Skip to content
BrakesPart report

2020 Kia Telluride Brakes Problems

Complaints
16about this part
Share
2%of 777 total for the year
Median mileage
50,000miles
Trend
RisingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.

NHTSA recorded 16 complaints about the brakes of the 2020 Kia Telluride, 2% of the 777 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 50,000 miles. 1 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“The braking system on the car is failing, the brakes are spongy and require to be pumped for the brakes to work securely, and occasionally the brakes would fail completely. The car has been taken to the dealer three times and ask for the problem to be repaired, I was told the brakes were fine it's just electronic braking system but I was feeling. I did have a mechanic check the brakes and was told the problem need to be repaired by the dealer it was a dealer's problem.”

NHTSA complaint #11627606, filed 2024-11

“While driving and attempting to brake, the brake pedal was COMPLETELY unresponsive. Slamming on brakes did nothing, and I could not stop the car. I just kept steering, with traffic all around me. About 15 seconds later the vehicle finally came to a rolling stop. It was EXTREMELY frightening and dangerous. The car had random lights that would flicker on and then off the dashboard when you started it, but then nothing. We had an appt at KIA to address, even though they weren't coming anymore. …”

NHTSA complaint #11624684, filed 2024-11

“There is a brake assist issue that comes up intermittently pedal can become stiff at times. This caused me to almost have an accident at an intersection when a car pulled out in front of me. Stopping was delayed and very difficult and frightening. Issue has not been reproduced or confirmed by deal or service center. It has not been inspected. No warning, messages or symptoms of any kind. I purchased it in Oct 2025 and it started in April 2026. After this happening quite a few times I am no longer driving it and can't afford to fix it.”

NHTSA complaint #11735465, filed 2026-05

“There have been several times over the last couple of months when my car brakes on its own. I have not had any extra features on such as cruise control or lane assist. I have been driving 70 mph on the highway, my car suddenly brakes, and then I am unable to accelerate. It is absolutely terrifying. We called our nearest Kia dealership after the second time and they told us to get a car wash and since it hasn't been consistently happening, they wouldn't be able to re-create it or fix it. We have been going out of our way to keep the front sensor, and it still happens. …”

NHTSA complaint #11575935, filed 2024-03

“The 2020 KIA Telluride was purchased with the tow package which included self-leveling rear shocks. The self-leveling rear shocks failed early and has created a safety concern with braking/handling/steering in addition to comfort in ride. Concern with the shocks began around 60,000 miles (roughly Jan 2023), but there was no indication of shock failure or leakage. Our independent service center/mechanic told us the shocks looked fine and that typically shocks should never fail this early. We just assumed the ride was rough and even after replacing tires, the ride never improved. …”

NHTSA complaint #11574073, filed 2024-02

Related service bulletins

Brakes: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
2027311%
202543%
2024125%
202373%
2022165%
2021144%
2020162%

Other parts of the 2020 Kia Telluride

Exterior lighting
185 complaints
Engine
153 complaints
Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
152 complaints
Other or unknown
150 complaints
Transmission and drivetrain
70 complaints
Electrical system
61 complaints
Body and structure
56 complaints
Suspension
33 complaints
Fuel system
18 complaints
Seats
13 complaints
Vehicle speed control
13 complaints
Steering
10 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2020 Kia Telluride

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology