← New search

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

Electrical System complaints

58 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Aug 2, 2024
Electrical SystemFuel/propulsion SystemService Brakes

My check engine and oil lights have come on more than once around the time of needing an oil change. During that time, the engine bucks, and the RPM revs high and low. The Kia Service Dealer, both times, stated that the light was coming on because the oil was low. The first time they replaced the spark plugs as a precaution, si…

Read full complaint

My check engine and oil lights have come on more than once around the time of needing an oil change. During that time, the engine bucks, and the RPM revs high and low. The Kia Service Dealer, both times, stated that the light was coming on because the oil was low. The first time they replaced the spark plugs as a precaution, since the check engine light state miss-firing. That didn't fix the problem, because the light came one again right before the next oil change was needed. And this time, the car actually stalled out at a red light. They said the oil was really low the second time. I asked where the oil could be going. They said it wasn't leaking that they could tell, and that Kia says its ok to lose about a quart every 1000 miles. I don't agree with that, especially with a 4 year old car. So I had another family member drive the car while I followed, and sure enough I saw black smoke coming out of the tail pipe. So, the engine is burning the oil. On top of all this, I noticed that the screen (which they just did a software update on) right side compass keeps appearing suddenly and then disappearing, without anyone touching the screen. Then I noticed yesterday, after I parked. The Emergency Brake turned out all by itself, without me pulling the button up. The red light indicator came on also, then turned off and on and off. Lastly, the forward movement button on the driver side button doesn't work, which I thought was supposed to be repaired as part of the last recall. All in all, I am afraid to drive this car because I think the engine or seat is going to catch fire at any moment.

NHTSA ODI #11606059

Mileage unknown · Jul 8, 2024
Electrical SystemUnknown Or Other

Sunroof went off track and will not close. Took it to the dealership and it will need a totally new sunroof assembly totaling $5,000 because the sunroof got off track on its own.

NHTSA ODI #11600102

Mileage unknown · Jun 7, 2024
Electrical SystemService Brakes

On Friday [XXX], my vehicle began failing to brake after being in traffic for about 45 minutes. I had to punch the brake with my foot, hitting the floor, and it would continue to roll. It was towed to Courage Kia in Gastonia on [XXX]. On 5/14, they identified an issue with the HECU. Since then, they have been “running tests” wit…

Read full complaint

On Friday [XXX], my vehicle began failing to brake after being in traffic for about 45 minutes. I had to punch the brake with my foot, hitting the floor, and it would continue to roll. It was towed to Courage Kia in Gastonia on [XXX]. On 5/14, they identified an issue with the HECU. Since then, they have been “running tests” with engineering to try to identify the issue. However, I’m seeing years of these complaints online and this can’t be the first time this has happened. I do not have any paperwork yet, because nothing has been done. There were no warning lights on in my car. It is currently available for inspection at Courage Kia in Gastonia. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI #11593161

Mileage unknown · May 9, 2024
Electrical System

My 2020 Kia Telluride SX model won’t start, I get an error “Check ESC“. It will also have other warning ligts come on also. The failure from the start seemed like the bad battery and a (TOC TOC) sound was heard when trying to turn it on several times Had the checked the battery and replaced because it was bad, after a month day…

Read full complaint

My 2020 Kia Telluride SX model won’t start, I get an error “Check ESC“. It will also have other warning ligts come on also. The failure from the start seemed like the bad battery and a (TOC TOC) sound was heard when trying to turn it on several times Had the checked the battery and replaced because it was bad, after a month days it began to have the problem again Jumpstarting the car worked but only temporarily. The next day, or within a few hours the same issue of not turning over.

NHTSA ODI #11587783

Mileage unknown · Jan 11, 2024
Electrical SystemUnknown Or Other

I have a fairly brand new 2020 Kia Telluride with only about 50,000 miles on it and one day out of no where the car won't start and now I'm getting a check ESC message. Since it's fairly new I had it jump started and the car quickly turned on and ran fine for the rest of the day. The following day the car hesitated when turning …

Read full complaint

I have a fairly brand new 2020 Kia Telluride with only about 50,000 miles on it and one day out of no where the car won't start and now I'm getting a check ESC message. Since it's fairly new I had it jump started and the car quickly turned on and ran fine for the rest of the day. The following day the car hesitated when turning on but it started. I was driving and when I got to a light and when the light turned green and went to take off the car wouldn't go. It turned off again and would start back up. I went into the KIA forum and noticed that a lot of Kia Telluride owners are experiencing this same issue but all seem to have different resolutions from needing a new battery, or a new starter or that the IBU system is blown. This is very frustrating because I don't necessarily know where I need to begin and I don't want to have waste my money with trying to figure out exactly what is going on with my car.

NHTSA ODI #11564861

Mileage unknown · Dec 14, 2023
Air BagsBack Over PreventionElectrical System

Light always appears on dashboard

NHTSA ODI #11560038

Mileage unknown · Dec 4, 2023
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

RH high beam light inoperable. Does not go high beam when selected. LH ok. LH drivers mirror does not extend or retract most times when locking or unlocking the car.

NHTSA ODI #11558393

Mileage unknown · Nov 21, 2023
Electrical SystemExterior LightingPower Train

This started in July/August. I went in to get into my car and noticed that although my car was making the sound of unlocking, it wasn’t unlocking. Neither the key fob or pressing the button on the door handle would unlock my car. I manually used the key to get in. Once I got in, I had a rear collision warning on my dash and …

Read full complaint

This started in July/August. I went in to get into my car and noticed that although my car was making the sound of unlocking, it wasn’t unlocking. Neither the key fob or pressing the button on the door handle would unlock my car. I manually used the key to get in. Once I got in, I had a rear collision warning on my dash and was unable to shift from park. I overrode the shift mechanism and took it to a mechanic. They hooked it up to a reader and was tracking down the error when all of sudden the error code disappeared, and they were unable to progress. I left there and drove to work without issues. Two days later (Saturday) it happened again. I disconnected the negative battery cable and waited a few minutes before I hooked it back up. It was fine for about a month and then it started happening again. This time I tried the battery cable again and it worked for a while, but it started to happen more regularly. I took it to a Kia dealer but they were unable to replicate it. They said if it happens again record it and send a the video. Two days later it happened, and I sent them a video. I took my car back to the dealer and it has been there 11/9. In between visits, it happened, and I overrode the shift mechanism and I noticed my dash lights were almost out as well as the other issues. I believe I know what the issue is. I noticed this only happens when it’s cool in the early morning and then, when the sun comes up, there is an abundance of moisture on the inside windshield. I believe that heavy moisture is shorting out the electronics in my dash. I’ve never had an issue when it rains or midday. It’s probably why this has been so noticeable in the fall early winter. We have lots of mornings in the 30’s and they quickly warm up when the sun comes out. I have read some online forums that talk about the condensation issue with the Kia Telluride. I haven’t found any that talks about the electronic issue however.

NHTSA ODI #11556250

Mileage unknown · Nov 7, 2023
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

Hi beams stopped working

NHTSA ODI #11554025

Mileage unknown · Sep 7, 2023
Electrical System

We purchased a used KIA and were told by the seller that there were recalls. I took the car to the local KIA and they said the recall was already taken care of. The recall was a tow hitch fuse that needed to be changed. The recall was taken supposedly was taken care of at Fremont Kia. I looked at the fuse myself and it did no…

Read full complaint

We purchased a used KIA and were told by the seller that there were recalls. I took the car to the local KIA and they said the recall was already taken care of. The recall was a tow hitch fuse that needed to be changed. The recall was taken supposedly was taken care of at Fremont Kia. I looked at the fuse myself and it did not have the proper fuse as required by the recall. I took the car back in to my local San Jose Kia and they confirmed the fuse was not correct. The fuse has now been replaced, but they did not have the tow hitch harness yet. We are still waiting. My concern is that we had a critical recall and Kia did not replace the proper parts putting us at risk.

NHTSA ODI #11543306

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.