10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 3
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
3,099 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2020 Kia Telluride:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

Get free help with your lemon!
close ad

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #74

Aug 012024

Telluride

  • miles
Oil consumption- I have had to keep oil in the car to top off my oil in between oil changes. It will get low before I can make to another appointment and start shaking or making a loud noise when driving or braking. Oil consumption test says I-??m burning 2 qt /1000 miles. Checking online and different forums this is a know issue for these models of vehicles

- Sycamore, GA, USA

problem #73

Jul 012025

Telluride

  • miles
Oil consumption, consuming too much oil, need it recalled please it-??s too much already

- Carmichael, CA, USA

problem #72

Oct 102025

Telluride

  • miles
Vehicle engine is using 1-2 quarts of oil every month or so. Vehicle only has 85k miles. Engine also has a rattle/tick when accelerating. I believe this is due to the excessive oil usage.

- Saginaw, TX, USA

problem #71

Aug 252025

Telluride

  • miles
Kia replaced oil filter adapter and now it burns through excessive amounts of oil. 3qts over 1000 miles. KIA wanted to do an oil consumption test but by the end it would have been out of warranty. Engine replacement would then not be covered.

- Jackson, MI, USA

problem #70

Oct 012024

Telluride

  • miles
High oil consumption. Oil needs added frequently or it gets low and car doesn-??t run correctly. Transmission slips daily at low speed first thing in the morning. When making slow turns tires tires don-??t seem to remain steady/grip. The car is hoppy like there is a traction problem. Tires have been replaced and issue remains.

- Shawnee, KS, USA

problem #69

Oct 092025

Telluride

  • miles
My 2020 Kia Telluride consumes oil.at an alarming rate. About 2 quarts for every 1000 - 1500 miles. It currently has 125,000 miles.

- Goldonna, LA, USA

problem #68

Jun 132025

Telluride

  • miles
Oil consumption- I have had to keep oil in the car to top off my oil in between oil changes. It will get low before I can make to another appointment and start shaking or making a loud noise when driving or braking. Oil consumption test says I-??m burning 2 qt /1000 miles. Checking online and different forums this is a know issue for these models of vehicles

- Romeoville, IL, USA

problem #67

Jun 012025

Telluride

  • miles
This car is burning oil at an outrageous amount. 2 to 3 quarts in 1000 miles. This is a hazard to drive myself and my two young children

- Egg Harbor Township, NJ, USA

problem #66

Oct 082025

Telluride

  • miles
Right at 100k miles both our engine began burning oil at an extremely high rate with no clear resolution for the issue. We are adding 1-2 quarts ever week. Simultaneously, we received transmission solenoid codes from a check engine light. The sealed factory transmission had burn looking transmission fluid and after replacement the light continue to show and now the transmission is slipping and hesitating and we are being told it needs replaced.

- Perryville, MD, USA

problem #65

Oct 082025

Telluride

  • miles
Engine burns over a quart of oil every week. Kia states it's normal.

- Lancaster, VA, USA

problem #64

Feb 012025

Telluride

  • miles
My 2020 Kia Telluride, the oil housing unit started leaking earlier this year and was replaced it was low on oil. The oil light never came on.after that it started consuming oil. It consumes a quart of oil about every 100 to 200 miles. I-??ve spoken to Kia about this and they said it-??s common. They can do a consumption test, and if it fails, it-??ll need a new engine but kIA will not replace it because the car is out of warranty. This has been an ongoing issue since the oil housing unit started leaking, which is also a common problem.

- Heltonville , IN, USA

problem #63

Sep 262025

Telluride

  • miles
Oven taken my car to jiffy line for more than regular oil changes and they always end up kinda jokingly saying man he-??s always low on oil. I just blew a rod thru my block due to lack of oil and how fast it was burning. I feel so cheated out of my money. I-??m stuck with a vehicle that I cannot drive and Kia refuses to replace it.

- Alexandria, VA, USA

problem #62

Apr 162025

Telluride

  • miles
Windshield cracked from minor item being thrown up by car in front of me. Engine burns out no oil on dipstick with regular maintenance engine tick transmission slips axle boot ripped oil pan cracked due to it being faulty

- Ellettsville , IN, USA

problem #61

Sep 012025

Telluride

  • miles
My vehicle has an oil consumption problem that the dealership and every other Kia dealership knows about. They are Facebook groups about the Kia Telluride oil consumption problems. I-??ve had my vehicle in the shop countless times and it-??s cost a lot of money. It now needs a new engine along with every other Kia Telluride on the social media groups, complaining about the oil consumption and their engines going bad and needing replaced. The dealership refuses to replace my engine because there-??s no recall.

- Harrison, MI, USA

problem #60

Jun 042025

Telluride

  • miles
For the past year to year ? I have brought my car in for concerns with idle, hesitation when accelerating, stalling out, etc. This has put me in compromised situations when in traffic, at stop lights and when trying to accelerate to get on the highway. I was told it was fine, until it was not. Now my engine needs to be replaced. What I discovered in my car was their worksheet on issues that they never shared with me. Identified issues on this report: Fault Code 6, PO300400 - history, cylinder misfire, PO30500 - history, cylinder misfire PO34100 When going back for a 'simple' 1000 mile oil check, I was told there was not enough oil loss to identify concern. When I checked my own oil after another 1000 miles, KIA then pursued. In researching, there is a history of these engine problems and engines needing to be replaced with KIA. This is unacceptable and has compromised safety and any value I hoped to have with my car.

- Minnetonka, MN, USA

problem #59

Aug 252025

Telluride

  • miles
History of engine randomly lurching/ hesitation when shifting. Have brought car in when it stalled out while driving, or at light. Largest problem now is oil leaking excessively. KIA has not been forthcoming on their history with this issue on 2020 Tellurides. Have been dealing with this the past couple of months and needed to bring it in for 'checks'. Service tech said that ? Quart of low oil after 1000 miles was not enough for KIA to flag; told me to come in at oil change time. He said I did not need to worry as it was still covered under 100,000 warrantee. After checking it myself after driving another 1000 miles, I found that it was low. I brought this in for immediate concerns. I was told to 'wait' as my Service Tech was not there that day. He called me the next day to tell me I should bring in when I can so they can write up an 'approval ticket' for KIA. I brought in the following week. Again he was off. I spoke with another tech who told me it was low 2 ? Q of oil - this was a week later. I now have to wait for KIA to 'approve'. I was told this could take a week or longer.. I need my car. I asked for a rental and was told I may have to pay for it. This is frustrating and disturbing. I am told by other tech that I will probably need a new engine and I should not drive my car until it is addressed. This car is 4 ? years old and has less than 70k miles.

- Minnetonka, MN, USA

problem #58

Jun 012023

Telluride

  • miles
Vehicle burns oil, current mileage at 169k. User manual indicates 7500-10000 miles between changes, I am original owner. Dealership service set for 5k intervals since purchase and done on time. At 99k noticed noises from engine, light rattling but couldn't replicate and couldn't pinpoint at dealership service. At 112k noticed burning oil and rattling noises when accelerating from stop. Changed to 3k oil change intervals, began using premium fuel. 1quart of oil at 0-1000 miles from oil change (had a consumption test at dealership and confirmed "normal" at 112k), sub sequential mileage burns more than 1quart between 1k intervals, can easily burn through 4-5quarts between 3k oil changes. Oil smells slightly like gasoline closer to oil change time. Outside mechanic confirmed rattling as detonation. Concerns of oil not "burning" but mixing with fuel either through oil vapors getting through PCV valve and diluting fuel octane causing rattling. Knock sensor suppresses from causing engine damage, but still happens. Fuel may be getting into the oil, not sure how, but wouldn't explain detonation. No codes, no other issues. Only check engine light since rattling noticed at 99k was failing O2 bank 2 sensor which was replaced by licensed mechanic with OEM parts. The amount of additional oil maintenance and changes were not disclosed on expected maintenance costs sheet posted on vehicles, nor is it communicated in the users manual. Personal opinion is the additional maintenance between changes is unreasonable, and oil isn't "burning" but leaking into the combustion chamber.

- Lebanon, OR, USA

problem #57

Jul 192025

Telluride

  • miles
The engine; I took my vehicle to be serviced at the dealership on Feb 18,2025 due to it making a weird whining noise when accelerating and/or turning causing the check engine light to appear. I was told then that my vehicle had no oil in it due to a leak in the oil housing filter. I paid $1900 to have it repaired. Then on May 20th I had to take my vehicle back to the dealership to be serviced for the same issue but this time was told that the cylinder 3 fuel injector needed to be replaced. I then paid $1200 for it to be repaired. Here it is July 21st and the same issue has happened with the diagnostic code reading Cylinder 3 fuel injector and the vehicle will cut off at any time while driving. I took my vehicle back to the dealership and was told that my vehicle was 4.5 quarts low on oil and this was due to my vehicle burning oil and I need to replace the engine or trade the vehicle in. My vehicle has only 124,000 miles on it and should not be needing a new engine or repairs. I purchased this vehicle used with 106,000 miles on it and has had it for a year. I have researched the issue and found that 40plus others has had the same issue with the same vehicle. This issue needs to be looked into. I'm unable to upload my invoices as proof of defect. I can email them if you would like me too.

- Keithville, LA, USA

problem #56

Jun 072025

Telluride

  • miles
The engine failed catastrophically on a highway bridge putting four [XXX] boys in grave danger. They managed to get the vehicle to the other side of the bridge but it was not safe. Not a single warning light came on prior, and the engine temperatur gauge didn't show anything out of the ordinary. Oil levels were checked and topped off prior to the trip. Oil was changed 9 months prior. A local Kia dealer has confirmed total engine failure. Kia has denied the claim despite being under the warranty period because I cannot supply complete oil change records. Who keeps those? I only keep the most recent one which shows 9 months prior. A quick search shows the 2020 Kia Telluride engine is failing at an alarming rate and Kia corporate offices are practing the deny and delay strategy to dodge responsibility. I will now have to hire attorneys and pay $10,000 to replace their faulty engine. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- Annapolis, MD, USA

problem #55

Jun 082025

Telluride

  • miles
In May 2025, I brought my 2022 Kia Telluride to the dealership for an oil leak. They kept my vehicle for a week. Then in June, while driving with my [XXX] son, the engine completely stalled -?" a terrifying and dangerous situation. I returned the car to the dealership, and they tried to point out a bunch of unrelated issues. But once I got home, the car shut off again. I took it back and was finally told that the engine had blown -?" and that this kind of failure "happens all the time" with Tellurides, according to their own words. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- Indianapolis , IN, USA

Read the next 20 complaints »