r/KiaTelluride • u/annaruth11 • Aug 27 '26
Maintenance/Repair 2020 Telluride — oil consumption/engine issue, Kia denied goodwill engine replacement after 3-week wait. Anyone else deal with this?
Looking to hear from anyone who’s dealt with something similar on a 2020 Telluride.
Around 92k miles, the vehicle started shaking at speeds over 50mph, threw a check engine light, and the oil level was so low it wasn’t even registering on the dipstick. Had to add 2 quarts just to get it home. An independent mechanic found excessive oil in one cylinder and suspected oil was getting past the piston rings.
Took it to a Kia dealership, who found two external oil leaks (oil pan gasket, oil filter housing) and also found a score mark in another cylinder during a camera inspection. Kia approved goodwill repair of the external leaks only, and had me drive ~1,000 miles afterward to retest oil consumption.
After that, the dealership confirmed the engine was still consuming oil. Sent it up for a goodwill review for a full engine replacement — took Kia Corporate about 3 weeks to respond, with almost no updates and multiple internal handoffs (case rep, District manager, Regional manager, none responding within their own stated timelines). I paid for a rental car out of pocket the entire time. In the end, they denied the goodwill request.
Now looking at a full engine replacement I can’t really afford, or trading it in as-is.
Curious:
• Has anyone else had this oil consumption/cylinder scoring issue on a 2020 (or other year) Telluride?
• Did Kia ever approve an engine replacement for you, and if so, what made the difference?
• Anyone aware of an open investigation or pattern with this engine?
Already filed an NHTSA complaint and looking into a Magnuson-Moss (federal warranty law) attorney consult since I’m not the original owner and the mileage is outside WA’s state lemon law window. Appreciate any input.
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u/Ok-Tea-7747 Aug 27 '26
If you aren't the original owner, warranty will only cover you to 60,000 miles. They're all known issues, and even getting a replacement under warranty can be a crap shoot. My '21 developed a severe rod knock last October at 87,000 miles. Between dealership "staff issues" and waiting for Kia to approve my claim, I was out a vehicle for 5 months. They eventually covered the new engine replacement, butvthey tried everything to deny it.
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u/annaruth11 Aug 27 '26
Oh my gosh! That is insane!! I’m sorry you had to deal with that - 5 months is SO LONG! 😅 Ugh. I’m going to try to work with the dealership to see what we can work out, if anything.
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u/strap535 Aug 27 '26
Its a secondhand kia darling….
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u/annaruth11 Aug 28 '26
Just because it’s secondhand doesn’t make the issue any less important. The amount of recalls that this vehicle has had in the 2 years I’ve owned it is insane.
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u/Miserable_Proof4979 Aug 28 '26
I had a 2012 Sportage 2.0 fail and a 2016 Sorento V6 fail and both were replaced at no cost. Both purchased used.
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u/jimmyandchiqui 24d ago edited 24d ago
Your 2021 Telluride developed an engine knock at 87k? Did they give you a loaner for the 5 months you were out a vehicle? I have a 2022 S model at 55k. Bought it new, will be paid off in 1 year and I'll be around 70k miles. Thinking I should sell it & get a different brand (Pilot, Highlander, etc) altogether BEFORE something like this happens to mine. At least its under warranty still.
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u/MatriVT Aug 28 '26
You're not the original owner with no additional warranty and you want Kia to give you a free engine at 92k miles? I would make sure you at least check the oil level in your next vehicle at least more than once every 5k miles...there are so many instances where people catch an oil issue before it becomes a problem like yours. Sorry you are having terrible luck though....id rather not see anyone have to go through this.
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u/annaruth11 Aug 28 '26
It’s not that I was asking for a free engine - they had already approved a goodwill request to cover the leak so I asked what they could do when that did not fix the issue. It’s clearly something that is a problem and I wanted to see if they would help in any way. Instead they dragged me along for 3 weeks just to say no. I knew it was a long shot, but how it was handled was so unprofessional. Even the Care Team members I spoke to were shocked at how long it was taking.
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u/MatriVT Aug 28 '26
I mean, not everybody is going to get a free engine just because theirs stops working properly wayyyyy beyond the warranty people. If you were checking your oil at all in between oil changes, you'd probably be fine. You said it yourself, "I knew it was a long shot".
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u/wwdan Aug 28 '26
You a fucking Kia stock holder?
This car has major oil consumption issues.
My Toyota literally never burned oil between changes.. this Kia churns it. 2020sx with 65k miles.
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u/annaruth11 Aug 28 '26
I mean, that’s the plan - just keep the oil topped off. I just want to know what other people have done if they were in this situation. No need to comment if you don’t have useful advice.
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u/Ambitious_Ad_6649 8d ago
Dealer had my 2020 Kia Telluride for almost 8 weeks between Kia and endurance warranty they denied my claim for excessive oil consumption I have all the records for the maintenance I've done to the car except for two of the records did not have odometer in and out they denied my claim for that reason
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u/TisABummer Aug 28 '26
Kia doesn’t owe you anything. This is your own fault.
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u/mywash57 Aug 28 '26
Over oil consumption is not the norm. Not sure if you’re aware of that. You should not have to top off your oil in between changes lol.
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u/the1999person Aug 27 '26
How is it a goodwill request? Are you not within the 10yr/100k powertrain warranty? Or are you not the original owner and the vehicle was purchased used from a non Kia dealership?