Kia America is recalling nearly 463,000 Telluride SUVs, urging owners to park their vehicle outside in case the seat spontaneously catches firefederal highway safety regulators warned Friday.
The South Korean automaker announced recall of certain Tellurides from model years 2020-2024 because the motor that controls the vehicles’ power seats can potentially overheat.
Kia SUV Tellurides with power seat fire hazards
Kia America estimates that 1% of SUVs have this defect. The recall covers Tellurides that were built between January 2019 and May 2024, according to recall documents Kia filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Telluride front power seats are equipped with small motors that allow passengers to adjust their position.
The seat adjustment function is controlled by a switch wrapped in a cover.
In recall documents, Kia said the adjustment switch on the power seat can shift if hit too hard, locking the seat position while the seat motor is still running.
“A misaligned seat motor control switch with a stuck seat slide knob can cause continued operation of the seat motor,” Kia said in the recall.
«Over time, this can cause the seat motor to overheat, thereby increasing the risk of fire while driving or parked.«.
In a separate document sent 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 cannot adjust their seat, if they smell burning under the seat or if they see smoke coming from that area, Kia said in the recall.
Kia said it plans to fix the problem by installing a seat switch bracket.. Dealers will install a bracket free of charge for eligible owners, who will be notified by the company by mail on July 30.
All Tellurides built after May 30 have now resolved the seat issue, Kia said in the recall.
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