general problems of the 2020 Kia Motor Telluride - part 1

Opened the sunroof. Used the automatic switch to close it. The sunroof jammed and would not close. It is popped up in the back. A piece on the left track broke off. The dealership wants over $6000 to repair the sunroof.

The sunroof mechanism in the vehicle jammed and broke out of the track. When my wife drove the vehicle in the interstate the sunroof began to vibrate and move around. She was afraid the glass was about to fly out and possibly hit a vehicle behind her. She had to reduce her speed excessively and my daughter had to hold on to the sunroof all the way home. The vehicle is well maintained with approx 50. 000 miles. The warranty is out and I am being told that kia will not cover the repairs. I am still trying to get customer affairs to approve a fully covered repair at no cost but it seems the are not being CO operative so far.

I am the original owner of a 2020 kia Telluride. The white paint on the car is coming off in huge pieces all over the front. The primer is still attached to the metal. Huge chunks are coming off as we drive it. We have spoke to the dealership and kia corporate as well and they do not care because it is out of the 3 year warranty. We had a paint shop inspect it and get an estimate for it to be fixed and they have told us this is a paint manufacturer defect clearly considering the primer is noticeably on the metal still. The vehicle has never been in any type of accident ever.

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!.

The sunroof malfunctioned while I was attempting to open it, producing a loud pop and causing the glass to become misaligned while the vehicle was parked. There have been numerous reports of this same issue, including incidents in which the sunroof glass has shattered. This appears to be a known defect; however, kia has refused to acknowledge responsibility or perform the necessary repairs. Kia has quoted the cost of repair at $5,800.

Snow white pearl paint is peeling like a banana. Contacted kia and are aware of the problem but offered nothing.

Vehicle began shifting really hard and the rpm meter started going way up and down really fast. The check engine light also came on. It caused difficulties with control of the vehicle. Vehicle was parked and taken to a mechanic so said the issue was the torque converter and that it needs a new transmission.

The sunroof will not close. The closing mechanism broke.

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.

The 2020 kia Telluride has an issue with the metal window trim pieces. It was purchased as a certified pre-owned vehicle and we have had to have the trim piece replaced at least three times by the kia dealer. The piece keep becoming loose and falling off. Some of the pieces on my vehicle have jus fallen off. At interstate speeds of 70 mph it would be very dangerous. Fortunately, no incident has happened that has hurt anyone, yet. The 2023-2025 models have been recalled for this exact same issue, and it needs to happen for all kia Telluride models including the 2020-2023 models. It is dangerous and ken ganley kia of new port richey is no longer assisting with any sort of warranty or repair unless I do the work. I am having to reach out to kia and open a case number every time and the dealership is no longer being helpful. This is our primary vehicle used for getting children to school, leisure travel, and daily commuting. Attached are three different incidents of the exact same issue happening. 8/24/2025, 8/11/2025, and 11/21/2025. The dealership also repair some when we initially purchased the vehicle. All work orders can be provided via ken ganley kia of new port richey.

My son was driving home from work and the vehicle shut off. He got it to come back on and it stopped while he was at a red light and a by standard yelled for him to get out of the vehicle as it caught fire underneath the car from unknown reasons.

Oil pan and gasket leak oil control valve harness leak the car leaked 5 quarts of oil without any engine or low oil light being illuminated to communicate this engine problem. The dealership identified the above components failed and caused the oil to leak and lead to potential engine damage.

My sunroof will not close all the way. I have read different threads and it seems I am not the only person with this make and model having the issue.

Failed windshield available for inspection unexpectedly cracked across full length of windshield blocking view of road causes glare there is a 2020 model class action suit and many complaints.

Sunroof wind deflector broke causing the track for sunroof to be off and sunroof won't close. This is a safety concern for the stability of the sunroof and apparently it is a common problem. Yes the problem was confirmed by the dealer.

Sunroof plastic arms broke off and now sunroof will not close. Looking this up, it is a very common issue. I have only used my sunroof about 10 times since I bought my vehicle.

Sunroof malfunctioned on opening, went off the tracks and is now stuck in an open position. There were no obstructions causing the sunroof to be lifted and dislodged from the tracks. The integrity of the vehicle and its passengers are compromised due to being openly exposed to the elements. Risk of theft, further damage, and injury. Dealership unable to service the vehicle in a timely manner. Problem has been confirmed and inspected by an independent servicer. No warnings or other symptoms.

Wind deflector snapped on sun roof causing. Sun roof to get lodged and get off track. Unable to close sun roof now opening it to all types of weather. Safety issue not being able to close the sun roof while transporting passengers especially children. Kia dealership aware and refusing to help. Wind deflector is a known issue for the 2020 Telluride sunroof as found by the NHTSA bulletin on this defective part. Dealership refusing to help since out of warranty even though it is a known issue.

Only owner of a 2020 kia Telluride sx prestige that just crossed 60,000 miles. We don't use the sunroof but yesterday 7/30/25 we opened it, the wind deflector arms had broke which caused the sunroof glass to come off the track. Now it won't close at all. This can put my family at risk due to excessive heat in texas, fumes that should not be getting inside the vehicle and rain water. This has been reproduced and inspected by the kia dealership. Since I'm over 60,000 miles this is not covered under warranty. No warning lamps or notifications since it's the sunroof. We just wanted to cool down the car quicker by letting the heat out - so totally normal operation that ended up with a sunroof being stuck open. Very frustrating!.

Folding outside mirrors get stuck randomly, back up camera functions erratically, and worst of all, the sun roof jammed open.

Oil consumption, consuming too much oil , need it recalled please it’s too much already.

Sunroof would not open or close properly. Dealer said arms broken. Need entire new sunroof at over $5000 plus labor! to replace just these small pieces. The glass is out of the track and taped down. It is a dangerous fix. I cannot understand why kia won’t fix with it being a known malfunction of sunroof mechanism assembly according to TSB. I am out of warranty by 6 months. I contacted kia and this was their response. Need help please.

For the past year to year ½ 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.

On [xxx], my kia Telluride received a warranty engine replacement at greenway kia east in orlando, FL. Just two days later, on [xxx], the engine overheated while I was driving with my young child. The temperature warning light came on. I stopped immediately and opened the hood — there was no coolant in the system at all. This failure occurred immediately after a major engine replacement, suggesting that the dealer failed to fill or properly check the coolant system. I was left stranded near a daycare and had to call a third-party tow truck because kia roadside assistance estimated a 90–120 minute wait. This put my child and me in serious danger. Despite the dealer’s clear negligence, I was sent an invoice for $1,833. 77, blaming me for the damage. Upon retrieving the car on may 31, 2025, I personally checked under the hood — the coolant level was still below the min line. When I pointed this out, the service manager said, “we’re not required to top it off, but if that satisfies you, we’ll put some in. ” this is extremely unsafe and irresponsible, especially after a critical repair like an engine replacement. Later, the dealership even claimed to kia America that the engine was not replaced under warranty, contradicting their earlier confirmation. This kind of conflicting information, combined with unsafe practices and disregard for basic safety protocols, raises serious concerns about consumer safety and the dealership’s integrity. To make matters worse, kia America closed my case ([xxx]) on June 10 without notifying me or giving me a chance to respond. I received only one dropped call from an unknown number, and no voicemail or follow-up communication. A formal complaint was mailed to kia America on June 11, 2025, and I am currently waiting for their response. On June 12, 2025, I also filed a complaint with the better business bureau (bbb). Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

1) front sunroof exploded suddenly on highway while driving at 67 mph. Nothing hit the sunroof and there was no prior crack. The sunroof was inspected by our insurance appraiser and I can provide photos of the incident. 2) there was the sound of a loud "boom" followed by shattering glass raining down over my head (driver) and that of my teenage son (passenger seat) causing us to duck inside the car while driving down the highway at 67 mph. We could have swerved into traffic or off the road causing an accident and bodily harm. Additionally, the shattered glass itself could cause bodily injury. In our instance, the sunroof visor was closed, capturing the shards of glass. 3) yes. The problem was confirmed by an independent service center hired by our insurance company to replace the glass. 4) yes. The vehicle was inspected by an appraiser from our insurance company. 5) no. There was no warning and no prior symptoms of the problem.

While driving on the highway, the sunroof shattered. The sunroof glass exploded outwards not inwards.

The sunroof deflector tabs broke off and jammed the sunroof open. The sunroof is loose and I don’t feel safe driving the vehicle because it may dislodge and become a projectile.

I went to open my sunroof and it opened as normal but when I went to shut it, it’s started to make some noises and got stuck tilted open. It will not budge. I can be available for inspection. It’s a huge safety risk because the sunroof is tilted open and anything can fly into the car and hit someone’s head/body. Especially if driving on the highway at high speeds- the damage could be catastrophic. If I’m driving and a storm appears and the rain/hail could get into the car and cause damage as well as distract the driver and potentially cause an accident with other drivers. I took my car into my local dealership and they told me that the entire sunroof system would need to be replaced- no repair available. There were no warning lights/ issues that alerted me to a future problem.

Sunroof window comes off track due to guide anrms breaking and will not close . Dealer says only solution is to replace the whole frame.

Sunroof will not close. This is a know issues that kia is aware of, and they have created performance step for technicians and also created replacement. Consumers are having to pay out of pocket to have issues corrected. Wind deflector has broken and railling system as well. No open recall in the 2020 kia Telluride for this issue. Please view attached youtube video link of this issue. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The car is a 2020 kia Telluride. It was purchased in August 2023 at the time it was leaking oil took it back to the dealer and they replaced the housing put in a new filter and said all was good . For a year. It constantly needed oil took it back to the dealer, said that everything was fine. I would be driving and the car would stop. The oil lamp would come on and I would have to drive and put more oil in it every week. I was putting a quart of oil into the vehicle just about weekly because it seemed to be leaking oil and just a dying out. Just a few days ago after putting a quart of oil in I’m driving my vehicle and all of a sudden smoke comes out of the back a little bit out of the hood. It just stopped all the lights went on the car went dead. Had to call the police get the vehicle towed to the dealer at that point was told the engine had died. They want to put a new engine in the car which it’s a five year-old car. It should not need a new engine what is causing it to need a newengine. Ever since I purchased the car, it had oil problems so did the oil lead to engine failure. I know I’m not the only one that this has happened to every time I would take it back to the kia dealer. I was told everything‘s fine everything was not fine never got any warning lights or signals, except for when I was driving the car would literally sputter and stop at a light. I would have to restart it and then go get oil.

My vehicle has been repaired multiple times for leaking oil in different areas.

Paint peeling on the roof of vehicle, 5 years old, known problem to kia. White pearl vehicles, kia will do nothing to remedy this problem. It has been well known of an issue.

The white paint on our Telluride peeled and feel off for not apparent reason.

Subject: ongoing issue with excessive oil consumption – 2020 kia s v6 to whom it may concern, I am writing to formally express my concern and frustration regarding a recurring issue with my 2020 kia s v6 related to excessive oil consumption. Despite multiple visits to the dealership and attempted repairs, the issue remains unresolved and continues to affect the safety and reliability of my vehicle. Vehicle information: year: 2020 make: kia model: s v6 VIN: [xxx] current mileage: approximately 85,808 miles timeline of events: September 6, 2024 – oil change completed at kia dealership in easton. No prior issues reported at this time. [xxx] – after about a week of shaking and stuttering during acceleration, the vehicle shut off completely at a stoplight. Upon checking, the oil level was found to be empty. I added 6–7 quarts of oil. No oil warning light appeared on the dashboard at any time. January 14, 2025 – brought the vehicle to the easton kia dealership. Diagnosed with a broken and leaking oil filter housing, which was replaced. Another oil change was completed. [xxx] – after the engine light came on, I checked the oil at 77,021 miles and found it to be low again. I added 1 quart of oil. The engine light was later determined to be due to a loose gas cap. Once again, no oil warning light appeared. [xxx] – at 78,000 miles, I checked the oil, as advised by kia, to monitor consumption. The oil level was completely empty. I added another 6–7 quarts of oil. No warning light appeared on the dashboard. [xxx] -- kia for oil change and consumption test at 82,177 miles. Consumption was read after 1,000 miles and I was advised it was good. I was told to come back at 86,075 miles as per kia recommendation. [xxx] -- a few hundred miles before the deadline, at approx 85,790 miles I checked oil before a trip, it was empty. Again, no warning light came on the dashboard to warn me of low/no oil. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).