Kia Recalls Telluride For Inflammable Seats

Kia is calling back 462,869 Telluride SUVs from 2020 to 2024. Why? The seats could catch fire.

The fire risk is tied to the electric seat motors. Actually, the culprit isn’t the motor itself but the slide knob that controls it. A knock could cause the seat switch back cover to come loose, inducing a misalignment of the trim which could cause the motor to receive power continuously. Left unchecked, the motor will get hot enough to turn your Telluride into a bonfire.

Kia advises parking outside to avoid any spontaneous combustion.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) tags this recall as 24V-407. Kia’s records show one small driver-seat fire in a 2023 model, plus six cases of melted parts under the seats, with smoke wafting through the cabins.

Kia’s documents–tracing back to December 2022–are quiet regarding pre-incident symptoms. However, if your seat moves after you release the slide knob, or if you catch a whiff of burning, see smoke, or find your seat inoperable, those are obvious red flags.

The fix is straightforward. Dealers will fit a new bracket for the power seat switch back cover and swap out the seat control knobs. Kia will begin notifying owners by mail on July 30, 2024.

If you’re on edge, call Kia customer service at 800-333-4542 and cite recall SC316. In the meantime, park that Telluride outside and keep a fire extinguisher handy. It's unclear if the recall will extend to the Telluride's mechanical sibling, the Hyundai Palisade.

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