The ancient automobile entities or vehicle enthusiasts might tell you to never buy a new vehicle during its first year. But heck, it’s 2020, and the Kia Telluride is awesome. People didn’t want to wait! But was buying the 2020 Kia Telluride a mistake? Problems are beginning to surface. 

Early problems with the 2020 Kia Telluride 

We aren’t saying that the 2020 Kia Telluride is a bad SUV or should be avoided. We are simply taking a look at problems that owners have reported so far. With the help of CarComplaints, we can see potential problem areas reported by actual Kia Telluride owners. 

CarComplaints also lists issues reported to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), so those issues are potentially dangerous. Either way, if you’re on the fence about buying a Telluride, researching these issues could be beneficial. 

2020 Kia Telluride exterior accessory problems 

The Kia Telluride has 81 complaints about the windshield and wipers. That means that 81 people have felt frustrated enough to get online and complain about it. One driver had a small rock hit their windshield, causing a huge crack to emerge across the center, and it was $500 to replace. 

Other drivers quickly noticed that their windshields had chips and pit spots very early on. The chips seemed to create enormous cracks overnight. Other drivers had no idea why their windshield started to crack. 

Sometimes it was temperature related, and other times the windshield glittered in the sun due to all the chips. Sometimes cracks occurred on day one, and other times the windshield was strong until about 12,000 miles. 

Kia Telluride powertrain issues 

The 2020 Telluride also has 10 powertrain problems reported. One driver faced acceleration issues at 4,900 miles. Their Telluride wouldn’t accelerate to highway speeds.

Even with the RPM increasing to 6,000 and the gas pedal pushed down, it wouldn’t go. They’ve had their SUV serviced three times, but the problem hasn’t been solved. 

Another driver struggled with their Telluride randomly shifting into neutral while driving. The issue occurs at lower speeds, after turning, and while accelerating. This causes the Telluride to randomly stop during traffic until its restarted to return power to the transmission. 

Other drivers struggled with their Kia Telluride vibrating at higher speeds, around 65 mph. Over time the vibrations got worse. Also, a loud annoying humming started coming from the interior at highway speeds. 

2020 Telluride exterior lighting problems 

Another widespread problem with the 2020 Telluride includes exterior lighting issues. There are 20 complaints about the lights. One driver said their lights were unsafe at night. They felt as if the lights don’t illuminate enough to see the road properly. 

One driver struggled with the factory lights installed on the trailer tow package. The lights randomly wouldn’t illuminate when used with the leading brake lights. Their trailer wasn’t displaying any brake lights, creating dangerous driving conditions. 

Other drivers stated that the Kia Telluride was challenging to see at night and worried about getting hit by other vehicles. Some owners had trouble with their high beams. When the lights automatically switch on due to rain, they shine too bright and blind other drivers.