2020-2025 Kia Telluride Problems: 27 Known Issues

NHTSA recall 26V430000 (Kia SC374) covers certain 2020-2024 Telluride vehicles. A front power-seat motor may overheat because of a stuck slide knob or an improper earlier 24V407 repair, causing a fire while parked or driving. This recall replaces 24V407.

Kia recalled approximately 85,448 model-year 2025 Tellurides equipped with power front seats because a manufacturing error in the driver and passenger seat back frame assemblies may leave them unable to properly restrain occupants in a crash. This is a structural seat-frame defect and is entirely separate from the earlier front power seat motor overheating/fire recall — here the frame itself is the part at fault, meaning in a collision the seat back could deform or fail to hold the occupant in position, defeating the seat belt geometry and the occupant restraint system. NHTSA campaign number 26V105, Kia campaign SC362; owner notification letters mailed beginning April 24, 2026.

Roughly 30,168 early-build 2020 Tellurides left the plant with front passenger, second-row and/or third-row seat belt assemblies intended for the Middle East market. Those assemblies lack the automatic locking retractor (ALR) that US regulation requires for securing a child restraint by seat belt. Without ALR, pulling the belt fully out does not switch the retractor into locking mode, so a child seat installed with the belt (rather than with LATCH) cannot be cinched tight and can move significantly in a crash. This was the very first Telluride recall — it applies to launch-build vehicles and is easy to verify yourself: pull the belt all the way out and listen for the ratcheting lock.

Certain 2021 Tellurides have an air bag control module / occupant classification system calibration that does not correctly classify a child restraint system installed in the front passenger seat. Instead of suppressing the passenger air bag as FMVSS 208 requires, the system can leave it enabled — meaning a forward- or rear-facing child seat in the front position could be struck by a deploying air bag. The condition is silent: the PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF indicator simply does not come on when it should, so an owner who never checks the indicator has no way to know.

On certain 2023 Tellurides the wire harnesses that feed the second-row seat-mounted side air bags were made the wrong length, so they can contact the seat frame and be damaged when the seat is folded or adjusted. A damaged harness opens or shorts the squib circuit, so the second-row side air bag will not deploy in a side impact — the occupants who most need that bag (rear passengers, often children in boosters) lose their protection. The defect frequently announces itself as an air bag warning lamp, though the recall population was defined by build data, not by whether the lamp had come on yet. This is distinct from the front seat-back frame recall on 2025 vehicles.

NHTSA recall 22V626000 (Kia SC247) covers certain 2020-2022 Telluride vehicles potentially equipped with a Genuine Kia four-pin tow-hitch harness. Debris and moisture on the harness-module circuit board can cause an electrical short and a fire while parked or driving.

The Telluride's LCD instrument cluster has failed in three separate, separately-recalled ways across 2022 and 2023 build ranges. On 2022 vehicles, excess adhesive on a circuit board inside the cluster bridges or stresses a connection so the display stays blank after startup (22V344), and an earlier 2022 batch failed for a related display-blank cause (21V577). On 2023 vehicles the cluster may fail to display any information at all when the vehicle is started (23V298). In every version the driver loses the speedometer, fuel gauge, warning lamps, and gear-position indicator — a compliance failure, not just an annoyance, because required telltales cannot illuminate. The three campaigns together cover roughly 33,800 Tellurides (5,143 + 3,596 + 25,101; 23V298 also covers other Kia models). The screen is usually either fully dark or dark on every restart, not intermittently flickering.

On 2020 Tellurides fitted with the halogen (non-LED) headlamp assemblies, the projector's mechanical high-beam shield is moved by a small plastic gear on a shaft. Heat radiated by the halogen bulb progressively deforms that gear until it slips on its shaft, so the shield no longer retracts. The result is that high beams stop working — often one side at a time, months apart — while low beams keep operating normally, which is why many owners initially blamed a bulb. Kia recalled roughly 35,000 2020-model-year vehicles in 2024 (NHTSA 24V148, Kia SC299). Note this is the halogen headlamp only; SX/Prestige trims with LED projectors are not part of the population. A separate class-action over general Telluride/Palisade headlight output is unrelated to the shield-gear defect.

Tellurides repeatedly go dead overnight or after a few days parked, with owners jump-starting and replacing perfectly good batteries only to have the problem return. Owners suspect the always-on cellular telematics modem (Kia Access / UVO remote start and remote climate) of not fully sleeping, and the Integrated Body Control Unit (IBU) — the body/smart-key control module, which Kia TSB ELE302 reflashes on some 2023 Tellurides built Jan 3 - Jun 5, 2023 for a drained 12V battery — is the second common culprit; a failing IBU or a module that will not enter sleep leaves a parasitic draw well above the ~30-50 mA target. Contributing triggers reported across the owner community include the key fob left within proximity range of the vehicle (which keeps the smart-key ECU and body modules awake), and heavy use of remote-start via the app. Dealers frequently fail to reproduce this because the draw only appears after the vehicle should have entered deep sleep — several owners report the dealership needing a month to catch it.

On roughly 86,921 2020 Tellurides equipped with Smart Cruise Control, the factory wiring does not route a brake-light signal to the trailer connector when the SCC system — rather than the driver's foot — applies the brakes. Towing a trailer with adaptive cruise engaged, the vehicle slows but the trailer's brake lamps stay dark, so following traffic gets no warning. It is an FMVSS 108 non-compliance. The vehicle's own brake lights work normally, which is exactly why owners never noticed; the failure only shows on the trailer, only under SCC deceleration.

A large share of Telluride owners report that Idle Stop & Go essentially never works, or works for a while and then stops. The system requires a state-of-charge threshold at the 12V battery (dealers commonly quote roughly 68 percent or better), adequate brake vacuum, and settled coolant and cabin temperatures — and on this vehicle the auxiliary/AGM battery ages quickly enough that ISG is often the first casualty, a useful early warning of a battery going down. A second, separate complaint is behavioral: ISG interacting with Auto Hold produces a lurch when the engine restarts, and the engine can shut down unexpectedly while maneuvering on an incline or easing into a garage. The amber rather than green ISG indicator distinguishes 'system present but not permitted right now' from an actual fault. This is not the same fault as the telematics parasitic drain, though a weak battery from that drain will also suppress ISG.

Owners across multiple model years report the center infotainment (UVO) screen freezing, going black, showing a blue 'reset' screen, or rebooting on a loop while driving, sometimes accompanied by phantom-touch behavior and loss of the backup camera. The unit often becomes unresponsive until reset with the button by the volume knob.

Telluride owners report the fixed or sliding panoramic sunroof glass exploding without any impact — typically while driving, described consistently as sounding like a gunshot followed by glass raining into the cabin. The failure mode is characteristic of tempered panoramic panels: ceramic-frit edge stresses combined with the large thin panel and body flex create a stored-stress condition where a microscopic edge flaw propagates catastrophically. Kia has faced class-action litigation over exploding panoramic sunroofs on older models (2011-2015 Sorento, Optima and Sportage, 2014-2015 Cadenza and Soul), though the Telluride is not named in it, and the complaint volume spans the Telluride's full production run including 2024 and 2025 vehicles. There is no safety recall for this condition, so warranty coverage is decided case-by-case and glass claims are frequently denied as 'road debris'.

The Smart Power Liftgate on EX and above fails in two related but distinct ways. The gas struts on either side of the gate weaken — often within the first year or two, and much faster in cold climates — so the gate stops closing fully, reverses partway, or drops. Separately, the liftgate drive motor/spindle unit fails outright: the gate stops responding entirely, the liftgate configuration options disappear from the infotainment settings menu, and pressing the dash liftgate button produces three beeps with no motion. The settings menu vanishing points to the liftgate module or its wiring rather than a weak strut — owners have restored operation by reseating the module's harness connectors in the cargo area, while others needed the motor or module replaced. Parts availability has been a recurring frustration, with replacement struts and motors reported on backorder with no ETA.

Telluride owners report unusually high rates of windshield cracking from minor road debris that would not crack windshields on other vehicles. For the 2022 model year, about half of all NHTSA complaints (52 of 106 by October 2022) relate to windshield cracking. Owners describe chips that spread quickly and cracks that appear with no visible impact point. Kia has not identified a cause and reviews glass warranty claims case by case. No official recall, but NHTSA has received significant complaint volume.

NHTSA recall 25V494000 (Kia SC347) covers certain 2023-2025 Telluride vehicles. The door belt molding trim can delaminate and detach from the vehicle, creating a road hazard for other traffic.

Tellurides develop paint bubbling and peeling, particularly on the roof, roof pillars and hood. Owners and body shops attribute it to poor adhesion of the pearl white paint to the coat underneath, so the paint lifts and delaminates in sheets. The bubbling starts small but spreads if not addressed, eventually leading to visible rust. Reports center on White Pearl / Snow White Pearl vehicles. Kia has not issued a formal recall or acknowledged a defect, and has denied out-of-warranty claims.

NHTSA recall 24V214000 (Kia SC303) covers certain 2020-2024 Telluride vehicles. The intermediate shaft and right front driveshaft may not be fully engaged, which can allow the vehicle to roll away while in Park.

AWD-only defect on 2020-2021 Tellurides built from start of production through 28 February 2021. Owners report a vibration that builds between roughly 60 and 75 mph and — the diagnostic tell — appears specifically when the powertrain is applying steady throttle, such as with cruise control set on level or slightly uphill road. Tapping the brake or dropping cruise speed makes it disappear instantly. Because it is load-dependent rather than speed-dependent alone, tire balancing alone frequently fails to cure it. Kia's TSB 099 202201 walks a flowchart from tire pressure and road-force balance up to replacing the rear propeller shaft assembly and the AWD coupling. FWD Tellurides do not have these components and are not affected; the vibration should not be confused with the rear self-leveling shock knock on the same model years.

NHTSA recall 24V077000 (Kia SC296) covers certain 2024 Telluride vehicles. An engine valve spring may break while driving, causing loss of drive power and potentially creating a hole in the engine block; the latter also increases fire risk.

The 3.8L Lambda II V6 in the Telluride experiences fuel dilution of the engine oil when driven primarily on short trips (under 10 miles). Fuel washes past the piston rings during cold starts and does not fully evaporate because the oil never reaches full operating temperature. The diluted oil has reduced viscosity and lubrication properties, accelerating engine wear. The issue is more pronounced in cold climates. Oil analysis shows fuel contamination levels of 3-5% in severe cases.

NHTSA recall 25V745000 (Kia SC355) covers certain 2025 Telluride vehicles equipped with an incorrect spare tire. If installed, the tire can impair anti-lock braking and traction control, and the vehicle does not comply with FMVSS 110.

The third-row seat fold-down mechanism in the Telluride jams, preventing the seats from folding flat or locking back into the upright position. The latch mechanism uses a cable-actuated release that stretches and binds over time. When the latch jams in the released position, the seat back flops freely and cannot be secured for passenger use. The issue is exacerbated by frequent folding/unfolding of the third row.

Tellurides equipped with the panoramic sunroof develop headliner sagging and separation around the sunroof opening. The headliner adhesive fails due to heat cycling from the large glass panel above, causing the fabric to detach from the backing board. The sagging starts at the edges of the sunroof opening and progresses outward. This is both a cosmetic and functional issue, as the sagging fabric can obstruct the sunroof shade operation.

Tellurides fitted with the rear self-leveling (load-leveling) shock absorbers — standard on tow-package and higher trims — develop a distinct knock, thump or pop from the rear of the vehicle over bumps and expansion joints, often accompanied by a harsh, stiff ride. Kia first addressed this with TSB CHA113 (rear shock absorber assembly noise), which replaces the rear self-leveling shock insulator and locking nut on 2020-2021 vehicles built Jan 1 2019 - Dec 1 2020. The insulator turned out to be only part of the story: owners report the self-leveling shocks themselves subsequently failing outright — losing damping, leaking oil, or losing the self-leveling function so the rear sits low or bounces after bumps. Kia later issued warranty extension WTY040 (Aug 2024) covering the rear suspension noise / firm ride condition out to 15 years / 180,000 miles, which is an unusually long extension and signals a design-level defect rather than wear.

The 8-speed automatic exhibits torque-converter (damper clutch) shudder felt as a vibration around 45 mph and during uphill gear changes, plus hesitation and weak pickup on re-acceleration and merges. Early 2020 units could log P0741 damper-clutch faults; some required full transmission/torque-converter replacement.

Telluride owners report the air conditioning blowing warm air due to A/C compressor failure, with some vehicles having the compressor replaced more than once (often with a remanufactured unit). Common root causes are internal compressor mechanical/electrical failure or refrigerant leaks; repeat failures within warranty are documented across owner forums.