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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

Vehicle Speed Control complaints

13 reports
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Mileage unknown · Jun 10, 2026
Electrical SystemSteeringVehicle Speed Control

Not due to recalls. My entire car was malfunctioning over the backup camera. Every system was being displayed on my dashboard as all lights were on. Turning signals and four ways would not work, my steering became tight and hard to turn.

NHTSA ODI #11743142

Mileage unknown · May 18, 2026
EnginePower TrainVehicle Speed Control

I was driving down the interstate when all of a sudden, I hear a bang, and my power went crazy, couldn't push the gas at all, my car was suddenly shut off. We coasted to the side of the interstate and got out to see a pile of oil underneath my car. Called a tow truck to help us and he found a massive hole in the engine block / o…

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I was driving down the interstate when all of a sudden, I hear a bang, and my power went crazy, couldn't push the gas at all, my car was suddenly shut off. We coasted to the side of the interstate and got out to see a pile of oil underneath my car. Called a tow truck to help us and he found a massive hole in the engine block / oil pan - catastrophic engine failure. I have 117k miles on my car BUT I have kept up with maintenance on this vehicle. There should be no reason for this to happen. This put my family in immediate danger.

NHTSA ODI #11738539

Mileage unknown · Sep 22, 2025
Power TrainVehicle Speed Control

I had the AWD coupler replaced at 66000 under warranty due to a TSB and hesitation when turning at slow speeds. I'm at 110000 and the AWD coupler is failing again and needs replacement but Kia warranty won't cover it again. Very frustrated

NHTSA ODI #11688822

Mileage unknown · Aug 31, 2025
Electrical SystemSteeringVehicle Speed Control

When starting vehicle during warm weather conditions, all dashboard alarms light up and beep. Initially, when put into drive mode, steering is extremely difficult. When accelerating, no speed is displayed. During driving there is no speedometer, no operating turn signal and the odometer does not record driving miles.

NHTSA ODI #11684193

Mileage unknown · Apr 17, 2025
Power TrainSuspensionVehicle Speed Control

Car has been brought to KIA for transmission issues multiple times and the associate tells me to just tighten the gas cap to get the light to go off. The car is not shifting properly and will "jump" or "lunge" forward while driving. I have noticed that the RPM's will jump and bounce around, seemingly down shifting, then shift ag…

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Car has been brought to KIA for transmission issues multiple times and the associate tells me to just tighten the gas cap to get the light to go off. The car is not shifting properly and will "jump" or "lunge" forward while driving. I have noticed that the RPM's will jump and bounce around, seemingly down shifting, then shift again, and then down shift again, which causes jerking motion. The reason I initially took the vehicle in was for a "shake" or "wobble" when accelerating up a hill (semi steep incline) or at freeway speeds (55-70MPH). In these instances, the vehicle will have a hard time shifting and temporarily lose momentum causing concerns for me and other drivers on the road. The transmission light will go on and I call KIA to be told to tighten the gas cap. I recently brought it in for the third time and they diagnosed something different. I have mentioned the transmission each time, but they have focused on other items and not the transmission. I have had the shocks replaced, the tires replaced, alignment performed, and the problem still persist. However, the dealership will not look at the transmission and says that it is the other items, but the issue still remains after fixing the other items. The shock failure caused other items to wear out and the dealer should be on the hook for those items. I have brought the vehicle in dating to last year for the transmission issue with no help from the dealership. Please take action so that we don't lose our lives or put others at risk for injury.

NHTSA ODI #11655195

Mileage unknown · Jan 17, 2025
EnginePower TrainVehicle Speed Control

While traveling at highway speeds between 65-75MPH the vehicle with violently shake while shifting and then lunge forward. However, during the shaking the vehicle is hard to control and feels like it is going to just shut off. This scenario primarily happens on flat roads at the above mentioned speed. However, we have noticed an…

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While traveling at highway speeds between 65-75MPH the vehicle with violently shake while shifting and then lunge forward. However, during the shaking the vehicle is hard to control and feels like it is going to just shut off. This scenario primarily happens on flat roads at the above mentioned speed. However, we have noticed an issue with the vehicle while turning corners and accelerating, as well as, when going up hills or steep highway sections. The vehicle has a V6 but seems to struggle shifting when trying to accelerate even to 40-50MPH. In some instances the vehicle has labored up a hill and seemingly doesn't want to downshift and pick go faster. It seems that this issue has triggered a TSB from Kia, but the issue has potential for elevated risks for other drivers on the road. If the vehicle is unable to maintain freeway speeds or climbing speed, then it poses a risk to traffic on either side of the road and the potential need to pull over. It seems that the vehicle loses power or momentum and would make it very dangerous to get off the road or onto the shoulder. The violent shaking could cause a driver to panic and lose control of the vehicle while at highway speeds and needs to be investigated.

NHTSA ODI #11636511

Mileage unknown · Nov 12, 2024
Vehicle Speed Control

While driving into school parking lot, vehicle very suddenly just STOPPED driving. Engine was on, but accelerator/gas pedal did NOTHING- totally unresponsive. Was in the middle of traffic coming in and out of school and vehicle would not move an inch. Turned on and off, and still nothing. After 10 minutes of turning on and o…

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While driving into school parking lot, vehicle very suddenly just STOPPED driving. Engine was on, but accelerator/gas pedal did NOTHING- totally unresponsive. Was in the middle of traffic coming in and out of school and vehicle would not move an inch. Turned on and off, and still nothing. After 10 minutes of turning on and off, it finally went again, and I pulled into a parking spot. Vehicle is too dangerous to drive with unpredictable stopping, had two young children in the car. KIA company is awful, nothing but problems with this car, and very much safety issues!

NHTSA ODI #11624681

Mileage unknown · Mar 18, 2024
EngineUnknown Or OtherVehicle Speed Control

The torque converter is malfunctioning to where I have been unable to use my vehicle for almost 2 months. It is available for inspection, but is currently at a repair shop pending inspection to get an estimate on costs to fix the issue (if it is something that can be fixed). My safety along with my family's safety were put at …

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The torque converter is malfunctioning to where I have been unable to use my vehicle for almost 2 months. It is available for inspection, but is currently at a repair shop pending inspection to get an estimate on costs to fix the issue (if it is something that can be fixed). My safety along with my family's safety were put at risk due to the inability for the vehicle to pick up speed while driving on major highways [XXX]. During this time the check engine light came on for the 1st time, the vehicle would not properly pick up speed, continuously makes a whining noise when vehicle is on whether it's being driven or not and it shakes at various speeds. A diagnostic was completed and the code listed was for the torque converter. Since that time (1st week of February), I have not been able to drive the vehicle. This is the only vehicle in my household. I am still having to make payments on it and cannot use it. KIA has had a recall in the past issued in June 2020 for a specific timeframe of vehicles produced between May 18, 2020 - May 20, 2020 for the "Automatic transmission/Torque Converter Assembly Replacement". With this recall, KIA only listed 19 VIN's to associate this major issue with. The recall also stated to complete this action prior to the sale of the vehicle to prevent customer complaints. My car was manufactured in June 2019 and I purchased it mid year 2020. If KIA has sold thousands of Tellurides since that time, how can only 19 be affected? I have attached a copy of the previous recall. Once I receive an estimate, I can also forward it. I also have copies of every/all maintenance completed since getting this vehicle to show everything has been completed on time & by a KIA dealership in my area (it doesn't let me upload this file). INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI #11578098

Mileage unknown · Aug 22, 2023
Forward Collision AvoidanceVehicle Speed ControlCrashInjury

The contact owns a 2020 Kia Telluride. The contact stated while her grand-daughter was driving with adaptive cruise control (ACC) mode set at 40 MPH, the vehicle accelerated unintendedly and the steering wheel seized, causing the contact to lose control of the vehicle. The vehicle crashed into a road sign. The air bags did not d…

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The contact owns a 2020 Kia Telluride. The contact stated while her grand-daughter was driving with adaptive cruise control (ACC) mode set at 40 MPH, the vehicle accelerated unintendedly and the steering wheel seized, causing the contact to lose control of the vehicle. The vehicle crashed into a road sign. The air bags did not deploy. The contact stated that the diver was able to veer to the side of the road as the steering wheel became operable. The vehicle was towed to an autobody repair shop, who informed the contact that the EDR failed to display crash data. The grand-daughter went to the hospital later, and was informed that she had sustained a minor concussion, a disc in the back and the neck. A police report was filed. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure, The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI #11540046

Mileage unknown · Dec 1, 2021
Exterior LightingSteeringVehicle Speed Control

Component Failure: Unsafe headlights, refusal of KIA corporate to address problem since vehicle was new. Component Failure: Unsafe headlights, cause Advance Driver Assistance Systems to malfunction. Failures include: Automatic Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Warning, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keeping Assistance, and …

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Component Failure: Unsafe headlights, refusal of KIA corporate to address problem since vehicle was new. Component Failure: Unsafe headlights, cause Advance Driver Assistance Systems to malfunction. Failures include: Automatic Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Warning, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keeping Assistance, and Pedestrian Avoidance. Safety risks: 1) Multiple near collisions with Pedestrians and bicyclists. 2). Emergency braking engaged at night by irrigation stream, leaves and other Non Hazards 3). Near collisions with Pedestrians at night 4). Erratic maneuvers by Lane Keep Assist at night. 5). Lane Keep Assist shuts down at intermittently at night. 6). Departure from road surface at night during turns 7). Headlights do not illuminate Stop signs, Speed Limit signs, or caution signs at night. 8). Near collisions with Pedestrians and Bicyclists at night during turns 9). Collisions with road debris at night during turns and straightaways. 10). Multiple curbed medians hit during turns. Dealers and KIA corporate state systems are working as designed. Dealers and KIA corporate refuse to address the problems with this car The only warning light you get is the Lane Keep Assist / Warning light starts blinking sometimes.

NHTSA ODI #11442236

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.