2020 Kia Telluride reliability record
Every consumer complaint and recall the U.S. government (NHTSA) has on file for the 2020 Kia Telluride — the repair risk behind the ownership cost.
- NHTSA complaints
- 893
- 716 in the last 5 years
- Top problem area
- EXTERIOR LIGHTING
- 173 complaints
- Recalls on record
- 6
- see below
- Reported harm
- 11 reported crashes · 14 injuries · 1 death · 14 fires
How this record compares
raw NHTSA counts, not defect ratesComplaint rank
#480
of 4,194 vehicle records
Vs Kia median
+628
median 265 across 138 Kia records
Vs 2018-2022
+629
median 265 complaints in 474 records
Top component share
19%
Exterior Lighting: 173 complaints
What owners report fails — 2020 Kia Telluride
- EXTERIOR LIGHTING 173
- UNKNOWN OR OTHER 136
- VISIBILITY/WIPER 135
- ENGINE 128
- POWER TRAIN 67
6 recalls on record for the 2020 Kia Telluride
- NHTSA 24V407000 · 2024 · SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:POWER ADJUST A fire increases the risk of injury.
- NHTSA 24V214000 · 2024 · POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT A vehicle roll away increases the risk of a crash or injury.
- NHTSA 24V148000 · 2024 · EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS Inoperable high beam headlights may reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
- NHTSA 22V626000 · 2023 · TRAILER HITCHES A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
- NHTSA 20V436000 · 2020 · FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CR Inoperative trailer brake lights can fail to warn other drivers that the vehicle is slowing, increasing the risk of a cr
Estimate the 5-year cost to own a 2020 Kia Telluride
A vehicle's complaint record hints at the repair and maintenance budget you'll need. Add your state, purchase price, and mileage to the TCO calculator for the full picture.
Open TCO calculatorThese are unverified consumer reports and manufacturer recalls filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — not validated defect rates, and not adjusted for how many 2020 Kia Telluride units were produced or sold. High-volume and older vehicles naturally accumulate more complaints. Use this as one research signal, not a verdict on any individual vehicle. Data as of 2026. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain).
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2020 Kia Telluride reliable?
NHTSA has 893 consumer complaints on record for the 2020 Kia Telluride and 6 recalls. The most-reported problem area is exterior lighting (173 reports). These are unverified consumer reports filed with the government, not validated failure rates, and are not adjusted for how many 2020 Kia Telluride units were produced — popular vehicles naturally accumulate more reports.
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Kia Telluride?
Owners most often report problems with: exterior lighting (173), unknown or other (136), visibility/wiper (135), engine (128). Each figure is the number of complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
How much does it cost to own a 2020 Kia Telluride?
Ownership cost depends on your state taxes, insurance, fuel, and the maintenance the vehicle's reliability record implies. Use the CarOutlay 5-year TCO calculator to estimate the full cost including the repair risk this complaint record suggests.