NEW YORK — Kia America recalls almost 463,000 Telluride SUVs, advising owners to store their vehicles outside and away from other structures until a fire hazard is resolved.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the front power seat motor on impacted Tellurides from 2020 to 2024 model years may overheat due to a jammed slide knob. This could lead to a fire when the car is parked or driving.
Kia Recalls Nearly 463,000 Telluride SUVs Due To Fire Risk, Urges Impacted Consumers To Park Outside
According to NHTSA records published Friday, Kia recalled the vehicles on May 29 following complaints of one under-seat fire and six incidences of localized melting in the seat tilt motor between August 2022 and March 2024. No connected injuries, collisions, or fatalities were reported at the time.
According to the recall report, a strong external impact on the recalled Telluride’s front power seat side cover or seat sliding knob might create internal misalignment, which can lead to overheating if operated continuously. People driving affected vehicles may be unable to adjust the power seat, detect a burning or melting odor, or observe smoke emerging from behind the seat.
To address this, dealers will attach a bracket for the power seat switch back covers and replace the seat sliding knobs at no cost. Until the vehicles are fixed, owners are advised to park outdoors and away from structures.
Owner notification letters are scheduled to be mailed beginning July 30, with dealer notification a few days prior. Kia America, based in Irvine, California, did not immediately answer to The Associated Press’s request for comment on why these alerts would begin at the end of next month.
Meanwhile, drivers can check whether their vehicle is involved in the recall and learn more by visiting the NHTSA website and Kia’s recall lookup platform.
Kia Recalls Nearly 463,000 Telluride SUVs Due To Fire Risk, Urges Impacted Consumers To Park Outside
The recall affects 462,869 model year 2020-2024 Tellurides built between January 9, 2019, and May 29, 2024. Kia America estimates that 1% have the defect.
This is not the only recall affecting Kia Telluride owners. In March, Kia America announced that it would recall more than 427,000 Telluride SUVs from 2020 to 2024 due to a problem that could cause them to roll away when parked.
Last October, Kia and Hyundai issued previous “park outside” recalls for 3.4 million different car and SUV models owing to the risk of engine compartment fires. Despite lengthy repair delays, many of those vehicles remained on the road for months, raising severe concerns among drivers and consumer safety activists.
Kia Recalls Nearly 463,000 Telluride SUVs Due To Fire Risk, Urges Impacted Consumers To Park Outside
Hyundai owns a portion of Kia, although the two firms function independently.
SOURCE – (AP)
