Kia Recalls Telluride SUV Over Fire Risk; Urging Owners to Park Outside

The automotive company Kia issued a recall on Friday of certain Telluride SUVs from the years 2020 through 2024 and urged the owners of the vehicles to park outside and away from structures because of a fire risk, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said.

The issue stems from the front power seat motor, which can overheat “because of a stuck power seat slide knob, potentially resulting in a fire and increasing the risk of injury,” the NHTSA said in a statement.

“To fix the issue, dealers will install a bracket for the power seat switch back covers and replace the seat slide knobs, free of charge,” the statement said.

Kia recommended that drivers park outside until repairs were completed.

About 460,000 vehicles could be affected by the recall, according to the NHTSA, and notices informing owners of affected Tellurides are expected to be mailed beginning July 30.

Kia will also reimburse owners for repair expenses already incurred, according to a Safety Recall Report that the agency posted online.

A chronology of the issues with the Telluride Front Power Seats shared by the NHTSA shows that the Kia North America Safety Office saw complaints of smoke and a report of a “driver seat caught on fire while driving.” No injuries were reported from that fire, according to the document, nor have there been any injuries, crashes or fatalities stemming from the problem.

James Bell, a spokesman for Kia, called the issue “very rare.”

In September 2023, Hyundai and Kia recalled nearly 3.4 million vehicles in the United States because of a fire risk in the engine compartment caused by brake fluid leaks. At the time, the automakers also advised car owners to park their vehicles outside.

Hyundai is the parent company of Kia Motors, but the manufacturers operate independently.