Kia Recalls 460,000 Telluride Vehicles in US Over "Seat Motor Fire Risk"

On the 7th (local time), Kia announced a recall of the Telluride sport utility vehicle (SUV) sold in the United States.

The recall affects a total of 463,000 vehicles sold from 2020 through this year.

Kia stated that the recall is due to concerns over fire risk caused by overheating of the front seat power seat (automatic seat) motor.

Kia explained that there has been one reported incident of fire under the seat and six complaints of melted seat motors, but no collisions or injuries have been reported as a result.

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) stated, "If the power seat slide knob (which adjusts the seat forward and backward) does not move, the seat motor can overheat, potentially causing a fire while parked or driving."

It added, "Until the recall repair is completed, vehicle owners are advised to park their vehicles away from structures."

To resolve the issue, Kia plans to install a bracket for the power seat switch back cover, which secures the rear cover of the seat power adjustment switch, and replace the seat slide knob. The company will notify vehicle owners of the recall starting from the 30th of next month.