general problems of the 2020 Kia Motor Telluride - part 1

Oil burns too fast causing oil changes to be required by every 3000 miles.

After reading multiple forums, I've learned there's a known issue with the 2020 Tellurides burning excessive oil. We had noticed this before, but this time was worse. My wife drove the car to pick up my nephew from the airport without any problems, such as warning lights or engine noise. However, our kids later took the car to go to the store, and on the way, all of the warning lights lit up on the display, and the car shut off on the highway. When I checked the car, I found the oil level was completely gone from the dipstick, so I added about 2. 5 quarts of oil. I reported this to the kia dealership and customer service. The vehicle had just slightly exceeded the 100,000-mile warranty (109,805 miles). The service interval was set for 3400 miles, with 725 miles and 90 days remaining. The engine was dry because of the excessive oil consumption known to kia. The diagnostic from the dealership indicated an oil pump failure, but they did not have information about the oil addition since it wasn't relayed to them by the phone staff. There were no warning lights or engine noise indicating a low oil level before the incident. Apparently, kia repeatedly dismisses this known issue and blames the owners. The interval of 3400 miles with 725 miles remaining far exceeds the manufacturer's recommended 6000-7000 miles for regular oil changes.

Vehicle experienced catastrophic engine failure while traveling approximately 70 mph on a highway. I heard a loud popping noise and immediately lost power. The vehicle would no longer accelerate normally and I was forced to pull over. White smoke was visible from the engine compartment, and a large amount of engine oil leaked from the vehicle. This failure created a safety risk because it occurred at highway speed, resulting in sudden loss of power while traveling with surrounding traffic. The vehicle required towing and could not be driven from the scene. Prior to the failure, the vehicle had exhibited symptoms beginning around may 11, 2026. A check engine light illuminated and an independent mechanic diagnosed a cylinder 3 misfire and replaced the ignition coil. Following that repair, the check engine light returned. Additional symptoms included stalling at idle, knocking noises from the engine, and intermittent oil pressure warning lights. The vehicle was subsequently inspected by an independent mechanic who diagnosed a thrown connecting rod with damage to the engine block, including a hole in the engine near the transmission area. The mechanic advised that the engine requires replacement. The damaged engine is currently available for inspection. The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer. No injuries or crash occurred, but the sudden engine failure and loss of power at highway speed created a significant safety concern.

Component/system failed: engine — excessive oil consumption and oil leaks leading to complete engine failure requiring full engine replacement. Vehicle is currently at my home and available for inspection upon request. Safety risk: my vehicle became completely inoperable while in use as my primary family transportation. As a parent of three children this has left my family without safe reliable transportation. An inoperable vehicle also creates safety risks related to emergency situations where transportation is critical. Confirmed by dealer: yes. An authorized kia dealership confirmed the engine defect and approved a full engine replacement. The repair has not yet been performed. Inspections: vehicle has been inspected exclusively at an authorized kia dealership where all service and maintenance has been performed. Warning symptoms: this is the third time this vehicle has become inoperable due to what was previously identified as an oil issue but is now confirmed to be an engine defect. Prior to complete failure the vehicle exhibited ongoing oil leaks and excessive oil consumption over an extended period. Aaa roadside assistance was contacted and identified possible starter and battery failure believed to be connected to the engine condition. Additional note: I have identified NHTSA complaints from other 2020 kia Telluride owners reporting identical engine oil consumption and failure issues suggesting a pattern defect.

Following a recent $9,000 engine replacement performed by an authorized kia dealership, my vehicle suffered a catastrophic, simultaneous mechanical and electronic systems failure while in operation. Without warning, the vehicle triggered the knock sensor detection system (ksds) and entered "limp home mode," severely restricting vehicle power. Immediately following this, the vehicle experienced a total loss of essential safety and driving controls: steering failure: the power steering completely locked up, creating an imminent crash hazard. Dashboard & gauge failure: all dashboard warning lights illuminated simultaneously, and the speedometer completely stopped functioning, leaving me unable to monitor vehicle speed. Powertrain & shifting malfunction: when brought to a stop and placed into "park," the vehicle's electronic systems failed to recognize the gear change, indicating on the dashboard that the vehicle was still in "drive. " this created a severe vehicle roll-away risk. Ignition failure: the vehicle completely refused to shut off or power down when the ignition button was pressed. This event represents an extreme safety hazard involving sudden loss of vehicle control, steering immobilization, roll-away risk, and primary electronic communication failure immediately following a major manufacturer warranty/recall repair. The vehicle is currently un-driveable.

I was driving down the interstate when all of a sudden, I hear a bang, and my power went crazy, couldn't push the gas at all, my car was suddenly shut off. We coasted to the side of the interstate and got out to see a pile of oil underneath my car. Called a tow truck to help us and he found a massive hole in the engine block / oil pan - catastrophic engine failure. I have 117k miles on my car but I have kept up with maintenance on this vehicle. There should be no reason for this to happen. This put my family in immediate danger.

While driving on the [xxx] in [xxx] on xxx a connecting rod punctured the engine block of no fault of my own kia has stated it was a manufacturing defect. This caused a vehicle fire under the vehicle and I had to get my family out of the vehicle 4 children and wife from the vehicle children ages ranging from age [xxx]. This completely has destroyed my confidence in the safety of this vehicle. I do not want to put my children back in this vehicle due to the traumatic experience of the fire. The car only had 60k miles on it and I just bought it as a second owner from staten island kia back in October 31st of 2025 with just a little over 55k miles on the car. The staten island kia dealership has replaced the engine but confirmed that they have not done any other safety checks of hoses or wiring or anything else that may have been damaged by the fire. Kia corporate has given us a loaner vehicle until they review our case. Case number is xxx. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

I was driving home from work my 2020 Telluride shut off at stop light. I was able to turn the car back on and continue my drive after about 30 minutes into my continued drive I started hearing extreme banging noise coming from the front of the car. I then drove to kia dealership where they had inspected and diagnosed as the engine had failed and I would need a whole new engine.

I had my most recent oil change on 2/20/26, and on 5/2/26 , the check engine light came on and I heard a knocking sound. I checked the dipstick and it was below the “low” mark. I hadn’t driven 3k miles yet!! I had to purchase 2 quarts of sae 5w 30 oil to put into it. My vehicle is consuming more than 1 quart per 1000 miles.

I was just driving down the block and stop at the stop light when I went to pull off and make a left turn the car completely shut off with no warning or anything. Just stopped completely went off in the middle of the road and all of the dash lights came on. It started right back up thankfully but it stopped and locked up.

The contact owns a 2020 kia Telluride. The contact stated that while driving at 60 mph, the vehicle stalled and lost automotive power. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was unable to restart and was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with battery and starter failure. The contact was informed that the starter and the battery needed to be replaced. After the replacement of the starter and the battery, the contact was informed by the dealer that the engine had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact stated that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. The approximate failure mileage was 91,300.

The contact owns a 2020 kia Telluride. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost automotive power with the check engine and other unknown warning lights illuminated. Additionally, the vehicle stalled several times and with several unknown warnings illuminated. The contact stated that a friend had checked the vehicle and stated that there was no oil inside the engine. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started to lose automotive power with several unknown warning lights flashing on the instrument cluster. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed of repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 73,000.

Oil leak that I’ve put so much effort in getting fixed or replaced and nothing is working. The seat belts suck. The seats are ripped.

My 2020 kia Telluride ex experienced a sudden engine shutoff / loss of motive power while driving in traffic. The vehicle stopped in the roadway, would not immediately restart, and restarted later after sitting. This was not normal stop/start operation, the car shut down. No low-oil warning appeared before the event. I am also aware of multiple similar owner reports online describing high oil consumption, stalling, and lack of warning in 2020 Tellurides, but this complaint is based on my own direct experience and concern. It was scary and life threatening!.

I have been having issues with excessive oil consumption . No warning signs or notifications . Also had an issue with my car stopping in the middle of the road which could have been related to the above problem per my mechanic.

My 2020 kia Telluride with the 3. 8l v6 engine is experiencing excessive oil consumption between scheduled oil changes. The vehicle consumes a significant amount of engine oil without any visible external leaks. The oil level drops substantially between oil change intervals, requiring frequent monitoring and oil additions to prevent the engine from running low on oil. This condition creates a safety risk because the vehicle can operate with dangerously low oil levels without providing sufficient warning to the driver, increasing the risk of engine damage, engine failure, loss of power while driving, or a vehicle breakdown in traffic. A sudden loss of engine power could increase the risk of a crash. The condition has been observed repeatedly and is ongoing. No external oil leaks have been identified. The vehicle has been maintained according to manufacturer recommendations. The excessive oil consumption appears to be internal to the engine. The issue has been reported to and discussed with a kia dealer. The problem is consistent and reproducible between oil changes. Prior to discovering the oil loss, there were no obvious symptoms other than the oil level decreasing significantly between service intervals. The issue was identified through routine oil level checks. I am concerned that this condition may affect a large number of vehicles equipped with the same engine and could result in engine failure or loss of power while driving.

Car is burning over 2 quarts of oil every 1000 miles with no leaks, stalls at stop signs and lights. Engine needs to be recalled. No warning lights.

Issue: oil consumption/ low oil pressure indicator or check engine light did not go on. Was driving kids to school and on my way home I heard a loud rattling sound. Pulled over and had it towed. Shop said it didn't have oil, it was dry as a bone. We do regular oil changes every 5k miles and there are no oil leak spots on driveway or in garage. No oil light came on, no check engine light. Hoping this didn't damage my engine as I am at 110,000 miles.

I am the original owner of a 2020 kia Telluride with 48,409 miles. My wife purchased it new. It has never been sold or transferred. It is fully covered under kia's 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. What component failed and is it available for inspection? the engine is consuming excessive oil due to failed internal components—likely the piston rings. This has fouled the spark plugs and caused active misfires on cylinders 1,3,4,5. Codes: p0300, p0301, p0303, p0304, p0305. Kia acknowledges this defect in TSB eng222, which defines consumption over 1 quart per 1,000 miles as abnormal. The failed components remain in the vehicle and are available for inspection. Has the problem been confirmed by a dealer? yes. [dealer name] confirmed the misfire codes and excessive oil consumption. Despite being original owners with an active warranty, they refused to cover the repair. The advisor said they "only cover internal engine parts"—which is exactly what is broken. We were sent home with a flashing check engine light. Has it been inspected by manufacturer or others? no. Only the dealership. Kia corporate has not inspected it. How was safety put at risk? a solid check engine light means active misfire and risk of sudden engine stall or seizure. Other Telluride owners report complete power loss on highways and intersections—no acceleration, no power steering, no power brakes. My wife and children drive this car. I fear for their safety every time they start the engine. Were there warning symptoms? yes. Two weeks before the check engine light appeared, I noticed a slight shudder during acceleration that gradually worsened. The light came on solid, then began flashing within days. No oil light appeared. No other warnings. Kia advertised a 10-year/100,000-mile warranty. At 48,409 miles, they denied coverage for a known, documented defect. That is not a warranty. Not true. I request an investigation into the 2020 Telluride 3. 8l engine. Thank you.

I am filing this complaint regarding my 2020 kia Telluride because of excessive oil consumption that kia has refused to address. My vehicle currently has approximately 138,000 miles and consumes about one quart of engine oil every 500 miles. This level of oil consumption is excessive and creates an ongoing risk of engine damage if the oil level is not constantly monitored and replenished. After researching this issue, I discovered that many kia owners have reported similar excessive oil consumption problems. Despite the large number of complaints, kia has not issued a recall or provided assistance for owners whose vehicles experience this problem after the factory warranty expires. I sought assistance from my local kia dealership. At one point, the service manager attempted to advocate for me and other customers by bringing these concerns to kia corporate. I later learned that he was no longer employed there. They have completed oil consumption tests and agreed my car is consuming a significant amount of oil. They conducted a “band aid” fix that did not help. The last appointment when we brought it in, all they did was check oil levels again. Since then, my concerns have largely been ignored, and I have been offered no meaningful assistance. While I understand my vehicle is outside the warranty period, a vehicle should not consume one quart of oil every 500 miles under normal operation. This appears to be a widespread issue rather than normal wear and tear. I respectfully request that this complaint be investigated and added to the record of similar complaints involving kia vehicles. I also ask that kia be encouraged to provide assistance to affected owners whose vehicles suffer from excessive oil consumption caused by what appears to be a common defect. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Engine has a pcv valve issue that causes oil to leak from seals and burnt through the pistons causing loss of oil, engine damage and possible engine failure while driving. This could cause vehicle to lock up and possible cause an accident especially at freeway speeds. There is no low oil indicator or check engine light that comes on to let driver know that the oil is low.

Oil filter housing assembly- resulted in very low engine oil with no warning lights or engine lights potentially leading to engine damage. Yes the component was inspected and replaced by dealership. This was after getting the oil plan repaired for leaking oil as well.

My vehicle was consuming what I thought was a good bit of oil, I had an oils consumption test done, at 1000 miles it was 1 qt low, they said that is normal. So I drove away, another 1000 miles later my engine blew while I was driving, blowing metal everywhere! left me sitting on the side of the road and kia is saying it is not a known issue!! no lights car on indicating low oil or engine light.

My 2020 kia Telluride has been serviced repeatedly for what has been described as an oil pan leak. My car has stalled out on multiple occasions and at one point wouldn't go above 60 on the highway. This is a know issue with 2020 kia Tellurides, but the repair solutions are not solving the problem. My car stalled again and is idling rough and will now be serviced again for the same problem.

The vehicle is experiencing excessive oil consumption between oil changes, requiring frequent oil top-offs well before the manufacturer’s recommended service interval. No external oil leaks were identified when the vehicle had approximately 91,000 miles. At approximately 118,000 miles, the issue was identified during normal operation and routine maintenance, at which time potential engine-related concerns were noted. Excessive oil consumption raises concern for internal engine wear and the risk of sudden engine failure while driving, which could create a safety hazard. The vehicle has been taken to an authorized kia dealership and is currently undergoing diagnostic evaluation, including oil consumption testing. At this time, the cause has not been fully determined. No warning lights were present prior to discovering the low oil level.

2020 kia Telluride failed oil consumption test. Available for inspection upon request. A vehicle running on no oil will cause an engine to seize putting myself and others at risk. Confirmed problem by kia. I have documentation of 3 oil consumption tests performed on my 2020 kia Telluride at the dealership. Inspected at dealership by service department. No warning light to indicate low oil or to check engine. Stuttering and stalling of vehicle at stops caused me to bring in the car to kia.

For some time, I was noticing that my 2020 kia Telluride was consuming excessive amounts of motor oil - at least one quart per 1000 miles. I have had my car serviced regularly by a certified reputable mechanic and scheduled oil changes and other required service every 5000 miles. At around 69,100 miles the check engine light appeared and I immediately took the car in for service. I was advised that the spark plugs and valves were heavily carbon fouled. The spark plugs needed changing and the valves needed cleaning. It was also necessary to replace the coils. Total repair bill was $2008. 84. I was advised by my mechanic that excessive oil consumption is a problem with kia automobiles and after researching the issue myself, found this to be the case. Some engine design issues, most likely with oil leaking past the pistons into the combustion chambers, causing fouling. I have learned that ultimately, the pistons and valves will become fouled again, the engine warning light will reappear and possibly, the engine will break down - hopefully, not in a distant place without knowledgable service. The new car warranty for my kia was 100,000 miles but since I bought it used (I am the second owner) the warranty was reduced to 60,000 miles. I filed a complaint with Kia Motors and asked that they simply extend my warranty to 100,000 miles but since there is no pending recalls for this problem, my request was denied.

Around Dec 13 the cooling fan started running by itself while the vehicle was in the garage for a few hours with the engine shut off, so, engine is cold. . What we do in this circumstance is starting and shutting the engine, that takes car of the situation until it happens again, sometimes right away or a few hours later or next day. I can't identify a relay that controls the fan. So, at this point we don't know how to resolve this problem.

Several oil housing changes. I’m not the first owner, the oil housing has been changed once already and I’m going to have to do it a second time, the car is only 5 years old. I’ve only owned the vehicle 2 years. The dealership did no diligence to check it, I went to the dealership for years and due to negligence with my oil changes and recalls I stopped going, now I’m having to pay out of pocket for issues they’ve caused. I thought I messed up my car and had a part dragging at the bottom, when I took it in to the dealership they said it was previously not bolted down properly. I had a recall, I was told 3 times my lights were connected and I was “good to go” each time I got in and the car said my lights were not connected. After this I never came back! not sure if it’s the dealership issue or on the car for my oil housing leak.

I purchased this vehicle with 109,000 miles on it. After driving for about a month, I noticed a noise and took it in for an inspection. I was told there was no oil in the vehicle and to take it to kia. Kia told me that was a known issue the the oil consumption and wanted to start testing. I have an extended warranty but I am having to come out of pocket $5000 before a claim can even be started and I have only owned it for 5 months.

Vehicle manufacturers have certain basic rules and procedures that must be followed. When a vehicle manufacturer sells a vehicle, it has a duty to ensure that the vehicle functions properly and safely for its advertised use and is free from defects. When a vehicle manufacturer discovers a defect, it must explicitly disclose the defect and make it right or cease selling the vehicle. When a vehicle manufacturer provides a warranty, it must stand by that warranty. I believe kia has breached its duties and rules as follows. Specifically, these class vehicles (tellurides and others) have malfunctions regarding their incorrectly manufactured piston oil rings which can result in engine damage and failure, and even potentially cause a fire known internally and secularly as an ("oil ring defect”). Now, I purchased this car in January of 2023. Based on kia’s active and persistent promotions touting the quality of its vehicles and my partners admiration of kia vehicles, we considered kia a quality company with a strong reputation for producing reliable vehicles. In addition to kia's reputation through its marketing and promotion. We decided on the 2020 kia Telluride because we believed it was a high-quality vehicle, after a salesman convinced us that the vehicle was highly reliable and came with great technological features. Since purchasing this vehicle it has only taken the vehicle to the certified dealership for its routine maintenance as recommended by both the vehicle alert system and the service department at courtesy kia. However, through all our consistent visits to dealerships, we had never been told of any recalls or defects related to his vehicle’s oil ring system. Since 2015, kia has designed, manufactured, distributed, sold, and leased the class vehicles with this problem. As discussed earlier and in more detail below, the class vehicles contain a defect that causes a serious safety concern. The unresolved defect with the Telluride engine is an attack on owners.

The argument for the warranty claim to be honored and the work to be completed is as follows. Kia inc may not want to take responsibility for the engine. They may want to shy away from their duty by claim negligence on the part of the owner. Kia will ask the car owner to produce every receipt and service record you can scrape together just to prove that one was not done at an “authorized” center of some sort. Or they will argue the distance between intervals of oil change down to the smallest of detail to claim you abused the engine. An engine they know has a flaw. An engine with a ring flaw across multiple lines, years and models. That in multiple lawsuits they have in fact taken responsibility for and lost in cases so they are aware of the issue. But my argument is not necessarily these things. My argument is the oil warning light. That light is the real danger when combined with this fatal engine flaw. For a **3. 8l v6 gasoline engine** (like that of the 2020 kia Telluride) using * 5w-30 motor oil**, you can theoretically determine the oil loss level that would trigger a warning indicator based on the overall oil capacity and typical safety standards. Oil capacity and warning indicator calculation specifications of my 2020 kia Telluride according to anthropic ai. - * capacity**: 6. 9 quarts - **typical safe operating level**: generally, engines are designed to alert drivers when oil levels drop to about **1 quart** below the full capacity, which is critical to maintain proper lubrication. Oil loss threshold- - **full capacity**: 6. 9 quarts - *warning threshold*: -*safe level*: 5. 9 quarts (6. 9 quarts - 1 quart)safe oil level - the warning indicator would typically come on when the oil level falls to approximately **5. 5 to 5. 9 quarts. This range ensures the engine continues to operate safely without risking damage due to inadequate lubrication. Key aspects of fmvss 101 regarding oil pressure warning lights. S5. 2. 3. (the light must alert the driver. . .

Plastic oil filter housing cracked causing all oil to leak out. If not noticed would have blown engine while driving. Brought to dealership and not covered under warranty.

I was driving down the road and the engine started suddenly making a loud knocking noise. The car was immediately pulled over and put in park and towed to mechanic shop. Mechanic shop stated there was no oil on the engine dipstick and the engine was ruined due to lack of oil. No oil leaks were found. The car is kept in the garage and there is no oil on garage floor that would indicate a leak. The car was maintained with full synthetic oil changes every 6,000 miles. There was no indicator light on dash to alert to an oil problem. I called kia to report concern, as there is a class action lawsuit for this engine issue in other models, but was told there was no lawsuit or recall with the specific model of engine in my car.

Description of defect: my 2020 kia Telluride experienced catastrophic engine failure and excessive oil consumption, which is a known issue for this model year (to the point that I had to sell it just 1 year after I bought it). The vehicle consumes oil at an alarming rate without any dashboard warning lights, or low oil pressure indicators, leading to sudden loss of engine power and potential stalling while in motion. This failure occurred at 93,200 miles, well before the expected service life of the powertrain. Safety risk: sudden engine stalling or power loss while driving at highway speeds creates an immediate risk of rear-end collisions and leaves the driver without power steering or braking assistance. The lack of any 'check engine' or 'low oil' light prior to the mechanical crisis meant there was zero opportunity to safely maneuver off the road before the vehicle became disabled. Furthermore, excessive oil consumption in this engine type has been linked to potential fire risks under the hood. Failure/incident details: despite following all manufacturer-recommended maintenance, the vehicle suffered a major [engine/transmission] failure. Kia America has acknowledged the failure but refuses to provide transparency or assistance, despite technical service bulletins (TSB sa428 and TSB 089) existing for these exact powertrain issues. This represents a significant safety defect that puts my family and other drivers at risk.