Kia Telluride SUVs from model years 2020 to 2024, totaling approximately 463,000 units, have been recalled due to a potential fire hazard. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that the front power seat motor may overheat as a result of strong external impact on the front power seat side cover or seat slide knob. This continuous operation can lead to internal misalignment and, ultimately, overheating.
Symptoms of this issue include difficulty adjusting the power seat, a burning or melting smell, or smoke rising from underneath the seat. To address this concern, dealers will install a bracket for the power seat switch back covers and replace the seat slide knobs at no cost to owners.
Until vehicles are repaired, Kia America urges owners to park their cars outside and away from buildings. The recall covers 462,869 model year 2020-2024 Tellurides that were manufactured between January 9, 2019 and May 29, 2024. Kia America estimates that approximately 1% of these vehicles have the defect.
This is not the first recall for Kia Telluride owners. In March, Kia America announced a recall for over 427,000 units due to a defect that may cause cars to roll away while parked. Additionally, last fall, Kia and Hyundai issued recalls for 3.4 million other car and SUV models due to the danger of engine compartment fires.
The NHTSA documents from May 29 show that Kia made the decision to recall the vehicles after receiving reports of one under-seat fire and six incidents of localized melting in the seat tilt motor between August 2022 and March 2024. No related injuries, crashes, or fatalities were reported at the time.
Owner notification letters are set to be mailed out starting July 30, with dealer notification a few days prior. Drivers can also confirm if their specific vehicle is included in this recall and find more information using the NHTSA site and/or Kia's recall lookup platform.
