Kia Issues Urgent Recall for Over 460,000 Telluride SUVs Due to Fire Risk

In a concerning development, Kia has issued a massive recall for nearly 463,000 of its popular Telluride SUVs sold in the United States. The recall stems from a potential issue that could lead to fires originating from the front power seats of the affected vehicles.

According to the recall documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the problem lies with the seat control switches on the front power seats. These switches can become misaligned and stuck if they are impacted hard by an object. This can cause the small electric motor that moves the seat to run continuously, leading to overheating and potentially igniting the seat.

The recall covers Telluride models from the 2020 through 2024 model years. The Telluride, Kia's popular three-row SUV designed specifically for the American market, has been a runaway success for the Korean automaker since its introduction. With its spacious interior, comfortable ride, and attractive styling, the Telluride has become a common sight on roads across the country.

Kia first became aware of the potential issue in 2022 when a customer reported smoke coming from under the driver's seat. Another similar incident involving the passenger-side power seat was reported in 2023. Further investigations by Kia revealed several more cases of smoke or fire originating from the power seats.

Most alarmingly, at least one Kia Telluride owner reported that the driver's seat caught fire while they were driving the vehicle. Fortunately, there have been no reports of accidents or injuries related to this problem.

Kia's investigation concluded that the root cause is the power seat switches, which can be damaged in a way that causes the seat motor to overheat and potentially ignite the seat. To address this issue, Kia will be sending recall notices to affected vehicle owners starting in late July, urging them to bring their Tellurides to a Kia dealership for repairs.

At the dealerships, service technicians will install reinforcements and improved seat switches to prevent the overheating and fire risk. Kia will be performing these recall repairs at no cost to Telluride owners.

If you own a Kia Telluride from the 2020-2024 model years, it's crucial that you heed this recall and schedule a service appointment as soon as possible. Kia is advising owners to park their Tellurides outside and away from buildings until the necessary repairs have been made.

Customers who have concerns about their Telluride's safety can contact Kia's customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Stay vigilant, and don't hesitate to take action to protect yourself and your loved ones from this potentially dangerous issue.

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