The paint on my pearl white 2020 telluride is peeLing off in sheets in the roof. The car has less than 100,000 miles and should not be doing this. Multiple people including the ones in a lawsuit with kia have had this problem and it needs to be addressed!
2020 Kia Telluride complaints
Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2020 record →
The wind deflector/bug guard on the sunroof broke and pieces from the broken mechanism proceeded to lodge themselves throughout the track of the sunroof causing the entire track system to break/malfunction. There are several screws that were snapped from the plastic track, which then left the sunroof glass “bouncing” and unsecured on the car. If this was not noticed prior to hitting the highway or driving with any sort of speed I am confident the sunroof would have shattered causing a hazards for myself and children in the vehicle or flown off the car causing a hazard to others on the road. The car is currently at a KIA dealership being looked at, to which they suggested this because it’s becoming more and more “common”. Additionally it is not a cheap fix, quoted just under $4000 for parts and labor. Absolutely no warning lights or indicators stating the sunroof was “open” or malfunctioning. Even once it was no longer attached to the track/bracket system it was not triggering the light indicating it was open like it does normally and with all other doors/windows.
Tonight I tried to open my sunroof for some fresh air while relaxing in my vehicle. My sunroof made some weird cracking noises and is jammed open. I only used my sunroof 2 to 3 times. However, it's in the stuck position and sounds like crushing glass when I try to open it. My rear right passenger folds down on its own. My grandson has been folded into the seat multiple times. I contact kia and got no resolution. This is dangerous. I went to retrieve my backpack from my backseat yesterday and when I set the sear back it made a auto sound, it slid completely forward hitting me in my face. The seat ejects by itself often and it a safety risk to my family and i. I checked kia forums only to find this is an huge issue and spoked about hundreds of times involving telluride and Sorento models. I'm afraid my sunroof glass with break.
The back self-leveling shock absorbers have failed. Even the slightest bump has my back passengers in danger of hitting their heads. In reading various forums, this is a problem with the 2020 Tellurides with the tow package.
The recall 24V148 regarding headlight High beam issue from Gebruary of thus year still has no remedy in order to fix the issue. It has been 6 months and the dealerships just say sorry we don't have any solution even though the recall associated with my car doesn't apply due to the headlamps being replaced with completely different ones already myself. Why is it being allowed that y kkntha later they still don't have a solution so this causes issues with my income because I can't rent my car out due to the open recall
My 2020 Kia has peeling paint. I looked online and see that it's a big issue and theres even a class action lawsuit. Sites said to file a complaint here to document it. In 2022, the paint started peeling near my sunroof. I didn't do anything about it since it was a small area. It has now continued peeling to the point that I started looking at warranty information since it's obviously an issue with the paint...it peels off like nail polish. The warranty ended at 36,000 miles and I now have 50,000. The issue first started when I had 33,000 miles.
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
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Telluride. The contact stated while driving at slow speeds, the contact had driven over the tire tread from a tractor trailer. Due to the failure, several warning lights appeared on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the vehicle was serviced; however, the warning lights appeared back on the instrument panel soon after return of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic where it remained for over two weeks. The contact reached out to the mechanic and was informed that an abnormal knocking sound was coming from the engine. The mechanic then towed the vehicle to a dealer where a diagnostic test was performed. The contact was later informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000.
Unknown- my 2020 Telluride doesn’t even have 60,000 miles on it. I have only used the sunroof a handful of times and realized it won’t open all the way when I tried it. Realized there’s a metal piece that’s connected with plastic that has snapped off. After searching about it, I’ve seen so many people comp about this same issue and how expensive it is to fix. Why hasn’t there been a recall on this if so many are having the same issue?
Windshield replacement 2 times in three years and about to have it replaced again six months after replacing it. It seems little thing that hit the windshield will crack it. I asked KIA if they had complaints about windshields problems and was told no. I getting expensive replacing it every six months or ever year. I believe it cheaply made and the won’t admit it.
While driving the vehicle I opened the sunroof. The sunroof appeared to be stuck with a metal object attached to the wind reflector popped off and came inside the vehicle. Had it been closer to my face it could have caused grave danger, if it had struck my eyes. The piece appears to have attached to the wind reflector and frame of sunroof.
2020 Kia Telluride Snow White Pearl paint chipping on top of windshield exposing primer. Known issue regarding Kia and white paint colors.
I purchased a used white 2020 Telluride EX with 47,000 miles in November of 2023. I noticed 4 or 5 what looked like chips in the paint on the body along the top of the windshield. They have slowly gotten larger, one becoming about the size of a half dollar coin. There is no safety risk. I haven't made an appointment yet but will be in the next week since I now have 57,000 miles and the warranty runs out at 60,000 miles.
In November of 2023 my our Kia Telluride began giving us issues. It would act as though it wanted to die/shut off while idling at stops or even during acceleration. We took it to a local mechanic that we always go to. They told us the car was 4 quarts low on oil, even though it had only been about 3,000 miles since the last oil change. Since it was under warranty called the dealer to get an appointment. They told us it would be several weeks, however, it finally did die on my wife while driving on the interstate to work one morning. She immediately called the dealer, who agreed to look at the car that week. Thus began the 5 months of back and forth to the dealer for continuous "testing". Finally, at the beginning of April 2024 we got the ok from Kia to move on the next round of testing. We had an appointment to drop it it off on 4/29/2024. I am filing this complaint on July 10, 2024, and our car has been sitting in their parking lot inoperable since. Initially we were told it would be 2-3 weeks to get a new engine under warranty and each time we have called the dealer or Kia, no one can give us an ETA on the new engine. We now have a vehicle that has been sitting in hot sun getting weather damage for the past 3 months.
Engine is burning oil now has a rod knock. It’s been sitting at the dealership for two weeks, so haven’t heard anything back
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.
Tried to open sunroof and it tore itself apart and tore itself off of the tracks and now I can not close the sunroof
Very bumpy ride. Shocks had failed. The shock failure was part of another problem from the shock insulator and absorber. The vehicle became very dangerous and unstable to drive at high speeds (freeway). Shock failure and suspension potentially caused additional problems.
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Telluride. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V214000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle rolled down from the driveway of his home while his son was in the backseat. The contact attempted to stop the vehicle and was knocked down by the door and the vehicle ran over the contact's foot. The vehicle was stopped by the contact when he engaged the brake pedal, but the vehicle crashed into his neighbor's vehicle. The crash was minor. The contact stated that no warning lights were illuminated. The contact was taken to the local hospital. The contact stated he suffered a contusion in his foot and was diagnosed with a crushed injury by the local hospital and he also stated his son was traumatized from the incident. A police report was not filed. The dealer was not contacted and the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure The failure mileage was approximately 68,213. Parts distribution disconnect.
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Telluride. The contact stated while driving at approximately 40 MPH, the contact attempted to activate the high beam headlights; however, the high-beam headlights failed to function. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the high beam headlights warning light illuminated but failed to function as intended. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V148000 (Exterior Lighting) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
Shocks on vehicle wear prematurely. First set completely failed at 35K. Second set completely failed almost 30K later.
There is no incident but there has been an interim recall notice on my car since February. This is the recall number 24V148. I rent this car out as part of my business and this recall is blocking me from being able to rent it out since February (6 months). Please get this resolved.
I have a white Telluride purchased used in 2021 with 30,000 miles at the time of purchase. By 2022 paint started pealing above the windshield. It progressively is getting worse and worse. Kia dealership close by says there's nothing they can do it's not under warranty.
The side mirrors don’t fully retract, when the doors are locked or unlocked via the key fob nor depressing the lock/unlock button on the driver door. The side mirrors also stopped working as the driver walks near the vehicle with the key fob. This is a safety issue because when the side mirrors don’t fully release outwards, the driver cannot see vehicles approaching or passing.
The window on the driver side and co-pilot behind the driver side have gotten stuck. Last time I was at a car wash and the rear co-pilot window did not go up and the inside of my car got wet.
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Telluride. The contact stated while driving from a complete stop at 2-5 MPH, the vehicle stalled inadvertently, nearly causing a crash. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle and continue driving. The contact stated that the low oil pressure warning light was later illuminated while driving, and the contact pulled to the side of the road. The contact stated that upon verifying the oil level, the contact became aware that there was no oil in the oil pan. The contact's husband added oil to the engine. The contact then drove to the residence. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the oil housing unit had failed and needed to be replaced; however, the part was not available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 86,000.
The sunroof did not closed and made a pop sound and after that it was mis aligned and failed to close, one arm was broken and the sunroof was hanging on the other one. Called the Kia Riverside dealership they said they dont have any tech for sunroof. Ended up taking to cerritos dealership and they said i have to leave it for 7 days without loaner just to inspect and it will cost 257 bucks for inspection only. Then I decided to take it to a local shop and they quoted me a total of 3740 bucks including 2800 for parts. I ended up using them to just force close the glass so that its not a safety issue anymore.
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)
Sunroof original from KIA. Track has broken and it had no out of ordinary use. I can understand seals, but the track of the sunroof should exceed any other issue.
The Right Rear Strut Assembly is faulty. Warranty work has been done to vehicle in the past for the faulty strut. Brought Vehicle back into dealership and they brush it off saying it was my tire condition causing the noise. New Tires were purchased To no avail. The exact same noise continues inside the cabin of tapping noise. Dealership was able to reproduce the noise but they were not specific as to what was causing the noise on my service documentation.
I have 2 problems. The first is that my rear seats lift and move. This has been a problem since I purchased the vehicle. However I'm just reporting the issue because my grandson was injured while in his booster seat. The seat had automatically deployed and moved forward by itself 2x causing my grandson to be smashed into the passenger seat and restrained tightly by the seat belt. The back of the sear folds forward and the entire seat moves forward. Both rear seats does this. I have had incidents where my grocery would fly forward while driving because the seat had deployed. My 2nd issue is that the sensor on the steering wheel has always have issues with detecting hands on the steering wheel. I get warnings while driving to place my hands on the steering wheel. Both hands are on the wheel. However is the only certain places on the steering wheel that detects your hands?
The A/C system failed due to either corrosion or leaking at a fitting(Dealer has told us two different things). This is a 2020 car with a little over 100k miles, there is no reason for a failure due to corrosion or due to a leaking fitting. This is poor assembly, faulty factory parts, or faulty design. The Coolant used (1234yf) is flammable and could pose a safety hazard when it leaks. Photo attached that dealer provided for leak location.
The car suspension is not working properly and the car has becoming very bouncy-even on highway. Not sure if it is too hard or too soft, but issues start when it is about 24,000 miles. Changing driving mode made no difference. Besides being uncomfortable, it is very distracting. to the driver.
Vehicle's paint located on the front of the hood and top of roof close to the front windshield has started to delaminate and peel away. The dealer said the vehicle is out of warranty for paint concerns. I know this is a large problem from Kia/Hyundia white vehicles. My son's 2015 Sonata, daughter's 2012 Sorento and now my wife's 2020 Telluride! All thease vehicles are white and all are peel or have been peeling for some time. I just want to get my wife's Telluride repaint to be paid for by Kia since they know this is a know problems and have fixed others.
On Tuesday, May 14th, the sunroof on my 2020 Kia Telluride broke and is now stuck in the open position. Despite forums indicating that this is a common issue with this vehicle, Kia refuses to cover the repair. This is the first time I've purchased a new vehicle and faced a major repair before paying it off. The sunroof problem is clearly an issue with Kia, yet they are not offering any assistance for this $3,500 repair on a car that is less than five years old with minimal sunroof use. I believe a recall is warranted, and customers should not have to bear the cost of this failure. It's disappointing that Kia is living up to a negative reputation that I thought they were trying to move away from. If I have to pay for this major repair, which is due to a flaw and not my usage, this will be my first and last Kia purchase.
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.
Snow White Pearl paint chipping off in chunks
Self Leveling Shocks on rear are defective. They are firm to the point that the SUV is highly unstable. It overly reacts to bumps and holes in the road. Occupants in rear seats are bounced around! Vehicle becomes unstable and if the driver is not careful could lose control and wreck!!0
My 2020 Telly has a random vibration. When it appears it can be felt throughout the vehicle. Just as quickly as it appears it disappears. Mostly felt with acceleration/when changing gears (right after). Also there have been a handful of times I've attempted to go from a stopped position or pulling into traffic and the car just sits there. It does not rev or increase rpm's, it does nothing. Then after about 2 seconds it will just calmly go as if I had just pressed on the gas. This is very scary when it happens while pulling into traffic or attempting to cross over traffic... Because when it does start to go you are now 2 seconds behind where you should be and I was almost hit. Had a similar issue with my Tucson and Hyundai fixed it ASAP.. it was the transmission clutch. Also having an issue with my CV axle/joint/boot. It's leaking but it is not broken or cracked etc. It's just leaking and spitting greas/fluid all over the wheel etc. Trying to find a part for it that is not at the dealer is not easy but the dealer wants 400 just for the boot (not installed). This is ridiculous and price gouging. Check the Kia forum and you will see many people with these same complaints/concerns that need to be addressed BEFORE someone gets hurt. Having your vehicle not go while pulling into traffic is SERIOUS.. fix it Kia! I have 2 shops that have confirmed there's an issue, felt vibration, picture of leak, instead what's up with the transmission AWD but is believed to be driveshaft/transfer c
I took my vehicle to Safelite for a Windshield repair. As the Safelite technician removed the materials related to the repair process, paint was delaminated from the roof of the vehicle. The Safelite technician and manager "claim" that this is a known quality defect on many customer forums and that I should file a notice on the NHTSA.GOV website.
*Unknown high engine oil consumption which can cause the motor to lock up (because owners aren't aware that this is a known issue with the Kia Telluride *Since Kia has not disclosed this engine issue, the can can stall while driving. *I had a Kia service person state this is a known issues. I was told Kia has yet to do a recall on the Telluride like they've done on two other Kia vehicles with the same issue. I've also had private mechanic stating the same. He ever reported since Jan 2024, he's had 4 Kia motors lock up while people were driving. He also reports the other customers have been told that nothing will be done until the motor locks up *My vehicle is currently at the dealer *No warnings. But hind sight, I am reading this is a major issue with owners
Roof of car exhibits significant peeling off the white paint in various areas.
Our sunroof which hasn’t been used much at all malfunctioned due to the tracking so they say and no it will not properly work or close all the way. This wasn’t covered under the extended warranty I purchased and we were under the 60k warranty when we reported the incident and then only over by 74 miles to which they wouldn’t cover the repair and said it would cost around $4,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Telluride. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle started jerking. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle displayed a message "Consider Taking a Break". The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission and both front and rear axles, oil pan gasket, brakes, drive train, and engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 64,826.
Pearl white Telluride paint chipping off with no explanation. Several body shops state that this is a well known issue.
White Pearl Paint peeling which I paid extra for to get this paint color / type.
Valve cover gasket leak, coolant hose leaks, passenger side axel boot slinging grease, parasitic draw
Excessive oil consumption
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
There have been several times over the last couple of months when my car brakes on its own. I have not had any "extra" features on such as cruise control or lane assist. I have been driving 70 mph on the highway, my car suddenly brakes, and then I am unable to accelerate. It is absolutely terrifying. We called our nearest Kia dealership after the second time and they told us to get a car wash and since it hasn't been consistently happening, they wouldn't be able to re-create it or fix it. We have been going out of our way to keep the front sensor, and it still happens. I worry that I will be driving on the highway (again) when this happens, and the semi truck behind me won't have time to adjust to my sudden, and unwanted, deceleration.
Reading these
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
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