William Simpson
Kia America is recalling nearly 463,000 Telluride SUVs — asking owners to park their vehicles outside in case the seat spontaneously catches fire, federal highway safety regulators warned Friday.
The South Korean automaker announced a recall of some Tellurides from the 2020-2024 model years because the motor that controls the vehicles’ power seats may overheat. Kia America estimates that 1% of SUVs have the defect. The recall covers Tellurides that were built between January 2019 and May 2024, according to the recall. documents Kia submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Telluride power front seats are equipped with small motors that allow passengers to adjust their position. The seat adjustment function is controlled by a switch enclosed in a cover. In recall documents, Kia said the adjustment switch on the power seat can shift if hit with too much force, locking the seat position while the seat motor is still running.
“A misaligned seat motor control switch with a stuck seat slider switch can lead to continued operation of the seat motor,” Kia said in the recall. “Over time, this can result in the seat motor overheating, thereby increasing the risk of fire while driving or parking.”
In a separate document to NHTSA, Kia said it received one report of a fire under the seat from a Telluride owner, along with six reports of the seat motor melting. No accidents or injuries have been reported related to the power seat issue, Kia said.
Telluride owners can recognize if their vehicle is at risk of fire if passengers are unable to adjust the seat, smell burning under the seat or see smoke coming from that area, Kia said in the recall.
Kia said it plans to resolve the issue by installing a seat switch bracket. Dealerships will install support free of charge for eligible owners, who will be notified by mail by the company on July 30th.
All Tellurides manufactured after May 30 have already had the seat issue resolved, Kia said in the recall.
Owners with questions about the recall can contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542 and use recall number SC316. Homeowners can also contact NHTSA at 1-888-327-4236.
previous Telluride recall
This isn’t the only recall affecting Kia Telluride owners. In March, Kia said it would recall more than 427,000 Telluride SUVs from 2020 to 2024 due to a defect that can cause the cars to roll while parked.
The power seat issue also marks Kia’s second major recall in 2024. In March, Hyundai and Kia recalled 147,110 combined electric vehicles because a part inside cars can stop charging the batteries.
Last fall, Hyundai and Kia announced previous “outdoor parking” recalls for 3.4 million other car and SUV models due to the risk of engine compartment fires. Amid time-consuming repairs, many of these vehicles remained on the road months later, raising concerns from drivers and consumer safety advocates.
Hyundai owns part of Kia, although the two companies operate independently.
—The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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