion, or other engine failure while the vehicle is being operated in traffic. There was no crash, fire, or injury associated with my vehicle at the time the problem was discovered because I stopped operating it after being advised not to drive it. The vehicle also has significant premature paint delamination on the roof. Large areas of the original factory paint have separated/flaked away from the roof despite the vehicle being approximately six years old. This is not isolated rock chipping or normal cosmetic wear; it appears to be a widespread failure of paint adhesion. I am concerned about additional paint separating from the vehicle while traveling at highway speeds and potentially becoming airborne, as well as the long-term effect of exposed roof metal and corrosion. Kia has been notified of the paint condition but has declined to repair it.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11765332September 18, 2026
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Telluride. The contact stated that while driving 5 MPH, the vehicle unexpectedly stalled in the middle of an intersection. The vehicle was restarted; however, the low oil warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where an oil consumption test was performed. The dealer informed the contact that no failure was found. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred and, after inspecting the vehicle, the oil level was low despite a recent oil change. The contact stated that the vehicle was scheduled for another oil consumption test with the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure by telephone. The approximate failure mileage was 69,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11764415September 15, 2026
ENGINE
Loss of oil that is going out the heads and exhaust. This causes loss of power. Oil light doesn’t come on. This happened twice. Once in March and we took it to the dealership to have it fixed. Unfortunately, the issue wasn’t fixed and it happened again in August.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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