Kia Telluride 2020–2025Common problems, reliability & repair costs

Symptoms: A small chip from ordinary road debris — or in some owner accounts nothing identifiable at all — spreads into a full crack within days. Multiple owners report two or three replacements, with the replacement glass cracking again.

Fix: Windshield replacement plus forward-camera (ADAS) recalibration. Aftermarket glass with calibration runs roughly $400–$900 at an independent glass shop; OEM glass at a dealer runs well past $1,000 — CarComplaints logs averages over $2,000. Kia replaced some 2020 windshields as goodwill; a consolidated class action (Ritzler/Sanchez v. Kia) over the alleged defect survived Kia's motion to dismiss and is still active. Glass coverage on your insurance is the practical protection.

Sources: ClassAction.org — 2020 Telluride windshield defect complaint, CarComplaints — Telluride windshield class action update (2025)

Symptoms: Oil level drops noticeably between changes with no external leak — owner reports run from a quart per 1,000–1,500 miles to dipsticks reading dry a few thousand miles after service. Sometimes accompanied by blue exhaust smoke on startup.

Fix: Start with a documented dealer oil-consumption test — that paper trail is what gets an engine repair approved under Kia's 10-year/100k powertrain warranty (Kia's threshold is roughly 1 quart per 1,000 miles). Causes reported include PCV valve failure (cheap) up to piston-ring wear and blow-by requiring rings or a replacement engine. Out of warranty, an engine job runs $5,000–$8,000; CarComplaints' logged average is about $7,000 at 114k miles. Until fixed: check the dipstick every 1,000 miles.

Sources: Kia Telluride Forums — excessive oil consumption thread, CarComplaints — Kia Telluride engine problems

Symptoms: Burning smell or smoke from under a front seat; melted seat-motor components. Kia reported seven seat fires and eleven melted seat motors. The seat-slide switch can be dislodged or stick, running the motor continuously until it overheats — including while the car is parked.

Fix: Free recall repair — this is a 2026 're-recall' of about 462,900 cars after the earlier seat-switch fix (SC267) proved inadequate. Dealers install a switch-cover bracket, replace the slide knobs, and add an electronic fuse that cuts power if the switch jams. Until it's done, NHTSA's advice is to park outside and away from structures. Check completion by VIN before buying.

Sources: NHTSA — Kia Telluride park-outside recall for fire risk, CBS News — Kia recalls ~463,000 Tellurides for fire risk

Symptoms: Vehicle creeps or rolls after being shifted into Park; may be preceded by clicking or grinding from the right front axle area. Caused by incomplete factory engagement of the intermediate shaft and right front driveshaft, which wears the splines until Park no longer holds the wheels.

Fix: Free recall repair covering about 427,400 cars (Kia SC303): a software update auto-applies the parking brake when you shift to Park or open the driver's door, plus intermediate-shaft replacement where inspection shows wear. Kia logged 16 unintended-movement reports. Until the recall is done, use the parking brake every time — good practice anyway.

Sources: Consumer Reports — Telluride recalled, may roll away in Park, RepairPal — NHTSA recall 24V-214 detail

Symptoms: High beams stop working entirely with no warning — the low beams still work, but there's no way to get brights. Separately, many owners rate the halogen low beams too dim past about 20 yards, especially on curves. It's the single biggest complaint category on the 2020 model at CarComplaints (172 exterior-lighting complaints).

Fix: Heat from the halogen bulbs damages the high-beam shield gear mechanism inside the headlamp. NHTSA investigated in 2023 and Kia recalled about 35,000 halogen-equipped 2020 Tellurides (NHTSA 24V-148 / Kia SC299) — the recall repair is free, so check the VIN first. Outside recall scope, replacement headlamp assemblies run several hundred dollars per side. LED-equipped trims aren't affected.

Sources: CarComplaints — 2020 Telluride exterior lighting complaints, CarComplaints — Telluride headlight recall (2020 model year)

Symptoms: Jerky or clunky 1–2 and 2–1 shifts around town, hesitation pulling away, and a shudder or vibration under light throttle at 50–70 mph (classic torque-converter lockup shudder, easiest to feel climbing a grade between gears).

Fix: First step is cheap: a transmission fluid exchange and any outstanding TCM software updates ($250–$450 independent) resolves a lot of the shudder and shift-quality complaints. Persistent cases point to the torque converter or valve body — $1,500–$3,000 independent, but this is powertrain-warranty territory (10yr/100k original owner), so document it at a dealer while covered. Outright transmission failures are rare on this platform.

Sources: Kia Telluride Forums — known transmission issues (2020), CarComplaints — Kia Telluride transmission problems

Tools: None required (hands only; small flathead helps with airbox clips)

1. Unclip the airbox lid in the engine bay (driver's side), lift it, and slide the old engine filter out.
2. Seat the new panel filter with the rubber edge flush all the way around, then re-clip the lid.
3. Inside, open the glovebox, squeeze the sides to release the stops, and let it hang down.
4. Unclip the cabin-filter cover behind the glovebox, slide the old filter out, and note the airflow-arrow direction.
5. Insert the new cabin filter with the arrow matching, refit the cover, and clip the glovebox back up.

Tools: Floor jack + jack stands or ramps, Oil drain pan, Socket set (drain plug), Oil filter wrench, Funnel and gloves

1. Warm the engine briefly, then raise and support the front of the vehicle on ramps or stands.
2. Remove the drain plug and drain into a pan; replace the crush washer and snug the plug.
3. Swap the oil filter, wiping the mating surface and oiling the new gasket first.
4. Refill with the grade and quantity on the oil cap / owner's manual, then check the level on level ground after a short idle.
5. Log the date, mileage, and level — on this V6, re-check the dipstick every 1,000 miles between changes so any consumption trend is documented for warranty.