2020 KIA TELLURIDE Complaints

The front axels are leaking and the transmission is lagging/jerking while accelerating.

The check engine and oil pressure light will start to flash when starting to brake. While this is happening the car starts to shake, stall, and you struggle to accelerate. This has happened multiple times and the last time was in the middle of an intersection. KIA dealership did not fix the issue the two times I took it to the shop. The third time in they did some test and said it was an oil consumption issue and the piston rings in the SUV have failed and the car needed a new engine. This car is a 2020 Telluride with 78,759 miles on it. This issued started well before the 78,759 miles. Oil consumption has been a major issue with other KIA models and they have not seemed to fix this issue with the telluride. I believe they have replaced engines at an extremely high rate and now they are denying engine replacement under their warranty and stating piston ring damage is not covered under the warranty due to high oil consumption. You guys have issued a recall on 2021-2023 Seltos and Soul models for piston ring failure and now they do not want to start replacing tellurides. There is a Facebook page out there labeled KIA telluride issues with oil consumption being a big issue in the comments. KIA stating they will not cover the engine replacement is not only wrong is it a safety issue. I truly believe they know this is a serious issue and have not done anything to correct it. This vehicle is still under warranty and I am still in contact with the dealership to fix this issue.

On [XXX], my Kia Telluride received a warranty engine replacement at Greenway Kia East in Orlando, FL. Just two days later, on [XXX], the engine overheated while I was driving with my young child. The temperature warning light came on. I stopped immediately and opened the hood — there was no coolant in the system at all. This failure occurred immediately after a major engine replacement, suggesting that the dealer failed to fill or properly check the coolant system. I was left stranded near a daycare and had to call a third-party tow truck because Kia roadside assistance estimated a 90–120 minute wait. This put my child and me in serious danger. Despite the dealer’s clear negligence, I was sent an invoice for $1,833.77, blaming me for the damage. Upon retrieving the car on May 31, 2025, I personally checked under the hood — the coolant level was still below the MIN line. When I pointed this out, the service manager said, “We’re not required to top it off, but if that satisfies you, we’ll put some in.” This is extremely unsafe and irresponsible, especially after a critical repair like an engine replacement. Later, the dealership even claimed to Kia America that the engine was not replaced under warranty, contradicting their earlier confirmation. This kind of conflicting information, combined with unsafe practices and disregard for basic safety protocols, raises serious concerns about consumer safety and the dealership’s integrity. To make matters worse, Kia America closed my case ([XXX]) on June 10 without notifying me or giving me a chance to respond. I received only one dropped call from an unknown number, and no voicemail or follow-up communication. A formal complaint was mailed to Kia America on June 11, 2025, and I am currently waiting for their response. On June 12, 2025, I also filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

I went to open my sunroof and it opened as normal but when I went to shut it, it’s started to make some noises and got stuck tilted open. It will not budge. I can be available for inspection. It’s a huge safety risk because the sunroof is tilted open and anything can fly into the car and hit someone’s head/body. Especially if driving on the highway at high speeds- the damage could be catastrophic. If I’m driving and a storm appears and the rain/hail could get into the car and cause damage as well as distract the driver and potentially cause an accident with other drivers. I took my car into my local dealership and they told me that the entire sunroof system would need to be replaced- no repair available. There were no warning lights/ issues that alerted me to a future problem.

It took 8 months to repair the Recall #SC299B HALOGEN HEADLAMP-BOTH. Repair was done 04/03/2025, which appears to have not last long as high beam is low again and I am afraid to drive in early morning, dusk, or evening due to the timid, low bearing high beams. This is very unsettling as we have made three complaints due to negligence and lack of efficiency for recall repair, being in an accident due to not seeing a deer run across and we hit it, as well as, failed state inspection due to light issues (twice) that negatively impacted financial stability and job security as one driver has to have a clear safety inspection in order to work. Kia corporate has been contacted 6 times via email and called back to discuss ongoing issues, however, there does not appear to be any resolution and/or willingness to discuss ongoing issues with our car. It would be nice to discuss this matter and find a solution that alleviates hardship this recall (and apparent lack of fix as lights continue to be an issue) and Kia dealer/company has made. We would appreciate being bought out and/or provided reimbursements and buyout. Either way, we hope others do NOT face the ongoing stress and issues telluride has given us. It is not ideal or fair to continue being fearful of the safety and reliability of our car despite company’s “attempt” of fixing it.

1) Front sunroof exploded suddenly on highway while driving at 67 mph. Nothing hit the sunroof and there was no prior crack. The sunroof was inspected by our insurance appraiser and I can provide photos of the incident. 2) There was the sound of a loud "boom" followed by shattering glass raining down over my head (driver) and that of my teenage son (passenger seat) causing us to duck inside the car while driving down the highway at 67 mph. We could have swerved into traffic or off the road causing an accident and bodily harm. Additionally, the shattered glass itself could cause bodily injury. In our instance, the sunroof visor was closed, capturing the shards of glass. 3) Yes. The problem was confirmed by an independent service center hired by our insurance company to replace the glass. 4) Yes. The vehicle was inspected by an appraiser from our insurance company. 5) No. There was no warning and no prior symptoms of the problem.

I have a 2020 Kia Telluride that I bought brand new from Kia. I have performed regular maintenance on the vehicle and performed the repairs required by any recalls. When my vehicle surpassed 75k miles, the vehicle started having issues with excessive oil consumption. I had my vehicle serviced at 75k miles with the oil changed. When my vehicle was passed 79k miles, the vehicle started stalling, piston misfiring, and engine started vibrating. I took it into the dealer, and they performed diagnostic tests. The determined pistons were working fine but my oil level was very low. This was around 4k miles after my oil change. Kia requires oil changes every 7500 miles. I had the dealer change the oil. Once again, when my vehicle was approaching 4500 miles, the vehicle started to vibrate, piston was not filing properly. I checked my oil level, and it showed very minimal oil on the dip stick. The oil level was well below that was needed for the engine to properly operate. I put closed to 5 quarts of oil to get the engine to the oil level it needed. I am concerned that the excessive oil consumption can lead to the vehicle stalling on the road resulting in collision with other vehicles resulting in bodily injury or harm. According to Kia the oil consumption is fine. How is consuming 5 quarts of oil in 4500 miles fine when the manufacturer states oil changes are required every 7500 miles? The engine itself has a capacity of 6.9 quarts. At the rate my engine is burning oil, I would need over 7.2 quarts of oil to drive 7500 miles. Additionally, having an engine continuously operating with low oil would result in engine damage and thousands of dollars in repairs. The problem I am having in my vehicle is experienced by thousands of Kia Telluride owners. It's the same problem Kia has had in the past with other models. Kia is trying to avoid repairing their defective vehicle and placing the burden on the consumer.

the center infotainment screen has turned green. sometimes a hazy green, othertimes almost a solid green which affects the back up camera system when you are trying to back up and not hit anyone or anything. I have brought to the dealership and they stated the head unit is defective and needs replacement. I elevated to Kia Customer Care and they stated that because it is out of the 36,000 mile warranty they would not help. I even stated that as car is not a newer car was not asking for a brand new unit, but asked if they would at least put in a cheaper re-manufactured unit due to the safety issue and they denied that as well. I am on the kia telluride forum and multiple other people are having this issue. this is a defective part and as it is related to a safety issue needs to be replaced and covered by KIA. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

While driving on the highway, the sunroof shattered. The sunroof glass exploded outwards not inwards.

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.