YearToAvoid

2020 Kia Telluride Structure & Body Problems

Owners filed 70 Structure & Body complaints for the 2020 Kia Telluride, 9% of all 761 complaints for the year, with a median failure mileage of 24,000 miles. Three related recalls cover seat motor fires and a tow hitch harness issue.

Structure & Body complaints
70
9% of 761
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
2
Injuries reported
4
Median mileage
24,000 mi
Related recalls
3

Typical body and structure symptoms owners report

  • Owners report fires originating near the front of the vehicle, in some cases with smoke detected while driving.
  • Rear seatbacks have folded forward unexpectedly, in one case pinching a child seated in a rear-facing car seat.
  • Front and rear doors have failed to open from inside or outside, with one case traced to a worn door hinge.
  • Some owners describe unusual wind noise from the driver's side that dealers acknowledged but could not resolve.
  • Windshields have cracked spontaneously while the vehicle was parked.
  • Power seats, seat heaters, mirrors, and sunroofs have activated or malfunctioned on their own, including a sunroof part detaching from its track.

When 2020 Kia Telluride body and structure complaints were filed

First complaint Mar 2, 2019, latest Sep 23, 2026.

2020 Kia Telluride structure & body complaints: complaints filed per month5Mar 2019Sep 2022Apr 2023Apr 2024Oct 2024Apr 2025Nov 2025Jun 2026
70 complaints filed with NHTSA from Mar 2019 to Sep 2026; peak Jul 2026 (5).

Structure & Body recalls for the 2020 Kia Telluride

  1. NHTSA 26V430000Jul 2, 2026Structure & Body462,869 vehiclesPark Outside

    Seats:front assembly:power adjust

    Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2024 Telluride vehicles. The front power seat motor may overheat due to a stuck power seat slide knob or an improper recall 24V407 repair, which can result in a fire while parked or driving.

    Risk: A fire increases the risk of injury.

    Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will install an electronic fuse assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 13, 2026. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC374. This recall replaces NHTSA recall number 24V407. Vehicles already repaired under the previous recall will need to have the new remedy completed. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning July 17, 2026.

  2. NHTSA 24V407000Jun 5, 2024Structure & Body462,869 vehiclesPark Outside

    Seats:front assembly:power adjust

    Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2024 Telluride vehicles. The front power seat motor may overheat due to a stuck power seat slide knob, which can result in a fire while parked or driving.

    Risk: A fire increases the risk of injury.

    Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will install a bracket for the power seat switch back covers and replace the seat slide knobs, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 30, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC316.

  3. NHTSA 22V626000Aug 15, 2022Structure & Body36,417 vehiclesPark Outside

    Trailer hitches

    Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Telluride vehicles potentially equipped with a Genuine Kia 4-pin tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Kia dealership. Debris and moisture accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.

    Risk: A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.

    Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will install a new fuse and a wiring harness extension. Dealers will also inspect and replace the tow hitch harness assembly, as necessary. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 12, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC247.

Structure & Body complaints by Telluride model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 202070 (9%)
  2. 202141 (11%)
  3. 202232 (10%)
  4. 202318 (9%)
  5. 202437 (17%)
  6. 202514 (12%)

Frequently asked questions

How many Structure & Body complaints does the 2020 Kia Telluride have?
NHTSA lists 70 Structure & Body complaints for the 2020 Kia Telluride, which is 9% of the 761 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a recall for the 2020 Kia Telluride related to structure or body issues?
Yes. NHTSA lists three related recalls: campaign 26V430000 and 24V407000 for front power seat motors that may overheat and cause a fire, and 22V626000 for a tow hitch harness issue on 2020-2022 Telluride vehicles.
At what mileage do these structure and body problems typically show up?
The median mileage at failure for Structure & Body complaints on the 2020 Telluride is 24,000 miles.
Have these structure and body problems caused crashes or injuries?
NHTSA data shows 0 crashes but 2 fires and 4 injuries tied to Structure & Body complaints on the 2020 Kia Telluride.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.