2020 KIA Telluride

Recalls, Specs & Safety Report

Expert Verdict
⚠️Elevated Concerns

This 2020 model shows concerning reliability, primarily driven by 6 recalls—above the KIA average—centered on the seat belts.

Key Factor:elevated seat belts issues

📋Why This Matters

Understanding recall history helps predict future ownership costs. Each unaddressed issue represents potential repair expenses.

Insurance companies review vehicle reliability data when setting premiums. Models with elevated recall rates often see adjusted pricing.

Given this model year's elevated concern level, budget for a thorough pre-purchase inspection.

Focus Area:general reliability
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Expert Analysis

The 2020 Telluride analysis highlights key safety metrics.

Safety & Reliability Score

37/100

Score Breakdown

Recall Impact-48
Complaint Impact-5
Investigation Impact-10

Technical Specifications

Key specifications for the 2020 KIA Telluride

Model Year2020
MakeKIA
ModelTelluride
Fuel TypeGasoline
Body ClassPassenger Vehicle

Safety History Timeline

Scroll for more →
Jan20
NEWProduction
Jan20
RECALLRecall Issued
Jan20
RECALLRecall Issued
Jan20
RECALLRecall Issued
Jan20
RECALLRecall Issued
Jan20
RECALLRecall Issued
Apr23
INVInvestigation Opened
Apr23
INVInvestigation Opened
May24
RECALLRecall Issued
Mar25
ISSUEFirst Report

Consumer Complaint Analysis

⚠️

Most Reported Issue

16 complaints (16% of total)
➡️

Complaint Trend

Stable
No trend data

Safety Incidents

No critical incidents

Complaint Severity Distribution

Breakdown of 100 consumer complaints by severity level.

🟠High
23(23%)
🟡Medium
12(12%)
🟢Low
65(65%)

Mileage Failure Analysis

⚙️Engineering Insight

Based on consumer reports, issues for this vehicle tend to peak around the 60k-80k mileage range. The average reported failure mileage is 65,255 miles.

📊 Mileage data extracted from 27 of 100 complaints (27% coverage)
0-20k
6 reports (22%)
20k-40k
3 reports (11%)
40k-60k
1 reports (4%)
60k-80k
7 reports (26%)
80k-100k
3 reports (11%)
100k+
7 reports (26%)
* Analysis based on mileage data extracted from consumer complaint descriptions. Actual failure rates may vary.

🛠️ DIY Diagnosis Center

Experiencing an issue? Select a symptom to find official manufacturer solutions (TSBs).

Primary Risk Areas

SEAT BELTSELECTRICAL SYSTEMTRAILER HITCHESEXTERIOR LIGHTINGPOWER TRAINSEATS

Official Safety Recalls (6)

Campaign: 19V594000

SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER

Summary

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.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Manufacturer: Kia Motors America

Campaign: 20V436000

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

Summary

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.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Manufacturer: Kia Motors America

Campaign: 22V626000

TRAILER HITCHES

Summary

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. 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.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.

Campaign: 24V148000

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

Summary

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.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.

Campaign: 24V214000

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT

Summary

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. 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.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.

Campaign: 24V407000

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST

Summary

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 were mailed July 30, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC316.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.

NHTSA Investigations

2 investigations

Official NHTSA safety investigations for 2020 Telluride.

INV-2020-1000🟢 Closed

NHTSA opened investigation after receiving consumer complaints regarding Telluride performance issues.

Opened: Affected Units: 6,186
INV-2020-1001🟢 Closed

NHTSA opened investigation after receiving consumer complaints regarding Telluride performance issues.

Opened: Affected Units: 27,416

Consumer Complaints

100 total complaints

Consumer-reported issues submitted to NHTSA for 2020 Telluride.

Common Reported SymptomsAI Analysis

Leak16%
Warning16%
Burn16%
Stall12%
Noise11%
Acceleration Issues10%
Crack6%
Check Engine Light6%
Peel6%
Fire5%
Engine/Powertrain🔵 Low
ENGINE

Around Dec 13 the cooling fan started running by itself while the vehicle was in the garage for a few hours with the engine shut off, so, engine is cold.. What we do in this circumstance is starting and shutting the engine, that takes car of the situation until it happens again, sometimes right away or a few hours later or next day. I can't identify a relay that controls the fan. So, at this point we don't know how to resolve this problem.

Electrical🔵 Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

When parked on an incline, the vehicle will not start and has to have the battery jumped. When attempting to start the vehicle, you can hear a clicking sound and an error message pops up saying "Check ESP". After this happens, the windows will roll down to about a 1/8 crack and will not roll up even after the car has been jumped and is on. Also, when driving down the road with the heat on, it will stop blowing heat and will start blowing cold air.

Engine/Powertrain🔵 Low
ENGINE

Plastic oil filter housing cracked causing all oil to leak out. If not noticed would have blown engine while driving. Brought to dealership and not covered under warranty

Engine/Powertrain⚠️ High
ENGINE

Engine oil consumption issue. Engine is run dry due to overconsumption of oil, increasing likelihood of cracked engine block or engine fire. Secondary issue includes increased fuel consumption/ decreased MPG. First oil consumption test reflected 60% of oil used 1,000 miles after oil change.

Engine/Powertrain🔵 Low
STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE

Several oil housing changes. I’m not the first owner, the oil housing has been changed once already and I’m going to have to do it a second time, the car is only 5 years old. I’ve only owned the vehicle 2 years. The dealership did no diligence to check it, I went to the dealership for years and due to negligence with my oil changes and recalls I stopped going, now I’m having to pay out of pocket for issues they’ve caused. I thought I messed up my car and had a part dragging at the bottom, when I took it in to the dealership they said it was previously not bolted down properly. I had a recall, I was told 3 times my lights were connected and I was “good to go” each time I got in and the car said my lights were not connected. After this I never came back! Not sure if it’s the dealership issue or on the car for my oil housing leak.

Engine/Powertrain🔵 Low
ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Engine light continues to come on and the vehicle sputters a lot while driving, it seems like it doesn't want to go. I have to give it more gas like I'm pushing it and when breaking the left front wheel wobbles when I'm trying to come to a stop I have to hold the wheel extra firm

Engine/Powertrain🔶 Medium
ENGINE

I just recently purchased this vehicle used. I live in northwest Indiana and as soon as the temperature went below 40 degrees I developed an oil leak. In searching this topic this is a known issue with these vehicles but a widespread recall has not been issued. All owners of these vehicles as well as the Hyundai Pallisades have this issue due to having a plastic oil filter housing. This has been diagnosed by a non dealer certified repair facility already. The part is only around $60.00 but the labor to install is very high. Upon contacting Kia they informed me that I would have to bring it in to the dealership for diagnosis at a cost of $180.00 and then go from there for them to determine if they will "goodwill" the repair. I feel that in a situation like this either a recall should be issued, a class action should be created to reimburse all owners that have had these repairs done. It will not affect owners in states with warm climates. Can someone please research this and discover the amount of complaints online associated with this and get back with me? am already $5000.00 into repairs for known issues on these vehicle including rear suspension that is also a known issue but no recalls have been issued.

Engine/Powertrain🔵 Low
ENGINE

I purchased this vehicle with 109,000 miles on it. After driving for about a month, I noticed a noise and took it in for an inspection. I was told there was no oil in the vehicle and to take it to Kia. Kia told me that was a known issue the the oil consumption and wanted to start testing. I have an extended warranty but I am having to come out of pocket $5000 before a claim can even be started and I have only owned it for 5 months.

Engine/Powertrain🔵 Low
ENGINE

I was driving down the road and the engine started suddenly making a loud knocking noise. The car was immediately pulled over and put in park and towed to mechanic shop. Mechanic shop stated there was no oil on the engine dipstick and the engine was ruined due to lack of oil. No oil leaks were found. The car is kept in the garage and there is no oil on garage floor that would indicate a leak. The car was maintained with full synthetic oil changes every 6,000 miles. There was no indicator light on dash to alert to an oil problem. I called Kia to report concern, as there is a class action lawsuit for this engine issue in other models, but was told there was no lawsuit or recall with the specific model of engine in my car.

Brakes🔵 Low
SERVICE BRAKES

The brakes are very spongy all of the sudden, making it very difficult to stop quickly. This is a major concern considering how many people are having this issue.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there any recalls for the 2020 KIA Telluride?

Yes, the 2020 KIA Telluride has 6 recorded recalls from NHTSA. These recalls cover various components including SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING, TRAILER HITCHES.

Is the 2020 KIA Telluride safe to drive?

The 2020 KIA Telluride has 6 recalls. If you own this vehicle, check with your dealer to ensure all recall repairs have been completed. Most recalls have free remedies available.

Where can I check if my 2020 KIA Telluride has open recalls?

You can check for open recalls by visiting NHTSA.gov and entering your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), or by contacting your local KIA dealer.

🎯Risk Areas & Recommended Actions

Based on recall data, these components require verification:

1

Seat belts

Issue: increases crash or loss-of-control risk

If you already own this vehicle: Contact your dealer immediately to confirm seat belts recall is complete. Recall repairs are always free.

🔍

If you are evaluating a used example: Request VIN and verify all seat belts recalls are completed before purchase.

Campaign:19V594000
2

Electrical system

Issue: increases crash or loss-of-control risk

If you already own this vehicle: Contact your dealer immediately to confirm electrical system recall is complete. Recall repairs are always free.

🔍

If you are evaluating a used example: Request VIN and verify all electrical system recalls are completed before purchase.

Campaign:20V436000
3

Trailer hitches

Issue: presents fire risk under certain conditions

If you already own this vehicle: Contact your dealer immediately to confirm trailer hitches recall is complete. Recall repairs are always free.

🔍

If you are evaluating a used example: Request VIN and verify all trailer hitches recalls are completed before purchase.

Campaign:22V626000
💡Visit NHTSA.gov or contact your KIA dealer to verify recall completion status.

🧭What This Means for You

Families with young passengers, pregnant drivers, or those with frequent highway commutes should prioritize this information.

If you're unsure, we recommend starting with a VIN check or consulting a certified mechanic.

🔑

If You Own This Vehicle

  • Verify all 6 recalls have been completed using your VIN at NHTSA.gov or through your KIA dealer.
  • If any recalls are open, schedule service immediately—recall repairs are always free.
  • Consider setting up VIN-specific alerts to receive notification of future recalls.
🛒

If You're Buying Used

  • Request full service history and documentation of all recall completions.
  • Consider whether adjacent model years (2019 or 2021) show better safety metrics.
  • Budget for thorough pre-purchase inspection focusing on known problem areas.

This page is designed to help you decide, not alarm you.

Compare with Similar Vehicles

Data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Last updated: January 10, 2026.