- Kia has recalled 462,869 Telluride SUVs because a motor could catch fire under the front seats.
- The recall attempts to fix a prior recall for the same issue issued in June 2024.
- Kia urges owners to park their vehicles outdoors and away from other vehicles or structures.
The Kia Telluride is being recalled for a front seat motor that can overheat and increase the risk of a fire, according to a filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Some owners have reported smoke and/or fire emanating from under the front seats.
Kia has urged owners to park their Telluride outside and away from other structures or vehicles until the issue is fixed.
The recall affects 462,869 Telluride SUVs from the 2020-2024 model years, and marks the second time the brand has attempted to fix the issue.
An earlier recall from June 2024, with the tracking ID of 24V-407, involved the installation of a reinforcing bracket on the power seat control switch on the seat slide. That didn’t take. Since then, Kia acknowledged seven under-seat fires and 11 instances of the seat motor melting. It is not aware of any injuries or crashes related to the issue.
Cause and Remedy
The issue is that the power seat switch can become dislodged or misaligned, resulting in the motor continuously running and potentially overheating then catching fire.
Owners can expect notification by mail by Aug. 19, but you can bring the vehicle into a service center for the fix before then. Dealers will inspect the motor and repair or replace it as necessary to fix the issue. Recall repairs are always free. Owners who have paid for the seat motor fix are eligible for reimbursement.
Manufacturers recall many cars, sometimes more than once, during their lifespan. Automakers try to contact every owner but don’t always reach them all. Discover if your vehicle has any outstanding recalls with the easy-to-use vehicle identification number (VIN) tool at our recall center.
