Headlights, oil use and paint in the first year
The 2020 Telluride has about 1,040 complaints per 100,000 sold. High beams that stop working, oil consumption and peeling paint lead the list.
Updated November 2026 · based on 780 owner complaints and 7 recalls
1,038 1.8x the Telluride average
7 free to fix at a dealer
Every Telluride year compared
Owner complaints per 100,000 cars sold. Lower is better. The newest years have had less time to collect complaints, so they are marked too new to judge.
Top problems and what they cost
High beams fail
The high or low beams stop working.
Fix: Repair under recall or warranty; otherwise $200 to $800
Exterior lighting
Oil consumption
The V6 uses oil between changes.
Fix: Diagnosis first; engine repairs can exceed $5,000
Engine
Recalls
If a child seat is not properly secured, there is an increased risk of injury to the occupant in a crash.
Inoperative trailer brake lights can fail to warn other drivers that the vehicle is slowing, increasing the risk of a crash.
A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Inoperable high beam headlights may reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
A vehicle roll away increases the risk of a crash or injury.
A fire increases the risk of injury.
Show all 7 recalls
A fire increases the risk of injury.
Complaints by part
Before you buy a 2020 Kia Telluride
- Test the high and low beams.Small electrical and driver-assist faults often show up only as a message on the dash or a feature that quietly stops working. Watching for them on the drive catches problems the seller may not mention.61 of the 780 owner complaints about the 2020 Telluride involve the electrical system (8%).
- Check the oil level on the dipstick.Knocking, ticking or rattling from the engine, especially when cold, can mean worn bearings, lifters or a stretched timing chain. These are engine-out repairs costing thousands.153 of the 780 owner complaints about the 2020 Telluride involve the engine (20%).
- Check by VIN for open recalls.A recall is a safety fix the carmaker must do for free, even for later owners. Typing the 17-character VIN (on the dashboard and driver door) into nhtsa.gov/recalls shows any that were never done. Codes like 18V332 are recall numbers.The 2020 Telluride has 7 recalls on record, listed below.
Questions
Is the 2020 Kia Telluride reliable?
Headlights, oil use and paint in the first year. The 2020 Telluride has about 1,040 complaints per 100,000 sold. High beams that stop working, oil consumption and peeling paint lead the list.
How many recalls does the 2020 Kia Telluride have?
7 recalls. Recall repairs are free at any Kia dealer, even for later owners. Enter the VIN on the free government recall lookup to see which are still open on a specific car.
What are the most common 2020 Kia Telluride problems?
High beams fail; Oil consumption.
Crash rating shown for the 2020 Kia TELLURIDE SUV AWD. Repair costs are typical U.S. ranges for parts and labor, not quotes. How we score.