Case file · KIA-TELLURIDE-2020-2025 · Field document

Kia Telluride 2020–2025 · Pre-purchase checklist

Bring this to the inspection. Every check below is specific to this generation's documented failure modes — not generic used-car advice.

1. Check 01

   Run the VIN through NHTSA's recall lookup. Confirm the seat-motor fire recall (Kia SC316) and the roll-away/intermediate-shaft recall (Kia SC303, NHTSA 24V-214) are both completed — they cover nearly every 2020–2024 Telluride.

2. Check 02

   Check the windshield edge-to-edge for chips and repaired cracks, and ask if the glass has ever been replaced. This generation's windshields crack easily and replacements with ADAS camera recalibration aren't cheap.

3. Check 03

   On 2020 cars with halogen headlights, test the high beams — a failed high-beam shield gear was recalled (NHTSA 24V-148). Also night-test the low beams; dim output is a common complaint.

4. Check 04

   Ask when oil was last topped up between changes. On 2020–2021 cars especially, check the dipstick on the test drive; a low reading on a recently serviced car is the oil-consumption tell.

5. Check 05

   Feel for harsh 1–2 shifts around town and shudder under light throttle at 50–70 mph — torque-converter shudder shows up on some cars and is warranty territory, not a live-with-it quirk.

6. Check 06

   With the car in Park on a slope, foot off the brake, confirm it holds — the roll-away recall exists because worn intermediate-shaft splines let some cars move in Park.

7. Check 07

   Confirm the 10-year/100k powertrain warranty status: it drops to 5-year/60k for second owners, which changes the math on an oil-burning engine.