2020 Kia Telluride complaints

My 2020 Kia Telluride EX experienced a sudden engine shutoff / loss of motive power while driving in traffic. The vehicle stopped in the roadway, would not immediately restart, and restarted later after sitting. This was not normal stop/start operation, the car shut down. No low-oil warning appeared before the event. I am also aware of multiple similar owner reports online describing high oil consumption, stalling, and lack of warning in 2020 Tellurides, but this complaint is based on my own direct experience and concern. It was scary and life threatening!

The car burns through oil at an absurd rate- no warning and then shakes when coming to a stop, then completely stalls and shuts off at stop lights and stop signs. I was stuck in an intersection with my two kids in the car. the car stinks of gasoline and does not seem right. Kia dealership claimed to have fixed the oil issue for over $350 and yet I still have to get frequent oil changes and top offs. NOT safe! I have read countless tings about this happening to Tellurides- especially 2020 and 2021s... my engine is probably ruined and Kia is doing nothing!

2020 KIA Telluride failed oil consumption test. Available for inspection upon request. A vehicle running on no oil will cause an engine to seize putting myself and others at risk. Confirmed problem by KIA. I have documentation of 3 oil consumption tests performed on my 2020 KIA Telluride at the dealership. Inspected at dealership by service department. No warning light to indicate low oil or to check engine. Stuttering and stalling of vehicle at stops caused me to bring in the car to KIA.

Paint failure and delamination on a 2021 Kia Telluride with Snow White Pearl (SWP) paint. The paint on the roof above the windshield and the hood has begun peeling in sheets, exposing the underlying layer. The vehicle has not been in any accidents and has never been repainted. The paint failure appears to be a manufacturing defect involving the adhesion of the factory paint. The issue began around year 4–5 of ownership at approximately 60,000 miles. The affected areas continue to expand as the paint separates from the vehicle surface. The vehicle is available for inspection. A dealership inspection appointment has been scheduled. This appears consistent with other reported cases of paint delamination on Kia vehicles with Snow White Pearl paint.

Engine has a Pcv valve issue that causes oil to leak from seals and burnt through the pistons causing loss of oil, engine damage and possible engine failure while driving. This could cause vehicle to lock up and possible cause an accident especially at freeway speeds. There is no low oil indicator or check engine light that comes on to let driver know that the oil is low

The satin window trim at the bottom the passenger and driver windows have come loose due to poor adhesive. The heat softened the glue over time and metal satin trim fell off in the middle of the expressway and the other 3 bottom trims have gotten loose due to the bad / wrong glue used to adhere them. The new model have this recall, but this issue is happening also to the 2020 SX trim. The issue is the trim is metal and it gets hot in the sun and the heat softens the glue which then over time the metal starts to separate from the plastic trim housing and fall off while driving which a can cause an accident / injury.

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 w

EXCESS OIL CONSUMPTION

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.

Cars burns over a quart of oil every 1000 miles. No oil light comes on on ever.

I am the original owner of a 2020 Kia Telluride with 48,409 miles. My wife purchased it new. It has never been sold or transferred. It is fully covered under Kia's 10-year/100,000-mile Powertrain Warranty. What component failed and is it available for inspection? The engine is consuming excessive oil due to failed internal components—likely the piston rings. This has fouled the spark plugs and caused active misfires on cylinders 1,3,4,5. Codes: P0300, P0301, P0303, P0304, P0305. Kia acknowledges this defect in TSB ENG222, which defines consumption over 1 quart per 1,000 miles as abnormal. The failed components remain in the vehicle and are available for inspection. Has the problem been confirmed by a dealer? Yes. [Dealer Name] confirmed the misfire codes and excessive oil consumption. Despite being original owners with an active warranty, they refused to cover the repair. The advisor said they "only cover internal engine parts"—which is exactly what is broken. We were sent home with a flashing check engine light. Has it been inspected by manufacturer or others? No. Only the dealership. Kia Corporate has not inspected it. How was safety put at risk? A solid check engine light means active misfire and risk of sudden engine stall or seizure. Other Telluride owners report complete power loss on highways and intersections—no acceleration, no power steering, no power brakes. My wife and children drive this car. I fear for their safety every time they start the engine. Were there wa

At approximately 94,000 miles, my 2020 Kia Telluride EX experienced a significant internal engine failure. The vehicle was properly maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommended service schedule, including regular oil changes. A professional inspection required engine teardown. During inspection, the piston for Cylinder 6 was removed. The oil control ring was found to be stuck and would not move, with excessive carbon buildup present on the piston rings and piston crown. The cylinder walls and piston side skirts showed excessive scoring. According to the inspection findings, excessive carbon buildup caused the piston oil control rings to become stuck, allowing oil to bypass and resulting in damage to the cylinder walls. The inspector determined that the required repair is full engine replacement. This failure was not caused by misuse, neglect, or lack of maintenance. The vehicle has been inoperable and in the repair shop since approximately August 2025. An internal engine failure of this nature occurring under normal operating conditions raises concerns regarding engine durability and potential manufacturing or design defects that may affect other vehicles with the same engine configuration. Multiple owners of 2020 Kia Telluride vehicles have independently reported similar symptoms of excessive oil consumption, internal engine failures, and the need for major engine repairs or replacements at comparable mileages, some documented in NHTSA complaint records and o

My 2020 Kia telluride is Snow White Pearl. A few years ago the area above the windshield and below the sunroof started to chip off. When having recalls serviced I ask what Kia was going about the defective paint. I was told?”nothing”. I have research this issue several times online and it seems that the issue is prevalent in Snow White Pearl Kia vehicles. I was told by the service manager that the paint warranty was 3years and mine was expired. I was again at the Kia dealership today and when I got my trade in value they took off $2000 for the chipping paint and then had the nerve to tell me that it was covered under the corrosion warranty which is 60 month/ 100,000 miles. Although I only have 54000 miles on it, it is over the 60 months now. I am sure it was under the 60 months when I inquired about it, but the service manager neglected to inform me of this coverage. As I drive down the road I can see paint flakes flying off my car in the rear view mirror.

The check engine light is on and reading code P07104. The vehicle has been diagnosed and it was found the torque converter is slipping and the technician recommends replacing the transmission. The anti-freeze has been low over the past 30 days and must be leaking internally. I have had to add anti-freeze twice during that time.

The vehicle is experiencing excessive oil consumption between oil changes, requiring frequent oil top-offs well before the manufacturer’s recommended service interval. No external oil leaks were identified when the vehicle had approximately 91,000 miles. At approximately 118,000 miles, the issue was identified during normal operation and routine maintenance, at which time potential engine-related concerns were noted. Excessive oil consumption raises concern for internal engine wear and the risk of sudden engine failure while driving, which could create a safety hazard. The vehicle has been taken to an authorized Kia dealership and is currently undergoing diagnostic evaluation, including oil consumption testing. At this time, the cause has not been fully determined. No warning lights were present prior to discovering the low oil level.

Vehicle fire causing a total loss to vehicle and home

For some time, I was noticing that my 2020 Kia Telluride was consuming excessive amounts of motor oil - at least one quart per 1000 miles. I have had my car serviced regularly by a certified reputable mechanic and scheduled oil changes and other required service every 5000 miles. At around 69,100 miles the check engine light appeared and I immediately took the car in for service. I was advised that the spark plugs and valves were heavily carbon fouled. The spark plugs needed changing and the valves needed cleaning. It was also necessary to replace the coils. Total repair bill was $2008.84. I was advised by my mechanic that excessive oil consumption is a problem with KIA automobiles and after researching the issue myself, found this to be the case. Some engine design issues, most likely with oil leaking past the pistons into the combustion chambers, causing fouling. I have learned that ultimately, the pistons and valves will become fouled again, the engine warning light will reappear and possibly, the engine will break down - hopefully, not in a distant place without knowledgable service. The new car warranty for my KIA was 100,000 miles but since I bought it used (I am the second owner) the warranty was reduced to 60,000 miles. I filed a complaint with KIA Motors and asked that they simply extend my warranty to 100,000 miles but since there is no pending recalls for this problem, my request was denied.

1. What component or system failed or malfunctioned? The windshield wiper system failed. The design of the cowl area (under the hood) allows snow and sleet to accumulate and become compacted. This creates a physical obstruction that prevents the wiper linkage from moving, leading to total wiper failure. • Availability: The system is available for inspection upon request. 2. How was safety put at risk? Safety was compromised due to a sudden loss of visibility during inclement weather. The inability to clear snow and sleet from the windshield while driving created a blind operating environment, significantly increasing the risk of a crash or striking an unseen hazard. 3. Has the problem been confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? No. The problem has not yet been reproduced or confirmed by a dealership or independent service center. 4. Has the vehicle been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance? No. The vehicle and its components have not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives at this time. 5. Were there any warning lamps or symptoms prior to the failure? No. There were no warning lamps, error messages, or symptoms prior to the failure. The wipers stopped functioning only once the snow had compacted sufficiently under the hood to block the mechanism.

Paint is peeling off my pearl white Kia telluride

Issue: Oil consumption/ low oil pressure indicator or check engine light did not go on. Was driving kids to school and on my way home I heard a loud rattling sound. Pulled over and had it towed. Shop said it didn't have oil, it was dry as a bone. We do regular oil changes every 5k miles and there are no oil leak spots on driveway or in garage. No oil light came on, no check engine light. Hoping this didn't damage my engine as I am at 110,000 miles.

The sunroof malfunctioned while I was attempting to open it, producing a loud pop and causing the glass to become misaligned while the vehicle was parked. There have been numerous reports of this same issue, including incidents in which the sunroof glass has shattered. This appears to be a known defect; however, Kia has refused to acknowledge responsibility or perform the necessary repairs. Kia has quoted the cost of repair at $5,800.

Oil filter housing assembly- Resulted in very low engine oil with no warning lights or engine lights potentially leading to engine damage. Yes the component was inspected and replaced by dealership. This was after getting the oil plan repaired for leaking oil as well

Kia equips their 2020 Tellurides with a plastic oil filter housing unit. Over time, the heat from metal and pressure causes the plastic component to crack, become warped and this leads to oil leaks.

Snow White Pearl paint is peeling like a banana. Contacted Kia and are aware of the problem but offered nothing.

We have had multiple issues with this car. First the pearl white peeling off on hood and above the windshield. Second CV3 axles boots leaking on our vehicle and multiple others at the Kia dealership. Third burnin oil even with good maintenance records. 3rd sunroof won’t open or close now for no reason at all. 4th back seat now attempts to fold at random times. Even with our kids in the seat. 5th oil housing leak. 6th CEL comes on and off randomly causing it to run rough. 7th screen is now to have issues of not working right. We’ve had to pay out of pocket for multiple things. Including the paint. We’ve spoken to service department and common issue they don’t see why it’s not a recall by now. Dealership is no help. Beware

P0741 Error Codes - Torque Converter issue around 100k miles. Shuttering at low rpm between 2nd and 3rd gears. This is a known issue for owners of the 2020 model year. TCM software update and transmission oil change did not fix.

My vehicle was consuming what I thought was a good bit of oil, I had an oils consumption test done, at 1000 miles it was 1 qt low, they said that is normal. So I drove away, another 1000 miles later my engine blew while I was driving, blowing metal everywhere! Left me sitting on the side of the road and Kia is saying it is not a known issue!! No lights car on indicating low oil or engine light.

My 2020 Kia Telluride has been serviced repeatedly for what has been described as an oil pan leak. My car has stalled out on multiple occasions and at one point wouldn't go above 60 on the highway. This is a know issue with 2020 Kia Tellurides, but the repair solutions are not solving the problem. My car stalled again and is idling rough and will now be serviced again for the same problem.

The headlights on this car are pointed too high. When driving on the road at night vehicles coming the other way often assume you have your bright lights on and flash you with their bright lights which can temporarily blind you - obviously a big safety problem! If this only happened once in a while I'd say no big deal but it happens EVERY SINGLE TIME YOU DRIVE THE CAR! I've spoken with other 2020 Kia Telluride owners and they report the exact same problem. I've spoken to the Kia representative at our local dealer about this and his attitude was basically "not my problem". Please, tell Kia to fix this problem. Otherwise there will be accidents that could have been avoided. Thanks.

Vehicle manufacturers have certain basic rules and procedures that must be followed. When a vehicle manufacturer sells a vehicle, it has a duty to ensure that the vehicle functions properly and safely for its advertised use and is free from defects. When a vehicle manufacturer discovers a defect, it must explicitly disclose the defect and make it right or cease selling the vehicle. When a vehicle manufacturer provides a warranty, it must stand by that warranty. I believe Kia has breached its duties and rules as follows. Specifically, these Class Vehicles (Tellurides and Others) have malfunctions regarding their incorrectly manufactured piston oil rings which can result in engine damage and failure, and even potentially cause a fire known internally and secularly as an ("Oil Ring Defect”). Now, I purchased this car in January of 2023. Based on Kia’s active and persistent promotions touting the quality of its vehicles and my partners admiration of Kia vehicles, we considered Kia a quality company with a strong reputation for producing reliable vehicles. In addition to Kia's reputation through its marketing and promotion. We decided on the 2020 Kia Telluride because we believed it was a high-quality vehicle, after a salesman convinced us that the vehicle was highly reliable and came with great technological features. Since purchasing this vehicle it has only taken the vehicle to the certified dealership for its routine maintenance as recommended by both the vehicle alert system

The argument for the warranty claim to be honored and the work to be completed is as follows. Kia Inc may not want to take responsibility for the engine. They may want to shy away from their duty by claim negligence on the part of the owner. Kia will ask the car owner to produce every receipt and service record you can scrape together just to prove that one was not done at an “authorized” center of some sort. Or they will argue the distance between intervals of oil change down to the smallest of detail to claim you abused the engine. An engine they know has a flaw. An engine with a ring flaw across multiple lines, years and models. That in multiple lawsuits they have in fact taken responsibility for and lost in cases so they are aware of the issue. But my argument is not necessarily these things. My argument is the oil warning light. That light is the real danger when combined with this fatal engine flaw. For a **3.8L V6 gasoline engine** (like that of the 2020 Kia Telluride) using **SAE 5W-30 motor oil**, you can theoretically determine the oil loss level that would trigger a warning indicator based on the overall oil capacity and typical safety standards. Oil Capacity and Warning Indicator Calculation Specifications of My 2020 Kia Telluride according to Anthropic AI. - **Oil Capacity**: 6.9 quarts - **Typical Safe Operating Level**: Generally, engines are designed to alert drivers when oil levels drop to about **1 quart** below the full capacity, which is critical to mainta

The sunroof will not close. The closing mechanism broke.

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.

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.

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 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.

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 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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Large chunks of paint are coming off of my vehicle.

Oil consumption problem and oil filter housing needing replacement.

The 2020 Kia Telluride has an issue with the metal window trim pieces. It was purchased as a Certified Pre-Owned vehicle and we have had to have the trim piece replaced at least three times by the Kia Dealer. The piece keep becoming loose and falling off. Some of the pieces on my vehicle have jus fallen off. At interstate speeds of 70 MPH it would be very dangerous. Fortunately, no incident has happened that has hurt anyone, yet. The 2023-2025 models have been recalled for this exact same issue, and it needs to happen for ALL Kia Telluride models including the 2020-2023 models. It is dangerous and Ken Ganley Kia of New Port Richey is no longer assisting with any sort of warranty or repair unless I do the work. I am having to reach out to Kia and open a case number every time and the dealership is no longer being helpful. This is our primary vehicle used for getting children to school, leisure travel, and daily commuting. Attached are three different incidents of the exact same issue happening. 8/24/2025, 8/11/2025, and 11/21/2025. The dealership also repair some when we initially purchased the vehicle. All work orders can be provided via Ken Ganley Kia of New Port Richey.

My son was driving home from work and the vehicle shut off. He got it to come back on and it stopped while he was at a red light and a by standard yelled for him to get out of the vehicle as it caught fire underneath the car from unknown reasons.

The original Telluride muffler developed a hole in the rear wall, hidden by the exhaust pipes. Within a week of the noise being noticeable I visited a car wash, afterwards someone asked me what I'd done to my rear bumper? I hadn't hit anything. When I looked, I was shocked. About 15" of the silver trimwork was torn off, still attached. Today I had the muffler replaced at Midas here in Toledo( (at a considerable cost) I asked the manager to look at the damage and told him it wasn't there until after the carwash. He said that the heat from the hole in the muffler had melted the bumper enough so that the brushes in the carwash were able to catch the edge and pull it off. Why is the muffler positioned SO CLOSE to the bumper? Tomorrow(11/18) I will visit the Taylor Kia Dealership(where I purchased the Telluride in 2020. Can there be a recall? Can future Tellurides be equiped with heat shield/different muffler placement?

After 8 months of trips to the shop telling them the engine was bad, and spending thousands to do things it didn’t need trying to get warranty to cover engine, kia finally agreed it had issues. Tore it down and piston rings are bad. There was carbon build up despite regular maintenance and they are telling me warranty won’t replace

After a few months from purchasing (9/2022), I noticed some weird electrical issues occurring. The first thing I noticed was that sometimes the rear wiper blades would turn on automatically when shifting in reverse when the wiper blades were off. I would turn the rear wiper blades on then off repeated times until they finally stayed in off mode. As time went on, then the drivers side window would roll down automatically after starting the vehicle, and it would not shut all the way after pressing the button. I would have to hold the up button when turning the engine off, just so the window would remain completely closed when parked. Sometimes, this would continue for a week or more...then it would go back to normal for a few months. These issues would continue and others started to arise such as the check engine lights, low battery etc. appearing while starting the vehicle. Sometimes it would say that the engine is on, when it wasn't...so I would hear a warning signal when trying to leave the vehicle with my key fob. I would have to press the stop engine button and wait for it to say that the engine is off. This evolved into the car struggling to start...with a repeated clicking noise being heard. All warning and hazard notifications appear on the main screen and the driver's side window rolls down by itself and it takes 5-7 minutes for it to start, but eventually does. This has been going on now for since March of 2024...so it's not a battery issue, or a starter issue...but b