2020 Kia TELLURIDE

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2020 Kia TELLURIDE has 900 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 11.3x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is lighting problems (20% of all complaints), specifically: the headlights at night are poor. they do not illuminate traffic signs such as: speed limit, stop, street/highway info, yield, warning, etc. when you approach a the upside of a hill, visibility is limited to 30-50 feet. side vision when turning is non-existent. this occurs at night when in motio. ⚠️ 12 fire reports filed.

12 fire reports 6 crash reports 7 injuries

900

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

11.3x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

LIGHTING

182 complaints

20%

• THE HEADLIGHTS AT NIGHT ARE POOR. THEY DO NOT ILLUMINATE TRAFFIC SIGNS SUCH AS: SPEED LIMIT, STOP, STREET/HIGHWAY INFO, YIELD, WARNING, ETC. WHEN YOU APPROACH A THE UPSIDE OF A HILL, VISIBILITY IS LIMITED TO 30-50 FEET. SIDE VISION WHEN TURNING IS NON-EXISTENT. THIS OCCURS AT NIGHT WHEN IN MOTIO
• THE TELLURIDE EX HAS AN ISSUE WITH IT'S HEADLIGHTS, ESPECIALLY IN A DIMLY LIT AREA. WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS ARE IN NORMAL MODE (NOT HIGH BEAM) ON A STREET THAT DOES NOT HAVE STREETLIGHTS (NO AMBIENT LIGHTS) OR YOU ARE GOING AROUND A TURN, OR YOU ARE GOING SLIGHTLY UPHILL, THERE IS VERY LITTLE VISIBILITY
• HALOGEN HEADLAMPS ON THE EX MODEL DO A POOR JOB OF ILLUMINATING THE ROAD AHEAD WHEN IN LOW BEAM MODE. I CAN HARDLY SEE A FEW FEET. I ALSO DRIVE A LEXUS WHOSE HEADLAMPS DO A FANTASTIC JOB OF ILLUMINATION IN LOW BEAM. I AM HAVING TO PERIODICALLY ALTERNATE BETWEEN HIGH BEAM AND LOW BEAM MODES (TO AVOID

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 2 crashes

“THE HEADLIGHTS AT NIGHT ARE POOR. THEY DO NOT ILLUMINATE TRAFFIC SIGNS SUCH AS: SPEED LIMIT, STOP, STREET/HIGHWAY INFO, YIELD, WARNING, ETC. WHEN YOU APPROACH A THE UPSIDE OF A HILL, VISIBILITY IS LIMITED TO 30-50 FEET. SIDE VISION WHEN TURNING IS NON-EXISTENT. THIS OCCURS AT NIGHT WHEN IN MOTIO”

— NHTSA complaint filing

VISIBILITY

153 complaints

17%

• WE BOUGHT OUR 2020 KIA TELLURIDE 7-3-2019 & ON 7-11-2019 OUR WINDSHIELD BROKE FROM A SMALL ROCK WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH TODAY FROM A PASSING CAR. I HAVE HEARD OF 100S OF OTHER CUSTOMERS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH THESE INFERIOR WINDSHIELD WINDOWS WITH POOR UNSAFE PRODUCTION.
• I HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THE GLASS QUALITY/DESIGN. IN THE FIRST TWO WEEKS (5/13/19) MY RIGHT PASSENGER WINDOW CRACKED. I DID HEAR A VERY SLIGHT SOUND (LIKE A WATER BOTTLE EXPANDING) BUT DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING. WITHIN AN HOUR, THE CRACK OCCURRED. THERE WAS A VERY SMALL 'DING' BUT CONTINUED TO BREAK. I
• SMALL PEBBLE HIT CAR WINDSHEILD ON TOP LEFT CORNER. PLANNING ON PULLING OVER TO ACCESS SITUATION. THEN NOTICE A CRACK THAT WOULD NOT STOP UNTIL IT REACHED THE REVIEW MIRROR. I CALLED KIA CORPORATE TO REPORT AND THEY ARE AWARE THAT THE 2020 TELLURIDE ARE HAVING WINDSHIELD CRACKING PROBLEMS BUT WIL

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“WE BOUGHT OUR 2020 KIA TELLURIDE 7-3-2019 & ON 7-11-2019 OUR WINDSHIELD BROKE FROM A SMALL ROCK WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH TODAY FROM A PASSING CAR. I HAVE HEARD OF 100S OF OTHER CUSTOMERS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH THESE INFERIOR WINDSHIELD WINDOWS WITH POOR UNSAFE PRODUCTION.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

143 complaints

16%

• VERY SMALL CHIP IN WINDSHIELD AND WITHIN AN HOUR BEFORE WE COULD GET IT FILLED IT RAN FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER. THIS SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH ALL TELLURIDES.
• ONLY HAD OUR CAR10 DAYS. 1ST ROAD TRIP AND A RICK POPPED UP AND HIT THE WINDSHIELD. I HAVE OWNED MANY CARS AND NOT HAD THIS HAPPEN. WITHIN 10 MINS OF THE SUN. IT SPREAD ACROSS ENTIRE WINDSHIELD. TO HAVE PAID THIS MUCH FOR A BRAND NEW CAR AND HEARD THAT THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE... IT HAS GOT TO BE RESO
• I WAS DRIVING AND A ROCK FLEW UP BARLEY HIT MY WINDSHIELD AND BROKE IT

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 4 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“VERY SMALL CHIP IN WINDSHIELD AND WITHIN AN HOUR BEFORE WE COULD GET IT FILLED IT RAN FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER. THIS SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH ALL TELLURIDES.”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

136 complaints

15%

• THE DASH SHOWED THAT MY ENGINE WAS OVER HEATING. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGHE WENT ALL THE WAY TO HOT
• THE VEHICAL WILL NOT ACCELERATE AT FREEWAY SPEEDS AND THE ENGINE RPM INCREASES UP TO 6000 RPM WITH NO OR LITTLE ACCELERATION WHEN THE GAS PEDDLE IS DEPRESSED.. THIS ALSO OCCURS AT LOWER SPEEDS, NO OR LITTLE ACCELERATION WHILE THE ENGINE RPM INCREASES TO 5000 RPM VISIBLE ON THE TACHOMETER AND HEARD
• BOUGHT THE CAR IN FEBRUARY 2020, STARTING THIS WINTER A HIGH PITCHED WHISTLE NOISE CAN BE HEARD FROM THE ENGINE BAY DURING COLD START IN THE MORNING, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S FREEZING. DEALERSHIP HAS TRIED TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM TWICE YET THE SOURCE OF THE NOISE CANNOT BE LOCATED. KIA REFUSED TO OFFER

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 4 fire reports

“THE DASH SHOWED THAT MY ENGINE WAS OVER HEATING. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGHE WENT ALL THE WAY TO HOT”

— NHTSA complaint filing

TRANSMISSION

68 complaints

• EXPERIENCING VIBRATION/PULSATIONS WHILE DRIVING. MOST NOTICEABLE STARTING AROUND 65 MPH UP TO 73 MPH BUT SEEN TO DIMINISH OR GO AWAY ABOUT 75 MPH. VIBRATION CAN BE FELT ON THE GAS PEDAL, SEAT AND FLOOR BOARD. ALSO, THERE IS AN AUDIBLE HUM SIMILAR TO A OUT OF BALANCE WHEEL OR WHEELS. POSSIBLY DRIVE S
• PURCHASED A BRAND-NEW 2020 KIA TELLURIDE LX, ALL- WHEEL DRIVE. ON THE TEST DRIVE, I COULD NOT GO ABOVE 50MPH, DUE TO THE TRAFFIC IN THE AREA. THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE HAD IT ON AN INTERSTATE. I NOTICED BETWEEN AROUND 63 AND 74MPH, A HUM AND VIBRATION. I CALLED THE DEALER IMMEDIATELY AND ADVISED THEM O
• PURCHASED 2020 TELLURIDE SX AWD ON JUNE 8TH IN LOUISVILLE. UPON DRIVING IT HOME TO CINCINNATI, I NOTICED INTENSE VIBRATIONS IN THE REAR AREA WHEN THE SPEED WAS BETWEEN 66MPH AND 72MPH. TRY ONE) TOOK IT TO SERVICE IN CINCINNATI AND TRY ONE WAS TO BALANCE WHEELS ' DID NOT HELP. TRY TWO) SERVICE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 1 crashes

“EXPERIENCING VIBRATION/PULSATIONS WHILE DRIVING. MOST NOTICEABLE STARTING AROUND 65 MPH UP TO 73 MPH BUT SEEN TO DIMINISH OR GO AWAY ABOUT 75 MPH. VIBRATION CAN BE FELT ON THE GAS PEDAL, SEAT AND FLOOR BOARD. ALSO, THERE IS AN AUDIBLE HUM SIMILAR TO A OUT OF BALANCE WHEEL OR WHEELS. POSSIBLY DRIVE S”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

LIGHTING(~50K mi)

$500

VISIBILITY(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

TRANSMISSION(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 900 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
LIGHTING: THE HEADLIGHTS AT NIGHT ARE POOR. THEY DO NOT ILLUMINATE TRAFFIC SIGNS SUCH AS: SPEED LIMIT, STOP, STREET/HIGHWAY INFO, YIELD, WARNING, ETC. WHEN YOU APPROACH A THE UPSIDE OF A HILL, VISIBILITY IS LIMITED TO 30-50 FEET. SIDE VISION WHEN TURNING IS NON-EXISTENT. THIS OCCURS AT NIGHT WHEN IN MOTIO
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
VISIBILITY: WE BOUGHT OUR 2020 KIA TELLURIDE 7-3-2019 & ON 7-11-2019 OUR WINDSHIELD BROKE FROM A SMALL ROCK WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH TODAY FROM A PASSING CAR. I HAVE HEARD OF 100S OF OTHER CUSTOMERS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH THESE INFERIOR WINDSHIELD WINDOWS WITH POOR UNSAFE PRODUCTION.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: VERY SMALL CHIP IN WINDSHIELD AND WITHIN AN HOUR BEFORE WE COULD GET IT FILLED IT RAN FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER. THIS SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH ALL TELLURIDES.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: THE DASH SHOWED THAT MY ENGINE WAS OVER HEATING. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGHE WENT ALL THE WAY TO HOT
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)