2020 KIA Telluride Exterior Lighting Problems
Owners have filed 185 complaints with NHTSA about exterior lighting problems on the 2020 KIA Telluride, 24% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 9,150 miles. The words owners use most often: “high beams” (43% of reports).
- 185exterior lighting complaints
- 9,150median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- $1,900typical repair cost reported by owners
- 34%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- High beams: mentioned in 79 of 185 complaints (43%)
- Beam headlights: mentioned in 23 of 185 complaints (12%)
- Headlight assembly: mentioned in 10 of 185 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical exterior lighting repair on the 2020 KIA Telluride at $1,900, and half of them between $1,450 and $2,350.
Based on 10 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2021–2026), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do exterior lighting problems happen?
Based on 36 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 185 complaints, 2 mention a crash.
KIA Telluride exterior lighting complaints by model year
| Model year | Exterior Lighting complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Telluride | 2 | 2% | — |
| 2024 Telluride | 4 | 2% | — |
| 2023 Telluride | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2022 Telluride | 7 | 2% | — |
| 2021 Telluride | 10 | 3% | 34,594 |
| 2020 Telluride | 185 | 24% | 9,150 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Exterior lighting:headlights
Problem: Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2020 Telluride vehicles. The high beam headlights may fail.
Risk: Inoperable high beam headlights may reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and repair or replace the high beam headlights, as necessary free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 9, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC299.
Forward collision avoidance: adaptive cruise control; exterior lighting:brake lights; electrical system:wiring
Problem: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2020 Telluride vehicles equipped with Smart Cruise Control (SCC). When a trailer is connected to the vehicle, the trailer brake lights will not illuminate when the SCC applies the brakes. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: Inoperative trailer brake lights can fail to warn other drivers that the vehicle is slowing, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will install an additional wire harness to the main fuse box to signal the trailer brake lights, free of charge. The recall began September 10, 2020. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC194.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
LED running light of driver's side headlamp assembly inoperable On 10/14/24 BOTH headlamp assemblies were under recall warranty and replaced at Sons Kia in McDonough GA. On 10/8/25 I returned to Sons Kia for service and to have the LED checked on the driver's side as it was no longer operable, less…
Everything with paint that everyone else with the pearl color is dealing with flaked all off .. electrical my seat caught on fire ... lighting headlights constantlyfail have changed multiple.. I can keep going on but there isnt enough time or room
The factory-installed driver/passenger side LED headlight assembly suffered a sudden, total internal electrical failure while driving at night, causing an immediate loss of forward visibility and creating a severe crash hazard. This is a known, systemic manufacturing defect affecting premium trims…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2020 KIA Tellurides have exterior lighting problems?
No. NHTSA has 185 owner complaints about exterior lighting for the 2020 KIA Telluride (24% of the 773 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2020 KIA Telluride exterior lighting?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list exterior lighting. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do exterior lighting problems start?
The median reported mileage is 9,150 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix exterior lighting problems on the 2020 KIA Telluride?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,900 (half paid between $1,450 and $2,350), from 10 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about exterior lighting problems on the 2020 KIA Telluride?
The most frequent phrase is “high beams”, in 79 of 185 complaints, followed by “beam headlights” (23).
Other 2020 KIA Telluride problems
- Engine problems (152)
- Visibility/wiper problems (136)
- Power Train problems (70)
- Electrical System problems (60)
- Structure problems (56)
See all 2020 KIA Telluride problems or exterior lighting problems across all Telluride years.