The Lemon IndexAll cars · Kia Telluride · 2020
2020 Kia Telluride. Advanced data.
The raw numbers: engines, recall campaign numbers, failure mileage and manufacturer communications.
Engines and drivetrains 2
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | City / hwy / combined | Fuel | Fuel cost/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.8L 6-cyl | Auto (S8) | FWD | 20 / 26 / 23 | Regular | $2,700 |
| 3.8L 6-cyl | Auto (S8) | AWD | 19 / 24 / 21 | Regular | $2,950 |
EPA test versions for this model year. Fuel cost is the EPA's current estimate, not the price in that year.
Failure mileage by system
Half of owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 1,700 and 23,600 miles. Median 6,000, from 196 complaints with a mileage.
| System | Median | Middle half | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lights | 9,200 | 800–64,500 | 36 |
| Engine | 75,500 | 19,900–102,000 | 12 |
| Wipers & visibility | 4,400 | 1,500–8,900 | 92 |
| Transmission & drivetrain | 6,400 | 400–51,600 | 16 |
| Electrical | 26,500 | 2,000–104,800 | 6 |
Mileage owners typed into their NHTSA complaint, all complaints for this model year. People report some problems late, so read it as a range.
Complaints by system
| System | Share of complaints |
|---|---|
| Lights | 38% |
| Wipers & visibility | 31% |
| Electrical | 6% |
| Transmission & drivetrain | 5% |
| Visibility | 3% |
One complaint can name more than one system, so shares can add to more than 100%.
Severity, all complaints
| Total | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Deaths | Tows |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 775 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 10 |
As reported by owners to NHTSA. Not verified.
Recall campaigns 7
26V430000 Jul 2026 Seats / Front Assembly / Power Adjust
Defect. 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.
Risk. 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 re
24V407000 Jun 2024 Seats / Front Assembly / Power Adjust
Defect. 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.
Risk. 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 Mar 2024 Power Train / Driveline / Driveshaft
Defect. 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.
Risk. 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 th
24V148000 Feb 2024 Exterior Lighting / Headlights
Defect. Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2020 Telluride vehicles. The high beam headlights may fail.
Risk. 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 Aug 2022 Trailer Hitches
Defect. 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.
Risk. 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 1-800-3
20V436000 Jul 2020 Electrical System / Wiring
Defect. 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."
Risk. 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 Aug 2019 Seat Belts / Rear/Other
Defect. 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."
Risk. 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 num
NHTSA investigations
| Status | Subject | Opened | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Closed | Complete loss of high beams | 2023 | 2024 |
Manufacturer communications 152
Kia filed 152 service communications for this car with NHTSA.
- Technical service bulletin tsbele189: service action: rain sensor inspection and/or…
- Technical service bulletin: 3.8l gdi misfire dtc judgment logic improvement - this bulletin…
Crash ratings by version
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kia TELLURIDE SUV AWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
| Kia TELLURIDE SUV FWD | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ |
Safety equipment
| Electronic stability | Forward collision warning | Lane departure warning |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | Standard | Standard |
Nearby model years
Sources: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer communications; EPA fuel economy data; YouTube video titles. Complaints are owner reports, not proof of a defect.
Updated
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